Gobbler Bowkill

[flintlock]

The thundering gobble brought me to FULL attention!  I could see him, at the edge of a little cut in the field about 200 yards across the way, standing at attention looking in my direction.  I gave him a few more yelps with 4-5 hard cuts and he came unglued!  I think my breathing increased. 

Slowly he made is way toward me and I knew it was going to be tough to draw on him not being in a pop-up blind, just tucked into some briars against an ash tree.   I adjusted my feet, checked my knock and peered through the briars again.  He had cut the distance to about 100 yards but was stopped again looking.  I hit him with the slate call that Stubby458 had given me last year and he couldn't help but double-gobble.  I think my breathing increased even MORE! 

The edges of his feathers shined in the morning light as he crested a little rise.  The top of his softball head was white and his cheeks blue as the summer sky.  He was behind a thin screen of briars and I kept my head bowed, to shade my glasses.  He came on around and was in wide open, full view.  He went into half-strut and I couldn't help but smile.  He dropped out of strut and must have seen a grasshopper. He was standing at about 18 yards and when he bent over the other way to snatch that hopper I drew.  I was almost all the way back and he snapped his head up and took a few quick steps.  I came to full draw picked a spot that was TURKEY and relased missing him clean.  I failed to pick a small spot and his nervousness must have given me gobbler fever.  He quickly moved off, but never putted.  I smiled and cussed at the same time.

At midday I shot my bow some and made some slight adjustments, trying to rebuild my confidence.

The next am, I opted to hunt another field and got tucked under the only small cedar in the fence-line.  I pulled out my camo rain jacket and proped it up with a stick on each side, to give me a little concealment.  I heard a bird sound off quite a ways off, but hit him hard with some calling/cuts.  About 5 min later I heard what almost sounded like quail talking to each other and I glaced into the briars to see them, and a big ol gobbler head popped up.  He was about 12 yards from me.  I dared not move as 3 gobblers moved by me and then made a b-line for the jake decoy I had stuck in the green-field about 15 yards to the south.   It was comical watching them go into strut and bump the decoy.  I started to draw but was stopped immediately by the big strutter, who snapped his head up and stared a hole through me as only a gobbler can do.  I shifted my attention to the other 2, as Big Daddy slowly moved off, all the while keeping an every-watching eye on me.  Gobbler #2 soon followed and I decided when #3 looked away I was going for it.  Within seconds #3 looked away and I came to full draw.  I picked a spot on #3, which was about 22 yards and let fly, making a perfect hit.  He went about 10 ft and piled up, then got the  "war dance" by gobbler #2 on him.   I thanked the good Lord for such a morning as this and for my friend that allowed my to enjoy such a wonderful day afield.





Good luck if you are after them.
Wess

[WyoHunter]

Good read! Congrats on the fine bird!

[bbcoach]

Great Job Wess.  Wonderful Stories and Beautiful Bird!!!

God's Creation is so Beautiful!!!

[TRKYHTR]

Great story Wess. You've been spending time with Catdaddy. What in the world do you have on your face. You look like Brian Wilson of the Giants with a grey beard. Congrats on a nice gobbler.

TRKYHTR

[guesswho]

Congrats, and good job with the stick and string

[tnturkeyman28]

Good Read!! congrats

[cannonball]

congrats!

[njdevilsb]

Congrats.  Sounds like a fun hunt.

[BowBendr]

You look like one of the Soggy Bottom boys. 
Awesome read and a fine tom. Congrats.

[JVA54]

         Congrats!!

[LX_Trkyhntr]

Great read!!  Congrats getting it done with the bow!!

[Wrangler95]

Very nice,congrats!!

[Ol'Mossy]

Congrats 

[fallhnt]

Congrats on the bow kill

[Trip]

Congratulations!! Nice bird and a great story!