Well Ol' VealBoss invited Jason and me to chase turkeys this morning so we slipped out of here at 5:30 am and headed to Jeff's place. Now Jeff is the ranch manager of a 7,000 acre ranch about 15 miles east of here and I knew he had some deer but dang I didn't know he had turkeys like this.
We picked him up at the ranch house and headed out through a maze of ranch roads that I'm sure were to make it so that we couldn't ever find the spot again. Soon we arrived at a feed shed and hid the truck. We gathered up our two Double Bull Blinds and gear and headed down hill to the river bottoms. A couple hundred yards and we were on a fenceline and were surrounded by big oak trees. As we were looking for a place to set, a gobbler sounded off not 100 yds away; followed by two more. I told Jeff "this is good enough".
We set the blinds and crawled in. Not five minutes passed and 6 jakes fly down from a tree 50 yds in front of us. Heck we walked right under them just a few minutes earlier. We started with some soft purrs and putts followed by a string of sexy hen talk.
They turned and headed our way. About then Jeff told me to look to the left. A big Tom had flown down 100 yds out and now had the decoys in sight and was making tracks our way. This guy is a brute and I hope he will win the race.
A couple minutes go by as I watch the jakes and Jeff keeps track of the big boss tom. Jeff told me I might want to get my bow up as the big guy was under 20 yds a closing fast. I leaned a little forward to look our the window and he was right there in full strut.
Once again it all happens on automatic, the bow comes to full draw and I feel the snuffer touch my finger, just as I focus on a spot just ahead of the leg joint. The arrows away and WAM it hits solid and knocks him down. Just as fast he is up and moving fast away.
I watch til he is out of sight and we decide to wait a while before going after him.
to be continued
Mike
sound cool so far, can you run as fast as a scared turkey???
Now Mike, don't take to long finishing your tale, I am leaving on a four day turkey hunt in the morning and would like to hear the outcome before leaving.
Walt
Mike did you hear that sound? It was the air you just let out of me when I got to "to be continued"....... :(
I'll have to check in later this evening now.....
David
QuoteOriginally posted by wingnut:
to be continued
Mike
Tick tock, tick tock, OK, so let's continue then..... :readit:
HEY WINGNUT...Play nice!
He is fixing to get to the good part, did yall know that Jason is full blood indian?
And, And :banghead: :coffee:
Ok guys be nice!! We have people waiting for bows out there and have to keep them going too.
Where was I? Oh yeah, We were sitting watching the six jakes at about 40 yds standing there watching and wondering what the heck just happened. We called and putted and coo'd and did everything in the bag but they just would not come see what happened to the big guy. Finally they fed off and we got off to go get the one I shot.
Lucky for us there was a heavy dew and the trail was very clear where he went. Down towards the river along an old stone wall and then through a low spot in the wall and across the fence. We lost the trail for a few minutes and circled. Then Jason whistled and said he found blood. Well I'll be danged and a good blood trail it was. We followed and followed through thick and thin and finally into real thick. At about 250 yds out, I'm starting to wonder how good my shot was. You see I've never killed a turkey with any weapon and here I was again trying to find a wounded bird. Jason stayed on the blood as the going got real slow and Jeff and I started looking hard in dark thick spots. Finally we came to river bank and followed the trail and blood over and behind the bank into some tangle of flood trees. Jason whispered "What's that?" pointing ahead into the thick stuff. I started to slip up there and see. When all of a sudden the bird comes alive and heads up the bank trailing the arrow.
Be back soon gotta go glue.
Mike
I think he does this on purpose.
Hacksaw
LOL dang you Wingnut!
although this story does remind me of the tom that I chased all over our hillside the neighbors hillside and back to my hillside a year or two ago. Dang things are tough!
Ok back to mix more glue.
LOL
He's up and out of the river bottom and off and running. Jason is in hot pursuit and soon loses the bird it the thick stuff. Dang it!!
We back track only to find the blood trail leading a different direction. Jason was chasing a undamaged tom. Wonder what it was thinking?
Back on the trail we go; over hill and dale and back down to the river. This time his track and blood go right to the waters edge. Where did he go? Across? In the water? In the air?
We cross and start searching for sign. An hour passes quickly without anything. I think it's time to go back to the last sign and circle again.
Sure enough there is blood going along the bank. He backed up and went through the thick again. Off we go again to a big pile of green briar. We are moving slow and quiet on the blood trail and find bloody feathers on the brush. We know he's close but where. Jason goes to high ground and Jeff and I get in the thick and start pushing and looking.
Soon Jason hears him moving ahead of us and trys to head him off for a shot.
Back in a minute.
Mike
Dayum you man!
Kind makes ya want to sqeeze the glue out of him :knothead: <- or that to him. :jumper:
Brent
Nice story so far, how many more days till we hear the end? LOL that glue should be dry by now
Ok bow is in the box and curing so I got a few minutes.
