With apolgies to Hope

[CRS]

Due to Hope getting to Daniel late, I offered to get her late, shorten my time with her and get her back on schedule.

But, the show must go on natures rhythm waits for no one.  Turkey season opened Here April 1st, and with the nice weather, the annual spring turkey dance is on!

This was the week before seasoned opened.
Posted on the Hope and Faith thread.  

[RJonesRCRV]

Plenty to choose from out your way.  Good luck

[CRS]

I managed to sneak some time opening weekend.  Was not too concerned about actually finding a turkey as they were no where to be seen after the above picture was taken.

You just have to go out opening weekend, right?
I spent a wonderful 6 hours of woods therapy.  Packed a sandwich, a drink and relaxed.

Here was my view.

   

[CRS]

Since I have been spending more and more time hunting out of ground blinds.

I went a search mission for a short longbow.

Since it is very difficult for me to get to any big shows or shoots to try bows, I use test trials, and the classifieds here to churn through different bows.

I had three 56" longbow that I acquired for sampling. They are 50-53# @28. I draw 29 so add a few pounds.

1. Quartermoon longbow
2. Pika
3. Elkhart

After putting them through their paces, I chose the Javaman Elkhart.

My oldest(18) promptly snuck the quartermoon into his room and my youngest (15) layed claim to the Pika.

Kind of neat how the three us picked three different bows.

[DanielB89]

the bow is packaged up and waiting to ship.  I have yet to hear from Terry on the emails.  It will go out monday, either way.  I will just insure it for $1000.

Sorry for this delay.  I just wanted to be sure I did it correctly.

[CRS]

Out I go this morning, not expecting much.  Needed to hunt close to home as lots to do with a Senior and graduation in 5 weeks.

Much to my pleasant surprise, I heard turkeys!  Yelping, gobbling and carrying on.  I am thinking great, the morning will have some action.

I yelped, and a hen answered.  I love calling in hens so they can drag the gobbler with.  

Long story short, I ended up calling in the whole flock.  Two longbeards, two jakes, and a pile of hens.

The gobblers come strutting in.  I wait for the perfect shot, draw, anchor, pick the spot and release.  I mmmmmissed.  

The flock moves off.  Fortunately this spot is a travel corridor.  Since the turkey were moving down, they were going to come back up through the same area.

Fast forward 4 hours, I hear yelping and gobbling from the direction they had moved off 4 hours earlier.  Then I see the fans out in full glory.

I let out a few yelps, the hens answer.  I cluck and purr, the hens answer.  I just shut up and get ready.  

Here they come again, first the hens, then the jakes/gobblers.  The hens are looking for lost hen, and the gobblers are thinking with their little heads, strutting, drumming, gobbling.  Basically just showing off.

I get a great broadside strutting shot presentation at about 6 yards.  

Go through the routine.  Draw, anchor, pick a spot, release.  The arrow thumps about 2 inches behind the wing butt.  Complete pass through, and the turkey jumps and slowly walks away.  

I am thinking that I am going watch this turkey tip over.  He never pays any attention to the other turkeys, never struts, or gobbles again.

But he slowly goes over an edge and out of sight.  I continue to call to calm the rest of the flock down as they really did know what happened.

After about 30 minutes the flock finally moves off.  I continue to wait as I think it was a good shot, but always better to wait.

I give it an hour, find feathers, find the arrow covered in blood and not smelling like turkey guts.

I ooze in the direction, the turkey went.  I got to the first edge, no dead turkey.  I ooze down to the next edge and about 15 yards down lays this.


 

   

[CRS]

Daniel,
Absolutely no worries on this end,  the turkeys were gobbling, had to go hunting!    

I just HOPE she doesn't hold it against me.  

[CRS]

Upon butchering, I hit the turkey right where I thought, but I instead of broadside, the arrow passed under the wing and out through the crop.

A quartering away shot.

Could have been a bad situation as the vitals were not punched.

I do not know if turkeys have an artery (brachial)that runs under their wing, but I hit something.  The crop was completely full of blood.

The turkey covered approx. 70 yards.

[CRS]

Equipment details.

Javaman Elkhart
56" 50# @28 (I draw 29)

Easton FMJ arrows
30" with 225gr Eclipse Brodhead.
Total arrow weight 580gr

[KyStickbow]

Great job! Congrats!

[Jwilliam]

Good stuff Chad !!! Congrats      Gregg sure builds a nice bow.

[CRS]

Yes he does.  I really liked every one of the short bows that I tried.

The Elkhart came out on top.  I shot everyone one them very well. I just played with all of them a bunch. Towards the end, I just found myself reaching for the Elkheart.