Memorable hunt 3 tags, 3 birds one day, IL
04-15-2008, 09:29 AM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location:
Posts: 64
Memorable hunt 3 tags, 3 birds one day, IL
As usual the alarm sounded only moments after I actually fell asleep, and before I even stepped into the predawn darkness, I heard my 18 year old lil bro (Alex) and (Marc) pull up. I stepped out the door to 35 degrees and a black, star speckled sky. I smiled and greeted my brother and friend(s) and exclaimed they are gonna be hammering this morning boys! We loaded all the gear, quickly debated about the plan and headed out. The short drive gave me time to reflect, I had a blind pre-set for yet another attempt at my first bow bird ever. (Marc) was set to hit the traditional brush pile where we had many great hunts in the past.
We parted ways with good luck wishes and Alex and I headed to the blind. Making our way across the wheat field towards the blind , my little brother talked of how he couldn’t sleep last night and even as I reminded him to tone his voice down I thought how he reminded me of...me...I smiled in the dark even though no one could see. That special thought was interrupted as a pair of owls sounded off towards Marc and we stopped to listen to the first gobblers of the morning off in the distance.
Settled in the blind we relaxed and let the woods come alive around us. It was quickly apparent that very few birds were close to our location, but Marc had birds in what I estimated to be...every direction possible. I grinned and whispered to Alex, "Marc has birds right there!" It was time to call and I could make out Marc calling across the field from our location, and the birds seemed to be answering him well. The bird I was planning on hunting had only gobbled once, and just when I was wondering what was going on I got my answer; A very obvious call coming from just down the hill from us...other hunters. We determined later that someone trespassed from the West property and bumped the bird we were set up on, as we heard him “putting” his way across the opening behind us during the time frame just prior to the new caller.
With "our" birds pretty much "shut down" we had no pressure, and could enjoy the sunrise, and listen to a wonderful "show" in the adjacent field where (Marc) was working birds pretty much non stop. From his text at 6:46 a.m. explaining the first 3 longbeards left their strutting location for real hens, until the report of his browning shattered the morning calm at 7:50 a.m. we enjoyed the greatest audio Mother Nature could produce. With a lone hen being our only "live entertainment" over the first 2 hours we decided to meet up with Marc and check out his bird.
Just as we were folding up the blind, a bird gobbled to the west of us. I looked at Alex, as if I had to ask, and in seconds we were peeling our way through the thick underbrush to get in position. We were easing to the spot where I wanted to be when yet another set of gobbles ripped through the spring woods. It was obviously more than one bird. We set up quickly together me with my bow, and Alex manning the gun.
I hit a quick series of calls on my (mouth call) and nothing happened. Hmmm. I waited and wondered for a few minutes then hit the calls again…..GOBBLE!!!..Whoa, a lone bird hammered from South and West of us, not where we had just heard the birds. I hit an aggressive set of yelps/cutts and GOBBLE/GOBBLE/GOBBLE, multiple birds directly west of us responded and then the single bird hammered back. I estimated all the birds to be within 150 yards and closing when suddenly I hear Alex whispering “turkey turkey turkey” I am not sure if this has any similar meaning to “tora tora tora” but I was quickly on alert when I spotted a bright red head working down the flat in front of us in rapid fashion.
I caught sight of a longbeard swinging in front of him and my heart rate tripled instantly. Just like he read the book, he turned and went behind a brush pile giving me an easy chance to draw the bow, I came to full draw, and just as he appeared I hit the mouth call and he stopped…perfectly 20 yards, neck extended. I released my arrow with perfect follow through and watched it fly to the target tipped with a new bullhead broadhead specifically designed for head and neck shots on a turkey. The arrow was true, it struck with a loud THUD, and the bird went down.
It was less than 5 seconds, but just as I was about to let out a war hoot on my first bow bird….the damn thing got up! He was obviously stunned, but not hurt, I told Alex to shoot him, but he wasn’t ready and when he moved the gun the bird came back to full attention and took off dodging the only shot Alex could muster. The other birds gobbled at the report of the gun, and we sat totally shocked as this longbeard walked up the hill and away from us, showing no signs of injury whatsoever. Just to be safe, I checked the birds with the call, and again the bird to the South West hammered – GOBBLE-GOBBLE! I sat in disbelief when Alex spots more turkeys from the same path. He sees at least two gobblers and we wait for them to go to the field. After a long pause behind the brush pile they appear not in the field but in the woods with us, coming to 12 yards away we are stuck with no shot…as I whisper there’s two…no there’s three…NO THERE’S FOUR…and they are ALL LONGBEARDS.
