Learning... the hard way

madmaxthc · December 25, 2016, 09:22:00 PM

Hello, TradGangers, Merry Christmas to everybody!

I hope you all are having a great time with your beloved ones.

Yesterday I went hunting, and I learned some lessons the hard way.
I had a tough week, so I decided just to go with my recurve, since I was too tired to even carry the tree stand. I hid on the ground behind some bush, hoping for some deer to come around.

I saw turkeys!!!!! I couldn't shoot them from where I was, since there was too much vegetation, so I started moving slowly toward them, trying to keep cover. They were feeding around. It took a lot of patience and some luck, but an hour later I finally managed to place myself so that I could ambush them in the spot they were moving to. At the last moment I realized some branches were denying me a clear shot, so I moved a few steps to have a better view. Just in time! I saw the first bearded guy passing through, but he saw me at the last moment. He turned and moved away, showing his back to me, giving a narrow target. I drew and took the shot! The arrow dag straight in the middle of its back! For a moment I thought I got myself a turkey for Christmas! The guy though spread its wings and flew away. I followed it with my eyes for a hundred yards, then it disappeared. I was surprised it managed to fly for so long with an arrow in its back.

I waited for just 15 minutes, thinking my prey would probably not live that long. I walked over where I saw it flying. The grass was so tall and thick I couldn't find it if I stepped on it. Following my just instinct, I walked over the direction he took. After about 150 yards, I literally stepped on it. I could see its head was light pink, due to the blood loss. He flew away again, and although I had an arrow nocked, I was so surprised that I did not have the time to take the shot!

I never found it. Today I'm at home, musing on my mistakes.
1) I shot him too far on the back. The arrow actually went where I aimed for, but that should have been a bit forward to get into the lungs/heart area
2) I should have waited longer. The guy was not going anywhere had I waited for longer. I thought "it's just a bird" not thinking that a turkey is actually larger than a fox, and certainly not as squishy as a pheasant. Dumb me.

I'm hunting species we don't have in my country, and I have been a gun/hounds hunter all my life. I am learning a lot, but man, this burns. It would have been my first bowkill :(
I am sorry to bother you with this. I'm eager to go hunting again, and the season is almost over. What a bummer.

OK, the rant is over, thanks for hearing me out. Wish you all a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

Max

December 25, 2016, 10:35:00 PM

Sounds to me like you made a GREAT stalk and had a great hunt..........just not the ending you had hoped for.

And by the way, "the hard way" is the way we all learned. Being successful with trad gear is very hard to accomplish, and takes a lot of time and dedication. You are in the same place most of us have been before!

Good luck next time out!

Bisch

kenneth butler · December 25, 2016, 11:11:00 PM

Sorry, Tough luck. You will get him next time. You didn't do much wrong just a bad break. It takes time to learn something new. I would have zero luck trying to put a hound pack together too. They would probably have a hard time finding their supper. Ken

Pine · December 25, 2016, 11:34:00 PM

You might consider using a tracking string .

madmaxthc · December 26, 2016, 08:44:00 PM

Thank you all for the encouragement. I read your posts late last night and made me get up early again this morning

Didn't see much, but at least I was out in the woods

Good luck to you all. Thank you Graps, I'll check the tracking strings

Captain*Kirk · December 26, 2016, 10:39:00 PM

I'd say you did quite well!

Hud · December 27, 2016, 01:05:00 AM

Sounds like you gave your best effort, and it is surprising it flew again. That may suggest your arrow was low. It might help to use a larger broadhead in three blade, or as someone suggested a string tracker.

Check this out for shot placement:
https://www.wasparchery.com/blog/turkey-shot-placement

Michael Arnette · December 27, 2016, 01:16:00 AM

Turkeys are Soo tuff with a trad bow just bc if accuracy issues. I'm pretty sure they are a shotgun species for me with any seriousness. Mind you I shoot pretty good but I have wounded 3 yes 3 turkeys and only recovered one with a tradbow. If I do turkeys again and I probably will since I love stickbows it will be using a string tracker or gulliteen type heads.

Thanks for sharing your story and I hope you can get another soon

madmaxthc · December 27, 2016, 05:21:00 PM

Thank you.

My broadheads are relatively narrow (1' and 1/8'), but I have just received some Simmons. They are also heavier (190gr vs current 125gr), so I will have to train a few times before going hunting again. Hope this change will help. Thank you for the shot placement pics, they're great!
I took the shot while it was walking away from me, and the placement was pretty close to the one in the pick. Well, I hope the new Simmons will make the difference

Patknight · December 27, 2016, 05:38:00 PM

Get back out there and give um hell brother... You'll get it done!!!!

Kopper1013 · December 27, 2016, 08:07:00 PM

Learning the hard way is just that the hard way boy dose it suck knowing you killed or mortally wounded something your not going to find. It will happen again and it'll suck then to, but we can take from these and learn and hopefully the times between these occurrences are great and many seasons apart . I think I remember these lessons more than a lot of my more successful hunts. Sorry it happened but get back out there and enjoy yourself.

madmaxthc · December 27, 2016, 09:51:00 PM

You're right, Kopper,

It does burn. That's what prods us to improve I guess.

QuoteOriginally posted by Patknight:
Get back out there and give um hell brother... You'll get it done!!!!

Thanks

GreyGoose · December 28, 2016, 04:24:00 PM

Enjoyed reading your account - sounds like a wonderful day in the woods - and taking your lessons for my own use.

IndaTimber · December 29, 2016, 01:46:00 PM

Get back after them!

Bill Carlsen · December 29, 2016, 01:54:00 PM

My wife shot one like that a number of years ago. We never found the bird and she has been hesitant to shoot at a turkey since. I shot one in the back, my first turkey, and it was a pass thru. The broadhead broke the bird's back and it just piled up right there and never moved a muscle. Of the dozen or so turkeys that I have taken with my bow most seem to go down in 20 yards or so. I have committed myself to taking only broadside shots at them. I have a friend who shot one in the back and the arrow bounced out. No apparent harm to the bird. They are very tough.