Gobble, Gobble, Thump, Smack

[Widowbender]

The sounds of spring, my descriptions leave a lot to the imagination. This past Wednesday morning found me once again in the turkey woods in search of a close encounter with a  longbeard. I have been close to several gobblers already this spring, in fact I helped my 8 year old get his first turkey with a gun  on opening day, but I hadn't been "stickbow close" , yet ...  

David

[Widowbender]

Wednesday I donned my leafy suit and tried my best imitation of "Bushsquatch".  Two gobblers answered my "Flydown Flapper" and a few light clucks.  Would this be the day for my first trad turkey?  Once on the ground one of the birds kept up the gobbling and was headed a little to my left, perfect for him to hit the woods road ten yards in front of me and strut by my location. Movement to my left gave away the position of the second bird that had slipped in silently. First come, first served would be fine with me. As he went behind some bushes, I tried to make my move, but he caught some movement and paused to inspect that newly grown "Bush". Then another gobble from the approaching boss caused my intended target to come unglued and beat a hasty exit, stage right . Well one chance lost, hopefully big boy will keep coming. A minute later the sound.....pssstzoooommmm.....the sound of  Ol' Tom in full strut, guaranteed to make your heart jump into your throat. A minute later a white head rising over the ridge in front of me, 25 yards and closing. At fifteen yards he's in full strut and throws in one of those booming, ground rattling gobbles to finish off what's left of my nerves. He's not in the shooting lane, but I'll try a shot if he turns to let me make my draw. Not seeing the object of his affection he turns to leave, focus on which feather to hit and slowly draw, anchor, loose, the arrows on the way......PLOCK!!!!  The sound of that 570 grain carbon arrow smacking into a loblolly pine is one I will never forget. The bird flies away leaving me to wonder what happened. A minute or so later he gobbles, but to me it sound more like laughter. In my focus on the bird I failed to notice some small limbs about halfway there. Turkey school is back in session and I  just received another lesson, the hard way.  That's okay, if I wanted just to kill a turkey, I have a Ten gauge at home. But I'm not here just for the kill. There will be another day, another date with that Limbhanger, maybe I can give the lessons next time...

David

[Widowbender]

Fast forward to yesterday, Saturday morning, I made the long trek back into the woods, in the dark. This time, instead of the leafy suit, I'm carrying  my early Father's Day present,  a Double Bull Dark Horse Blind.  It may be a fool's errand to expect to get a turkey back to that same setup, but I'm going to give it one more try. I pick my spot beside the woods road and begin to quietly (yeah right) clean away the leaves to setup the blind. Just then, I hear a heron...SQUAWK, then  GOBBLEGOBBLEGOBBLE. Oh, crap!!! The turkey is roosted a whole lot closer than he was Wednesday. I wonder if there is any way I can set this blind up without spooking him. I hope the claims about silent setup are true. Owls are hooting and the turkey begins gobbling, a lot. I manage to get the blind setup without making a lot of noise. It begins to get lighter. I get out of the blind and ease out to the edge of the road, not too far because I don't want him to spot me. I do the "Flapper", GOBBLEGOBBLEGOBBLE, and some light clucks, GOBBLEGOBBLE and get back in the blind and get ready to wait. About ten minutes later two gobblers sound off, they are on the ground, one is a little further down the ridge than the other, a few minutes later and they gobble again, this time they are together and headed my way.
Five minutes pass and I hear it.......ppssstttzzzooooommm.... Suddenly two black "blobs" floating into view around the curve in the road.  School is back in session.  I'm already in position and ready (I guess).  They are in the clear now and close.  The feather seems to glow, I have my target, the bow is back, you know the drill.....this time the arrow finds the mark. The Tom tries to fly but pitches down about 25 yards out. I replay the shot in my mind. I know it was good. A few moments later and WHOP, WHOP, WHOP, WHOP.....Finally!!...

David

[Widowbender]

My first turkey with traditional equipment. 20.25 lbs, 1 inch spurs, two beards (4.25" & 10.25").
The Bow is a 58" Black Widow "Short Autumn Gray" 60# @ 28.5" with a 29.5" Beman ICS arrow and woodsman broadhead with a 125 gr. adapter.

David

[J. Adams]

David:
I feel your frustration.  After 6 days afield chasing New Mexican gobblers, I was finally graced with a 15 yard shot... well 560 grains of steel and cedar didn't meet feather - it met an unforeseen branch protruding from some scrub oak, diverting that lethal flightpath into a harmless descent down into the creek bottom.
   
This was the closest I've been to a longbeard with simple stick-n-string after years of chase.
That is ok... next time I'll take a breath, scan for branch threats, THEN release.

[J. Adams]

Congrats on your success!

[Smilingg]

He's gonna taste mighty good...Congrats!

[hill boy]

GOOD STORY.C    ONGRATS!

[swp]

Good job! Congrats.  

[2-BIG]

Congratulations!!!!!!!  

[larry]

good story, great hunt, super bird.  

[yellow bow]

nice bird,congrats!

[Carcajou]

Nice story! Congrats on the hard earned bird!

[frassettor]

Thats one hack of a great story!!! Nice bird to boot!          

[LC]

Good read. Turkeys are tuff blind or no blind! Congratulations!

[vermonster13]

Well done!

[carparcher]

Nice bird!  

[kennym]

Great job David!!  

[Charlie Lamb]

Very cool!!!  

[pseman]

 Great story and gobbler.