They ease by me at 12 yards spitting and drummin and taking their time heading up the hill behind us. The second they crest the hill I get up to look at my arrow. I find one blade bent with feathers and I am 100% sure I hit where I should have hit right at the base of the neck, it just flat out didn’t work. Just as I am about to say something to Alex the 4 longbeards on the hill let go with a unanimous gobble. We quickly ease back to the same tree this time with Alex facing the hillside where they came up. I hit the mouth call one time…yelp-yelp-yel/GOBBLE-GOBBLE/GOB/GOBBLLE!!!! Four longbeards hammering at less than 50 yards. I keep expecting Alex to shoot when suddenly I hear PFFFFFFFFT/RRRUMMMMMMMMMM. Oh crap Al, they are behind us. I hear a stick break and see a strutter standing 8 yards away over my right shoulder. All four birds work into the field and stop in a perfect opening at 30 yards. Again I am able to get drawn with no blind to hide my movement, I settle the pin on the strutter, yelp, and he raises his head, I release…and see the arrow strike a thorn bush directly in front of me and immediately go into “crazy flight” missing the target completely.
The impact of the arrow spooked the birds slightly, but not completely, and at that point I had enough and whispered…Alex, give me your gun. They spotted the movement and eased off away from us into the timber.
I look over at Alex and just as I was about to complain, I realize he is shaking like a leaf on a tree. He looks me right in the eye and says “That is the most exciting turkey hunt I have EVER been on.” We conversed and he once again confirmed the arrow struck the first turkey directly at the base of the neck where the feathers start. We double and triple checked and could not find any sign of a bird or feathers or blood.
We loaded up, met with Marc and headed to town for a quick breakfast. Back at the same farm I got a smile out of Alex when I pulled the 870 out instead of the bow. He joked that now we could get a “double.” I grinned and said, we are going to hear more birds today, it isn’t over!
It was literally minutes later as we walked a field edge when conversation about the earlier events was rudely cut off by two gobbles. I looked at Big Al and pumped my fist in excitement. We headed to a clearing I knew well, right where we called a big bird in last weekend during the youth hunt. Even as we were setting up the birds hammered again and again, they were hot! Alex wasn’t even down yet and I decided I didn’t like the set up, and said back to the field, as the birds hammered from the creek bottom again! I glanced at my phone it was 10:20 a.m.
I pulled Alex in on the strategizing and told him “this is your hunt where do you want to go.” He suggested a clearing in the thicket just above where the birds were. I compromised and explained there was a large brushy trench between the clearing and the birds and we hopped over to the next ridge with a small clearing in the thick underbrush. I was trimming a shooting lane when the birds hammered again; I looked at Alex and again said…we’re moving!
I have to hand it to the lil bro; he followed confidently even though we had already moved twice without making a call. We eased through the thicket on a trail I had cut for this exact purpose, slipping into the creek bottom I whispered to Al we must get on the other side, its too thick for em to come through on our side. FINALLY we were set 5 yards apart in a 20 yard clearing in the middle of the thickest brush in the county. I hit the (slate) hoping they were still hot…yelp-yel/GOBBLE!!! Two birds answered and I looked at Al and gave him the thumbs up…it was on.
I gave them a few minutes and hit the (mouth call), and I was immediately cut off again, and they were definitely headed our way! I waited about five minutes and again hit the mouth call and nothing happened, so I eased my head away from the birds to call away from them (my signature move) and yelped with a slight hint of “aggressive hen” and they immediately hammered back from within 70 yards. Seconds later Alex spotted them, and whispers…” I see them…they are on the OTHER side of the creek. I actually let out a muffled laugh as I thought to myself…no matter how many times we play this game, you just never know for sure.
The birds eased into a clearing on the opposite side from us, within 60 yards but way too thick for any shots. We watched two longbeards with one putting on a show for Alex strutting, spitting, drumming, and remaining relatively stationary for approximately 10 minutes. I eased my hand down and scratched in the leaves and lightly yelped and both birds responded with thundering gobbles echoing down the creek bottom. Just then Alex spotted bird number three, headed for the creek to cross onto our side.
“Now,” I thought, “we are in business.” I waited for another 10 minutes and hit the call ever so slightly and a bird hammered on our side of the creek above us on the ridge. Jealousy took over and the first two birds headed to the creek crossing. They crossed into the thicket on the creek and we both readjusted our point of aim and beared down.
