10 replies to this topic

[SPECIALIZED]

As long as I can remember, the majority of my Turkey hunting success has came a few hours after daylight,usually after about nine am.
Yesterday, Wednesday April 22,the first day of Spring Gobbler season, I arrived in my ground blind just before daylight ,set out three decoys ,two hens and a young tom.and much to my surprise as soon as I could see,there were several turkeys in the field.During the next hour only one small gobbler came within reach of a shot.Not another Turkey was seen during the day.

Today Thursday the 23rd, I arrived an hour before day light set up my decoys and again surprise.
I heard a Gobbler sounding off like crazy and it was still pitch dark.

I said to myself,what the heck,And started calling with soft clucks.After a few minutes a heavy fog came over the field and AS day begin to brake I could barely see my decoys.
Then all at once I hear a very loud gobble coming from right beyond my decoys.Evidently the gobbler could see my decoys and I could hear him strutting around ,flapping his wings and stomping the ground. he was within thirty five or forty yards of me and I could not see him.
To say this was exciting was a gross understatement.
After what seemed like an eternity I caught a glimpse of movement at what I thought was about 25 yards in the fog.Looking through the scope I could just see the gobblers head moving about as he continued his very loud gobbling.
I tried several times to use the range finder and finally got a reading of surprise? thirty five yards.
After holding the strykeforce for several minutes ,ready to take a closer shot if it was presented. A large road grader came down the road about a hundred yards away,I finally saw the big gobbler running back to wards the center of the field,Dam,I said out loud.
About this time the fog begin to lift,And I could see the big gobbler in the middle of the field,looking toward my decoys.
I begin calling,trying everything I ever new about Turkey calling.Much to my surprise the old Gobbler started moving closer.After several minutes he came with in thirty five or forty yards,and then I said oh no,here comes that dam motor grader back up the road.
As the motor grader got closer,I could tell the gobbler was about to cut and run.
It was now or never,range finder said 35 yards.I leveled The Strykeforce with the Hawk map scope at the exact spot I wanted to hit.
Just as the Gobbler turned to run,I made the shot,The muzzy hit home with a clear pass through.
The gobbler tried to jump up but fell in a fury of thrashing about, pretty much in place.
I was out of the blind as the road grader passed by and waved to the operator who had no idea the stress he had caused me in a short few minutes.
This has been one of my best Turkey hunts and I will long remember this day the old gobbler and the fog.

[Cossack]

Sounds like an absolute HOOT! Great hunt. That one will be in the memory bank forever, no doubt. Congrats on the obviously effective call back.

Machines can work for you too. I had a deer memorized by a corn picker. Was so intent on watching it go around that it didn't even hear my crossbow.Walked off a few feet and lay down. Got up and turned around once. Tried to get up the second time...when the tail started twitching rapidly, I knew it was over.

[Lscha]

What a great story.

Tell us: Do you shoot through mesh? Do you use a rest? Do you call inside your blind? Do you put up your blind up ahead of time, like days? Do you always hunt the same spot or field? How far away do you set your decoys? What kind of call do you use? I love these kinds of details even if they are different for each hunt. Hope I'm not the only one.

[SPECIALIZED]

lscha said:

What a great story.

Tell us: Do you shoot through mesh? Do you use a rest? Do you call inside your blind? Do you put up your blind up ahead of time, like days? Do you always hunt the same spot or field? How far away do you set your decoys? What kind of call do you use? I love these kinds of details even if they are different for each hunt. Hope I'm not the only one.

Hi Laura, Thanks for the reply.
First, I would like to say I think it is great that you hunt and exude such enthusiasm for the sport.
My wife is finally showing interest as well.

I do not shoot through the mesh,on purpose anyway.Last year just as I was shooting a doe the flap and mesh fell down and I put three holes in the front of my brand new ground blind,but still got the deer.I usually just leave a small clear opening.
Several of my blinds stay up year round.
As to Turkey calls,I use a H.S.Strut,Starfire Friction call, purchased from Bass Pro.
It works great for me. You can change the tone to just right with a little more or less pressure with the striker stick.
I have found over the years,many hunters call to loud,Just call loud enough to let the Gobbler hear it.
One year I used a mouth call,worked OK until I got excited over a gobbler and almost swallowed the call.And yes I call from inside the blind,sometimes just hold the call up next to the opening.

