This was the first day I could hunt after taking my first bird with a trad bow last week with a little 54in. Shrew.
I got in the blind early after setting out a hen decoy with a jake hovering over her. It was still fairly dark when they started sounding off on the roost. I just knew it was going to be a good day. When they hit the ground they really got wound up. I just gave them a few soft yelps to let them know where I was. It took about 30 minutes before they decided to check me out. When they saw the dekes, they went into strut and never came out until they reached the blind. The nearest gobbler got to the decoys and went into a slow circle with his fan raised high. When his head came out the other side of his fan, it was too late...I was at full draw and released. The old bear broadhead hit him broadside. He went airborne with my arrow sticking from his side. I noticed as he flew toward the timber, he didn't fly over the trees, but he flew INTO the trees.
I sat there in the silence now, playing every scenario over in my mind of what was happening to my bird . Was he dead, was he still traveling through the trees toward the neighbor's property, or was he laying dead among the leaves? I didn't know how long to wait, but when 3 coyotes trotted into the trees in the same direction as my turkey, I was on my way.
I walked a good 75 yards into the timber and my heart was getting heavier every step. Then I heard the trashing and saw the bird struggling to get away. He was easy to get close to but still alive so I finished him with another arrow.
The first year to hunt turkeys with a traditional bow and bird #2 was on the ground ready for pictures. What a blessed day!
Lyle
Topic: Older Shrew takes turkey #2 (Read 617 times)