We whispered back and forth, “where are they, I can’t see them, they have to be RIGHT there” I waited almost fifteen minutes and nothing happened. I started to fear they had gone down the creek away, so I hit the call…yelp/yelp..GOBBLE-GOBB/GOBBLE. Three birds hammered and now they were ALL up on the ridge to our left and out front. With the last gobble still ringing in the air I spotted movement…a jake on the hillside, I whispered to Alex, be careful there is a jake with them! Then out in front of the jake I made out a beautiful bird in full strut!
I yelped quietly and again they hammered, Alex whispered they are coming DOWN. I whispered back, stay on a longbeard, let him come and if he gets nervous SHOOT. The three birds worked down the hill, two longbeards leading the way with the looker in front, and the strutter taking time to go to full strut at every opening, the hillside was laced with intermittent spots of sun and shade, and the gobbler shined brilliantly every time he stepped from shade to sun. Suddenly my recognized how hard my heart was pounding…two longbeards working directly at us, with my lil bro peering down the barrel at his first longbeard ever…and a very real possibility of a double unfolding right before my eyes!!!
The two birds worked to the edge of a large washout less than 30 yards from us, I was on the strutter because he happened to end up on the right, and all I could see was from his neck down, I stayed on him knowing he would move with the shot. I whisper to Alex SHOOT WHEN YOU CAN…he responds with “can you shoot?” I don’t answer…again “ can you shoot?” I suddenly realized he is willing to take a chance on not getting this bird in order to set up for a double. Damn him (didn’t I mention earlier how he reminded me of someone). I whisper almost too loud…SHOOT HIM, and I put the cheek on the stock….BOOOM the shot goes off, and the strutter turns to run, I lift the gun, move it out in front and wait, in a split second he stopped to look back and I was there…BOOOM, and my bird tips over.
I look at Alex…DID YOU GET HIM…and he YELLS YEAH MAN!!! What followed was several minutes of WAR HOOTS, HUGS, HIGH FIVES, SHOUTING, JUMPING UP AND DOWN and celebration. We retrieved our birds, Alex had a nice two year old with a beard that basically fell out when he touched it with the remaining strands going over 9” and to my amazement, I had downed yet another bird with 1.5” spurs!!! He had almost no beard with a few strands going 9 ¾” but he was a huge bird, tipping the digital scale at 23 lbs even. This was easily the most eventful exciting day I have ever experienced in the turkey woods and I got to share it all with family and friend!
Stats:
Alex: Corey:
19 lbs 8 oz 23 lbs 0 oz
9 ¼” Beard 9 ¾” Beard
1” spurs 1.5” left spur, 1 7/16” right spur
Nwtf: 57.75 Nwtf: 71.875
We parted ways with good luck wishes and Alex and I headed to the blind. Making our way across the wheat field towards the blind , my little brother talked of how he couldn’t sleep last night and even as I reminded him to tone his voice down I thought how he reminded me of...me...I smiled in the dark even though no one could see. That special thought was interrupted as a pair of owls sounded off towards Marc and we stopped to listen to the first gobblers of the morning off in the distance.
Settled in the blind we relaxed and let the woods come alive around us. It was quickly apparent that very few birds were close to our location, but Marc had birds in what I estimated to be...every direction possible. I grinned and whispered to Alex, "Marc has birds right there!" It was time to call and I could make out Marc calling across the field from our location, and the birds seemed to be answering him well. The bird I was planning on hunting had only gobbled once, and just when I was wondering what was going on I got my answer; A very obvious call coming from just down the hill from us...other hunters. We determined later that someone trespassed from the West property and bumped the bird we were set up on, as we heard him “putting” his way across the opening behind us during the time frame just prior to the new caller.
With "our" birds pretty much "shut down" we had no pressure, and could enjoy the sunrise, and listen to a wonderful "show" in the adjacent field where (Marc) was working birds pretty much non stop. From his text at 6:46 a.m. explaining the first 3 longbeards left their strutting location for real hens, until the report of his browning shattered the morning calm at 7:50 a.m. we enjoyed the greatest audio Mother Nature could produce. With a lone hen being our only "live entertainment" over the first 2 hours we decided to meet up with Marc and check out his bird.
Just as we were folding up the blind, a bird gobbled to the west of us. I looked at Alex, as if I had to ask, and in seconds we were peeling our way through the thick underbrush to get in position. We were easing to the spot where I wanted to be when yet another set of gobbles ripped through the spring woods. It was obviously more than one bird. We set up quickly together me with my bow, and Alex manning the gun.