Jeff and I move slowly up the top side of the creek. The banks are high and steep on both sides and covered in brush. Jason slip into the water and moves quiet upstream. Kinda reminded me of an old war movie.
Then we hear him ahead about 50 yds. Flapping as hard as he can. Dang he's flying.. . . .Nope the sound is staying in one place. Maybe he's finally done for. Jason stays in stealth mode and does his best Rambo up the creek. He motions us to stop as he can see the reflection of the bird in the water as it flaps. He moves another 10 yds and yells out. HE'S DONE FOR!!!!
We hustle up to find him half way up the bank. He tried to make it out but didn't have enough left to make the hill. There are mornings I know how he feels.
Jeff climbs down the bank and grabs him as I give him a hand back up.
He's a fine mature bird. When we look at the arrow still in him we see that it was a little bit back from my intended spot.
Dang them birds are tough.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/mwestvang/turkeyhunt1.jpg)
Taking home my very first turkey with any weapon.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/mwestvang/turkeyhunt2.jpg)
Stats on the bird are:
11 inch beard
1 1/4" spurs
21 #
Took him with a 45# BushWacker, shooting Sitka Spruce shafts tipped with 125 gr. Snuffers.
A fun hunt with a great crew. Thanks to Jeff and Jason for all the help.
maybe we can get one for Jason on Monday or Tuesday
Mike
Alright Mike, congrats!! :thumbsup:
Good going Wingnut. I wish my opening day would have went with a blood trail. I hit mine and he walked away like nothing ever happened. Looked for two hours with no luck. Arrow had feathers, a little blood and meat on it.
Congrats again.
Awesome Mike. Happy for ya and proud of ya.
Those are some great pics. Good to see a happy hunter
:thumbsup: :notworthy: :clapper:
yay! Good for you Mike! :clapper:
Derek
Hey - it's not fair at all - here I am out in sunny CA working hard and the guys get to go turkey hunting!!!!
Good hunting and J you did a great job on the blood trail - lessons learned in Zimbabwe come in handy.
Can't wait to have a wild turkey dinner when I get home - be sure you guys are checking out the recipes.
Connie :clapper:
This was a very cool hunt, glad I could be part of it. Jasons up next week!
Fun story and great bird..... way to go!
Congratulations Mike. Getting a turkey with a bow is a stiff challenge. Good on ya, mate!
turkeys are way to small a target for a hunter like me to hit good job mike that practice yesterday really paid off
Congrats Mike, that is a special trophy for sure.
David
Awesome hunt! NIce bird for a first too...still 12 days to go here....
Great story Mike...congrats one your first! It just gets better and better bud :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congratulations. Looks like the TurkeyWacker....err... I mean BushWacker, did its job. I need to get back out and see you guys. Sounds like Ya'll had a great morning.
Congrats Mike, great story and pics!!
Good tale and fine lookin bird. Way to go Mike!
Congrats on the Bird. Great story, get Me coming back to check on updates. lol
Congratulations Mike!! And thanks for the great tale. :clapper:
Way to go Mike. Great bird and a great way to start any day.
Hee Hee Way to go Wingnutty. Now ya know why turkey hunting is the exact reason I am a string walking bow hunter. Ya need to put that arrow in a smallish orange sized target at what ever distance ya shot him at.
If there were ever two guys that would stay on a trail till either they were skeletons or the query was skeletons it is mike and jason. 'em boyz will find it :)
Turkey hunting can be addicting....and it will make a real good shot out of ya :)
rusty
Thanks for the kind words guys. Yep Rusty, it's hard to give up on a wounded animal that you have any chance of recovering. We went back to last blood three times and circled out to pick up the trail. I finally paid off. We learned from the best in the world in Zimbabwa watching the trackers follow Jason's Wildabeest and recover it nearly 2 miles on the GPS.
Mike
Way to go! Congrats on your first bird. Time to change your avatar?
Good idea on the avatar pic.
Just sent it to Rob.
Mike
Good Job Mike! Glad you recovered it -- what a trophy for the first time... BEGINNERS LUCK?!?!? LOL
Good job mike and also GOOD story! The story keeps you coming back for more! Also nice pictures
Denny :thumbsup:
Check out the new avatar pic. A little big?
Mike
Good God what an epic trailing job, you guys are good! :notworthy: Congrats on a great ending and your first Trad Turkey Mike.
Nice new avatar Mike...... But I'm going to miss your 80# javizilla ....... :D Congrats on the bird.... :thumbsup: Terry
Congrats wingnut good going and good work sticking with that bird. Persistence pays off! Thanks for sharing your story, my just make some others this year go the extra mile. I'm really looking forward to meeting you at Comptons. See you there! :thumbsup:
Brent
Good job and great story :clapper: Made it more exciting draging it out that way...better than a Bang Flop :biglaugh:
Told that story a little quick Mike!! :D Congratulations on a fine bird.
Good job Mike and congratulations!!
WOW, Congrats, I missed this thread somehow?? Very Nice :thumbsup: :D