Bowhunting 2017 Spring Turkey Reports
Contributors to this thread:West Virginia
From: Jim Casto Jr
18-Apr-17
Okay... I'll start. All reports aren't necessarily good. :^)
Had a big tom in just after daylight. He had two jakes following him around. Gave me a good shot opportunity at 15 yards and I blew it. :^( Guillotine passed harmlessly to the left of his neck. Darn thing just stood there while I fumbled around trying to get another arrow out of the quiver. By the time I was ready, he just walked off.
Try it again in the morning.
From: hookman
18-Apr-17
First day jitters.
From: Ron Miller
18-Apr-17
I missed a Jake opening day ! Dang it, 15 yards and arrow passed harmlessly over his back . I had 2 adult gobblers at 5 yards, as they went by my window, I was at full draw, I don't know what happened but they flew about 10 yards ! I never did get a shot at them and the Jake came in a couple hours later ! Nothing today, it will be Thursday before I can hunt again,
God bless
From: babysaph
18-Apr-17
Well you are getting shots. I remember not being able to even get shot. Good Luck guys
From: babysaph
18-Apr-17
BTW Jimmy I have a friend from Va and he swears by that broadhead
From: babysaph
18-Apr-17
BTW Jimmy I have a friend from Va and he swears by that broadhead
From: hookman
19-Apr-17
Had a big gobbler with some hens today. Hens came within 5 yards and gobbler cut across field to head them off. Only came within 30 yards. This was first day I got to go.
From: Jim Casto Jr
20-Apr-17
Tom came in this morning at 2 o'clock of the blind. He jumped up on a blow down and drummed and strutted and gobbled his head off for 30 minutes. He continued skirting the blind about 30 yards out until he got to about 10 o'clock of the blind.
Two gobbled to my right and the tom let down and walked off. Ended up being 4 jakes coming straight in to the decoys. I tightened up on the string and the darn things just turned and walked off before getting to my window. Every time I called, they just gobbled and kept going. Gee Whiz!
From: Babysaph
20-Apr-17
Hang in there Jimmy. It will happen.
From: hookman
20-Apr-17
They will do the unexpected every time. It's not easy for sure.
From: hookman
21-Apr-17
Had a hen and gobbler saunter in and hang around for about 15 minutes, just would not get close enough. Good bit of rain but hunting anyway
From: Ron Miller
22-Apr-17
Sorry to say I shot a gobbler Thursday morning. I held low and at the shot he went straight up in the air and sailed over the hill, feathers, quite a few, floated gently to the ground. I sat there in disgust thinking I just, shaved his bottom end ! I waited about 4 hrs before looking for my arrow, blades were fully deployed and blow and slime all the way to knock. I stood there in dis-belief, I then went to truck and put stuff up before looking for him. I found where he crashed, unbelievable amount of feathers, some tail feathers and back feathers along with some wing feathers. I stood there at the top of a big revine , I thought something ATE my gobbler ! Then I thought surely not, he's just down in the creek bed after hitting here real hard. I went another 10 yards and found a wing butt, unbelievable, something for sure found and ate carried my bird off ! I brought feathers and wing up to the truck and placed these feathers in the road for a pic ! Dang coyotes, I think, no wonder I love / hate them. !!! ??????????
From: Turk
22-Apr-17
Wow Ron that's crazy. Sorry for your luck!
From: Babysaph
22-Apr-17
Ron that must be a coyote that u didn't trap :)
From: gobbler
22-Apr-17
I had that happen to me last year. I was hunting with my broke ankle in boot and walker. He went down over a little knoll. I crawled out to where I could see him. I watched for 20 minutes and it was dead. I crawled back to blind and called my wife. She got there in about 45 minutes and a coyote had got it.
From: Ron Miller
22-Apr-17
Yea Mr Gobbler, JR and Turk , SUCKS. !!
From: Ron Miller
23-Apr-17
I killed this Jake with my Mathews Halon, a custom box call made by Lonnie Sneed Sr, and the New Rage Extreme Turkey Broadheads ! He ran/ flew 35 yards and crashed ! 3 Jakes popped up over the bank and spied Mr Jake decoy- you shoulda seen them, here they came- fanned out and began purring and Pecking him-2 of them started off and the 3rd 1 stuck around to peck him some more, lol, and gave me a 14 yard shot ! I loved that !
From: Ron Miller
23-Apr-17
From: Jim Casto Jr
23-Apr-17
Good for you! Now for #2.
