6 arrow turkey
Contributors to this thread:Turkey
From: snapcrackpop
30-Apr-17
Quite an adventure this morning. I couldn't convince my son Mason to go yesterday, it was a chilly 35 degrees, but sunny and light winds. He chose to sleep-in and talk me into going this morning instead. Rainy, windy & 40 degrees. I found a spot on the edge of a field out of the wind. At eight all I had heard was a couple distand gobbles. Not sure if it was even on the property or not. Decision time. Check out the gobbles or leave? Well let's hike a little further... at least the rain had let up.
From: snapcrackpop
30-Apr-17
X is where we started.
So we walked to the north corner of woods before the river and did a little call. GOBBLE sounded off, maybe 60 yards? Throw up the blind & hen deke & dive in!
We were on a 4-wheeler trail & in a little bowel-like depression about 40 yards in diameter. After a couple of hen yelps he circled in the brush and behind us, not offering a shot.
From: snapcrackpop
30-Apr-17
Sounded like he was losing interest till I used the jelly-head gobble call. Coming back! Soon Mason's eyes got big as he rounded the rim on our right. I told him to draw his bow when it got behind the big tree. He poked out on the side of the tree and started to get nervous, turned to leave & Mason shot. Looked like he caught the side of the bird as it was walking away. I was already at full draw so put the 20 yard pin on him as it scooted out. Mason said, "good hit Dad!" The bird flopped & then ran, then flew low towards the river. As we got up the little bank I could see the bird hitting the far NW corner of the river bank/field edge, then lost sight of him. Didn't look like he left so I climbed a tree & could see him lying still right where I last spotted him.
So we celebrated a bit. Hugs are few & far between with a teenager.
Walked back & picked up our arrows. Blood on mine, his-clean.
The creek is only 20 yards across, but over our rubber boots. So we looked for a place to cross.
From: snapcrackpop
30-Apr-17
About a 100 yards up river of the bird we found your typical blow-down log jam. Lots of trunks & brancheS but just shy of our bank to keep it interesting. Mason stays behind while I retrieve the bird. I thought about taking my bow with, but it would only be for pictures now, right? Wrong. I once I'm within 10 feet of the Tom I stop & look at it. Yup, it is breathing, but it's head is down flat, one eye sizing me up. I thought about backing out & grabbing my bow, but now he's seen me. Will he stay? I opt to try continuing my seek & grab him. Wrong again. I think I must have clipped a leg & a wing because he can't fly well & he can't run, but he's still quicker than me. Then he lands IN the creek. CRAP! To make matters worse, the current is taking him further away from Mason & our bows. Now he is calmly floating down river looking like a goose, all smart.
"MASON! GRAB YOUR BOW & HURRY", I yell. With the 3rd try he hears me and says, "what?" So I repeat & add "stay on your side of the river!" But with the wind & distance it is going to be difficult. He takes what seems like way too long & I wonder if he fell in. He's kinda clumsy with a hip disorder (Legg-Perthes) and sure enough he dunked his boots & came over to MY side. Ugg.
From: t-roy
30-Apr-17
Can't wait for the pics! I'll bet you guys won't forget this hunt!
From: Brotsky
30-Apr-17
Great story so far! I've been on one of these rodeos before. Great memories!
From: snapcrackpop
30-Apr-17
I run over to him & take his bow & release. I catch up with the bird, now resting in the water on the opposite bank. 1st arrow is a tad low. 2nd arrow hits him & he looks anchored. We have one arrow left. I tell Mason to stand guard & if he makes a move up the bank to shoot him again, otherwise don't spook it. I jag back to the crossing & dunk one boot, grab my bow & release and head back down to the bird. He's still there, but it's head is up. Do u you practice 10 foot shots? I have at league, but still put the 1st arrow too high. 2nd arrow (6th if we add em all up), pins him to the bank so I can twist his neck. Haul the wet, battered & dead bird back to the crossing. I cross again to take Mason's bow & hold his hand as we cross back again to the south side for the final time, but first one more mis-step over both my boots to add to the fun! He steps on my boot for a foot-hold and push his butt up the the 4 foot embankment. He extends a branch to pull myself up. Safe & sound & wet & muddy! What the best memories are made of.
From: Russell
30-Apr-17
Congrats! That story is priceless.
From: snapcrackpop
30-Apr-17
From: snapcrackpop
30-Apr-17
From: deerslayer
30-Apr-17
That's a great story! Sometimes it's a messy business, but you do what you have to get the job done. Way to persist and congrats on your bird!
From: snapcrackpop
30-Apr-17
Troubles editing on my phone
From: t-roy
30-Apr-17
I shot a moose once, and it only took me 5 arrows!..........but they ARE a bigger target ;- Come to think of it, he died in the water too!
I'll bet you guys will get a good laugh out of it every time you think about it! Great story
From: WV Mountaineer
30-Apr-17
You got 'em! And, they ain't always pretty.
From: snapcrackpop
30-Apr-17
These packs are great!
From: Charlie Rehor
30-Apr-17
As I'm reading this I recall a few of those "fire fights" with my son as well. Every detail is remembered for ever! Congrats and way to tie up looose ends! C
From: snapcrackpop
30-Apr-17
I forgot to add his 1st shot did slice the left side as it was leaving. So I missed 2 out of 5 shots & he was 1 for 1.
From: EmbryOklahoma
30-Apr-17
Sometimes good stories aren't perfect. Congratulations!
From: midwest
30-Apr-17
haha....nothing better than a soaking wet turkey pic! Great story...lol.
From: Duke
30-Apr-17
Those are the best birds! Certainly not text book, but you and your son stayed after him like a couple of bird dogs! I've had a couple memories like that over the years, one with a son and another with a brother--we laugh about them every year!
Congrats!!
From: HUNT MAN
30-Apr-17
Congrats and oh have I been there!! Good times! Hunt
From: Mark Watkins
30-Apr-17
Chad, A big congrats to you and Mason!
What a great hunt, story and memory!!
Mark
From: Teeton
30-Apr-17
Great read! Thanks for posting.. By next week you've of told this story 50 times. Ed
From: Southern draw
01-May-17
Congrats !! Good memories for sure.
From: Medicinemann
01-May-17
Great story.....bird almost looks like a merganser in the one photo...lol
From: Windwalker
01-May-17
Sometimes I think turkeys are the hardest thing to bring down with a bow. Great story!!
From: Brotsky
01-May-17
Awesome story! Way better than "I shot and he tipped over right in the decoys"! Ha! Great memories for you and your son and the bird was recovered! A happy ending all the way around!
From: Rut Nut
01-May-17
LOL! Way to "git er dun"! :)
As I was reading about you sneaking up on him, I got a mental picture of that cartoon where they put a turkey in the oven and he keeps blowing the match out! ;-)
From: SILVERADO
01-May-17
Awesome story congrats!!
From: Hawkeye
01-May-17
Great story...priceless!!
From: JohnB
02-May-17
Alabama bird.
From: SBH
02-May-17
Tough ol Bird! Congrats and way to stick with it.
From: snapcrackpop
02-May-17
Thanks for reading and the comments. My oldest got his bird a couple weeks ago behind the Turkey Fan and a 20 ga. Crawled up to 10 yards and shot him in the face. Same property after another slow start from the blind. He got a Jake a couple of years ago behind the HeadsUp deke. Another waterlogged bird picture if you remember that one. lol
From: snapcrackpop
02-May-17
From: tinecounter
02-May-17
The path to success ain't always pretty, but makes for a good story and a great memory! Thanks for sharing.