I hit a quick series of calls on my (mouth call) and nothing happened. Hmmm. I waited and wondered for a few minutes then hit the calls again…..GOBBLE!!!..Whoa, a lone bird hammered from South and West of us, not where we had just heard the birds. I hit an aggressive set of yelps/cutts and GOBBLE/GOBBLE/GOBBLE, multiple birds directly west of us responded and then the single bird hammered back. I estimated all the birds to be within 150 yards and closing when suddenly I hear Alex whispering “turkey turkey turkey” I am not sure if this has any similar meaning to “tora tora tora” but I was quickly on alert when I spotted a bright red head working down the flat in front of us in rapid fashion.
I caught sight of a longbeard swinging in front of him and my heart rate tripled instantly. Just like he read the book, he turned and went behind a brush pile giving me an easy chance to draw the bow, I came to full draw, and just as he appeared I hit the mouth call and he stopped…perfectly 20 yards, neck extended. I released my arrow with perfect follow through and watched it fly to the target tipped with a new bullhead broadhead specifically designed for head and neck shots on a turkey. The arrow was true, it struck with a loud THUD, and the bird went down.
It was less than 5 seconds, but just as I was about to let out a war hoot on my first bow bird….the damn thing got up! He was obviously stunned, but not hurt, I told Alex to shoot him, but he wasn’t ready and when he moved the gun the bird came back to full attention and took off dodging the only shot Alex could muster. The other birds gobbled at the report of the gun, and we sat totally shocked as this longbeard walked up the hill and away from us, showing no signs of injury whatsoever. Just to be safe, I checked the birds with the call, and again the bird to the South West hammered – GOBBLE-GOBBLE! I sat in disbelief when Alex spots more turkeys from the same path. He sees at least two gobblers and we wait for them to go to the field. After a long pause behind the brush pile they appear not in the field but in the woods with us, coming to 12 yards away we are stuck with no shot…as I whisper there’s two…no there’s three…NO THERE’S FOUR…and they are ALL LONGBEARDS.
They ease by me at 12 yards spitting and drummin and taking their time heading up the hill behind us. The second they crest the hill I get up to look at my arrow. I find one blade bent with feathers and I am 100% sure I hit where I should have hit right at the base of the neck, it just flat out didn’t work. Just as I am about to say something to Alex the 4 longbeards on the hill let go with a unanimous gobble. We quickly ease back to the same tree this time with Alex facing the hillside where they came up. I hit the mouth call one time…yelp-yelp-yel/GOBBLE-GOBBLE/GOB/GOBBLLE!!!! Four longbeards hammering at less than 50 yards. I keep expecting Alex to shoot when suddenly I hear PFFFFFFFFT/RRRUMMMMMMMMMM. Oh crap Al, they are behind us. I hear a stick break and see a strutter standing 8 yards away over my right shoulder. All four birds work into the field and stop in a perfect opening at 30 yards. Again I am able to get drawn with no blind to hide my movement, I settle the pin on the strutter, yelp, and he raises his head, I release…and see the arrow strike a thorn bush directly in front of me and immediately go into “crazy flight” missing the target completely.
The impact of the arrow spooked the birds slightly, but not completely, and at that point I had enough and whispered…Alex, give me your gun. They spotted the movement and eased off away from us into the timber.
I look over at Alex and just as I was about to complain, I realize he is shaking like a leaf on a tree. He looks me right in the eye and says “That is the most exciting turkey hunt I have EVER been on.” We conversed and he once again confirmed the arrow struck the first turkey directly at the base of the neck where the feathers start. We double and triple checked and could not find any sign of a bird or feathers or blood.
We loaded up, met with Marc and headed to town for a quick breakfast. Back at the same farm I got a smile out of Alex when I pulled the 870 out instead of the bow. He joked that now we could get a “double.” I grinned and said, we are going to hear more birds today, it isn’t over!
It was literally minutes later as we walked a field edge when conversation about the earlier events was rudely cut off by two gobbles. I looked at Big Al and pumped my fist in excitement. We headed to a clearing I knew well, right where we called a big bird in last weekend during the youth hunt. Even as we were setting up the birds hammered again and again, they were hot! Alex wasn’t even down yet and I decided I didn’t like the set up, and said back to the field, as the birds hammered from the creek bottom again! I glanced at my phone it was 10:20 a.m.
I pulled Alex in on the strategizing and told him “this is your hunt where do you want to go.” He suggested a clearing in the thicket just above where the birds were. I compromised and explained there was a large brushy trench between the clearing and the birds and we hopped over to the next ridge with a small clearing in the thick underbrush. I was trimming a shooting lane when the birds hammered again; I looked at Alex and again said…we’re moving!
