Last day, last evening- a cautionary tale

pdk25 · May 06, 2016, 09:34:00 PM

I left work a little early to catch the last hunt of the season. To say that my turkey season has been a comedy of errors on my part would be an understatement. Tonight I was hoping to make amends, armed with my beautiful TallTines Stickflinger, with an arrow tipped with a Big Jim broadhead(hoping to imitate Curt Cabrera), using my Chad Orde string tracker.

I was hunting a little strip that the turkey feed in prior to going to roost. Around 6 o'clock, I had 2 nice gobblers sneak into range, but I misjudged the sun, and they caught light reflecting off my arrow in the blind and they scooted away, but not far. I adjusted the windows in the blind, and 4 hens fed close by, but the two Toms kept their distance, and they all slowly fed away.

Maybe 15 minutes later and a Jake and a Tom with around an 8" beard showed up. I carefully drew back and let it fly. It hit right where I was looking, but didn't penetrate well. The bird ran 10 yards to my left, and out of the view from my window. The line stopped playing out, and I thought it was a dead bird.....That is, until I looked at the ground and saw the orange cap from my stringtracker. I was so focused on the birds that I forgot to remove it. I got out of the blind and followed the string around 15 yards to where my arrow fell out. No blood. Judging by the dullness of the blade, around 1/2-3/4" penetration. Please don't be stupid like me.

azhunter · May 06, 2016, 09:57:00 PM

Man I am sorry to hear about that. AT least you have a story of a hunt you will always remember. I think those crazy little mistakes are part of hunting. Have to just shake your head every now and then and say what the heck was I thinking. If those Tall Tines stick flinger longbows are as nice as the Tall Tines recurve I sure would like to get one of those someday.

CoachBGriff · May 06, 2016, 10:06:00 PM

No doubt that kind of stuff is frustrating, but that's also why hunting is so rewarding... everything, every little detail has to go perfectly. So when it all comes together, it's a pretty awesome thing!

pdk25 · May 06, 2016, 10:15:00 PM

Mark, the stickflinger are exceptional. Quick, quiet, and smooth are understating it.

May 06, 2016, 10:25:00 PM

Ha! I'm glad I am not the only one that does bonehead things like that! Actually, I'll bet most everyone on this site that has hunted very much has a similar tale or two to tell!

Bisch

DanielB89 · May 06, 2016, 10:27:00 PM

Pat, you suck! :p :p

I have never seen one of those to hold the string.

pdk25 · May 07, 2016, 01:29:00 AM

Daniel, the orange cap was something I came up with for storage and to keep the wind from pulling out extra line and risking it get tangled. Didn't need it in the blind, though. Just really dumb. It actuall is some type of a soft rubber stopper for a wine bottle, although I am not a wine drinker.

acedoc · May 07, 2016, 01:50:00 AM

not only hunters ,most anyyone in the military , law enforcement and medical profession would have done this.

come to think of this almost all professions would have their versions of this UFC.

Jayrod · May 07, 2016, 07:14:00 AM

So sorry to hear pat guess those things happen and you manned up to give us a bad story that we all can learn from instead of all the hero storys...get after them hogs man!

kennym · May 07, 2016, 07:59:00 AM

Heck Pat, I once (ONCE) walked a halfmile to my deer stand and discovered my quiver and arrows were still in the truck!

Everybody has one of those days sometimes!

highlow · May 07, 2016, 08:55:00 AM

Won't bore with the deatails of my first morning hunt this year. Suffice to say, practice shooting from blind while sitting on a Millenium seat. (Great seat by the way.) To continue. While practicing, make sure the bottom limb doesn't contact the seat upon release. End of advice.

Sam McMichael · May 07, 2016, 09:08:00 AM

We all screw up. Remember, experience comes from mistakes and wisdom comes from experience. So file this one away and keep on keeping on.

meathead · May 07, 2016, 10:02:00 AM

Sounds like something I would do. My turkey hunting and SNAFU just seem to go together. You need to hunt with one of your 80 pounders if you are going to have that much drag on your arrow. Lol

pdk25 · May 07, 2016, 12:28:00 PM

LOL, Meathead. That may have done the trick in this case.

Caughtandhobble · May 07, 2016, 01:33:00 PM

Now that's funny, well to us anyways, lol

pdk25 · May 07, 2016, 01:39:00 PM

The worst part is, I noticed the orange cap hadn't been removed after the two large gobblers left, and told myself to remember to take it out before taking a shot. What an idiot. I won't keep that cap in anymore unless I am in a very windy situation.

Basinboy · May 07, 2016, 01:44:00 PM

It happens lol
Thanks for sharing with us.

dbd870 · May 07, 2016, 02:03:00 PM

We all have found impressive way to mess up over the years; you are in good company.

Michael Arnette · May 07, 2016, 02:38:00 PM

I think we've all been there in one way or another Pat...at least you have a good sense of humor!

Crittergetter · May 07, 2016, 02:42:00 PM

I've done so many stupid things while hunting it almost seems normal these days!! Usually takes me a little while to admit them tho! Lol