A return to Wild Turkey Valhalla: Klintworth

[wapiti792]

Well I am back for 3 days in paradise, with my son and two other fellas that are new to the trad bow thing. The trip was full of laughter, friendship and a little heartache, but all of it was worth the 12 hour drive.

Seeing my buddy Nick, along with Mary and the two boys, John and Ryan was a treat. Such good people, hardworking salt of the earth types who ranch and live life on a piece of ground that has been in the family for over a hundred years. I am lucky to call them friends! The trip is always more than just a turkey hunt for me.

I had 3 new folks with me. My regular compadres all had things in the fire. I sure missed Joe Buck, Juliann, Kip, Tippit, Zach, Dirtnap Dave, Joe and everyone else I have shared camp with over the years. This time though I had a very special person with me: my son Seth, who at 13 is shooting his recurve pretty darn well. He wanted to come with me. We needed this time together as I am having to put my life on hold soon to battle a tumor in my small intestine, complete with a bowel resection and who knows what. So no jiujitsu, no hiking, no shooting my bow. Time to embrace the suck I guess. No worries though friends, my family and I along with God, a good surgeon, and some time will square this away right quick!

Onto our story....

   

[4dogs]

 Always look forward to this!

[Kip]

Mike very sorry to hear this.Knowing your brains and brawn you will do whatever needs to get through this.Glad you had a great time with Seth.
Take care Kip

[wooddamon1]

Here we go! Always enjoy your stories!    

[wapiti792]

We took the 12 hour drive in halves as I had to work late at my clinic the day before. The turn off of 80 onto the hardtop, soon to be red clay road, brought many more turkey sightings. As we neared the ranch we were greeted a couple miles away with a couple of rio strutters. My travel mates look wide-eyed and mystified: all I could tell them was you ain't see nuthin yet    

Greetings and hugs for my buddy Nick and introductions to 3 new clients were done, we were unloaded quick and soon we were launching arrows. My two friends from home are new to trad equipment. I have done with them what I do with others who are interested in stickbows. Encouraged them to try, hand them a bow and watch the magic happen.

 For my son it is different: he has had a longbow or recurve in hand since birth seemingly. Up until last year he was not ready for prime time so to speak. This year it is different. He has grown into a man-child at 13: six feet and 200 pounds. We train Gracie jiujitsu together and I am feeling my age lately when we roll. I am seeing him grow into the finest man I know, and he is becoming obsessed with his recurve. Just as I planned    

So with bows ready we made to the blinds Nick had ready for us. I sat with Seth and the other fellas did their own thing. It didn't take us long to get into action...

In!

Prayers up for a successful operation and fast and complete healing Mike!

Bisch

[wapiti792]

Thanks guys! Is what it is. Better me than one of my loved ones!

So that first evening was magic. Like clockwork within 15 minutes of rigging up and getting ready in walks a couple of hens to my soft calls. We can hear drumming before we can see them. Gobble 1 and Gobble 2 right in our lap following the girls to us.
     

Seth was up, ready locked in. The first bird in the window of the blind was a mere 10 yards from us. He drew, anchored and dropped the string. Mmmmissed. High, the dang bird was too close I think. They jumped a little and walked just out of range. He has a self imposed limit of 20 yards and they stayed at 25. He was heart sore and I might have seen a tear start. I did what I could to make him feel better a few minutes later but gave him time to absorb the moment. Unfortunately in the next days we would repeat something similar...

The other guys had birds in range and did well to maintain their composure. We ended the evening with groups of hens sending a crescendo of sounds as they roosted and the toms announcing their plans to resume their courtship in the morning. We ate dinner early and hit the rack knowing we had 2 more days of turkey bedlam    

[Bernie B.]

Looking forward to the rest of the story!  Sorry to hear of your medical problem.  As you're well aware, medicine has made great strides in recent years.  I'm sure you'll be in good hands!

Bernie

[wapiti792]

Early a.m. We were back after it in the same blind. Flydown was something to behold. Our ambush was near a roost tree full of hens and near another full of toms. The low pitch hen calls were answered with thundering gobbles. Near fly down the toms went quiet as the hens began their crescendo of tree yelps that got louder with each second. Near a fever pitch of yelps I looked at Seth and he had that wide-eyed grin that I knew I shared. This was it. Dead turkey or not, this was the moment I wanted to see. His excitement and that look from him was worth the drive, the sleep deprivation, the cost of cutting out of work, all of it.