I have to hand it to the lil bro; he followed confidently even though we had already moved twice without making a call. We eased through the thicket on a trail I had cut for this exact purpose, slipping into the creek bottom I whispered to Al we must get on the other side, its too thick for em to come through on our side. FINALLY we were set 5 yards apart in a 20 yard clearing in the middle of the thickest brush in the county. I hit the (slate) hoping they were still hot…yelp-yel/GOBBLE!!! Two birds answered and I looked at Al and gave him the thumbs up…it was on.
I gave them a few minutes and hit the (mouth call), and I was immediately cut off again, and they were definitely headed our way! I waited about five minutes and again hit the mouth call and nothing happened, so I eased my head away from the birds to call away from them (my signature move) and yelped with a slight hint of “aggressive hen” and they immediately hammered back from within 70 yards. Seconds later Alex spotted them, and whispers…” I see them…they are on the OTHER side of the creek. I actually let out a muffled laugh as I thought to myself…no matter how many times we play this game, you just never know for sure.
The birds eased into a clearing on the opposite side from us, within 60 yards but way too thick for any shots. We watched two longbeards with one putting on a show for Alex strutting, spitting, drumming, and remaining relatively stationary for approximately 10 minutes. I eased my hand down and scratched in the leaves and lightly yelped and both birds responded with thundering gobbles echoing down the creek bottom. Just then Alex spotted bird number three, headed for the creek to cross onto our side.
“Now,” I thought, “we are in business.” I waited for another 10 minutes and hit the call ever so slightly and a bird hammered on our side of the creek above us on the ridge. Jealousy took over and the first two birds headed to the creek crossing. They crossed into the thicket on the creek and we both readjusted our point of aim and beared down.
We whispered back and forth, “where are they, I can’t see them, they have to be RIGHT there” I waited almost fifteen minutes and nothing happened. I started to fear they had gone down the creek away, so I hit the call…yelp/yelp..GOBBLE-GOBB/GOBBLE. Three birds hammered and now they were ALL up on the ridge to our left and out front. With the last gobble still ringing in the air I spotted movement…a jake on the hillside, I whispered to Alex, be careful there is a jake with them! Then out in front of the jake I made out a beautiful bird in full strut!
I yelped quietly and again they hammered, Alex whispered they are coming DOWN. I whispered back, stay on a longbeard, let him come and if he gets nervous SHOOT. The three birds worked down the hill, two longbeards leading the way with the looker in front, and the strutter taking time to go to full strut at every opening, the hillside was laced with intermittent spots of sun and shade, and the gobbler shined brilliantly every time he stepped from shade to sun. Suddenly my recognized how hard my heart was pounding…two longbeards working directly at us, with my lil bro peering down the barrel at his first longbeard ever…and a very real possibility of a double unfolding right before my eyes!!!
The two birds worked to the edge of a large washout less than 30 yards from us, I was on the strutter because he happened to end up on the right, and all I could see was from his neck down, I stayed on him knowing he would move with the shot. I whisper to Alex SHOOT WHEN YOU CAN…he responds with “can you shoot?” I don’t answer…again “ can you shoot?” I suddenly realized he is willing to take a chance on not getting this bird in order to set up for a double. Damn him (didn’t I mention earlier how he reminded me of someone). I whisper almost too loud…SHOOT HIM, and I put the cheek on the stock….BOOOM the shot goes off, and the strutter turns to run, I lift the gun, move it out in front and wait, in a split second he stopped to look back and I was there…BOOOM, and my bird tips over.
I look at Alex…DID YOU GET HIM…and he YELLS YEAH MAN!!! What followed was several minutes of WAR HOOTS, HUGS, HIGH FIVES, SHOUTING, JUMPING UP AND DOWN and celebration. We retrieved our birds, Alex had a nice two year old with a beard that basically fell out when he touched it with the remaining strands going over 9” and to my amazement, I had downed yet another bird with 1.5” spurs!!! He had almost no beard with a few strands going 9 ¾” but he was a huge bird, tipping the digital scale at 23 lbs even. This was easily the most eventful exciting day I have ever experienced in the turkey woods and I got to share it all with family and friend!
Stats:
Alex: Corey:
19 lbs 8 oz 23 lbs 0 oz
9 ¼” Beard 9 ¾” Beard
1” spurs 1.5” left spur, 1 7/16” right spur
Nwtf: 57.75 Nwtf: 71.875
04-15-2008, 11:23 PM
#9
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Bourbon, MO
Posts: 851
RE: Memorable hunt 3 tags, 3 birds one day, IL
Very Good Story! Better than most I have read in Magizines. You are a good writter, do you have college? I would encourge you to submitt it to a Magizine.
You might want me to Edit it....LoL How old is Al? and yourself?
TF
You might want me to Edit it....LoL How old is Al? and yourself?
TF
