First year hunting turkey. Only got about 1 hour of sleep the night before. Many factors seemed to want to keep me from going out for the opener, but I ignored them all. Got out to the local public land and the two spots I wanted to hunt at had vehicles, no matter I wanted to try another area sometime anyway. Got there, was all by myself. Got set up by 5:30am and waited for sunrise. It was a bit windy but I endured. At shooting time I let out a few clucks here and there. Used a crow call as it got lighter. More calling no feedback. I had set my 2 inflatable walmart turkeys about 11 yrds away from my shoot through netting blind. The birds were about 6 feet apart. Around 8:30am I catch the head of a turkey off in the distance. No noise, he just wandered in. He glided over to my hens, not making a show just taking his time. He wasn't strutting at all or gobbling. AS he got closer I slowly put my calls down and nocked an arrow. Right as I get into position I see him stroll right in between my hens and stop. He was directly in front 11 yrds in front of me looking and facing straight at my blind. Right then he puffs up and sports his perfect plumage. Beautiful big bird. It was like a kindergarten coloring sheet. It said here I am, you won't get a better shot, KILL ME! I was going to oblige. But then my unknown kryptonite element, adrenaline, decided that instead of being there for super human feats that let me lift heavy objects it would choose to deflate any ability to pull back my 70lb draw weight. I had to let it down and take a few breaths. I was shaking like a leaf as well. The second pull was stronger but then THWACK. What the f@&*? It misfired! I looked at my release and then my d-loop. The d-loop was a bit frayed but it didn't seem like the problem. I looked back and the turkey seemed like he didn't even notice. Ok...umm well I guess I'll nock another arrow and really press hard on the back of my trigger release maybe I accidently tapped it. I nock the arrow start to pull it back THWACK. This is insane, it does it again! At this point I don't know what is wrong. I sit there in bewilderment with curse words running through my mind. I have one more arrow and no idea what is going wrong. Now I have 2 holes in my blind, but not in the shoot through mesh. 3rd arrow nocked, aimed at the bird; who is still waiting for execution, pulled back...THWACK this time it at least went through the mesh. Each time the bird didn't seem to notice. Soon after catastrophe #3 he figured the females weren't interested and nonchalantly walked off just like he arrived. I was left fuming and confused. After about 45min when the bird finally went out of view I emerged from my blind to begin looking for my arrows. I found 2. The other will become food for the local plant field. I decided that my day was done since I can't hit anything and I obviously have an issue. I head straight for Rogers sporting goods and get my d-loop replaced. I get home shoot the dang thing and DOINK bulls eye, no malfunction. I dropped the poundage and re-sighted my bow. Had no further malfunctions. It was definitely a learning experience, just not the kind i was hoping for.
I laughed!!! sorry! :D Don't feel bad... Your not the first or will be the last... I took a guy out last year. We were short on time so we just sat on a fallen tree. Him on onside, me on the other. We had 3 does come in to within 15 yards.. He was shaking... violently. So violently the huge tree was shaking as well. EPIC DEER FAIL. Just after full draw he touched it off. I think the arrow went a tleast a couple hundred yards. LOL! It's funny how those little things can make things go O' so wrong.
Dude!! Don't sweat it!!! If you didn't get that rush where all things go crazy and your heart races it wouldn't be as much fun!!!....now comes the hard part....learning to shoot under the pressure!!! Good luck and keep after em. You'll get em. Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk
Good to know that its normal. Maybe when I take my wife out this weekend I'll watch her go through the same thing. Though I hope not. But this bird was gorgeous. He presented himself like an Asian hand fan, it was perfect.
