Controlled turkey story

[Hilljackoutlaw]

I finally drew the controlled turkey hunt by my house after 7 years. I hunt the area already for deer so I had a slight grasp on the habits of the turkeys in the area, but I did do a little scouting in the evenings the week leading up to the hunt. I noticed they were roosting in almost the same spot 3 of the 5 nights I scouted. This particular group was 8 hens, 2 toms, and 3 jakes.

Opening day I had to work so I hunted in the evening when I got home. I saw the whole group, but they had no interest in me or my decoys and stayed out in a field until they flew up to roost. Day 1 in the books.

 

[ignorethefringes]

Following along!

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

430am came early day 2 and I was out the door with my bow and decoys at 5:05am. Since I knew where they were roosted I had a fool proof plan in place. So I thought. I setup my decoys just off a timbered ditch and I sat under the canopy of a huge Russian olive that worked like a blind. As the first hints of daylight approached gobbles started echoing through the river bottom. I sat quiet and made no attempt to call. One by one they flew off the roost and immediately headed towards the center of the big Ag field off to my left ignoring my setup completely. I made small talk with clucks and purrs for the first couple hours as I watched them strut and dance around 100s of yards out in the Ag field. Late morning I decided its time to try and make the lead hen mad as my small talk was being ignored. I sounded off with loud yelps and cuts over and over to no avail. I decided to sneak off at 11:30am for lunch as all the turkeys were still way out in the field.

I came back to an empty field after lunch and decided to setup in different spot of the ditch close to where I've seen them roost. Shortly after I sat down a pheasant coo'd and a gobble followed way off in the timber. This went on for hours as I just sat patiently waiting as I figured they would eventually work back to the field and then my way before they went to roost. Around 630pm they appeared in the field feeding contently except for one tom who decided to strut around all evening. I was mostly silent this whole time besides a few clucks and purrs just to say hey fellow turkeys I'm happy and over here. Eventually one by one they headed my direction. They went by just out of range and then came back by in range, but by time I figured out which bird was which they had passed my narrow shooting lane and I watched them go to roost one directly above me. If I had the trusty 870 a bird would be In the freezer, but I did not. All in all day 2 was a good day with lots of bird activity altho I was pretty frustrated to watch them ignore me pretty much all day.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Day 3 was back to work so It was an evening only hunt. I got home at 5:30 with all intentions to change and get out the door immediately, but as I got on the porch the smell of what my wife was cooking for dinner was to tempting so I waited for dinner to be finished and ate with her. Then I rushed out the door at 6:15 to hunt. I was setup by 6:35 in the same spot as the previous evening. Flock was in the field when I arrived. I had all intentions of taking the 870 with me this evening but as I went to put the shells in my pack I realized I grabbed the 20 Guage turkey loads and not the 12 Guage loads. So it was back to the Hoyt of frustration. My phone vibrates at 7:00. Its my wife "sweetie the goats are out". Son of a goat!!! The turkeys are close can you get them? "I'll try but if they don't listen im calling back" ok cool and hang up. Phone vibrates again its my neighbor "hey Sean the goats are out". Ok thanks the wife is on it i think. Ok cool hang up. Finally wife texts me and says my 37 week pregnant butt tied the goats up you owe me! AWESOME!
Back to the hunt. At 7:45 some different turkeys start talking to my right and the group in the field slowly comes down and joins them. I talked along with the them and they eventually all started towards my decoys. One by one they went by offering no shot with a bow. DAMMIT!! As they worked by the group started to circle behind me. I shifted as slowly and quietly as possible and got into a position to shoot if given the chance. The boss Tom skirted by me safely but his first lieutenant was not so fast. I put the 30 yard pin on him and shot. A definite hit but i had no idea where I hit him and he took off running then took to flight. I got up and ran after him and lost sight of him. OHNO!! I stopped to listen and look and I spotted a turkey in a tree about 350 yards away in the direction the hit bird went. So I ran that way as I got close I could hear flopping near the tree and sure enough there was my bird about 500 yards from where I shot him. He expired by time I got to the sound of his flopping. My first ever bird with a bow and i have never been happier to grab the wrong shells from the gun safe or have an amateur goat wrangler wife!

The setup all ready to try and get it on camera but the shot never came in that spot.


He had a broken toe.

 

[Rzrbck918]

Awesome! Killing one with a bow is an accomplishment, congrats!

 

[Corn king 60]

Congrats on the first bow kill gobbler
I guess a big assist to the missis is in order as well

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Congrats on the first bow kill gobbler
I guess a big assist to the missis is in order as well

Yes for sure. The first thing she said when I got home was "man I'm glad I tied the goats up for you". Haha. A few extra back rubs may be in order this week.

 

[1_pointer]

Very well done!!

It'll be long time before you clear that debt...

 

[brownbear932008]

Congrats you better take that lady out on the town for that one!

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Very well done!!

It'll be long time before you clear that debt...

Hopefully a fresh wild turkey will go a long ways to help.

 

[JShane]

Gobbler with a bow after wife pregnant all of 37 weeks does the goat rodeo for you.....Clean livin going on here. Congrats

 

[kansasdad]

500 yard run/track job is an amazing feat.

Congratulations on your first bow harvest

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

500 yard run/track job is an amazing feat.

Congratulations on your first bow harvest

Thanks.
I got on GE and measured it out and it 476 yards from shot to where I found him. Good chance I would of never found him if I didn't see the turkey in the tree. Better to be lucky than good sometimes.