Couple options:
1.) My bow was off! All the bows fault! :)
2.) I suck and should just go get a turkey from the grocery store!
3.) the turkeys dodge arrows like the guys in the matrix movie dodge bullets.
4.) I was purposely missing so that the hunt wasn't over. :)
It was now mid day and hot. The turkey activity was slowing down. We located a bird lying down resting under the shade of a small tree. We got with in 110 yards of the bird and Matt showed him the fan. When the bird saw the Heads UP Decoy he started strutting and came our direction. Matt was holding the fan and I was behind Matt. I couldn't see the bird as I was a touch lower than Matt. Matt said here he comes! Within minutes the bird was 15 yards. I drew the bow, Matt moved to the side and the bird turned broadside. This time my arrow found its mark. The bird made it a couple yards before going belly up!
It also helps to predetermine the yardage, ie, 10 or 20 yards or even 5 yards, so when the turkey reaches that yardage, you will know how to sight.
I have had 4 different toms within 15 yards using the heads up, and have not killed one yet but it does take practice to get set up in that short period of time, when they come charging in. Yea, charging in.
I know when you do kill one, it will be a very proud moment.
I think I was missing because the action was quick and I got too excited and didn't "pick a spot!"
I've probably screwed up on turkey hunts more than any other person on Earth.
Plus, since I work with words for a living I can get pretty creative in my alibis.
Congrats, nice bird.
I remember the first spring I tried bow hunting, 5 misses on 4 birds. They sure can get you wound up tight.
While I practiced at close range, ie, 5 yards and under, I knew to aim slightly higher at that close range.
The other day while hunting out of my blind, I had a bird at 4 yards, and even though I had practiced that close range shot and knew I should aim higher with the 20 yard pin, I still shot too low and almost missed the bird.
All the practice seem to go out the window sometimes, when that big red-headed tom is in your face.
Great bird and hunt, thanks for sharing. My best, Paul
My old man would have called it the "turkey eagers."
Back in my youth when I did a lot more missing than I do now he would always ask me if I "took the buck eagers?" Lol!
There is obviously no shame in missing any animal as we have all done it and will continue to do it. It is what makes this game we love called bowhunting instead of bowkilling.
Mark
Must have been plenty of excitement on the hunt!
In the past, you were stuck in your spot. Time after time, I would see birds strutting out of range in the middle of a field. I was forced to wait in my spot and hope they would come to me. more often than not, they would not come.
Now, I can grab this decoy and walk to them. They don't really pay any attention to me. I can walk right up to hens.
So far, the toms and jakes have folded and walked away. I can't to find a dominant tom that won't put up with that...
Swing and a Miss from Heads Up Decoy on Vimeo.
It happens about as fast as these 2 birds charged. I probably should have drew earlier. Regarding peripheral vision...my fan blocked my vision to the right. The bird was still in strut when I drew and shot. But, in reality, I had already made my mind up to shoot the bird on the left.
Fun for sure.
GR Heads Up Decoy
GR,Heads Up Decoy
I've useed the decoy to walk to within 20-30 yards of 3-4 flocks. That is pretty cool and very different than my past experience.
But, I have yet to find a tom that approaches the decoy. I've had multiple toms fold and walk away quickly.
How can you tell if the tom is ready and dominant?
Any other tips for when/how to use the decoy?
I have also spun the decoy around to mimic the back of the bird when they are not being aggressive and had this work. Stick with them and eventually one will charge.
Good luck!! Matt
I'm getting pretty excited for turkey season this spring. The HUD decoy is a big part of that excitement.
Do folks ever use loctite on their stabilizer thread?
The Nebraska archery season is early in the spring when toms tend to be flocked up in large groups. Where I've hunted during archery season the toms or large flocks tend to take their hens and run if they are intimidated at all by a turkey fan. It's something similar to bull elk taking their herom and running when intimidated by other bulls. It's pretty tough stalking large groups behind a decoy when there are 10 to 50 turkeys (with super vision) alert and watching. Later during shotgun season when groups break up and hens start nesting the single or small group of toms tend to be a little more aggressive. You never know what will happen until you try though. At times it can get pretty frustrating...especially early in the spring.
As far as the Heads Up Decoy use...Fanning a bird with the decoy out of the bow mount is a big part of how to use the heads up decoy. We've used the decoy with great success in extremely winding conditions with a partner. This is a big advantage of having a decoy that is not purely bow mountable.
With that said, the bow mount feature allows for a very quick set up and the fact that it is offset is not an issue. We have a 5 year track record of success using and promoting the product this way.
In the development of the Heads Up Turkey Decoy, we chose not to use a purely fabric decoy due to wind effect(drove through southern Iowa, Northwest MO, and eastern KS this weekend...it's windy everywhere). Using your real fan is an advantage to add realism and it's naturally vented to handle the wind better.
Good luck this Spring!
GR Heads Up Decoy
You guys doing your hunt again this year (maybe you mentioned that above)?
Mark
Easterns are harder for me to hunt with a bow than are Rios..
GR Heads Up Decoy
