"Miss Faith" Gobbler....not a "normal" bird....

[Ryan Sanpei]

Awesome bro!

[Bernie B.]

I'm waiting for a good story!    

Bernie Bjorklund

NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin

[Guru]

Faith showed up kinda unexpectedly this past Saturday. I mean I figured she'd be coming as I had her for the month of May, but I was so wrapped up in things around here...just kinda forgot.

As a matter of fact when the mail lady handed me the big box I still hadn't thought about it being her till Cade brought it up...Miss faith was in NY!

Cade and I had both shot her a little in AL. when we were on our trip to visit the Wilson family, so we kinda knew what to expect...a fine shooting bow!

 I'd had some arrows given to me last year by a good old friend of mine that I was hoping would work out of her. I'd even gone ahead and cut them down about a month ago so they'd be ready. They were GT 35-55's, and I hoped 250grs would work up front. I wanted to use my favorite 1 1/4" 250gr. 3bl. VPA's.

Within a few shots it was apparent that they'd work just fine.

I strapped on a GN quiver also given to me by my buddy Jim, and loaded his arrows into it...I felt ready to hunt within about a half hr. of shooting and prepping...Miss Faith isn't very "picky" to tune and shoot.

Cade got home and wanted to shoot her...
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This was honestly his very first shot!
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The next morning we were set-up on a bird we'd roosted the night before....long story short...he came in to about 30yds. then went to some other birds in the distance...but Cade and I still had an exciting hunt...
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Found this under the roost tree...
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"Dropping in" to our late morning spot...
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 Again, nothing came close...

[Guru]

Hiking back out...
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Good first hunt with Miss Faith, close, but not close enough.  Besides what fun would it be to kill one the very first morning out?   :rolleyes:      

The next morning(yesterday) would be different...

[23feetupandhappy]

[BMN]

I was beginning to wonder when the Curt turkey story would begin. Can't wait for the rest.        

[Guru]

Soooooo.....

The next morning I decided to set up in a spot where, in the past, has been very productive. I killed a bird last spring on the very last day of the season here.

I'd been here twice prior this spring, once scouting before the season and heard on bird that started gobbling late on the roost. I could hear birds across the road gobbling for at least a half hr. before this bird sounded off.

Then one day last week I hunted and only heard one gobble at 6:10am way up on the mountain, a good 30-40min. later than the birds usually start gobbling. Then I had a hen come in and keep me company for over an hour...nothing else.

I had a good feeling I should be here the night before, so there I was setting up in the dark....

It was getting lighter by the second and I'd been hearing birds behind me down the hill for at least 10 minutes now....and still no gobble up above where the birds usually are.

I couldn't tell if the birds behind me were even on my side of the road. But with nothing where I was set-up, I was getting itchy to move. But I was reluctant to do so till the last minute because I knew if this other bird was around he wouldn't gobble till later than usual.

So I waited....and I waited.....and I waited till I couldn't take it any longer. I took the blind
down, grabbed my deke's, tucked everything under my arms and ran down the hill to try to figure out where these other birds were!

 I got down there, blew a crow call and heard....NOTHING!!!!

Sweating from the run down the hill I waited a bit and crow called again.....NOTHING!!!!!

Ten seconds later I heard a gobble though....back up on the hill where I was!!!  DANG IT!!!

So I grab all my stuff, shove it all under my arms and run, yes run back up the hill to try to set right back up where I was to try to get ready before he does whatever it is he's going do, or go.

Now I was really sweating!  But I got set up, and while doing so heard him gobble one more time. he sounded about 150yds away. Right where he was that time in the pre-season.

I called to him and he answered...at least i hadn't spooked him...I was in the game!

A couple minutes later he gobbled again, and it sounded like he'd moved...he was out of the tree, but still up in the woods.

I call and he doesn't answer, but then gobbles about 30sec. later...he sounded a little closer...

Maybe five minutes go by and I call softly one more time, but he doesn't answer....the silent approach?

Ten minutes later I look up into the orchard and there he is!  

I know he can see the decoys and he starts to slowly but surely start down the hill...I grab my camera...
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This it what he's seeing...
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[Dirtybird]

[Dirtybird]

[huntmaster80]

   

[Cyclic-Rivers]

       

[Guru]

I put the camera away and take Miss faith out the in-ground bowholder that keeps her upright and at-the-ready...

Before I know it, he's right at the decoys, standing stone still...but right behind the jake...I can't shoot....yet....

