First Bow Gobbler
10-22-2005 | 10:43 PM
#1
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 620
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From: TX Panhandle
First Bow Gobbler
Well fellas, got my first gobbler with a bow today. Got my first deer (a doe) with a bow a couple of weeks ago. I can tell you one thing, things would have surely gone different this season without all the good input and advice from all on this forum. From all the stories I have read here it just seems as if I have been a step ahead the whole game this year. All I'm waiting for now is it to cool off a little so I can go after that 130 class 10 point who's been showing up on my trail cam.
Even though I live on the rolling plains, I have a little spot of woods where the turkeys like to hang out. when Mr 10 didn't show this morning I decided to go stalk some turkeys. As I eased into the woods I could hear them up ahead of me. Slowly and quietly I eased forward. At 50 yards I could see movement. At 40 yards I could see birds but it was too thick for a shot. At 30 I didn't see how I could close any more but I still didn't have a clear shot. Then lady luck stepped in. Something on the other side of the woods spooked them and they started running down the trail, right down my throat. I was kneeling and drew my Tomkat as the lead birds passed a tree. At twelve yards the biggest stopped and turned to look back. The 125 thunderhead broke both wings as it zipped through the bird, dropping him in his tracks. I will try to post a picture below.
Now the bad news. On my way into the woods I could smell something dead, so I cut the wind untill I pinpointed it. Laying 10 feet inside the brush line was a deer in the middle stages of decomposition. Except his head was gone. The bad thing is this is private property and no one else has permission to hunt. And rifle season isn't open yet. And almost no one around here bowhunts. So it pretty much had to be road poachers with a rifle, its 200 yards off the county road across a peanut field. From bad to worse is I had to go home and tell my 10 year old son someone had poached the deer he had been wanting to hunt ever since we got his picture on the trailcam. Its not our main hunting area, theres only a few deer in this spot. We've got better areas to hunt, but he had just really been looking forward to hunting that one. He understands, but it still sucks.
Even though I live on the rolling plains, I have a little spot of woods where the turkeys like to hang out. when Mr 10 didn't show this morning I decided to go stalk some turkeys. As I eased into the woods I could hear them up ahead of me. Slowly and quietly I eased forward. At 50 yards I could see movement. At 40 yards I could see birds but it was too thick for a shot. At 30 I didn't see how I could close any more but I still didn't have a clear shot. Then lady luck stepped in. Something on the other side of the woods spooked them and they started running down the trail, right down my throat. I was kneeling and drew my Tomkat as the lead birds passed a tree. At twelve yards the biggest stopped and turned to look back. The 125 thunderhead broke both wings as it zipped through the bird, dropping him in his tracks. I will try to post a picture below.
Now the bad news. On my way into the woods I could smell something dead, so I cut the wind untill I pinpointed it. Laying 10 feet inside the brush line was a deer in the middle stages of decomposition. Except his head was gone. The bad thing is this is private property and no one else has permission to hunt. And rifle season isn't open yet. And almost no one around here bowhunts. So it pretty much had to be road poachers with a rifle, its 200 yards off the county road across a peanut field. From bad to worse is I had to go home and tell my 10 year old son someone had poached the deer he had been wanting to hunt ever since we got his picture on the trailcam. Its not our main hunting area, theres only a few deer in this spot. We've got better areas to hunt, but he had just really been looking forward to hunting that one. He understands, but it still sucks.
Sorry to hear about the poachers though. It's a shame things like that happen. [:'(] Good luck chasing Mr 10.
10-22-2005 | 11:07 PM
#3
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 620
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From: TX Panhandle
RE: First Bow Gobbler
Well, the poaching is just one of those things. It doesn't happen very much around here, this is the first time I've really had to deal with it. What sucks about it is that my son has really been helping me cut trails and put up stands there. He has some sweat equity in it, and that means something to a 10 year old. It's not a big place, but no matter what happens we can hunt there. Our lease is much better, but things are getting so expensive here we never know when it might be the last year. We are developing this little forgotten corner so that no matter what we can at least always hunt, even if its not the best. Lazy people piss me off though
10-23-2005 | 06:29 PM
#7
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,562
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From: Roanoke, Va
RE: First Bow Gobbler
Nice gobbler! Got any specs like weight and beard length?
Where Im from, spotlighting and roadhunting is the coolest thing to do. Here I'm out in the woods busting my a$$ and someone else is in a truck w/ the heater on, listening to their favorite cd or station. Sorry but your post just lit me up. I could have some nice bucks if I shot everyone that crossed the road in front of me. Not my style!
Where Im from, spotlighting and roadhunting is the coolest thing to do. Here I'm out in the woods busting my a$$ and someone else is in a truck w/ the heater on, listening to their favorite cd or station. Sorry but your post just lit me up. I could have some nice bucks if I shot everyone that crossed the road in front of me. Not my style!
10-23-2005 | 08:07 PM
#9
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 620
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From: TX Panhandle
RE: First Bow Gobbler
Didn't weigh him but his beard was 10 1/2", and he is of the Rio Grande persuasion. Stalking turkeys is a great way to get in shape for deer season, they have excellent vision. Deer season is actually open, but it still needs to cool off a little for the bucks to move good. Got a nice cold front today though, hoping it will start things moving!!
Just been killin' time untill then.
Just been killin' time untill then.