Well I was lucky enough to put a tag on a nice ohio tom already this year. It was really a fast action packed hunt.
I set up on the edge of a small woodlot I had been seeing birds around for the last few weeks not really knowing were they roost but I knew were they showed up shortly after they flew down. It turns out my location for the blind was directly under their roost. At 6:00 on the money the first tom told the ladies he was up, moments later I realized just how close I was when I could hear him ruffle his feather. Shortly after he gobbld I heard multiple other birds gobble.
It didnt take long for them to spot the decoys and head down then, by 6:15 I had 3 birds strutting their stuff for one lone hen. (a 4th tom would show up soon)
From watching the birds in the past I knew they would make their way up a small ridge in the field to gather some of the morning suns warmth. I knew I needed to get that hen in with my decoys to have a chance at a shot at one of these toms so i quickly began the game on repeat with her. As 3 of the strutters had passed the blind and headed up to the top of the ridge I had the hen and the last tom 30 yards straight out infront of me so I stepped up the calling to try to pull her in closer...... wouldn't you know it she was 5 yards away in no time trying to peck the eyes out of my avian x hen. The tom that was fallowing her just stayed out of range when all of the sudden 2 jakes came running in and started stomping another of my hen decoys. Thats all it took to bring the hung up tom in for a fight with my jake decoy.
Now this is were I'd love to say i made the perfect broadside shot but thats just not the case. I focused drew hit anchor and watched as my arrow made the short trip to the mud right next to his feet. He trotted off to watch again at about 20 yards. I quickly nocked anothe arrow and focused on a jake still beating up my hen and yep shot right between the legs into the mud. That was enough for those 2 and they quickly headed for the woods. I looked out the window to see the first tom still standing there. A couple yelps later he was on a run towards my jake decoy. And again I got ready for another shot he attacked my decoy and another arrow was on its way to fly right under his chest. That arrow didnt phase him as he continued to show my jake who was boss. I nocked yet another arrow relaxed as much as I could at this point and finally made a great shot just above the drumsticks. He ran off and paused for a second on the top of the ridge in the field and with the morning sun behind him I could see steam rising out from under his wings. Just when I thought he would drop as he was getting a little wobbly out of nowhere came a tom and chased him on a dead run in a 150 yard loop out infront of me and back into the woods. Just as my tom made it to the woods I saw him fall over. I gave it 20 or so minutes and let all the other birds in the field leave to go find my bird. Just as i thought he laid just inside the woods.
He ended up with a 9.5" beard and 1 1/8" spurs
The bow I used is a bow I built a few monthes ago. Its based off a old Bud Hitt dual limb recurve. I live 10 minutes from Bud and make frequent visits with him to show him bows as I build them. He was kind enough to trace out his form he had and told me to get to work he wanted to see me make one. I changed it up a bit by using the take down limb bolts and pins as he never did. Its 56" and 50@28. The arrows where old cedars from a auction of a local man who had passed and as I was making some arrows I remembered having them and glued on some of the bear razorheads that had come in the box with the arrow.
thanks for reading and no I dont normally shoot that bad! guess I was just really shook up! haha
Topic: ohio tom with my new bow "UPDATE 2ND TOM DOWN" story page 3 (Read 1268 times)
