Went in to a property cold on Wed... located birds, but couldn't call them in. Yesterday am, I got in earlier and roosted them.. set up a decent distance away.... had them coming in but they hung up. Ended up being 2 NICE Toms and a hen.
I later used a gulley to get closer to them (I'm the only hunter there this week), and popped up drawn within shooting distance of where I had marked them.. but the smart old bird must've heard or seen something he didn't like.,. they were 30yds farther away and moving before I even popped up.
In checking out the property, I later came across a fresh (blood still wet) kill - dead remains of a jake.. just feathers, no carcass. So - they are edgy due to fishers, bobcats, or coyotes.
This am I got in even earlier, verified they were on the same roost.. popped up a ground blind where they had been strutting Thursday.
The hen came right into the dekes, talking it up to the feeding hen. The last 50-60 yards, I could hear the big guy spitting, drumming, etc.. putting on quite the show.
The hen was feeding among the decoys, and the lead Tom came in and chest bumped the jake decoy. The #2 Tom was right on his hip...
I managed a draw, and as soon as I let the arrow loose, he pivoted and went from broadside to hard quartering away. I probably should've waited until he settled down a bit, but 6 eyes had me nervous, and I had to draw when I got any opportunity.
I saw feathers fly, and the 3 of them looked at the jake decoy like "how the hell did you do that?!?!?"
I couldn't nock up a follow-up right away as the hen was too close. I had to watch them looking from 20 yards to my hard right.. managed to nock another arrow but I couldn't pivot or draw. They went over a hill and tortured me with a fan show for 20 minutes.
The hen lead them away, and I was able to recover the arrow.. I'm OK with just shaving feathers - better than a wounded bird.
Rematch next week, assuming they are roosting in the same spot. Great morning (week) in the woods
60X Strings's Link
Paul
Do you think they'd associate the encounter with the location or the decoys? In other words.. should I move location slightly, change the decoy setup, or both?
In 2013 I bounced a Bullhead off a bird's body. (So much for "dead on contact"). :-) An hour later the same two toms came back, with the clipped bird being a little hesitant but he still got within range again.
He was delicious.
