sounds like there might be a story here...  

 

What do we got?!?!?

Coyote?

I don't see an arrow laying out there but looks like a real nice spot for your decoys to make friends!?!?

 

I have been trying to fill my second tag with the same 51 year old bow.  This time I wanted to hold out for a mature tom.  I sometimes have the Eichler syndrome.  I had gone out on Sat. and had two birds on the roost, but due to a variety of things did not have an opportunity.  I trimmed some limbs from a small beech tree on the edge of the field the birds went to after fly down before I left on Sat.  

I was back dark and early this morning.  I set up my blind and another for a friend who wanted to try and film the hunt. Here is my blind and his behind and to the left.

Birds in the area gobbled late due to cloudy weather.  I finally heard some hen yelps on the roost behind us, but no gobbles anywhere close.  I heard some cackles as the mouthy hen pitched out.  I heard a heavier bird pitch out about five minutes later.  Nothing for a while.  Then some gobbles behind me on the route the birds took the other day.  They sounded like jake gobbles.  Dang, this could affect my mature bird plan.  I just needed to stay strong if only jakes showed up..  I was worried the birds might come through the woods behind the blinds.  I was good, but my cameraman was exposed.  I  made three clucks with a box call that I received as part of a pass around from a different BB.

Here is another pict of the blind with me at full draw from the turkey perspective at the decoys if they ever get here.

Did "it" leave with an arrow in it?      

Finally I hear some noise behind me down the field edge (I am only about 20 yards from the corner they enter).  I catch some dark movement out of the corner of my eye.  A bird moves in front of the blind at about 4 yards and heads right toward the jake decoy.  I can see a long beard hanging down. He is quartering a way so I draw, lock on and release.  The bird flaps and leaps over the decoys leaving them like the pict in the first post.

The bird starts walking off, and I can  see my fletching sticking out right where I was looking.  He heads up a slight hill and curves back towards the trees.  I can see my broadhead protruding out the right breast right about beard height.  He disappears into the woods. The jakes that were with the tom putt for a while, and slip off. I quietly get up and tell Carl we are going to stay put for a while, as I don't want to push the tom.  We check the video, but Carl got so excited he hit the record button twice.  After about five minutes we hear some loud flapping only 25 yards away in the woods.  A minute later another round.  I am sure the tom is done, but give him some more time and break down the blinds.

I finally nock an arrow and sneak up through the woods.  I spot the bird and he is done.





The Simmons land sharks are certainly a super turkey head.


Ready to head out


The scale bounced between 19.14 and 20.1 lbs.  10" beard and 1" spurs.

And a nod to the traveling call.

Congrats. Beautiful bird.

ALL RIGHT!!!!!!!

Great story and bird! Congrats.  

Congrats!!!!

Nice bird. Congrats.

Great job!

Nice Bird and good shot.  You had a good season. Congrats!

nice bird.  

Great turkey, thanks for sharing your story.  

Way to go!! Congrats!!