The day started with me in my blind and few toms around calling. It's one of those mornings when everything is making noise. After a couple hours of listening to the gobbles get close then far then close again, there was nothing but silence. The feeling of; "crap, I'm not getting nothing this morning". Then a gobble off in the distance. A little time thinking, a couple more distant gobbles and I'm off in pursuit. I let go a couple clucks and he responds. I know where he is! Each time he clears his vocals I can tell I'm not pushing him away. I'm getting close, only a few hundred yards (or a couple of fields, depending on how you look at it). A few minutes later, I'm sitting just far enough in the bush to not be seen from the field but close enough to see it clearly. I start to play a nice melody. Gobble, gobble, and gobble. We all know the sound and I start scanning the field trying to locate my prey. I know he is close, less then a hundred yards. The field I'm looking at is around a hundred yards across with a creek running the length down the middle. I know he is right there but I cannot see him. Maybe he is hung up on the creek; I think to myself. The creek has a thick growth of pussy willows running the whole length, so it could be possible that he is sitting right there and I would never see him. A little time pondering the situation and I'm out crawling through the field on my belly. Lucky for me this field is old and unkept with 3 foot cedars scattered all about for cover. I reach the edge of the creek were a thin patch in the bush offers me a view. I didn't see him anywhere! Has he got tired of our game? Time to find out, a couple soft clucks and he started right back up again. Yes I haven't scared him off. He is about 40 yards ahead of me at the edge of the next field. It would be no use trying to call him in from here. I would never have a shot. I figured that since I stalked him this far I might as well try for another 20 or so yards. Back on my belly, through the creek and up the other side. I'm on my belly trying to stare through the tree line separating the two fields. I catch movement, "there he is"! He goes behind a big grass hill and I make my move to close in the last 15 or so yards. I'm pressed up against the hill and I can hear him drumming his feathers. I know I'm close when I can hear that! What do I do? Cannot pop my head up to see where he is, I'll be seen. It's time for patience and some very soft clucks to see if I can bring him back into the opening. There he is! I can see him, damn he's close. Too close, no cover, I'm laying on my belly on the back edge of the grass hill. I have a shot but I cannot move. Lying on my belly I drew back at watched the beautiful arch of the arrow as it passes about an inch high. I was quite surprised to see him trot about 5 yards turn around and come back. I managed to nock another arrow and another turkey stepped out from behind the hill. As I drew I realized it was a hen and she had spotted me. She gave me away. It's do or die time. I popped up from behind the hill at half draw, located the tom and let fly again. At this point I would love to say that I'm have turkey dinner tonight. Two shots two misses, both less then 15 yards. This is the second turkey that I have ever managed to stalk in on and have a shot. That brings its own level of satisfaction to me, considering I thought my day was done a few hours ago! I had a smile from ear to ear the whole way back home! Turkeys and longbows, it doesn’t get much better!
Nick
Topic: Turkeys purpose to bring me joy (Read 530 times)