Rarely do I hunt the same spot over two hunts in a row,but sometimes ,if in a big field will move to another Blind,depending what I see happening.

I usually set a minimum of three decoys,a young Tom and two hens. About 18 to 20 yards at a left angle to my blind,makes it easier to shoot if you are right handed.When a older gobbler sees the young Tom,he believes this is easy pickings and wants to attack the young Tom.I think this helped in the harvest of my last Turkey.

[Lscha]

18 to 20 yards is exactly where I set mine. Never thought of the left angle. I'll try it. Do you rest your bow or lift it when you see a bird? I used the Horton knee pod and my shoulder to rest. My velcro is so loud on my mesh and I'm afraid I won't have enough room to shoot if I only leave a small opening. I guess I'll have to get creative in positioning.

I use my blinds for deer but hunting turkeys with a xbow out of a blind in new to me. Have to learn all over again.

I had a choice hunt drawing for 4/20 to 4/26 in my deer hunting area but saw nothing but a hen in 5 days! I have another permit for 5/4 to 5/30 in an area I never hunt (home).

Thanks for the information.

[SPECIALIZED]

I use a Polecat stick rest adjustable height with a V shaped top end,but I don't attaché it to the Bow.
I also have a knee pod,but have never got around to using it.
Sometimes shots come so quick, especially with deer ,I just shoot freehand.
I would suggest if possible shooting a few practice shots at different ranges and angles with your crossbow from within your blind.
That way you may eliminate unforeseen problems when it really counts.
I always practice freehand.

[Lscha]

Good advice. The freehand practice shots I've done at home have been good. I'll do the blind thing too to make sure I know where my limbs are going to end up

thanks...

[Guide Girl]

That my friend, is a great adventure! Thank for sharing it. I loved the play by play so we could be there with you "in the moment". Congratulations!

[TRG3]

Great story!! Congratulations on the hurried shot. Tomorrow morning, I'm heading to the turkey woods for Southern Illinois' 5th and final season with my Parker Buck Buster 150# for my first every attempt to take one with a crossbow. So far during this spring season, I've taken a 22# tom with my 12 gauge Rem 870 and a 17# one with my 20 gauge flintlock smoothbore fusil, so it's time to up the challenge.

Since I have to walk nearly a half-mile to get to the birds from where I can park, I'm not packing a blind but rather some camo netting that I'll throw up in front of me as a blind.  And, oh yeah, the rain gear since it's supposed to come a downpour around daylight.

Tom

[SPECIALIZED]

TRG3 said:

Great story!! Congratulations on the hurried shot. Tomorrow morning, I'm heading to the turkey woods for Southern Illinois' 5th and final season with my Parker Buck Buster 150# for my first every attempt to take one with a crossbow. So far during this spring season, I've taken a 22# tom with my 12 gauge Rem 870 and a 17# one with my 20 gauge flintlock smoothbore fusil, so it's time to up the challenge.

Since I have to walk nearly a half-mile to get to the birds from where I can park, I'm not packing a blind but rather some camo netting that I'll throw up in front of me as a blind.  And, oh yeah, the rain gear since it's supposed to come a downpour around daylight.

Tom

Good luck,I am sure you will find Turkey hunting with a Crossbow exciting and challenging.
Here in Indiana we are allowed only one Turkey, total for all seasons.

[TRG3]

Specialized...Oh yeah, the rains they did come. It was even horizontal at times. My glasses and red dot scope fogged such that I couldn't take a 40 yard shot at a jake that wouldn't come in any closer to my Pretty Boy. Tomorrow will be another day as I get after them again with my brand new rain gear and fog-proofed glasses and scope.  I'll also take along plenty of Off as the mosquitoes next to the backwater where I was hunting were thick and hungry! This bird had roosted out in the backwater about 100 yards and it took an hour of coaxing to get him to fly my way. He never gobbled again after finally flying down. While I really enjoy deer hunting, I love the challenge of turkey hunting in trying to out-smart the gobbler. I've got the rest of the day to plan my strategy for tomorrow with its 80% chance of rain!

Tom