Saturday morning was a stark change in temperature from the past weeks. It was our first real cold snap this fall. For this morning the southwest wind made it possible for me to sit the Osage Flat stand for the first time this season. This stand is located at the northeast end of our land. The stand is nestled amoung the branches of a very large Osage tree that grows a few yards west from the fence line. Behind the west facing stand is a small block of timber that descends to a row crop field of cut corn. The features that appeal to me around this stand are:
1.) most the ground to the west is broam pasture and this tree grows in the best edge cover along the field’s eastern edge.
2.) this edge leads into thicker timber and a drainage to the south. To the north is a north facing scrub brush hill that never has any pressure.
3.) the east neighbor’s small block of timber begins to fade out directly behind this tree
4.) there is a doe trail that comes off our east neighbor’s ground and crosses onto ours behind the stand where the timber begins to fade. This year I have created a funnel from this trail to try and force any deer using that trail to walk out in front of the stand tree.
5.) the tree grows on a elevated flat spot which allows for a great view of the surrounding grounds and makes a great place for a buck to lay and scent check the timber to the south and the drainage to the southwest.
My route in for Saturday Morning 
The morning started out great. At 7:10 there was deer movement although it was several hundred yards away it was still fun to see. Fifteen minutes later another doe this one approximately 70 yards away. And thirty minutes after her another doe and fawn, but again way out of bow range. Dang you’d think they would be hugging the edge cover but they’re walking right out in the open hay field and they are all headed north. Go figure?!
By 8:40 the deer action had been replaced with turkey movement. To my northwest, on the hill where I saw the first doe and fawn, there was a small flock of jakes feeding and by 9:40 they were feeding next to my tree! The lead jake was approximately 25 yds. away from his companions and 10 yds. behind me. Peeking around the trunk I spied on him as he approached the blockade that made up the funnel and he didn’t like what he was seeing and his flock mates picked up on his uneasy body language. Crap! I could tell the gig was just about up. The lead jake froze in place as did the rest of the gang. My heart was thumping so hard in my chest I swear they could hear it. Standing at the ready with my hand on the string all I needed to do was raise the bow and draw the string to anchor and let it fly. My eyes darted around the limbs and branched that made up the screen that shielded my form from them. I was looking for an opening to send an arrow through. Any opening, the smallest of openings would do but that opening wasn’t to be found. Dang-it! This was my first chance at ever shooting at a turkey and I couldn’t find a hole to put an arrow through. The lead bird eventually gave the signal to the other birds “boy’s I ain’t liken what I’m see’en…let’s get the heck out of here.” And he, the lead bird, started to slowly walk northward away from me.
The next closest bird stood, as I estimated it from the stand, 22 – 25 yds away and he was quartering away from me. Looking through the twisted maze of interlocking limbs and branches I saw one hole and he just happen to line up perfectly with it. The voice in my head said “it isn’t going to get any better than this!” So I raised the Morrison, Dakota, focused on the bird, tried to ignore that I was about to shoot through an 8” hole in the branches, drew to anchor and let the string slip from my gloved finger. “Thud” voiced the bow’s string as the bow’s limbs returned to their semi relaxed shape and “swish” sounded the arrow as it parted the grass and sunk the broadhead into the ground a couple of feet in front of the unsuspecting bird. With the arrival of the arrow the jake hops strait up and flaps his wings a couple of times and dances in a full circle trying to figure out what the hell just happen?
The arrows elevation was perfect, but the windage had a lot to be desired. Poop! The arrow hit about 12” to his right. Seeing that none of the birds had bolted and figuring I had nothing to lose, I eased another arrow from the quiver and slipped it onto the string all the while there were five alert heads bobbing, weaving and twisting in all directions with ten sharp eyes looking for trouble and still I was able to nock an arrow without blowing my cover. I love this tree!
The jakes continued putzing around the same area for another five minutes or so and I thought another shot opportunity was going to be presented, but the birds were leery of the area and they eventually fed north out of bow range and back to the hilltop where I first saw them. What a great morning!
My shot window 
Saturday evening’s sit was dull. I sat a natural ground blind called The Cut. This is a pinch point and can be a place with a lot of action, but for that night all was quiet. The only other occupant in the area was a Barred Owl that sat on a low branch 10yds away from me.
Topic: Miss October (Read 830 times)
