Hi all,
Well, as you might have guessed from the lack of another picture of my smiling face (yes, I AM smiling in that picture
) no bird for Jake this weekend. In spite of all your well wishes and encouragement I... mm.mm.m.m....mm....missed!!
:mad:
Now, I can offer excuses, but I'm not gonna. I will tell you what happened so that I can at least serve as a warning to others.
Saturday Morning, Big Dog and I were set up in a good spot where we knew there was at least one gobbler (because we heard him saying goodnight as we sat by the bonfire). We waited patiently for sunrise (encouraged by more gobbling at first light) and patiently for full light and patiently some more... Eventually, the waiting paid off and two jakes appeared along the fence row. BigDog laid on the box call and got their attention, they crossed the fence, looked happy about Jennistein (my restitched hen decoy), but then they saw Jake Jr. (the other coy).
Unfortunately, the two jakes were rather unchivalrous. Rather than shout 'unhand that fair hand stitched damsel' and lay on to the foamy intruder, they went with "who us? nope, we were just here to read the meter, but we'll come back when you're not busy" and tried to slip away without even slowing down.
As a result, they quickly walked past my shooting window so I shifted position to the other open window to get a shot angle. I was worried that they'd walk out of sight so I steadied my hand, bore down and released-- only to watch the arrow zip harmlessly across the bow of the lead jake. In worrying about the edge of the window, I neatly and perfectly centered the arrow in the 'space' between the bird and the window edge. A clean miss.
A rookie mistake-- by worrying about the jake walking beyond the window I was focused on that diminishing gap instead of picking a spot where I want to hit. I guess that makes me an instinctive gap shooter now.
Live and learn and the excitement was still there! As BigDog says "well, that's as close as anyone can get without bringing home meat"
The part that surprised me most was that neither jake paid any mind to the arrow at all. They just walked out of view as if nothing had happened!
We hunted hard the rest of the weekend and saw birds every time we were out, but none close enough for a shot- except for a couple of hens. BigDog sung songs and told lies via box and slate, but it just wasn't to be. He might have had one tom's interest, but some Sunday morning dog walkers picked that day to pass between us. No joy.
So, that's the bad news.
In the win column, a good time was had all the same. Good food, good friends, time afield. All better than money could buy. The hospitality of herself, The Forest Witch, was worth the trip all by itself.
Seeing a broadwinged hawk alight in the fence and sit quietly until 'Officer Crow' told him "move along", watching crows mob another hawk and do ariel battle with a turkey vulture... memorable. Crows are fearless and relentless (until they get their comeuppance from a wee sparrow)
Listening to a live hen clucking up close and personal (quieter than I thought), enjoying the conversation between BigDog and another hen and then counting coup on the hen just to see how much I could move around in the blind and not be seen... enlightening!
So, no bird I'm sorry to say, but it'll be a good excuse to go out next week and try again.
Jake
(who has nothing to eat but humble pie this week, but is still WAY ahead)
Topic: Me, a Jake and a Tom...Longbow Turkey! (Read 1155 times)
