Gobblers, Decoys and bloodtrails

[wingnut]

Well Ol' VealBoss invited Jason and me to chase turkeys this morning so we slipped out of here at 5:30 am and headed to Jeff's place.  Now Jeff is the ranch manager of a 7,000 acre ranch about 15 miles east of here and I knew he had some deer but dang I didn't know he had turkeys like this.

We picked him up at the ranch house and headed out through a maze of ranch roads that I'm sure were to make it so that we couldn't ever find the spot again.  Soon we arrived at a feed shed and hid the truck.  We gathered up our two Double Bull Blinds and gear and headed down hill to the river bottoms.  A couple hundred yards and we were on a fenceline and were surrounded by big oak trees.  As we were looking for a place to set, a gobbler sounded off not 100 yds away; followed by two more.  I told Jeff "this is good enough".  

We set the blinds and crawled in.  Not five minutes passed and 6 jakes fly down from a tree 50 yds in front of us.  Heck we walked right under them just a few minutes earlier.  We started with some soft purrs and putts followed by a string of sexy hen talk.

They turned and headed our way.  About then Jeff told me to look to the left.  A big Tom had flown down 100 yds out and now had the decoys in sight and was making tracks our way.  This guy is a brute and I hope he will win the race.

A couple minutes go by as I watch the jakes and Jeff keeps track of the big boss tom.  Jeff told me I might want to get my bow up as the big guy was under 20 yds a closing fast.  I leaned a little forward to look our the window and he was right there in full strut.

Once again it all happens on automatic, the bow comes to full draw and I feel the snuffer touch my finger, just as I focus on a spot just ahead of the leg joint.  The arrows away and WAM it hits solid and knocks him down.  Just as fast he is up and moving fast away.

I watch til he is out of sight and we decide to wait a while before going after him.

to be continued

Mike

[tim-flood]

sound cool so far, can you run as fast as a scared turkey???

[Walt Francis]

Now Mike, don't take to long finishing your tale, I am leaving on a four day turkey hunt in the morning and would like to hear the outcome before leaving.

Walt

[Huntrdfk]

Mike did you hear that sound?  It was the air you just let out of me when I got to "to be continued".......  :(  

I'll have to check in later this evening now.....


David

[Whip]

Originally posted by wingnut:
to be continued

Mike

Tick tock, tick tock, OK, so let's continue then.....  

[the Ferret]

HEY WINGNUT...Play nice!

[vealboss]

He is fixing to get to the good part, did yall know that Jason is full blood indian?

[TexMex]

And, And      

[wingnut]

Ok guys be nice!!  We have people waiting for bows out there and have to keep them going too.

Where was I?  Oh yeah, We were sitting watching the six jakes at about 40 yds standing there watching and wondering what the heck just happened.  We called and putted and coo'd and did everything in the bag but they just would not come see what happened to the big guy.  Finally they fed off and we got off to go get the one I shot.

Lucky for us there was a heavy dew and the trail was very clear where he went.  Down towards the river along an old stone wall and then through a low spot in the wall and across the fence.  We lost the trail for a few minutes and circled.  Then Jason whistled and said he found blood.  Well I'll be danged and a good blood trail it was.  We followed and followed through thick and thin and finally into real thick.  At about 250 yds out, I'm starting to wonder how good my shot was.  You see I've never killed a turkey with any weapon and here I was again trying to find a wounded bird.  Jason stayed on the blood as the going got real slow and Jeff and I started looking hard in dark thick spots.  Finally we came to river bank and followed the trail and blood over and behind the bank into some tangle of flood trees.  Jason whispered "What's that?" pointing ahead into the thick stuff.  I started to slip up there and see.  When all of a sudden the bird comes alive and heads up the bank trailing the arrow.

Be back soon gotta go glue.

Mike

[HACKSAW]

I think he does this on purpose.
Hacksaw

[the Ferret]

LOL dang you Wingnut!

although this story does remind me of the tom that I chased all over our hillside the neighbors hillside and back to my hillside a year or two ago. Dang things are tough!

[wingnut]

Ok back to mix more glue.

LOL

He's up and out of the river bottom and off and running.  Jason is in hot pursuit and soon loses the bird it the thick stuff.  Dang it!!

We back track only to find the blood trail leading a different direction.  Jason was chasing a undamaged tom.  Wonder what it was thinking?

Back on the trail we go; over hill and dale and back down to the river.  This time his track and blood go right to the waters edge.  Where did he go?  Across?  In the water?  In the air?

We cross and start searching for sign.  An hour passes quickly without anything.  I think it's time to go back to the last sign and circle again.

Sure enough there is blood going along the bank.  He backed up and went through the thick again.  Off we go again to a big pile of green briar.  We are moving slow and quiet on the blood trail and find bloody feathers on the brush.  We know he's close but where.  Jason goes to high ground and Jeff and I get in the thick and start pushing and looking.

Soon Jason hears him moving ahead of us and trys to head him off for a shot.

Back in a minute.

Mike

[the Ferret]

Dayum you man!

[hormoan]

Kind makes ya want to sqeeze the glue out of him    <- or that to him.    

                   Brent

[Boobacker]

Nice story so far, how many more days till we hear the end? LOL that glue should be dry by now

[wingnut]

Ok bow is in the box and curing so I got a few minutes.

Jeff and I move slowly up the top side of the creek.  The banks are high and steep on both sides and covered in brush.  Jason slip into the water and moves quiet upstream.  Kinda reminded me of an old war movie.

Then we hear him ahead about 50 yds.  Flapping as hard as he can.  Dang he's flying.. . . .Nope the sound is staying in one place.  Maybe he's finally done for.  Jason stays in stealth mode and does his best Rambo up the creek.  He motions us to stop as he can see the reflection of the bird in the water as it flaps.  He moves another 10 yds and yells out.  HE'S DONE FOR!!!!

We hustle up to find him half way up the bank.  He tried to make it out but didn't have enough left to make the hill.  There are mornings I know how he feels.

Jeff climbs down the bank and grabs him as I give him a hand back up.

He's a fine mature bird.  When we look at the arrow still in him we see that it was a little bit back from my intended spot.

Dang them birds are tough.
   

 
Taking home my very first turkey with any weapon.


 

Stats on the bird are:

11 inch beard
1 1/4" spurs
21 #

Took him with a 45# BushWacker, shooting Sitka Spruce shafts tipped with 125 gr. Snuffers.

A fun hunt with a great  crew.  Thanks to Jeff and Jason for all the help.

maybe we can get one for Jason on Monday or Tuesday

Mike

[rabbitman]

Alright Mike, congrats!!  

[BMOELLER]

Good going Wingnut.  I wish my opening day would have went with a blood trail.  I hit mine and he walked away like nothing ever happened.  Looked for two hours with no luck.  Arrow had feathers, a little blood and meat on it.  

Congrats again.

[the Ferret]

Awesome Mike. Happy for ya and proud of ya.

Those are some great pics. Good to see a happy hunter

         

[Bard1]

yay!  Good for you Mike!    
Derek