Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy

[TooManyHobbies]

Doing the Happy Dance in CT.    

[ROSSBOWHUNTER]

I think that is great, but why so happy?

[huntnmuleys]

I'll bite.....

[Gen273]

[mark stella]

Does CT have a lottery???

[buckracks7]

Maybe he got some Duck Commander sun glasses.

[TooManyHobbies]

Sorry for the delay, it's coming.

It started in June of 2010. I bid on a 66" 62@30 Kohannah Longbow that Stickhorse put up for the St. Judes Auction. I immediately fell in love with the bow and shoot if often. The first season out, I missed two bucks. The second season out I missed two coyotes and three turkeys. Now, with the three year anniversary coming up....

I got up an hour late, but started the day at the edge of a field in a home made blind.



Right away I got a response from a tom with a couple yelps. He crossed a road, passed through a woodlot and into the field. Gobbling here and there. It only took about five minutes for him to show his red head.


(He's not in this pic, but this was my view)

I purred a little and he came right towards my dekes. At about 25 yards, he stopped, looked and walked right by to my right. Going past the blind and through a cart path towards the ridge behind me.
I called, he gobbled. Over and over. I shut up and hoped he would return, and he gobbled some more. As he moved away, I would call him back, but he wouldn't come back to the field. So, I waited until he got a good distance from me, and I followed him onto the ridge. By this time, I was up high, and he had dropped back into a valley. He gobbled and I was close, so I got ready.
I waited and waited, but the next time I heard him, he was going away onto posted property. So, I headed back to my truck.

[TooManyHobbies]

Originally posted by buckracks7:
Maybe he got some Duck Commander sun glasses.

LOL. I almost missed that.

I have to go to work, I'll be back shortly.    

[59Alaskan]

something tells me a bird did its last dance in CT....

[Cyclic-Rivers]

[TooManyHobbies]

So, there are three fields on this property. I was in field #3 to start. Two days ago, there were two toms and a hen in field #1 that I sneaked up on, to within 20 yards. After I left the vocal tom, I drove past fields #2 and #1. There they were, the hen and both toms. So I went back and parked in field #2 and made my way over to #1. Anyone confused yet?
I made my way to the corner of the field and could see the toms strutting. I thought I got busted at first, but there was no indication from them that I'd been seen. I wanted to set up a decoy where they could see it, so the cart path going into the field was the spot. I lowered myself almost to my belly and crawled to the opening. Just in case the birds saw me, I held the hen decoy over my head, reached out onto the path and waved it around to get the toms attention. Then I stuck it in the ground and crawled back about 7 yards. I was on my knees between two trees, with a third tree blocking their view.
It worked, the toms saw the deke and strutted over. No calling was needed. Then the hen got spooked and went off putting. I thought for sure the toms would follow, but they were interested in the new girl. I knew they were close, but didn't know when they would pop out from behind the blocker tree. I peaked around and the first stepped into my shooting lane. I couldn't move, he was looking towards me. He hopped the wall and I knew the second bird would follow. My bow was bent and hit anchor just as he stepped into my lane. I aimed for center mass. I released and saw the arrow knick a branch, then I heard a WUMP. The bird took off in flight, climbing higher towards the tree tops and I could clearly see my arrow was seated firmly in his side.
I was getting nervous, afraid I would lose him. Just as he flew to the property border tree line, I heard him crash. I couldn't see him and didn't know if he hit the ground running or not. I waited a minute, nocked another arrow and went to look. Found him piled up just onto the neighbor's back corner.







I've never been so happy to make a kill shot.
I've been trying for years to get a turkey with a bow, any bow. My previous 17 tries (all bows combined) have resulted in a few feathers and a bloody arrow or two with no recovery. To get it done with a Longbow is just unbelievable. I will remember this day for a loooong time.

Broadhead was a Magnus Snuffer, 125 gr. Entry hole below.

[TooManyHobbies]

I forgot to give a shout out to Stickhorse (Bob). Thanks for putting a great bow up for auction.    

[JEFF B]

well congrats right there way to go and nice Bird  

[ROSSBOWHUNTER]

awesome!

[suburbanirma]

Way to go!!

[jonsimoneau]

Nicely done!

[fnshtr]

Congrats! I'm still trying to close the deal here in WV.

Thanks for the post!

[monsterbuck]

Congrats. Great story. God bless.

[joe skipp]

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Congrats. Nice Bird.