Tomorrow is "MY" opening day...story, pix,and videos added..finished up

[Shawn Leonard]

I know exactly how you feel, we did double up,in a bad way. I could not find my bird and Mae did her best. Keep at it!! I am tryng again in the morning! Shawn

[Widowbender]

Sorry he got away, that's a tough pill to swallow, as it should be. Hope you can get back out there soon.

David

[Carcajou]

Sorry to hear Curt. I know how hard they can be to recover after the shot...A lot tuffer than we give em credit for!

Get back out there, theyre waiting for ya!

[Aram]

Killie, the night is just beginning.      
I'd love to see the pics and video too.

[bluegrassbowhunter]

Curt buddy I hate that for ya,but it happens to the best sometimes.Good luck when ya get back out there...

[IndianaBowman]

What?  He's human! Curt, I know how you feel. It has happened to all of us.  Doesn't make it any easier. You did everything right - sometimes things just happen!  You're still my hero!

[cjones]

Sorry to hear that bro. I know how sick you must feel. I have faith you'll get it done soon.

[Killdeer]

Aye, Curt, been there. Matter of fact, there's a deerghost I talk to every time I go out in the woods. Best hunt I ever did, and that dead deer will live forever in my soul.

How ugly can a turkey get???  :eek:  
Killdeer

[Guru]

You guys/gal are the best,thanx so much for your support    

After a lot of thinking, I'd like to share the story of the hunt,pix and video....like I said,not the ending I'd hoped for,but a very interesting hunt.

I'll add as I can,so bare with me...time at the computer is very lean right now.....

[Stone Knife]

Take your time, I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

[Guru]

I knew I had to start off early Sunday morning,I had a longer than usual walk to my hunting area. Heavy rains had the grasses and branches dripping. I had watched this area the evening before and watched a bird(Callaway) walk in to this piece of woods. I didn't know where he roosted exactly.But knew he'd be in this field in the morning, he'd been there for the last two weeks. I set up in a flat corner in the morning darkness. It had to be dark,dark because there was a chance he'd be right on the edge.I couldn't risk blowing it before I got started. I set up my new DB Darkhorse, my delta hen, and "Floyd"(Primos B- mobile).......




I waited and waited for the first gobble,but I guess the overnight rain had them a little behind schedule. I wasn't worried though,I knew he was in there somewhere. About a half hour after I thought I'd hear the first gobble,it came, and it was right behind me about 50yds away! A good guess on my part I suppose. I let him gobble a couple more times then let him know I was there with a few soft clucks and yelps...he bit!  I could also hear a distant bird,but couldn't tell form where,as it seemed very far away. I yelped one more time to set the hook...he gobbled!

He gobbled a few more times on his own and then I heard wing beats very close inside the woods. I grabed my bow out of it's holder.....




I kept an eye peeled to my right and sure enough...after the wingbeats it couldn't have been a minute and here he came. I instantly realized that this was one beat up bird, his wing primaries where all busted up and he was missing a bunch of body feathers. Within seconds he was right next to Floyd,quartering toward me at 8 yds. I like quartering to or away on turkeys. Gives the BH a lot of body to work with. I pick my spot and release......

The arrow zips thru like a hot knife thru butter(not normal for me),with a sound like shooting a watermelon. He runs to the left for about 15yds and back pedals a couple steps.I though he was going down right there. The he turns around and starts coming back the the decoys.I nocked another arrow to shoot him again since he didn't go down. After  3-4 steps he realizes something is wrong and starts to trot away as I try to line him up for a shot. But he was quickly too far away and running for the woods. This is when I realized I was looking at something I've never seen before...this gobbler had no tail!My arrow is anchored in the grass and he peels line away. I fully expected him to falter at any step till he was out of site. Then I think back to when he came out of the woods and strutted up to Floyd. He dropped his wings,stood up his ratty back feathers, but I never saw a fan...I couldn't believe it.

Since the arrow had blown thru him and he din't go down in site I figuered I must have hit a tad back, But I just knew it was a matter of giving him time, no doubt in my mind. "Give him an hour, and he'll be dead at the end of the string"...Then I looked out to see this heading for me.....




Callaway and his girlfriend. She came right to my hen and settled in right next to her. But he was very leary of getting too close to Floyd.....




Very cool stuff here....I was enjoying the show "knowing" I had my bird already......








More later.......

[bbassi]

I'm sorry to hear you didn't find him Curt, bbut after meeting you I'm sure it's not for lack of trying. Keep after them!    

[Guru]

Thanx Brent


"Callaway" proving he doesn't need a hen to be happy.......




After watching him for about 40 minutes I started to pack up.....it was a goos hour when I had everything packed up and it was time to follow a bit to see what I had in front of me. I followed the string to the edge of the woods and this is what I saw.......

 

I could follow it right up the hill without even moving from where I was.....

 


Again, I "knew" I had my bird,and after seeing all this blood, I still decided to give it more time and carry my blind and vest back to my truck to lighten my load and kill time. Thought it would be hard carrying my vest,blind and gobbler all at once as far as I was from my truck. So I did just that and returned as you can see  2 1/2 hours after I'd shot(6:00).......

 

[ChristopherO]

Maybe a coyote stole it?

[Over&Under]

CURT WHAT HAPPENED??????

The edge of my seat is starting to get uncomfortable!

[Tim Kosteczko]

still bummed for ya curt, sure sounds like you did everything rite, maybe somethin did take em, i know first hand they are tough critters but with that much blood bein left behind how far could he go?

[BMN]

Sometimes you do everything right and it still just doesn't work out. I feel for ya. Thanks for taking us along. Great video.

Bill

[Aram]

I also say he was somebody else's breakfast. Coyotes? That is quite a bit of blood.
Poor bird, I can imagine the fan envy when he saw your decoy.    

[superkodiak]

that field looks pretty well cut... how close was the nearest road? Sometimes cars and people are predators too...that would be my guess... anyways, keep your head up Curt, I would bet my qwyk styk you did everything right!!! =)

[tradtusker]

dam thats unfortunate, head up Curt.