Well I was lucky enough to put a tag on a nice ohio tom already this year. It was really a fast action packed hunt.
I set up on the edge of a small woodlot I had been seeing birds around for the last few weeks not really knowing were they roost but I knew were they showed up shortly after they flew down. It turns out my location for the blind was directly under their roost. At 6:00 on the money the first tom told the ladies he was up, moments later I realized just how close I was when I could hear him ruffle his feather. Shortly after he gobbld I heard multiple other birds gobble.
It didnt take long for them to spot the decoys and head down then, by 6:15 I had 3 birds strutting their stuff for one lone hen. (a 4th tom would show up soon)
(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z463/dlnwohio/IMG_20130422_062400_625.jpg) (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/dlnwohio/media/IMG_20130422_062400_625.jpg.html)
From watching the birds in the past I knew they would make their way up a small ridge in the field to gather some of the morning suns warmth. I knew I needed to get that hen in with my decoys to have a chance at a shot at one of these toms so i quickly began the game on repeat with her. As 3 of the strutters had passed the blind and headed up to the top of the ridge I had the hen and the last tom 30 yards straight out infront of me so I stepped up the calling to try to pull her in closer...... wouldn't you know it she was 5 yards away in no time trying to peck the eyes out of my avian x hen. The tom that was fallowing her just stayed out of range when all of the sudden 2 jakes came running in and started stomping another of my hen decoys. Thats all it took to bring the hung up tom in for a fight with my jake decoy.
Now this is were I'd love to say i made the perfect broadside shot but thats just not the case. I focused drew hit anchor and watched as my arrow made the short trip to the mud right next to his feet. He trotted off to watch again at about 20 yards. I quickly nocked anothe arrow and focused on a jake still beating up my hen and yep shot right between the legs into the mud. That was enough for those 2 and they quickly headed for the woods. I looked out the window to see the first tom still standing there. A couple yelps later he was on a run towards my jake decoy. And again I got ready for another shot he attacked my decoy and another arrow was on its way to fly right under his chest. That arrow didnt phase him as he continued to show my jake who was boss. I nocked yet another arrow relaxed as much as I could at this point and finally made a great shot just above the drumsticks. He ran off and paused for a second on the top of the ridge in the field and with the morning sun behind him I could see steam rising out from under his wings. Just when I thought he would drop as he was getting a little wobbly out of nowhere came a tom and chased him on a dead run in a 150 yard loop out infront of me and back into the woods. Just as my tom made it to the woods I saw him fall over. I gave it 20 or so minutes and let all the other birds in the field leave to go find my bird. Just as i thought he laid just inside the woods.
He ended up with a 9.5" beard and 1 1/8" spurs
(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z463/dlnwohio/IMG_20130422_071551_403.jpg) (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/dlnwohio/media/IMG_20130422_071551_403.jpg.html)
The bow I used is a bow I built a few monthes ago. Its based off a old Bud Hitt dual limb recurve. I live 10 minutes from Bud and make frequent visits with him to show him bows as I build them. He was kind enough to trace out his form he had and told me to get to work he wanted to see me make one. I changed it up a bit by using the take down limb bolts and pins as he never did. Its 56" and 50@28. The arrows where old cedars from a auction of a local man who had passed and as I was making some arrows I remembered having them and glued on some of the bear razorheads that had come in the box with the arrow.
(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z463/dlnwohio/IMG_20130418_201937_637.jpg) (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/dlnwohio/media/IMG_20130418_201937_637.jpg.html)
(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z463/dlnwohio/IMG_20130422_083014_497.jpg) (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/dlnwohio/media/IMG_20130422_083014_497.jpg.html)
thanks for reading and no I dont normally shoot that bad! guess I was just really shook up! haha
That is really cool. Congrats on a Nice tom
Great post and a great bird, congrats
Thats cool
Congrats Bro!!! great job!!
Congrats, great hunt and bird!
Congrates on the beautiful gobbler! :thumbsup:
Congrats!
That first photo looks like it is one of copper color phase birds that you hear about so rarely.
But then the second photo makes me question that.
Regardless, it is a true trophy. Just wondering, could you tell there was any difference to the coloring of the feathers?
Ken
Congrats in a nice Ohio gobbler.
Congrats on a nice Ohio gobbler.
Cool story, sweet bird, awesome bow and neat arrows. Thanks for sharing.
Congrats again David! Great reading the story in its entirety finally! Awesome stuff!
Great Job with your home made bow. Enjoyed the story and the mmmmisses.....They can be humbling....Thanks.....Bobby
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
SWEET!
Enjoy the feast!
