So I’ve replaced my burned up video card and I’m ready to give you some action. I didn’t get down in time on Friday to roost or scout any turkeys so I was flying blind when the alarm went off at 5:30 Saturday morning. Or at least I thought I was. I got dressed, grabbed my camera, tripod, and bow and headed outside. My two labs barked when they saw motion coming out of the garage in the dark… and the whole hillside shock gobbled! I had plenty of time to pack all the aforementioned stuff plus my bow around and down into the field where I knew the turkeys would fly down. The bad part was that I wouldn’t be able to position myself in their likely travel pattern without risking bumping them off the roost. I was 150-200 yards away from the group when if flew down:
It was a large group of turkeys with 7-8 toms in it but they took the path I expected and never came closer than 200 yards. An additional group of 3 toms joined them an hour later and they all wandered off away from me. As you would expect this early in the season, they had no interest in calling, decoys, or any other trick I could think of. I also tend to be pretty conservative early in the season as I don’t want to educate the birds I’m going to be dealing with for the next two months. Anyway, I suspected that as long as I didn’t do anything dumb, they would be back to fly up in roughly the same place that night. I picked up my blind and put it where I expected the action to be and headed back to the cabin for a late breakfast and then a nap.
I got in the blind around 5:00 in the afternoon not expecting to see any turkeys until 6:30ish but not wanting to risk spooking anything. As I scanned the field not long after getting settled I was startled to see 4 hens staring right into the closest window of my blind at about 15 yards. I had a black sweatshirt and a camo facemask on but surely they would still see my movement? After a few seconds of eye to eye I had my answer:
An hour or so later I saw a pair of bearded hens leading the big group my way. I set my video camera to record out the window where it looked like they would be closest and got set for a shot. I let the two hens go by (bearded hens are legal to kill in Kansas) and watched as the toms closed the ground but not as enthusiastically as the hens. With 3 toms at 40 yards I noticed some scratching sounds out a window on the other side of the blind and took a peak. It was a lone tom and he was 15 yards at the most! I drew back, peaked out, and put my 20 yard pin midline and a bit in front of his legs. He flapped without getting airborne for about 10 yards and it was over. With all the commotion the other toms in the group came running:
I could give you 10 minutes of those toms attacking their downed comrade, losing interest, then charging back in to get some more parting blows. At the same time the majority of the group was 50 yards to my right watching all the action. I had no interest in filling my second and final spring tag so I just sat, watched, and videoed. Eventually it got dark enough for the turkeys to fly up to roost and I could retrieve my first archery turkey:
I am fortunate to kill and guide to several toms each year, but for the last 3 years I have been shut out with the bow. I have alternated between hating and loving turkey bowhunting. I’ve educated a lot of birds. I’ve been busted by a lot of birds. I’ve thrown things in frustration and disgust. All of that being said, I’m not sure I’ve ever been more excited to kill a turkey. I was still shaking 30 minutes later, and that rush is the reason I head afield regardless of the weapon or game.
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