The first hens flew into our lap and I just knew we were golden. Two hens squared off with fighting purrs right smack dab in the middle of his range. I hear drumming and got him ready. The darn bird was in my window at dead nuts range but he couldn't move. I just had to hope he'd come around to the ladies. I never picked up my bow. Soon another group of hens flew down near us. They either were slightly better looking or perhaps not as grouchy as the two hens fighting. The big Meri walked out of our lives forever...

We sat until 9 or so and bailed. One of the other guys got a shot. Mmmmissed. Then another, feathers. Then a third. Mmmmissed. This trad thing is tough. The learning curve steep. He had left his compound at home. It is a good thing as I think he would have fought me for it. All in all the magic of Klintworth did not disappoint that first morning.

[wapiti792]

At noon Seth and I could sit still in the cabin no longer. We went out to another blind to call and spend a hot couple of hours seeing if we could raise one. We managed to call a bird close but he would not come. We retreated to the cool shade and rehydrated for the afternoon.

We had made the decision that he could sit by himself for the first time on any hunt. I would set in a blind a couple hundred yards away to observe, and if a bird showed, well that'd be good. We were unsure about the decoy thing, so I decided to take a chance and use them. I was worried I'd take his birds but decided he was in a blind near the roost and would be good. I could see his setup down the hill. I tell ya, this was odd seeing him there. Not him really but his blind. Knowing he was on his own made me a little sad I guess. Starting to not need dad.
   
*A blind without me there

[wapiti792]

After setting Seth up I climbed into the black blind in the shade of conifer. I had put my dekes out but swore if they dragged one hen from the travel route from Seth they were coming inside with me. It was warm man. I slipped my boots into my pack and donned a pair of flops. Hopefully I'd  just watch Seth with cool feet.

   
*Happy feet


Soon as I opened my kindle app on my phone and read a page of Dumas "Count of Monte Crisco" I heard a hen nearby. I looked up to see a hen in the red zone coming down to me from the hill above. She had begun to tell the dekes they are unwanted guests when a tom thundered right behind the blind.
   
*My set

I scrambled for my bow and the arrow leaning against the blind. Soon as I am on he steps into view at 12 yards or so. Autopilot or doing something so many times to where you forget all the necessary steps that you actually do or not, soon I had a sight picture and watched my arrow punch a hole exactly where I willed it. He did a somersault, ran 20 yards and piled up dead as a hammer. The hens scattered!
   
*Blind view

I unzipped and trotted as fast as a fat man in flip flops can to my bird. I looked across the space to my boys blind and bowed like a stage performer. "Taaaadaaa" Thank you, thank you. He shook his fist from the blind I found out later and said "only my old man would do that" Little did he know I stole it from Monty Browning after he had killed a big bull caribou.

I made it as fast as I could back to my blind, pulled my dekes and allowed my new blind mate to cool in the shade with me. I put up my bow, grabbed my field glasses to spy on my boy and opened Dumas again. My hunt was over. It was Seth's time.

   
*Blind mate

[J. Holden]

I can relate so much with watching your boy alone for the first time hunting.  It is harder than I thought it would be walking away.

Congratulations on your bird though.

-Jeremy

[Jayrod]

Man how awesome mike...keep it coming I hope Seth gets it done but fine bird mike!

[Jack Denbow]

Way to go Mike, I know the spot you were at.
Jack

[Homey88]

Congrats! Awesome story awesome pictures!

[Jason Kendall]

Thanks for taking us along Mike and sorry to hear of the health issue, we will be praying for you.

[Warden609]

Congrats on the hunt.

[maineac]

Congrats on the bird!  Great story, I am loving it. I look forward to the rest.  Good luck on your upcoming surgery.  You know what you are facing and I am sure you will have an incredible support network.

[Duckbutt]

I've been reduced to "Juli Ann" huh?

You reminded me the thing I enjoy the most about the place is seeing others experience it for first time.  I can't imagine how rewarding it was to share that with Seth.  

Were any other roost sites on other parts of the ranch active this spring?

[wapiti792]

Haha Julian type O only! Miss ya bud. The other sites were still active. I just stayed with Seth and tried to get him going. It was fun man! Maybe a father/son weekend at Klintworth