Shoot straight, Shinken
:archer2:
Good job :thumbsup:
Thanks for sharing. Good pics and story.
Nice bird. Congratulations. :clapper:
Way to stick it out, nice bird, thank for taking us along. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Good story and hunt. Way to keep shooting!
Way to keep after it! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Man the thoughts that had to be buzzing in your head through that. Sounds like a great hunt. Congrats on your beautiful Tom bird... :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Way to hang in there. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Thanks guys!!
Threeunder.. I wouldn't say he's colored any different and most birds I think its just the way the sun was hitting him in that pic that makes him look copper.
Nice. Great story.
:thumbsup:
Thanks for sharing, great story! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Great bird and good story. Man oh man 4 arrows you are lucky to get that many off, heck I would have ran out of arrows. HAHA CONGRATS.
Very nice story and great turkey ! Congrats
Congrats on the bird.RC
Very nice bird and congrats on taking him with your new bow.
Great job!!
Congrats! I was sweating there for you for a bit. I know how it feels I got shook up once with hogs and shot over the back of two of them before making a perfect shot, and all three were gimme shots
Very nice!!
Congrats :thumbsup:
haha awesome story david. it was even cooler being in the group text the first three days of season
Congratulations. Good story. Way better than "My first shot was perfect" (Yawn) Lol. I would be happy with that hunt. That's a nice bird!
Congratulations! That's a great bird.
:thumbsup: Congrats!
Way to go!
Congrats,
Bisch
Nice story and a great conclusion! That must have been nerve wracking watching your arrows fall so close! That's extra special using your own crafted bow. :thumbsup:
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
Well I made it out this morning again. Like clock work the gobbles started at 5:59. At 6:15 I watched as a tom pitched out to catch up with the hen already in the field. Shortly after that another tom and a jake make their way into the field to joint in the fun. Try as I may I couldnt turn any of the guys from the lone hen. By 6:45 they had moved away across the field behind a rise so I couldnt see them anymore. I snuck out of the blind to see which way they had gone. I spotted them about 300 yards away feeding in another field. I had a feeling they would make thier way back by so back to the blind I went.
At a little after 7 I saw heads popping up over the rise in the field. They were making their way back to the woods but still 100 plus yards away. For some unknown reason the hen turns around 180 degrees and makes a big loop out infront of the blind draging the guys along.
(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z463/dlnwohio/IMG_20130428_072827_415.jpg) (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/dlnwohio/media/IMG_20130428_072827_415.jpg.html)
She contiued to angle towards the woods but not near close enough. As I peered out the window to see the hen clear the corner of the woods to my right I figured it was now or never to test out the new haint gobble call I got. After I gobbled they popped their heads up and gobbled back. I hit em one more time with a gobble and it was on both toms and the jake turn right towards the decoys and came running!
After missing so many times last round I decided to stay calm and let them whoop on my decoy for a bit. After they racked my jake over for a bit I focused on the closest tom hit achor and sent my arrow on its way. It indeed hit its mark and he took off running only making it 70 yards or so. The jake took off as well but the second tom stuck around and made sure my jake decoy knew who the boss was.
my bird is the speck off to the left
(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z463/dlnwohio/IMG_20130428_073307_353.jpg) (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/dlnwohio/media/IMG_20130428_073307_353.jpg.html)
After a couple minutes the second tom decided it was time to find his girlfriend again and headed out.
(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z463/dlnwohio/IMG_20130428_074020_246.jpg) (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/dlnwohio/media/IMG_20130428_074020_246.jpg.html)
thanks for reading!
Off to visit Bud and tell him how well this new bow is treating me!
Great! What a season. Now you have to hunt with someone else to carry your season further. Congrats on the two nice birds.
Wow, sounds like you are having a great and successful turkey season! :thumbsup:
This morning was a good morning to be out . Congrats on your success. :thumbsup:
Oh yea dirtybird my girlfriend still has both tags and her 8 year old daughter is eagerly awaiting a chance at a bird. Youth season wasn't very good weather wise as I'm sure you knew. I'll still be out chasing them
great bird and story CONGRATS!!
what part of Ohio? The weather was foul today for us here in southeastern part.
I was just into Williams co. (Most northwest co.) It started to rain just after they hit the ground this morning. We had snow for Saturday of youth season up here not much but still made it tuff for the youngins
Many congrats on a fine tom,nice beard!
Way to go David! Or should I say Hitt man!
wow!! :clapper:
Thanks drew
Yea I'm sure those birds are thinking I am a "hitt man" haha! I'll get yours going asap bro
:notworthy: :clapper: :clapper:
Great job, and beautiful birds.