Ks jake

ksbowman · May 15, 2015, 09:11:00 AM

My turkey season has been interrupted by a kitchen addition for most of the spring. I've only got to hunt 3 times. A newly acquired bow and the desire to try things a little different has made it interesting. I've always bow hunted turkeys in a popup blind, this year I wanted to try something I could set up easy and quietly. I chose a camo netting that was picked up at a garage sale a couple years ago.
The evening of the 12th I was out on the porch and saw a hen and a tom in the field across from my house. Glassing them for a while I was able to see them work into a cut in the tree line at the creek and knew where they would roost. Told my wife that I was going out in the morning and see if I could call him in.
4:30 came early, but I managed to get out of bed, get dressed and go for a brisk walk. Entering the creek bottom about 200 yards from where I'd seen them last night I worked my way to a cut in the trees and set up on the edge of the burn made 3 weeks ago. This gave a good open area for my dekes. As pink was showing in the east the owls were hooting, but no gobbles were heard near or far. That's odd as they will usually shock gobble, but nothing this morning. I gave a couple very soft yelps so the turks would know I was there then shut up. Not a sound was heard from the roost tree they were in, just dead quiet. Had they got spooked by something in the night and left? I gave a couple more very soft yelps and then shut up again. Just after good light down the two came, landing in the old corn field about 100 yards away. I picked up my scratch box and purred, then hit 4-5 soft yelps. The tom looked my way and stretched his neck out trying to see the hen that was talking. then he went back to feeding. After several minutes I tried the slate call, same thing very little interest.
This went on for 45 minutes, changing to a diaphragm call to see if he liked it. Same response, so I gave an excited series of cackles then yelped. That's what he wanted! He started walking my way. Came about 20 yards then stopped and looked (think he was opening a can of whoop ass). Then here he came walking right in to the dekes and walked a full circle around the Jake. When he stopped he was looking toward me. OH Hell he has seen me! was my first thought. Then he cocked his head a couple times and up came his foot and he kicked the jake deke right in the face, The deke jake spun and on the pivot and hit the real jake with it's head and the fight was on! This gave me the perfect cover to draw as my shoulders and head were above the camo net. One quick draw and shooting for his hip hoping to break his thigh bones (new this year after reading about it). Then all hell broke loose, flopping all over. He managed to get about 20 yards and fell silent.

ksbowman · May 15, 2015, 09:15:00 AM

For those interested in the blind setup here is a picture looking at a turkey view. My head, arms and shoulders are exposed so I wait for the turkey to concentrate on the deke before drawing.

ranger 3 · May 15, 2015, 09:16:00 AM

Way to STICK with it.

Warden609 · May 15, 2015, 09:43:00 AM

Kip · May 15, 2015, 09:52:00 AM

Good Job Ben if I remember right that bird should have been killed with a Ben Pearson bow.

ksbowman · May 15, 2015, 10:04:00 AM

Yeah Kip, I have been using a Wing T-bird too, but this spring I picked up this Bear td and wanted to try it.

Big Lefty · May 15, 2015, 10:10:00 AM

Sounds like an exciting hunt! Congrats!

May 15, 2015, 10:13:00 AM

Way to go! I never got to turkey hunt one day this season!

Congrats,

Bisch

Carpdaddy · May 15, 2015, 10:23:00 AM

Wow, you pulled off what seems impossible! Great.

Cocklebur · May 15, 2015, 02:24:00 PM

Good job Ben!

daveycrockett · May 15, 2015, 02:26:00 PM

I gotta turkey hunt someday!

Jon Kaw · May 15, 2015, 06:43:00 PM

Way to go! I used camo burlap for a blind this year but never got a Tom close enough to judge it's effectiveness(maybe that doesn't speak highly of the burlap). Congrats on your bird!

kennym · May 15, 2015, 06:54:00 PM

Way to go Ben!!

Homey88 · May 16, 2015, 07:29:00 AM

Congrats! Great hunt and fine turkey!

KyStickbow · May 16, 2015, 08:20:00 AM

Congrats!

Cyclic-Rivers · May 16, 2015, 09:04:00 AM

Congrats on the bird (and your new kitchen).

Gatekeeper · May 16, 2015, 11:07:00 PM

Way to go, Ben!

BMN · May 17, 2015, 02:47:00 PM

Great job Ben!!!

Whitetail Addict · May 17, 2015, 04:07:00 PM

My kitchen remodel has been interrupted most of this spring due to turkey season, lol.

Congrats on your bird.

I enjoyed the story, I was right there with ya the whole time. Thanks for sharing.

Bob