From: hookman
23-Apr-17
Got lucky this morning. Haven't had any luck in edge of fields yet so I went into the woods today. He gobbled on roost so I moved in on the flat he was in . I found a uprooted tree and got in the hole it created. Called to him once and when he flew down called again . He came right on in and when he walked behind a big tree I drew. When he walked out at 10 yards I gave it to him. Flopped and ran about 50 yards down over the bank and he was done. 24 lb. , 9 1/2 inch beard and 11/4 inch Spurs. Black Widow bow and wood arrow with VPA 160 grain 3 blade broadheads.
From: Ron Miller
23-Apr-17
Dang Donald, Super Nice. ! Congrats. !!
From: Ron Miller
23-Apr-17
Hero Pic. !!
From: Jim Casto Jr
23-Apr-17
That's great, Donald. Man... you busted the monster gobbler. Congratulations!
From: hookman
23-Apr-17
Good job Ron!
From: gobbler
23-Apr-17
Congrats guys!
From: jwc3
23-Apr-17
Congratulations. In my opinion hardest animal to get consistently with a bow is a West Virginia turkey.
From: Jim Casto Jr
24-Apr-17
You guys know I’m trying to use this Guillotine. All the research I’ve done indicates that you either miss’m or kill’m--with one exception. A few guys reported that if you hit one dead center, the darn thing would just bounce off the bird. The center of the head is a round thingy that holds the blades. They say it's like hitting them with a big blunt.
Big tom comes in at 6:30 and goes straight to my jake decoy. He raises his head and I let her fly. Guess what happens. Yep… hit him dead center about three inches below his waddle (right where I looked) and the darn thing bounces off and knocks the turkey back. Then, the gobbler kind of puffs up, as if he just got the crap kicked out of him by the jake. He walks off and starts gobbling about 50 yards out. Gee Whiz! Of course I couldn’t call him back. Guess he didn’t want any more of that.
From: Ron Miller
24-Apr-17
That's a Hilarious story Jimmy, if you and Al were shooting more than 35lbs you might've killed him ! Do you want me to bring you a Rage Turkey ? Dang, That's Tough. !!
From: WVBOWHUNTER
24-Apr-17
Congratulations Don and Ron! Good looking birds!
From: Babysaph
24-Apr-17
congrats guys. That is awesome. Hang in there Jimmy
From: Turk
24-Apr-17
Congratulations Ron, and Don!
From: hookman
24-Apr-17
Sorry your Guillotine didn't work out Jim. Keep at it , good things happen to those that never give up.
From: hookman
24-Apr-17
Been wondering about you Turk, if you had any luck this year. I'm sure you are after them.
From: Ron Miller
25-Apr-17
Jimmy, I Suck. !! I missed a Jake 7:25. !!
From: gobbler
26-Apr-17
Killed longbeard with shotgun last week. This week it's bow. Had a hen come in early, then a group of 12 jakes and 3 long beards came in to about 40 yards they were gobbling good and strutting even a couple of jakes. 2 jakes finally worked into about 20 ft. I didn't shoot. I've got all week and know there's several longbeards around. Heard more gobbling today than I did last week.
From: Jim Casto Jr
26-Apr-17
I had a longbeard come up about 40 yards out. I'd moved my blind so I could put my decoys into the field thinking they may see them better. He looked at the decoys and walked off. I wonder if he's the one that got the snot knocked out of him the other day. :^)
Later, I called in two jakes; they looked at the decoys and just walked off. Gee Whiz! I thought they were supposed to "come to" the decoys???????
Oh well... try again tomorrow.
From: hookman
26-Apr-17
I had a little of that this morning Jim, gobblers carrying on in roost less than 100 yards from my blind and after they flew down I saw 2 working their way to me . They got to the fence and milled around looking and finally walked off. Had another big one come in later but stayed out of my way. Live for another day.
From: hookman
26-Apr-17
From: Ron Miller
26-Apr-17
I had several Gobbler's on the roost this morning gobbling, hens cutting and yelping with them , the Toms went crazy ! After fly down no gobbling but around 9:30 they started up and gobbled on and off until 11. The sun was hot and around 12 was just nodding in and out, and about 12:30 I leaned forward and think I dozed off. I woke up and raised up rubbing my eyes, yep, had 3 Jakes about 40 yards spot me and stayed putting- so long ! Jimmy, I had a hen come in around 10:30, she didn't like my Jake decoy and started clucking and walked off.
From: Ron Miller
26-Apr-17
This little buck from last year came right in, lol !
From: hookman
27-Apr-17
Moved my blind yesterday and at 0830 2 toms came in looking around . At about 25 yards I could see they were getting ready to vamoose so I drew on the closest and let it fly. Alas I was low and they went about their business. Oh what fun it is.
From: Turk
27-Apr-17
Hookman, yes I too am out there. No good yet with my bow. I had a little action this morning until the cows showed up. Only thing s cow is good for is eating!