I have tension on the string, a lot of tension...

This is about to happen...I'm holding Miss Faith, using arrows and quiver given to me by a dear friend, and I was shooting the last of my Chris Surtees VPA broadheads(last years that I used to kill 3 turkeys, and 3 deer is going into the St. Jude action along with the arrows that were used along the way).

This was going to be very special in so many ways....he walked 2 very slow steps and is now at about 10yds, quartering away.....

This is where the first of the "twists" in this story happen....

 What happened next was something I thought about keeping out of the story...it's almost embarrassing to tell, but it's a part of the story and I'm committed to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth...

I'm a guy that takes a lot of pride in his shooting, and my ability to make good on opportunities when given. I mean I'm not the best shot in the world, but I'm not bad.  But I'll be the first to admit, even though I've killed a lot of turkeys with my bow....THEY SHAKE ME UP WORSE THAN ANY OTHER CRITTER WALKING!!!!!!

This is going to happen right here and now....there's no doubt in my mind that I'm about to hammer this gobbler....I draw....release.....and watch my arrow go right under him!!!

I was dumbfounded!

 But he just jumped up and took a few steps and stopped.  I quickly knocked another arrow and draw as he's standing about 12-13yds away....draw and shoot right below him again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He jumps up again, and trots out of sight....I lean Miss Faith up against the front of the blind...bend over in my chair, put my head between my hands and start to beat myself up for blowing such an opportunity!!! I just couldn't believe it!!!!

This went on for about 15seconds, I lift my head up and look out of the blind over by where he disappeared and see a red head through the apple tree branches!!!!!  He was coming back!!!!

I reached for Miss Faith, knock the last arrow in my quiver. Of course no time to attach the string.

He's further away now and very much on alert. He looks like he wants to come to the decoys, but is kinda keeping his distance...he's at about 18yds.

I knew I had to make this one count!  Three shots is way more than I deserved in this situation, but here was opportunity #3 right in front of me!

I draw and pick a spot and drill him!!  But I could tell right away penetration was iffy!

If I'd missed my spot it wasn't much!

He flipped over and flopped for a second, righted
 himself, and as he started to run off with a wing hanging, I noticed the arrow flip into the air....he was out of sight, over the hill in a second!

Even though I knew I'd hit him good, him leaving the arrow  at the spot of the hit concerned me.  

I only waited about a minute and got out to check the arrow.  As I got closer I could see it was missing some of the bh end...
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And the end was soaked in blood...more good news...
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There was dirt in the nock, so it was apparent that he'd landed on it and broke it off.  After comparing it to another shaft(after I'd found the first 2) I knew I had "enough" penetration.
 
 I knew in my gut, he couldn't have gone far, but I had no string to follow, and no blood either.  I waited a half hour and started looking.

First I tried one direction for about 100yds...nothing...

Second direction....again nothing....

So I go back to where my arrow lay and decide that I'd walk straight away down a row of trees. I could look both up and downhill. I was really starting to get a little down. But I was very far from giving up....I just knew in my heart he wasn't far....

I walked about 80yds and as I turned to look to my left this is what I saw....
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I had in fact made a good hit...
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He was stiff when I found him and looked as if he'd died running...
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The VPA had made it out the other side...
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[buckster]

3x is a charm Curt!  Awesome story.

[Guru]

I reached over and picked him up....I thought..."wow, he's small and light"....just figured he was run down from chasing the ladies....

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[Dirtybird]

Nicely done Curt, some of the best shots in the world miss sometimes.  I'm just glad you made good on the third.  Did you lose the broadhead?  You might need a metal detector to find it.  I know what those heads mean to ya.  Congrats again on a fine bird.

[Guru]

Bh was inside the gobbler....but it wasn't Chis' bh...I'd missed the first shot with that one!


More than half of his beard had broken off making it look very thin...
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Typical 2yr. old, 3/4" spurs...
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Beard was 8 1/2"..
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Special bow...
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Time to fill out tag #1...
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This story isn't over, another "twist" yet to come...more tomorrow......


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[KentuckyTJ]

You're a turkey killin' machine Brother. Congrats!

congratts!    
  boy i sure wish i could get a second and third shot on turkeys.

[awbowman]

Great job Guru!

[Bernie B.]

You tell a great story Curt, and always have great photos.  One thing I really like about your posts is that you always put space in the material, and it so easy to read.  Congratulations!    

Bernie Bjorklund

NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin