Sad story in the turkey woods yesterday

Tell us your Traditional Bow Hunting experiences
Forum rules
Discuss all aspects of the hunt.
Message
Author
User avatar
dhaverstick
Posts: 420
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2016 3:51 pm

Sad story in the turkey woods yesterday

#1 Post by dhaverstick »

Due to the small acreage that my house sits on, I primarily hunt turkeys on it with a bow. Since I don't have enough room to run and gun, any birds I have a chance at will most likely be in bow range anyway. My normal pattern is to step out on the porch and listen for birds before I go to work. If one is gobbling on the ridge I'm on then I'll be into work a little late that day. Otherwise, I grab my lunch, kiss the wife, and head to the salt mine.

Yesterday, a tom was hammering it at 5:45. I hesitated for about 10 seconds on whether to hunt or not and then ran into the house, changed into my hunting duds, grabbed my selfbow and headed down the the blind I already have set up for such an occasion. I put out a jake and two hen decoys, got situated in the blind and started calling. It wasn't long before the tom was answering me and I could tell by the tone that he was coming in. Now I just had to hope he slowed down a little so I had enough daylight to shoot by.

While he was gobbling in front of me, there were two other birds gobbling to my right over 100 yards away. There is a hay field over that direction and I figured they were in it with some girlfriends so I mostly ignored them. The bird I was focused on was gobbling steadily and coming closer.

After a while the bird in front shut up and the other two were still at it and sounding like they were getting closer too. In an effort to locate the primary bird, I started cutting and cackling hard. He fired off and was only 25 yards away! I tightened my shooting glove and waited for him to come running into my setup.

The next thing I know, I can hear him spitting and drumming and he walks by me at 25 yards on the wrong side of the fence completely ignoring my dekes. I'd purr and he would gobble but would not come in. He finally came on my side of the fence but was walking away. Every time I'd call he'd gobble. Meanwhile, the other two birds were coming my direction and they all joined up about 30 yards to my right. I figured if those two had come all this way then they surely would come in to see what was what. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

I managed to get all three of them to come back to me but they crossed back under the fence and stood 25 yards out gobbling, spitting and drumming. At one time I could see all three with my jake decoy directly between me and them. They didn't act spooked by the setup; they just acted like it wasn't there and were continuing to look around for the hens.

Finally, we all got tired of one another and they went off towards where the first bird came from and I packed up my stuff and went back to the house. I've racked my brain for things I could have done to make the deal turn out differently and have decided on this: the bow, blind and decoys are going to be put away and I am breaking out the flintlock! I don't think there's too much shame in that and, besides, Momma needs some turkey breast.

Darren

Carpdaddy
Site Admin
Posts: 9469
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2013 7:36 pm

Re: Sad story in the turkey woods yesterday

#2 Post by Carpdaddy »

That sounded like a successful hunt to me Darren! Gets your heart rate up anyhow. Still haven't had the opportunity to get out myself.

Captainkirk
Site Admin
Posts: 12788
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:19 pm

Re: Sad story in the turkey woods yesterday

#3 Post by Captainkirk »

From what I've read, any trad turkey is a true trophy any way you slice it; your report seems to confirm that. The fact that you got them within 25 yards shows a successful hunt in my book.
Aim small, miss small!

User avatar
Shadowhntr
Posts: 4614
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:47 pm

Re: Sad story in the turkey woods yesterday

#4 Post by Shadowhntr »

