After lunch, Nick and I did some running and gunning. This has become a tradition for he and I now and although low on odds, it's high on fun! There's also almost always some real cowboy work to be done when you're riding around like rounding up a cow that's gotten out of a fence or something. I sit at a computer for a living so this stuff is good for my soul and I drink it up when I can get it.
We snuck in an set up on two gobblers at one spot and weren't able to call them up. Then, we saw a strutter on a steep hill that looked stalkable. After taking off my shoes and closing to a good distance, the hen we didn't see busted me. Oh well.
Back at camp in time to get in a blind for the afternoon. That's when Joe informs me that he wants to join me in the blind and run the video camera. At first I thought, how in the world can I shoot a turkey out of a blind with Big'Ol Joe in there too, but he said...."Mike and Dave did it." Since that was a fact, I couldn't argue, and started to warm up to the idea of some good film of me and Mr. Longbeard.
Since I was the only guy left in camp without a bird, everyone was warm to the idea of me getting what had been the hottest blind for the week. Ironically, it was 50 yards from my favorite blindless spot from last year...not bitter but needed to throw a bit of foreshadowing out there.
When it was time to head out, Joe had his bow. Noticing my attention to it, he said it would be a good idea if we had to finish one off. Again, couldn't argue with that statement as there had been some of that required through out the week.
We sat in that tiny hot sweatbox of a blind for hours and nothing but hens came close. After seeing a few big boys head to the roost via far off routes, the outlook was starting to look pretty grim. Joe even said at one point...."uh, Julian, don't look like its gonna happen, buddy." Then we see three Toms come walking towards us FROM the roost...kind of backwards behavior here. Then, one can't figure out how to get through the fence and they hang up at 50 yards. This would be a 5 yard shot from my old favorite spot....just sayin. Our hopes are up but they change their mind after the fence struggler gives up and they all head back in the other direction. A few minutes later some jakes show up and Joe whispers THE question. "Are you interested in shooting a jake?" Instinctively, I say no. I don't have any problems with anybody shooting a jake but I've never had the desire with bow or gun....don't know why, it's just me. I could tell you some funny stories related to that policy over the years but that will have to wait for another campfire. As the jakes hang close and more show up, Joe finally says something about wanting to kill a Merriam and not really minding if it's a jake. I don't say anything, but think back to his explanation about bringing the bow to the blind. Hmmmmmmmm....
As Joe was looking out of the back window and was turned away from me, I raised my bow and shot a jake. He spun back around barking "what happened what happened?" He was tickled pink when we saw the bird crashing down and we realized no follow up should be needed.
Now, settled into the satisfaction of a punched tag, Joe starts getting his bow ready. I don't mind, really, jakes are all over us at this point. Well, he makes what looks to be a great shot on one that we think is a Merriam. The bird looks plenty hurt and though he disappears from sight into the cedars, we think the recovery will be a cake walk.
After the action subsided we called Nick on the radio and started looking for Joe's bird. We saw plenty of blood and figured we'd see the bird quickly. After a couple hundred yards of blood, Nick and Jeff showed up to help. We were starting to worry when we tracked it all the way to the next canyon. Nick then hollered..."got the bird but he's alive. Everybody get ready." I went to the bottom of the canyon and we played ping pong with this upright bird until he finally flew over my head and as he was losing altitude, lit on the face of the opposite wall of the canyon. I could tell he couldn't move to fast so I sprinted to him and put an arrow in him. Jeff was able to climb above him and sent one down hill that was the final nail. The sun was setting on the perfect hunt.
Jeff after sending the final arrow into the bird
Topic: Gobblapalooza 2013 (Read 4298 times)
