Do Ghillies work? Let me tell you.

[Talondale]

I had not gone out pre-light this morning because my place is impossible to hunt first light as the deer tend to be in the yard or field in the dark and move up the hill as light comes on and I haven't been able to get around behind them.  I had planned on using my ghillie and slipping around mid-morning instead.  My wife was at the sink in our kitchen and looked out the window and saw a large flock of turkey in the field.  She has seen them several times and is somewhat familar with their pattern.  She told me the feed right to left and then back again to the right.  I decided to try to sneak around in front of them and try a shot.  I quickly got dressed and put on my ghillie.  They were pretty far to the left by now but I figured if I hustled I could still beat them to the corner of the woods.  I headed into the field to the left of my house and climbed over the fence into a draw that would allow me to move up toward the corner of the woods below the turkey and out of sight.  Crouching when I felt it was necessary I tried to hurry but was quickly realizing I was doing more huffing than hurrying.  I finally made it past the corner of the woods and started to work uphill to the wood edge.  I was going slow and looking for an opening in the fence to cross.  Unfortunately one of the turkeys had beat me to the woods and it busted out of there in flight.  I froze.  I have often jumped a turkey in the wood and a minute later taken another step to bust out another turkey so I was hoping the rest of the turkeys were still in place wondering what startled the other turkey.  After not seeing any movement I backed uphill a little bit more and entered deeper in the woods.  I couldn't see anything in the field.  Thinking they moved back down the field I started to parallel the field inside the woods.

[Jack Denbow]

OK your not going to end there. Come on.

[Talondale]

I hadn't gone far when I heard them in front of me.  I backed off to the wood road and started to head uphill to get in front of them as I figured they'd be feeding up to a flat uphill.  As I walked up hill they started to make a racket the likes I've only heard on hunting videos.  I'm not sure what the call is called but it sounds like a hundred crickets on steroids, mixed in with some half gobbles, clucks, and purrs.  I had a screen of white pines but it ended and I would have to cross a more open area.  Rather than cross in the open I decided to follow the top edge of the pines and work towards the turkey.  I saw two turkeys run up the hill about 40 yards away.  Things got quite.  I sat behind cover for a while until I heard the turkeys start yelping below again.  I decided stalk slowly from tree to tree angling up hill.  When I got as far as I dared I stood behind a big oak.  I scanned the woods in front of me.  The turkeys were now silent and I thought they may have fed away from me into another ravine.  After waiting a while and seeing and hearing nothing I turned to leave.  Ten feet behind me was a hen.  Her putt told me she was suprised as I was. I ducked behind the tree and came to full draw and leaned back out from the tree.  She was moving a way from me and putting.  I took a quick shot and missed low.  I did a mouth yelp and removed another arrow from my quiver.  Leaning back out I saw turkeys moving below me clucking.  There was a slight rise and they were slightly obscured by understory.  I kept mouth yelping and they kept clucking.  I saw one enter the opening and I took aim.  Miss.  Another was uphill and I tried for that one.  Instead of threading between two trees I pegged the right tree dead center.  Another turkey lower, another tree.   :rolleyes:   I'm on my last arrow and I know I have to make it count.  I seem to be hitting low so I tell myself I need to hold a little higher.  Another turkey enters my first opening and I release.  Another miss and I'm out of arrows.  Shaking my head I decide to walk to retrieve my arrows.  I take a few steps towards the turkeys and instead of running off they stay there clucking!  I crouch and try to find an arrow.  Moving forward I see some fletching and make it to the arrow without the turkeys flying off.  I nock the arrow and notice there's no broadhead!  The broadhead is still in the tree.  I hadn't glued the insert and the arrow had bounced off.  I see the broadhead and try to get it out of the tree.  This is too much for the turkeys and a flock of turkeys take flight just as the head comes loose.  I stand up and laugh.  50 yards below me 7 bedded does jump up and take off.  I laugh harder and see my other arrows.
 
I had missed but I missed consistently.  So my ghillie worked but I hadn't done my end of the bargain.  It was a fun morning none the less.

[kennym]

Cool story!

[Talondale]

I'm trying to find a recipe to cook that log.  I think it may be under Pies,subheading - Humble.

[George D. Stout]

Maybe they were actually Ghillies in turkey suits.    

[Jack Denbow]

I know the feeling. Chuck it may be a good day to just sit back and watch football. In 51 years of bowhunting I have run out of arrows more than once and then the best opportunity presents itself without fail.
Jack

[Doc Nock]

...or maybe crow?

Great story! Thanks for the encouragement to enter yet another realm of "gear infested drivvel for hunting!"

 

[NANUK]

That's a great story.  I guess that ghillie works just fine.  Could you show a pic of ya in that ghillie and tell me what brand ya have?  I would like to try one of these this year.  Thank you.

[Over&Under]

Originally posted by George D. Stout:
Maybe they were actually Ghillies in turkey suits.        

George,you are killing me...    

Great story Talondale, Sounds like a heart-pumping morning!

[Talondale]

Sure Nanuk.  It's a Shaggie short jacket by Rancho Safari.  I'm not sure what their status is, their shop burned down last year in one of the California fires right after I got mine.  I'd think they are back up in operation by now.

 

 

I'm resharpening my heads, taking some practice shots, and then going back out for another session.  It's a good day for sneaking around the woods here.