Well I finally was able to connect on a bird this year in Nebraska after three years of trying. Last year was the first time we were able to call in some birds close enough for a shot, but couldn't seal the deal due to some misses.
The first place we called produced two toms, but they hung up at about 50 yrds directly behind us. I was a little disappointed, not a bad start and it was only the first afternoon. The next day we went in to a place where I missed a jake last year and there seem to always be birds in there. Sure enough there were hens yelping as we were setting up the blind. After and hour of calling off and on two gobblers showed up with four hens. The hens were interested, drawing the gobblers close. They came to 30 yards, but never presented a shot in the cover. I was disappointed, but we went back to the area we called the afternoon before.
We set up the blind and as I was climbing in I could see a tom strutting through the trees about 150 yards away. We got to calling to the yelping hens, but they showed no interest and moved off. Once again I was disappointed, but continued to sit. About 30 minutes later a tom all of a sudden came into view strutting at 50 yards all alone. He moved closer strutting and drumming the whole way into 4 yrds where the decoy was. Being so close to the blind I was afraid to draw so I waited this he turned to face the hen, shielding his eyes with his fan and I took the shot. He ran a few yards and tipped over. I couldn't have been any happier and my dad was there to witness everything. A great weekend. We hunted the next day trying to get my dad a bird, but didn't succeed after spooking two jakes just before sunset on their way back to roost.
How found him
(http://i942.photobucket.com/albums/ad266/tsjohnson89/IMG_1225.jpg)
The arrow
(http://i942.photobucket.com/albums/ad266/tsjohnson89/IMG_1230.jpg)
(http://i942.photobucket.com/albums/ad266/tsjohnson89/IMG_1253.jpg)
Walking out with my prize
(http://i942.photobucket.com/albums/ad266/tsjohnson89/IMG_1262.jpg)
Few Hens not happy with the decoy
(http://i942.photobucket.com/albums/ad266/tsjohnson89/IMG_1288.jpg)
Congrats! :thumbsup:
Excellent Trophy!!!
Congrats!! This will be my second year trying with traditional equipment. Been shooting for the last three months, think i'm ready. Now I just have to wait until my license is good. Sweet pics
Congratulations!!!
Nice work. Congrats!
Congrats! Beautiful bird
Nice bird. Congrats! Good photo quality too.
Great Job Tim! :thumbsup:
Nice photos. Love the iridescent colors in the feathers!
Good work! Nice turkey, bet he tasted great!
Just shows how some of the best things come in small packages. Sure, I am the odd man out however ,for me, a gob with trad gear is the ultimate.
Congrats!!
Those are some of the BEST field photos I've ever seen and trust me I've seen a LOT.
Congrats on a beaut of a gobbler.
:bigsmyl: :notworthy:
Very nice! Well done sir.
Great job!!! :archer:
Thanks for the kind works guys. I had a great hunt. I need to find some time to get out there again now.
great JoB!!
Well done. What the specs on your bow and broadhead?
Very Cool :clapper:
beautiful bird!! :notworthy:
Wow fantastic deal all the way around.
Congrats! :clapper:
Congratulations! Thanks for sharing, the pictures look great :clapper:
What brand of decoy are you using? The hen decoy looks realistic.
Man i love those Merriams! Congrates on the nice gobbler and great story. :clapper:
Way to hang in there...just makes it sweeter when it does all come together! Congrats :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Tom I believe that's a Dave Smith Decoy...
It's a Rampart 52#, CX Heritage 250, 50 grain brass insert, 175 gr Grizzly broadhead.
Dave Smith Decoy. I thought they were a scam at first, but after hunting for the last 5 years and the birds hanging up outside of range I was convinced it was due to junk decoys. I'm sold on this decoys now.
Great job! Congrats.
Outstanding pics Congrats Joe
Congrats! :thumbsup:
Nice pics ! Good job! Congrats!
Great pics and congrats on a fine bird!
Wow that was an awesome hunt. Congrats on the bird.
NICE!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats! Hope to get my 1st in a week or so.
Great job on the hunt and for sticking out for a few years. I'm really impressed with the quality of your pics and to be honest I thought all 3 hens were real till there was discussion about the decoys. I had to go back and check it out, she looks pretty dang real!!! Awesome
Congrats on an awesome tom!
Way to go and congrats!! :bigsmyl:
Tracy
congratts! :thumbsup:
Congratulations and Wow, superb picture of the hens.
Way to go! That's a super looking bird you have hanging over your shoulder! I agree with everyone else about the beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing them!
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
Great Hunt. Pics are awesome, and so is the decoy.
Congrats.
Awesome! I'm still waiting on my first trad bird.
:thumbsup: Congrats! Good shooting!
Wow! Good hunt. Thanks
Way to go! The pics are great. I really like the one of the bird over your shoulder and the bow in your hand. Very cool
Way to go ! Turkey for dinner
Very nice,congrats! :thumbsup:
great trophy and awesome pics.
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Great bird, congratulations!!
Congrats.
Nice job great pictures.Hoping to score next week.
Great job and fantastic photos :notworthy:
What kind of decoy are you using? I had to look twice to see which one didn't have real legs! She looks a lot more real than my ol' sweet sally, that's for sure. Congrats on a beauty of a bird!
Dave Smith decoy
Ok thanks. I just went back thru the other pages and seen that it was already posted. Man that thing looks awesome! It makes me kind of skeptical to take ol' sweet sally out now! After seeing that one, the only thing she will be foolin' is a blind tom or a really "excited" jake, LOL!
Man congratulations! Great pictures as well!!
As Mr. Womack would say...Outstanding!!RC
Congrats! :thumbsup: :clapper:
Well done!!!!!!!
That is so cool! Thanks for the great pics...what a trophy.
awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wish me luck for the start of the season here in pa. its gona be my fist try trad style
Very nice. Thanks for sharing. I can't wait until the 30th when our season starts.
Thanks, you guys are too nice.