Yesterday I decided to actually not Deer hunt and set up where I have repeadly heard Turkeys fly across a very long shaped Strip pit to go to roost. They usually roost on the side that I deer hunt but in the Deer bedding as well, so I was not going to hunt them there. I got set up on the other side where I here them fly across and sure enough I hear a pok sound from where they were supposed to come from. I patiently waited for 40 minutes and seen nothing. I start hearing purs now on the other side where they are supposed to go and suddenly three birds pitch off the high wall and land below me and the third bird imeadiatly see's my white wraps and fletching that I hid on that side of the tree because they werent supposed to be on that side. He got nervous and flew back across. The other two would only show me there heads but finally one walked up the hill 30 yards out and I was drawn. He offered a frontal shot and I took it, it looked good to me and the arrow held fast in him, he fly straight up and landed on a limb with the luminock glowing cherry red then flew across the pit and my arrow fell out into the water Bad thing, it looked to me like he flew into my favorite deer bedding area Dan text me about this time and I told him what just happened. The only way I was going to be able to get on the other side was going to be an hour away and dark, so I decided to look this morning. I did find my arrow by the way, it was only 3 ft from the bank. Well I decided to start looking about a 100 yards before where I thought he flew across and lord and behold I found him right away. He had hooked or walked 100 yards from where I thought he would be, and He was at the bottom of the very steep high wall boardering the strip pit. I would have never found him last night, but im very dissapointed. The critters had found him first and had eaten all the meat and left nothing but feathere, beard and legs. This is my 5th Tom with a bow and the first I have not got a good recovery on. It happens people and we just have to deal with it and move on. I though he was a Jake when I shot him but he ended up being a small Tom. 7 1/4 in beard 7/8 spurs. No smile today
I know we like to recover them intact and get to enjoy the meat and all... but you'll still get a beautiful fan mount of him hopefully. Congratulations on the hunt itself though; sounds like you did everything right to put your arrow in one -- and that's 90% of the battle!
That's too bad Dink, but it happens. I was thinking that the beard did not really look all that big, but then I remembered it was in your GINORMOUS hand.:D Hopefully that puts a smile on your face.
Dan ...Congrats on a great bird!! Now go to the grocery store and buy a turkey to replace the meat and put a freekin smile on that face!!
Yep, that's why I don't hunt turkeys with bows anymore. 2 losses out of 3 solid hits was enough. Now it's blackpowder shotgun only for me.
Tough luck, sorry to hear that. I lost a doe this year, and was very bummed about it. Best thing I've found is to keep your confidence, shoot some more, and get back out there.
lol..... Dan you are a heck of a guy and a great bowhunter.. You KNOW things like this happen. I understand why you're a little upset, I would be too. But keep your chin up and look at the bright side: 1.) (cliche as it sounds..) "The meat did not go to waste". 2.) You successfully strategized to get on these birds. 3.) You took your 5th bow turkey 4.) He was a tom 5.) YOU FOUND HIM 6.) You made a lethal shot at 30 yrds.. what goes up hurtin', comes down dead **7.) You managed to boggle my mind, because I never, ever thought I'd see a picture of you not smiling Hey at least you hit the dang bird
