Thanks so much for the kind words fellas....but I'm not any kind of turkey "Guru". I just really enjoy putting a lot of time and effort in during the pre season,and sometimes my efforts pay off. I just work harder than most...that's all.
...... Yesterday morning I set up in the same exact spot I'd set up at last Thursday when I killed my first gobbler. I knew there was at least one more bird in there,I'd seen him last fri while I was working. He came by one of the houses I was working behind gobbling his head off at 1:00 in the afternoon!
But with the weekend and this being right next to some public land,I didn't know what to expect. So I set up and was just hoping he's still be there,but by the time for gobbling to start came...nothing.....ten more min.....nothing. Just when I thought I was alone, a booming gobble came from the same tree my bird from last week was in!!
He was close,about 70yds.,and not gobbling a whole lot,but fairly steady. Just before I figured he was gonna fly down I clucked lightly several times on my alumin/slate call. So light I didn't know if he'd hear it,but he did....He snapped right back with a resounding gobble!
A few minutes later I clucked a few more times and put the call down. I'd just picked him out in the tree with my bino's,and he pitched out and glided toward me(just like last week). Scrambling back on to my stool, I picked up my bow and prepared for what I hoped would be a close shot.
Within seconds I could see him strutting up the hill toward my hen and "Floyd". What an awesome display he but on as he slowly made his way in. The way he was coming I'd have to wait for him to go behind "Floyd",and come out the other side of his tail. As he went behind I made my final move to get ready for the shot. I shuffled my feet a little while turning and he heard it and immediately slicked down and started to walk off. Usually leaf noise doesn't bother them at all,but for some reason this guy didn't like it. As he quartered away and walked slowly I drew my #57 Kempf Kwyk Styk and released the 200gr snuffer tipped AD shaft.......
....Although in the low light I never saw my arrow,I instantly knew I hit him by the sound and his cartwheeling reaction. He was going crazy,cartwheeling/tumbling down hill for anout 30 yds.... The he stopped and I expected his head to go down at any second.But as I watched him with my bino's,he started to "spaz out",and started tumbling down the hill again. I could tell that I'd at least broke the near wing,and figured I'd punched his vitals too(the arrow was still in him). But soon he was cartwheeling down the hill again....Dang!
As I contemplated trying to run him down before he got any further from me he started to tumble again,t he string suddenly stopped and he was on his feet running off.... Double Dang!!!!!
He was soon out of site,but I had a pretty good line on where he'd headed. I waited about 45min,(I had to get to work),and followed the string to where it ended and the arrow lay,beyond that I only found three feathers that got me about 70 yds further. No blood,just a couple feathers,but that's better than nothing. So I backed out and went up to work. I would come back at break time with my supervisor to look.
A couple hours later we searched in the direction the feather led and in the first patch of briars we went to look in,he nonchalantly says, "I thought I had your bird,but it looks like a hen sitting on a nest".....hmmmmm....I had to go look.He showed me where "she" was.As I peeked in with my Leica's,my heart jumped, his "hen", was my gobbler, still alive!!
He was in a horrendous patch of briars and getting a shot off was extremely tough,but I got the finisher off and it was over.
I couldn't thank him enough for seeing that "hen". The relief was almost overwhelming.....
He's a 3 yr old 20#'er with a thick 9" beard.....
And 1" spurs.....
Same spot and set up as last week.....
Now I'm looking forward to hunting with some other fellas and hopefully helping them get a bird or two.......
Topic: Redemtion! .....Gobbler # 2, Story and Photos added (Read 1679 times)