From: gobbler
27-Apr-17
After all the activity yesterday today was a bust. Heard 3 gobbles way off and didn't see a turkey. That's gobbler hunting.
From: Jim Casto Jr
28-Apr-17
The last three mornings I've had a tom come out in the same place while following a hen. The darn thing just looks at my decoys and walks off. I moved my blind (again) this morning. I'm going to try to ambush the rascal.
What's the odds he'd do it four days in a row? :^)
From: hookman
28-Apr-17
That's what I would try Jim. I've got one I am about to try that on.
From: Lone Eagle
28-Apr-17
Are you still seeing Dimples, the one you center punch in the neck?
From: Ron Miller
28-Apr-17
Yea Greg , he is. !! lol
From: Ron Miller
28-Apr-17
I'm looking forward to tomorrow's hunt, me n Al Smith are hunting Wirt Co tomorrow, Good Luck Guys !
From: hookman
29-Apr-17
How are you 2 going to fit in the same blind?
From: hookman
29-Apr-17
Speaking of blinds I went in this morning in between rains to get in my blind and it was gone. Apparently the storm blew it away even though I had it staked pretty good. Looked around for it in the dark, no luck so I got drenched. Saw a group of 8 jakes but no interest, just gobbled their heads off. Found my blind about 200 yards away down in the edge of woods. Not damaged at all. I knew nobody took it because my seat and decoys were lying right there. The things that happen hunting! That's why I love it so much.
From: Turk
29-Apr-17
Hookman, just a tip. I tie a line from my blind to a tree when I leave them out for a while. That way if the stakes pull out it still can't go far.
From: hookman
29-Apr-17
Yeah I thought about that later. Ha!
From: Ron Miller
29-Apr-17
lol, Yea, Ive lost a few blinds to-I also tie them off ! Me and Al went turkey hunting this morning. Yesterday we went out and he put a blind up on my lease and we went back there this am to hunt. Yesterday Al lagged behind, nothing new to anyone that knows him, lol, and I figured out he was putting out some bright eyes, he put them going and coming, quite a few. This afternoon when I picked him up he said, I couldnt find my blind, lol, I said how could you not find you bind,, you put brite eyes out going and coming ? said he cut down the hill to soon and flushed 10-12 birds off the roost ! Yep, thats my buddy ! lol This guy is funnier than 10 farts ! lol
From: gobbler
30-Apr-17
I was heading to my blind just at daylight yesterday . 5 ft behind my blind I see a black blob jumping up and down. I wait a couple minutes and ease forward and can tell it's a small bear jumping up and down and rolling over. I get phone out and start video and ease forward . I got about 30 yds from it and it sees me and takes off. I had hidden my decoys around the blind. I went to get them and notice one was missing . I went to where the bear was and there was the decoy. It had been playing with it. It was a little squashed with 2-3 punctures in it but was still usable.
I quit leaving them in blind a few years ago cause I had a blind tore up after one went inside to get decoys. It must be the foam smell or something like on atv seats or something like that that attracts them.
Anyway, after a week of bowhunting with shots not taken at a couple of jakes and longbeards staying out of range for a clean bowshot the Benelli is coming back out tomorrow . I've got to get turkeys out of my mind and start getting my fields ready to plant.
From: Jim Casto Jr
05-May-17
I've not had much luck save for one jake that caught me drawing on him and ran off. A fellow posted this video over on the Leatherwall. He's using the Muzzy Bullhead which is similar to the Guillotine that I'm using. Looks like dead-centered one too. :^) He does kill one at the end of the video.
From: hookman
18-May-17
The fun is over till next spring. Bring on the carp!
From: Turk
18-May-17
Congratulations guys
From: hookman
19-May-17
Sorry you didn't get one with your bow but when you're limited on time you have to do what you can.
From: Jim Casto Jr
19-May-17
"...when you're limited on time you have to do what you can."
Indeed. You have to do what you have to do. :^)
I hunted these turkey's more this spring than I have the last 20 years. Had a lot of close encounters and had two shots with no harm done--learned a lot too and confirmed what I already knew. Turkey's are as tough a critter as there is to collect with a bow. All in all... a good season.
From: Sam S
30-May-17
Sounds like you guys had a blast hunting them with a bow Jim Congrats to all that killed one with a bow I just cant give up my little 20 ga. My son and I killed 4 the first 3 days of season all longbeards with shotguns. Then my baby brother decided he wanted to try spring turkey I called him in 2 longbeards back to back 2 different days. Been a few yrs since I've killed one with a bow maybe next year I'll break the recurve out Congrats again guys
