GMMAT

If you don't like "We'll get 'em next time stories".....stop reading, now.

I gained access to some good land a while back....JUST on the other side of some land no one can hunt.....where I've been seeing turkeys on a daily basis. Saturday was our opener.....and I found out Friday night that my landowner's partner's dad was going to be in there, Saturday (He's the only other person hunting the property.....and he had previously told me he wouldn't be hunting on the weekends ....as he's retired). So.....Plan "B"....8 hours from the time I was gonna besetting up.

I decided to go to a field my father in law owns that's somewhere near thistract. I got set up early.....and sat back.At fly-down....I heard gobbling all around me. Good sign! Imade a few soft, short yelps.....but I figured they were with hens. I sat there until about 7:20.....and noticed a bird out of the right side of my blind.....about 80 yds out. It was a lone hen. I watchedher for about 5 minutes.....slowly feeding towards the woods. When she went in the woods.....I looked back to my right (where she'd come from).....and saw a tom in full strut........beard touching the ground.He was walking with a limp.......and no amount of purring I could do would get him to come over and check outMY hen. It's toughtto compete with a live hen, I found. he made his way towards where the hen had entered the woods......and I got to catch my breath. He never camecloser than 70 yds.

About 9:30.....I noticed a BIG jake heading out of the left field of vision, for me. He was alreday at 25 yds.....and closing on my hen. I got my bow ready.....locked on him at about 23-25 yds......and shot right under him. It was awkward position to shoot from ......and I just blew it. He scurried into the woods and my heart, again, pounded out of my chest. Welcome to the reality of bowhunting birds, Jeff.

I sat until a little after 10:00......and.....seeing or hearing nothing.....decided to go home and get ready to go to the spot I thought was the great one, that afternoon. When I got out of the blind......I looked to my right to see a lone red head just above the grass line. I knew he would pass a clump of brush in a few seconds that would allow me to get back in the blind.....IF he didn't see me. He made it to the brush.....I wasn't noticed.....and I got back in the blind....heart racing, AGAIN.

I purred on the slate call.....and I saw THREE heads appear over the grass! They disappeared.......and I purred, again. FOUR heads!.......They then came into view. FIVE HEADS! I purred some more and they started towards my hen. SIX HEADS! As they drew nearer....I stopped purring.....and my heart, again, pounded. SEVEN BIRDS (all jakes....but BIG birds)!

They came in VERY nervous......milled around below my hen (at about 30+ yds).....and I waited for one to turn and give me a back shot. The others, of course, wouldn't turn around at the SAME TIME.....but I found a shot opportunity at about 20+ yds. Missed, again. My heart was pounding......and I hadn't connected, yet.

They scurried around.....and I tried purring them back in. I even clucked a few times and watched all seven of them gobble, in unison. Man....what a morning.

Rob/PA will be here, Thursday......and I'm hoping I'll have a different story to tell, next week. I'm gonna be shooting a LOT more in the yard......in hopes I'll have a similar shot in the near future.

To you guys pursuing them with the bow.....good luck. They're a worthy adversary.

On a bright note......my neighbor.....PFC Nick U......missed a tom with his bow Saturday morning, also. He went shoppoing for some 3" mag. ammo.....and put the smack down on a BEAUTIFUL tom right after lunchtime. He shot it in the food plot his dad and I planted. There's another spot to hunt, this weekend.

Good luck, guys.

PreacherTony

WOW Jeff! Sure sounds like you had a good time! It's great to get action like that! No doubt in my mind you'll tag one soon!

Dr Andy

Very exciting!! You'll get em one of these times. Remember if he only had that one hen and she goes away to nest he'll be lonely and come looking for you!

txjourneyman

Jeff reading your story got my heart racing! I'll be trying for my first bow bird in a couple of days. I plan to bring a book to read and sit all day. And as often as people have told me I can leave the mesh down I'm not going to do it. You having to wait to draw on the jakes is an example of why.
Thanks for a great story! I wish you the best and hope to read about the one that didn't get away soon!

tkycaller

I know exactly how you feel!!! If you read my story about Kansas you know what I am talking about. I missed several birds before connecting on the last morning. Hang in there and remember: aim small miss small.

GMMAT

Thanks, tkycaller!!

I didn't want to mention names.....but I was SURE thinking about you!!!

Congrats, again.....and I'm looking forward to sharing camp with you guys in '08.

Sincerely,

Rob/PA Bowyer

Great story Jeff and that was indeed a fantastic hunt regardless. I know when I shot my first KS bird, my first ever with a bow and if ya'll ever get a chance to see the footage that will be on River Valley Game Calls HeadHunters Vol IV, you'll see that my heart raced as much as any buck I've ever shot. I stumbled through words in the post shot interview, my hands were shaking and I had a huge smile on my face. Man I love bowhunting.

Jeff, looking forward to this weekends hunts and Jenny and I spending time with you and Lisa. I'm also looking forward to 08 in KS, we've got a great group headed there.

psebwhntr16

I know exactly what you mean. Im already 0/1 on the season.

davidmil

Man, you saw more gobblers and jakes on your Second choice property than most people get close to in a year. LOL With all those jakes around you must have a large bunch of big strutters wandering around, of course with the hens. [&:] Always seems to work out that way doesn't it. Give 'em another week, ten days or so and they'll be done servicing hens and be more receptive. What kind of poundage do you have on your turkey bow? What are you using for broadheads? Everyone is avoiding the question.... LOL How can a guy that can shoot dimes at 20 yards be missing a 20 pound bird. LOL I love hunting. LOL Sounds like you had a ball.

GMMAT

David....I know, I KNOW!

I've never made excuses for a MISS. I've come here every time.....and told the story.

My bow's set at 64 lbs, right now.....and I'm shooting rocket expandables. I'll tell you the God's honest truth of what happened. I practiced out of my blind for a good while prior to turkey season. I DIDN'T practice out of the blind.....sitting....WITH MY MASK ON. I hunt with a mask (deer).....and I've practiced THAT WAY quite extensively. I honestly didn't give it a second thought.......BUT....sitting and shooting with the mask on made me question my anchor point (I don't utilize a kisser button). I was shaking like a LEAF on the first shot......and I KNOW I rushed the second.

Yes. We have a healthy bird pop, here. I hope to get more chances. I also went home at lunch and practiced anchoring, sitting with the mask on. It IS different. I shoud have known better.

For the record.....I only saw 6 birds in the afternoon hunt......all at a distance....and only 2 legal birds.I couldn't woo them withMY calling. I've got to get me a hired gun. Oh wait.......