Story of the Hunt

My first turkey with a bow. I set myself up in the blind before sunrise with bow in hand. As the sun was coming up I heard a chorus of gobbles coming from the East. I put the striker to the slate and it really stirred them up, gobbling their heads off. We went back and forth making noise at each other for almost and hour and a half but they were moving in closer until they got to within about 50 yards or so then stopped. I spotted a few through the trees moving along the edge of the field again but they seemed to be spooked. They moved off and and I then realized what it was I had forgotten! I took the risk of coming out of the blind and set up a hen decoy about 20 yards out.

I got back in the blind and began calling again. I got good responses again and they gradually moved in closer. They must have spotted the decoy and it worked because they came trotting in line to the breakfast table that had been set for them. Behind the hens I saw one with what looked to be about a 5-inch beard. I drew the bow back and got set, took aim on him and just as I was going to take the shot I spotted another bird coming in fast and head on at me with a big old beard just swinging from sided to side. Change of target! He got in behind a tree right at about 25 yards and began to scratch around a bit then strutted a little then scratched and fed again, all the while keeping the tree between us.

After what seemed like forever I couldn’t hold back the bow any longer so I eased off the string. Some of the hens either spotted or heard me in the blind and started to run but only went about 10 feet and stopped but kept an eye in my direction. The old long beard kept right on with his business but did begin to move out from behind the tree after a couple minutes. I somehow managed to draw the bow again without spooking them (lucky) and got set for the shot. Maybe 10 or 12 seconds in reality but felt like 10 or 12 minutes he stepped out from behind the tree and gave me a picture perfect broadside shot. I released, heard a thud and saw my arrow sticking in him. He went to the side for a step or two then took off running. I waited a few minutes while I tried to calm down and catch my breath then went looking. I started a zig zag search at the point I lost sight of him and found him about 50 yards away nudged up against a fallen tree.