First off, I'd like to issue a shoutout to all my bh.com homies. I've been busy with work and the new house. I don't have much free time, and what little I do - I waste it in the woods... Anyway, since I've been AWOL all turkey season, I wanted to show the world that the Undisputed King hasn't lost his magic touch when it comes to being America's greatest badass in the turkey woods. I took my cousin out for youth day, and made him leave his girly 20 gauge at home. He's 14. He's a big boy. It was time to cowboy up, so I gave him 3 3.5" mags and told him they were regular low-brass shells. He asked about the recoil, so I lied again and told him that it kicks like a .22. We were on a big tom all morning, but he was henned, so we left him and started trolling. At 10:30, we got a shock from a group of toms on the gamelands. 2 calls later, they were on fire. We piled in by a big pine tree and I told him that within five minutes, he will have pulled the trigger on his first spring gobbler. He was about as focused as a kid that age could be. He put his gameface on, because he knew something big was about to go down. About 5 minutes later, 3 toms came in on a string, and he hammered what appeared to be the dominant bird. A nice 3-year old. Probably a 60 pointer, give or take a couple. When that bird hit the ground, my goal for the season was fulfilled. Everything else was gravy. After he told me that he never felt the recoil, I came clean about the 3.5" mags. He grinned. He felt like a badass too. Made my day. Opening day sucked. I could tell you a story about calling in a turkey that you'd never believe. I'll save that for the campfire. Saturday #2 - Since I had action for youth day, my homeboy was on the gun. We went after the same big boy that I set on for the youth hunt. This time, he played into our hands. We called his hens over, and he followed. Fatal mistake. He had 1.25 daggers on both legs. 21-pounder with 10.5 on the beard. A real stud. This is the only good picture I have of this one. I have another one, but his head is almost blown off, and he looks like a drowned rat, so in the interests of being respectful to the deceased, I'll withhold that one. Saturday #3, I spent waiting out a big tom that I'd identified near work. Around 11:00, I made a move on him, and got him in to 15 yards. I was on my belly, and couldn't find a clearing to get my bolt through (I was trying to kill him with the xbow). I know a big tom when I get on one. This was a big one, and he came real close to eating it. I went out before work one morning in the third week and popped this one. Another 60'ish bird. Probably closer to 57-58. Long story, but this wasn't the bird I was hunting. Just a little guy, probably 2 yrs old. He had a couple strands that stretched out to 10" even... But I'm not a beard guy. It's always all about the hooks for me, and this guy just had 7/8" stubbies. He had a skinny little head, but he sure could rip it. Saturday #4, I called in the same two jakes 4x, and it was a monsoon. I tied a good one on the night before, so I didn't even make it out in the woods until 9:30. LOL And then yesterday, I went out with Rybo, and I'll let him tell the story (http://forums.bowhunting.com/showthread.php?t=13684), but this is just a preview. No joke, it was the nicest tom I've called in - probably in 10 years. Great hunt, and we stole victory from the jaws of defeat.
Here's the link to yesterday's bird, posted in the water cooler section. It was an exciting hunt for sure http://forums.bowhunting.com/showthread.php?t=13684 Thanks again quik!
Glad to see you're still alive and well Fran ole boy... Congrats on the success! Hope you can take it back in the deer woods with you!
