Follow along....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11001.jpg)
Confirmation I wasn't dreaming....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11003.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11004.jpg)
Drenched with red bubbles....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11006.jpg)
Coming out both sides.....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11005.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11007.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11008.jpg)
AWESOME!!!!!!!!
Guru, way to go.....
Congrats,great pics,just need details.
Terry
Knew it wouldn't be long....Can't wait to hear the rest... :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
you Da man !
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Dental floss in the air! Good shootin Curt!
Most Excellent!
Heard these birds at daylight, (after a 2 mile hike)took my time setting up. I don't go this spot very often, because of the hike. But I knew there'd be birds, as I was there one day last week. But the birds were with hens and I couldn't wait them out.
I figured they'd come to the orchard sooner or later, so after I set-up I walked to a drop off in the orchard and called just so they knew a hen(me) was out there waiting for them. Half hour later they weren't any closer,so I got out and walked closer again and called.
Another half hour and still no closer, but still gobbling. So I figured I'll get out, get closer, and call again, then call again as I retreated to the blind to make them think I was walking away from them.
Well it must have worked...the next time I heard them, they had made a significant move, but not really at me. But I was hopeful they were on the way. I call one more time and 5 minutes later, they gobble and they are without a doubt coming, in fact they had arrived! I peeked out to see a red head coming over the rise, but about 60yds north of me. Grab my bow and peek again and see 2 nice gobblers!
I purr softly to let them know where I was and they turn and head toward me. Then they saw my jake deke "Slick Rick"(not a strutter) and it was a race to see who would make it first! What a sight!!!
I slid my hand up and settle the Dark Archer into the web of my hand...
They pull up and both strut right up to Slick Rick and one quarters away at about 10yds....
I pick my spot and watch my arrow disappear exactly where I was looking!
Both birds turn and run off, but the one I shot is making the familiar not-quite-right, off-balance run of a hard hit bird with the arrow hanging out the off side......they go out of sight over the rise....
The string stops for a split second, then I see a bird jump up and the string starts going again....
Next thing I know it's flying and my string is going out like I have a bonefish on the end! Then it stops but the gobbler keeps flying off....how can that be?
Now I question what I saw, I know I hammered that bird! But the string was going out as the bird flew away!
But only one bird flew off....
I settle down for a minute....only thing I can figure(hope)is that it had to be the second gobbler that got tangled in the string and spooked and flew off taking it for a while......I had to see what sign was waiting for me......
I got out after only about a minute and went to the spot of the hit and saw what you guys have already followed in pix....
But when I snuck up to, and peeked over the little rise they'd run over, I didn't see anything but my string going up into the trees about 50yds away....
I scan with my bino's down into the orchard, but can't see anything in the tall grass.....
I'm still thinking "there's no way this bird flew off with the hit I put on it and the sign I was finding, there's just no way!" But I'm getting a sinking feeling.....
Just then I look to my right and see this,just ten yards from me!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11009.jpg)
You wanna talk about fired-up!! I knew I wasn't seeing things!!
The bird that took my string was in fact the other bird that had temporarily got into it...
He was indeed hit perfectly and hadn't gone over twenty yards. When I searched over the hill, I was looking too far ahead......
Where he lay with Chris Surtees' (made by Don and Skyler Wilson)"Cutter" about to do what it was made for......
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11010.jpg)
Entrance....thru the wing and into the body....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11026.jpg)
It came out right behind the wing-butt.....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11027.jpg)
Gobblers view as they came in...as you can see the grass is real high...I purposely set "Slick Rick" in the tractor tracks for good visbility....there's two hen deke's in front of him if you look close...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11002.jpg)
He was a beaut, with a nice thick beard....I couldn't been any happier! Well I would have been if Cade was with me.....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11025.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11016.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-110222.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11038.jpg)
Time to hike back out.....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-110292.jpg)
Back at the truck.....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11052.jpg)
The end of a great hunt!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11047.jpg)
You can see the difference in the thickness of the beard from my opening day bird....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11053.jpg)
Great pics and congrats on a gorgeous bird!
Way to go Curt.
Jack
:thumbsup:
Congrats!! Great story and pics!
Great job Curt!! Awesome bird buddy.
Way to go Curt I was wondering when you where gonna get your second bird :notworthy: :notworthy:
Great Bird, pictures and story!
Great Job Curt!!!!! :clapper:
Great bird and story, Curt. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Amazing...I a touch jealous after this weekend's fun!
Great job!
I have one question...were they strutting or do you wait for a going away shot. I'm still under the accuracy by quantity rule.
Josh
Congrats, great photos, too!
Nice bird Curt. What bow is that?
Great hunt Curt, thanks for sharing again!!! :thumbsup:
Nice job with the Turkeys Curt!!! :wavey:
Real nice bird curt :thumbsup:
Way to get after them Curt! :clapper:
That story was even better than the first!!!
Way to double up Curt!
Great job!!
Congrats Curt, nice turkey!
Once again Curt , awesome bird and story . Congrats . :clapper: :clapper:
Atta Boy Curt! You are death on those birds :thumbsup:
congrats! and thank you for "taking us with you'.
Congrats Curt on another beautiful bird. What an awesome view to soak in with some feathers hangin over your back. When did you get the Dark Archer? Is it 54" and what pound. I've got the Signature Hunter 58" @ 55# and it's quick. Its very manageable in a blind and it's smooth as silk. I almost got a Dark Archer but I thought the 54" was just a little to short for a 29-1/2" draw.
Great Job as always and God Bless
Dave
Congrats Curt. :notworthy:
Nice one Guru...you made my day...slaving away in the salt mines and bzzzzz, bzzzzzzzz, bzzzzzzz...another turkey pic. Glad to see you ringing out the Dark Archer ;) .
