Turkey hunting woes... (caught with my pants down)

[TradBrewSC]

So I just want to share this Saturdays mishap..

My plan for Saturday morning was to set up in one of my groundblinds that I had moved the week before to a ridge top food plot off the edge of the river. Historically the birds roost on the edge of the river and make their way up to the hill top as the morning progresses (about 300yrds away).

I arrived to my lease a few minutes late so quickly grab my bag, decoys, and longbow and head that way. upon arrival the sun is starting to creep up and my Big Mike groundblind was blown over from the previous weeks storm. In a haste i set the blind back up, put out my avion x hen and jake about 12 yards out, and get my stuff set up in the blind.

At this point there is a group of jakes gobbling in the botton but as luck would have it, my morning coffee got to me and nature calls...

My thought process is that it is going to take birds time to make their way up here so I grab tipi and decided to make this happen..

I dash to a tree 10 yards behind the blind to take care of business. Just as I stand up and am buckling my belt something catches my eye. Standing just 25yrds away in the middle of my decoys is a mature gobbler in full strut! I never heard him fly down or gobble on the roost...

At this point I am standing there in dark sweatshirt, no gloves, no face mask, no bow.. All I can do is watch..

Each time he turned away from me with fan blocking his view I eased closer to the blind. All the while he is strutting just 10 yards from my blind.. This went on for ten minutes.. Finally he got bored and started heading out of the field..

Once I was able to get in the blind I quickly nocked and arrow, grabbed a diaphragm call and made a light yelp. He hammers, and I am praying he will come back. After a few minutes I make another light yelp and he hammers again but further away, clearly not interest in coming back to see those dull decoys..

As the morning went on there were plenty of birds gobbling down in the bottom but never making their way towards me.. That was my chance!

I was very disappointed, but oh well... That's why they call it hunting and not killing!

Thanks for listening, and remember, make sure to take care of business back at your truck, not outside the blind!

I was able to take a picture, but it is tuff to make out his fan through the brush, but I will post anyway.

[TradBrewSC]

 

[Trenton G.]

That's rough! I've had it happen with deer before, but not turkeys. Hopefully you'll get him next time.

[TradBrewSC]

[YosemiteSam]

Funny.  

Almost happened to me this weekend, too.  But the gobbler never showed up.  That was the only darned gobble I heard all day.  Sure had me scrambling, though.

I am not turkey hunting this spring because if my back goes very bad I cannot do what you were caught doing without crutches.  We went out to see if anyone was fishing a local crappie pond this week end, not what one would think would be ideal turkey habitat, but a really dumb jake came by me, while I was looking into the water for crappies.  I threw a stick at it.

[Alvey]

No pain no gain next time go in the blind

[SuperK]

Well, at least you didn't leave the toilet paper in the blind!  

[MCNSC]

Cool story.  That's about the best way I know of to get critters to show up.  If that doesn't work then start eating lunch, they will show up almost every time.

[TradBrewSC]

Originally posted by SuperK:
Well, at least you didn't leave the toilet paper in the blind!      

HAHA I know! I would have really been in a pickle then, literally caught with my pants down.

[Pine]

Yeah , really hurts when you are bow hunting and you are staying there with your gun in your hand .    

[KyRidgeRunner]

It happens!! Lol.  Good looking bow btw.

[BRONZ]

That had to sting a little bit! Glad you had a nice bird to watch... even if it was with your shorts at your ankles!

[CHENRYIV]

TradBrewSC, I feel your pain. Opening morning her in Georgia, I had a nice bird walk up to my dukes while I was taking a nap.  I look up to find him staring right into the blind. Just as I was drawing my bow up, he caught movement and putt putt right on off.  I've been catching hell since then.

[TradBrewSC]

Originally posted by CHENRYIV:
TradBrewSC, I feel your pain. Opening morning her in Georgia, I had a nice bird walk up to my dukes while I was taking a nap.  I look up to find him staring right into the blind. Just as I was drawing my bow up, he caught movement and putt putt right on off.  I've been catching hell since then.

Oh man, that Is pretty bad as well! I feel ya my friend!

[sidekick]

S#%t happens. Can't believe somebody didn't beat me to it.

[Friend]

You experienced a great outing.

Have been in that position several times over the years and on one particular hunt, I encountered similar issues three different times with three different birds. That experience burned an indelible mark into memory.

Stay in the field and you will have many other surprising experiences.