Thats what makes it so darn hard. I cant tell you the number of times Ive seen fired up gobblers, or turkeys in general, totally ignore decoys. At those times, I think they actually catch the drift they are not real, and because of that, begin looking at them more like they would a stump or log.
For years and years, I killed piles of gobblers with shotgun, AFTER I threw away my decoys. I wouldnt touch them for nothing, and I had much better luck without them using only a call. Then I would shut up when I knew he was coming, and he'd look for me, because Id set up where he would have to be in range, to see my calling position..like around a bend for instance. But....when I discovered how difficult it was to get a tom in an opening at close range for a body shot with a trad bow, I went back to decoys. I still think they are largely crap, but Its a matter of coming across the right tom at the right time, to get him convinced and in tight with decoys. Most often, a lone tom is WAY easier to get in close then multiple toms, and unless you are lucky enough to call a hen in or sitting in just the right spot, any tom with even a single hen isnt likely to commit.
No matter the instance, most turkey dont come easy, but when one does it easy, it spoils the heck out of you.
One fact that most turkey hunters lose sight of, is in nature the tom does not go to the hen for breeding...instead the hen goes to him. Sure he may follow, but usually at a distance, and only occationally is he right tight with hens....now think about the natural tendency of a tom, and enter in decoys. Its very likely he will stay 25 yards or further, even if he is interested. He wants her to come to him, because its the only way he knows she is ready to take him. In essence, we trad archery turkey hunters, are waiting on the odd tom, that decides to run the dekes over. Sometimes you may go through a lot of birds to find that one dummy.
The element of surprise can never be replaced by persistence.

User avatar
dhaverstick
Posts: 420
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2016 3:51 pm

Re: Sad story in the turkey woods yesterday

#5 Post by dhaverstick »

Jason, I agree 100%. You see all these videos of toms coming in to whip on that poor ole jake decoy and you just wonder how many other times did the birds not come in at all. To my way of thinking, that jake is the key to getting a tom in close enough to kill with a bow. If you just have hens out, I would think the tom would more than likely hang up and wait for them to come to him, as is natural. You just have to find that one longbeard that is spoiling for a fight. Or, put that bow away and grab something with a little more range to it!

It's pouring rain here in southern Missouri and it's not supposed to stop until late Saturday. Sunday is supposed to be nice so, hopefully, the birds will want to play then. I've got the flintlock smoothbore all polished up and ready for action. Let them get in that 25 yard range and see what happens next time!

Darren

User avatar
Shadowhntr
Posts: 4614
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:47 pm

Re: Sad story in the turkey woods yesterday

#6 Post by Shadowhntr »

In this case Darren, revenge IS sweet!!! :D
The element of surprise can never be replaced by persistence.

Mohawk
Posts: 403
Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2016 7:24 pm

Re: Sad story in the turkey woods yesterday

#7 Post by Mohawk »

I think a smooth bore flint lock turkey would be a great hunt! I would like to put one down with my longbow some day, but right now that's a challenge I can't take on. I, like shadow, have used decoys and also hate em. One decoy tactic that I remember hearing about many years ago was to set the spread out about 10-15 yards to the opposite side of the toms approach to the shooter, so that the shooter is between the dekes and the bird. Then when he comes in and hangs up, he's in range and hopefully fixed on the dekes. That would be the time the sucker would actually go to the dekes though, but still in range.

User avatar
Shadowhntr
Posts: 4614
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:47 pm

Re: Sad story in the turkey woods yesterday

#8 Post by Shadowhntr »

....or circle around at the last minute and get too far on the other side of them! Or in like most my cases, they just act like they arent even there. Maybe I need to invest in better decoys? Lol! Idk, but its a tough bout with archery equipment. It still can be quite a challenge even with modern shotgun.
The element of surprise can never be replaced by persistence.

Carpdaddy
Site Admin
Posts: 9469
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2013 7:36 pm

Re: Sad story in the turkey woods yesterday

#9 Post by Carpdaddy »

All that practice with my 54" recurve and still haven't had a chance to go! No quality experience or knowledge other than what I have read but just need to be in the woods!! Go get-em Darren!

User avatar
Shadowhntr
Posts: 4614
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:47 pm

Re: Sad story in the turkey woods yesterday

#10 Post by Shadowhntr »

Hey carpy, the only way to learn about it, is to take the basics, and learn by fire. Go get em!
The element of surprise can never be replaced by persistence.

Post Reply

Return to “Bow Hunting experiences”