Illinois South Zone Turkey...gone but not forgotten

[wapiti792]

Well our season here at home ended with the score being turkies 3 Mike 0...that's right 3 chances and 3 missssses. I'd like to share some photos though. It was fun as several of my hunts were with my children in the blind.

The first hunt was in Ky with my boy and I did a little post here about that:  http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=103101;p=1

I got into my blind at the moment of truth in KY and after this happening a second time I have now decided a 62" longbow, a kid, 2 chairs, a 6'3" dude that is pushing 240#, and multiple calls, snacks, and gear is just too much. So I am losing 30 # and getting a 58" Kanati from JK that outa be just the ticket  

I hunted with my little girl quite a bit. She is going to be some kind of hunter. I called in a nice tom to the decoy jake (named Jaky Tbone by my girl) and mmmmmissed after whacking the blind (again). As you can tell we had practiced our routine quite alot, but dad still blew it    

 

Her form is quite stellar for a 7 year old, and I can only smile when I asked her how she learned to shoot. She just said "from watching you Dad." Tell me if that don't make you wanna    

 

All in all we had a blast on our blind hunts. Both she and my son know how to have a good time with their old man.

 

On our last hunt after a little shower we gave up the bows for a ziploc, and morphed into our gatherer personas with lots of luck. She reminded me that if I had killed that turkey the week before we'd really be walkin' in tall cotton!

 
 

More to come...

[wapiti792]

The last week of the season (like so many folks) we were beat-up with rain and more rain. I gave up the blind for my leafy suit and did what I thought I never could...sit still with a gobbler at 5 yards in full strut with him hammering gobbles that felt like thunder in my chest! Except he offerd no shot. Instead of joining the hen in the field and giving me a 8 yard shot, he walked the thickest honeysuckle on my farm to the field edge and THEN strutted out of bow range with his girl for an hour...that is the only time all year I pined for my shotgun. But only for a moment and only out of lust and not out of love    

 
I got a pic as he was leaving. Next year dude, I swear...

Finally today, with just enough time for a fly-down hunt before wotk, I set up near a roost with 2 toms going off. I called to them quietly then shut up. The toms do what toms do...they ignored me when they hit the ground and gobbled at each other up until I had to leave for work. However, at the last second, 3 little jakes decided to come see this raspy old hen that promised to be there. I mean I told 'em I loved 'em, I had other girlfriends with me, and that the toms were not real men...the fattest one gave the hen decoy a wink and got into bow range. What comes next is painful...

Yep. Clean miss, high. No blind excuse, no kid excuse, no 2 blade vs 3 blade excuse (you get the idea)...just pure operator error. I did get pics, they weren't spooked and they will be 2 year-old birds next year...just wait boys.
 

So my season has ended and my turkey jinx is intact. After 5 years of hunting with trad bows I have killed 20 whitetails, 1 elk, 3 rabbits, a dozen tree-rats and ZERO turkies. They haunt me I tell ya  

On the way out I got a treat. A sleeping blonde colored bandit. I snapped a pic of her for my children.

 

With that I slipped out of the woods and tipped my cap to those demon birds that torture me so. Ahhh but I got bears in 4 weeks, a wife that puts up with my maddness, kids that think I am still cool, and I live in a country that is free. Life is good...

[steadman]

Great story! Thanks for putting a hunting story up     Good luck up in Manitoba with Ryan! Hope you get a big bruin and I know you'll have great pics.

[Tique]

Sounds like you had a great season even though no birds were taken. Good luck with the bears, at 6"3" you are higher off the ground than most of his stands.

[Hot Hap]

Nice. Hap

[brock donald]

mike, them turkeys are in trouble this fall i have decided. Good story and great pics. We need to go on a frog hunt when season opens.   brock

[rastaman]

Sounds like a really good season sir!  Thanks for sharing the story and the pictures!      

[Bill Kissner]

You had a great season even though the turks won, but I'll bet they are in trouble next year Mike! See you in a couple weeks at the B&BBQB!

[Tater]

Great story ...!!

   Thanks for sharing the story and pics.

[doug77]

Nothing better than huntin with the kids.

doug77

[Shinken]

Those morels look delicious!

Thanks for all the photos and for takin' your daughter on the hunt!

WAY TO GO!

Shoot straight, Shinken

   

[KyStickbow]

Great story...and way to go on the pictures!!

[ti-guy]

Awsome!  

well written story, you had a good season, next yr.  

[wapiti792]

Thanks everyone!!! Bill you're right, great season dead dinosaur or not  

[K.S.TRAPPER]

Great thread buddy!! Love the picks and your doing great, I think next fall the turkeys are going to be in big, big trouble.

You need to check out the big blinds were buying I guarantee you won't be hitting the top of the blind with your bow.

Tracy  

[wapiti792]

Thanks Tracy! Glad you're doin better pal! I think I need to just drive over there and visit so I can see those blinds for myself  

[K.S.TRAPPER]

Anytime Mike!! Your always welcome in my home buddy    

Tracy

[JimL]

That's great.  I would hunt every chance I get just to do what you have experienced.  Isn't it fine.

[Bonebuster]

A great HUNTING story!