David, I have a 54" Dark Archer AND a 29 1/2" draw; I'd say that is the limit. It IS sweet even in the small (T2) Double Bull.
Awsome picks bud and congrats again on another nice bird :notworthy: :notworthy: :goldtooth:
Tracy
Very nice bud!!!! :notworthy:
That's awesome, again....
Great going and thanks for sharing!
Todd
You are the MAN Curt! Way to go Bro! Congrats!!
Curt, thanks for sharing -- truly awesome bird. Special thanks for allowing "Cutter" the honors of yet another trophy.
Why am I not surprised? :thumbsup: and thanks for sharing!
Awesome, Congratulation's!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Once again, congrats on a great bird and hunt! Thanks for the story and great pics. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
awesome bird and pic's==========nice job
Curt, Great lead up & blood trail to an awesome hunt :thumbsup: Doc
:thumbsup:
Thanx guys, I'm still on cloud nine! It's just so nice when things come together and the effort is rewarded! Believe me, it's was extremely frustrating at times! My season should have been over in two day! Then it really should have been over in three days after a close encounter with "The Count"....but those are stories all their own...
Brent asked about the Bob Lee Dark Archer...
Like SteveO, I was sent one to shoot, beat up, and kill stuff with. When I got it, I just didn't have time to figure it out before turkey season started. So I went with my best friend "Cy"(56",58# Kwyk Styk).
But after my first bird I took some time and got it tuned. It's about as perfect a blind bow as one could ever hope for.....
It instantly made the blind a little bigger because of it's short length.
It's very fast,and dead on release.
Of course, being black it's invisible inside a black backed blind.
I do feel a bit of pinch at my 28 1/2" draw, but I think that's partly because of the seam of my super glove.
It's a great little bow that I will be using again in the blind :thumbsup:
How can you be son mean to those turkeys? They're so cute!
:D
Congrats bud. :thumbsup:
Congrats :thumbsup:
Way to go Curt. That was a great story and awesome pics. Nice Bird!!!!
You-da-man!! :thumbsup: :notworthy:
Way to go!!!
well done Curt!!!!!!! sweet! :)
Another bites the dust! Great job Curt! Congrats.
Way to go Curt turkeys are a blast! TD.
Now Charlie.....
Thanx again fellas...felt pretty good sleeping in this morning, I already miss the anticipation of "the next mornings hunt"...
...I just love to hunt, plain and simple...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11020.jpg)
"Cutter" doing what it was made to do.....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11055.jpg)
Not sure exactly where it's been since Chris won it last year, but it's an honor to have it here and get to use it.
Cade even got his Jeremy custom into the action...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11054.jpg)
Top is Cade's knife by Jeremy, and bottom is Chris Surtees' "Cutter" made by Don and Skyler Wilson...sent to me to "use"...glad I got to!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11067.jpg)
Nice job Curt . Cade sure looks proud to have blooded his knife.
Great story and bird Curt! Cutter has been to the Solana Ranch New Years hunt, Bear Quest 2, Spent a month with Vance Brewer(IronBull) and Charlie Lamb in Wyoming, and has been on several deer and hog hunts with us and lots more to come.......
Skyler
Congrats yet again Curt!!!
Awesome !!!!!! Your pix tell the whole story you could be a photographer hunter go on a hunt take the pix tell your story sell it to a magazine pay for the next hunt bring cade father son in heaven what a way to make a living.You'd never work another day in your life!!!!! Curt you got talent that all of us on trad gang are enjoying.Thank you
No doubt, the way hunting is meant to be.
"The skills necessary in bowhunting, far exceed those of other hunting sports"
That quote is from the back of a belt buckle I have.
This thread brings it to my mind.
Congrats...and thanks, yet again, for taking the time to put it here for all to enjoy.
Bob, Thanx and yes, Cade was very proud to help out and get his knife bloody :thumbsup:
Sky, Thanx you and thanx for the "history" of "Cutter"...I remember seeing it for the first time at Solana. I appreciate the opportunity to use it :notworthy: , that would be living a dream!
BB, thanx for the kind words :notworthy:
Yep! I carried that knife with pride in Wyoming for antelope. Got it bloody on one too.
:thumbsup:
:clapper: Another GURU classic. Congrats Bud!
>>--Ron--<>
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats and awesome pictures! I hope I can get my first trad bird in a few years. I just got my first with a shotgun this year.
Excellent story and pics! The account of your hunt was of "magazine" proportions. Congrats
I just HAD to say a few things, after reading this thread.....
1. I view the taking of a wild turkey with trad tackle as the ultimate challenge/accomplishment we can seek. Congrats on doubling that up. My hat's off to you, sir.
2. The ONLY things more pleasing than those pics of the bird and the knife (both BEAUTIFUL) are the words in your signature. You are, indeed, blessed.
MOST impressive.
Curt, you are my hero! Good Hunting!
I am truly humbled by your kind words......
What a relief it is when you finally see your bird laying there.
:clapper: :clapper:
Yes it is Jim!
Aram, Thanx bud
Awesome Curt, and thanks for sharing. I haven't been able to hunt this spring, when I see your stories I can put myself by your side in the blind and feel the rush of the hunt. I felt the panic and confused feelings when your string tracker flew away after a perfect shot, and the releif as you topped the knoll and found your bird......great job! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
David
Nice Bird Curt! thanks for sharing the story with us. looks like some purty country there where you are hunting.
Dang David, I hope everything is ok bud. Any chance you'll make it out before your season ends?
Thanx Rob, That's only a couple miles from my house.It's all apple country.
I do live in a pretty part of the world....20 yrs ago there wasn't a turkey one around here...now we have a very good population around here......
Thanx guys :notworthy: