PFUNK

Well that pair of Jakes didn’t ruin the fun today. Had an awesome day. Had a Tom very interested for going on 2 hours starting around 9:30, but he was on the other side of a ravine he refused to cross. He kept leaving but couldnt help himself but to come back and strut around gobbling and gobbling. Eventually a second tom came his way and we got to watch them throw down. A hen with them started calling like crazy and we were going back and forth for a long time. All the commotion really got things stirred up and pretty soon there were more toms closing in from three directions. This one made the fatal mistake and came out in the open at about 8 yards and that was all she wrote for my season.

Had I known they were going to ruin the day, they might not have fared so well. They were within spitting distance of the blind.

Man what a frustrating day. Had a pair of jakes that decided to spend their day in our vicinity and they ran off a pair of toms that were cutting across the plowing headed for us this morning, then this evening we were pretty confident the nicest tom we saw today would be headed past us to get back to the roost and sure enough... he followed the script. As I was readying the gun on him those 2 jakes decide to come out of the woods, he sees them, and dumps into the ravine with them chasing behind. EDIT: Now 3 times they have run one off. That tom just made another attempt to sneak his way in and they ran him off again. Never wanted to shoot a jake as bad as I want these two gone.

I dunno... my dad and I started with MBRB about 5 years go now I think and we haven’t has trouble drawing. And we certainly weren’t part of any good old boys club. Mostly city guys and we live out on the edge of the metro area. We have drawn as primary hunters 3 times and got lucky and got in as alternates a couple times too. It is super important to look at the hunter ranking view so you can see how many guys have applied for a given hunt as their first choice. If you do that and are flexible on which hunt you do, you can get it with prettt good success.

x2 ... You will not regret buying that stand. And if you ever do you just let me know and I will help you get rid of it.

Oh jeez. I forgot all about it too. I will do it right away. Hopefully I wasn’t too late.

Here are a couple good ones I got when I finally remembered to bring the DSLR. Would have had some even better shots the day before but forgot the darn camera.

I can see why you would think that, but the configuration of these platforms is without a doubt the most comfortable and quiet I have found in a stand. The large holes of the cast frame make my feet very happy. I try to stand as long as possible and only sit when I need the break. I can stand the better part of an entire day without my feet hating me like they used to with those mesh type platforms.

I have never hunted from an assault but I can tell you that the lone wolf alpha is a hell of a tree stand. If you are someone who often packs in a distance and is taking down your stand every day you hunt, maybe the assault is the way to go. But I personally would rather have the added weight for the extra platform space. Between the alpha and the hand climber combo I dont really need anything else. Those 2 stands are all I use because they are deadly quiet and rock solid. With a couple simple add ons (homemade stand mounted climbing stick holders, MOLLE straps, stealth strips, and a loop of pcord inside plastic tubing to aid in hanging) the alpha is by far the best stand I have hunted from. I am absolutely kicking myself for not buying several when i found them at the big C store for like $175 a couple winters ago.

And on a day where i am kicking myself for not bringing the DSLR, why wouldn’t a nice bearded hen come by just outside the window...

Working on punching dad’s archery tag and had this guy hang up at 40 yards for a good half hour outside of his comfortable shooting range. Had 4 jakes on the decoys earlier trying to breed them but the tom stayed out at about 60 with a live hen. Fooling the big boys with the bow is proving to be a challenge. Wow is it fun and frustrating as hell at the same time.

Took a page out of sniper’s book! Had I known what would go down after I woulda let this guy walk though... I’ll get a story up later. 21.6 pounds, 9 inch beard, 3/4 inch spurs.

Gobbler down...

Enough of the suspsense AS. We need the story!

I’ll be hunting B season in 505 with the gun this year. Gave it a go last year with the bow thinking a long season would be better since I had a new baby at home but I really didn’t get out much. Would have smoked a dandy with the gun but he pegged me drawing and that was the only opportunity. Got access to a new piece of property this year and planned to scout it tomorrow but not looking like that will happen. Was out to set a trail camera up last weekend and had a lone tom show up on the field 60 yards away not caring one bit that I was there. Too bad he won’t stay that brave/dumb in a few weeks. I took off of work this year so I’ll actually have some time to chase birds around, so I am pretty optimistic. We have a good team. Excited to see how we do!

Nada for me today. Had some hens come in to give my decoy some company today, but no toms. Sorry I wasn't able to help out on the scoresheet this year. As always, learned some stuff that will make me better next year.

I am giving it a last hurrah tomorrow. Sorry I haven't been able to check in here much. I have hardly been able to get out this year between work, a baby at home, and a recent trip out of the country for a relative's wedding. Last time I was out I had a real nice Tom within 20 yards after a very long standoff. I think I screwed it up by rushing myself a bit. He stood around 50 yards out literally strutting back and forth like someone had drawn a line in the mud that he wouldnt cross. He must not have wanted to fight with the strutter decoy we had out. He did that for 45 minutes to an hour and finally came our way after a hen led him towards us. They came past us but were outside the decoys and angling slightly away from us. Then the tom turned and started angling straight at the strutter decoy. That meant he was basically quartering to me and when he was 15-17 yards or so out I drew because in the back of my mind i was thinking if he kept moving that way and past the decoy he would quickly be in a spot I would have had no shot. In hindsight I think he had realized (once he got close enough) that he would have been able to whoop up on the decoy and he was coming in to do just that. I probably should have waited to see, but I didn't and right as I hit the backwall of my draw his head popped up on alert and he turned around and walked straight away knowing something wasn't quite right. I could have easily shot at him at 20 yards but he was facing away and I just didn't feel comfortable. I am confident I would have hit my mark but I didn't like shooting at something walking straight away when I am not experienced with bow hunting turkeys. I know some people will say that I should have shot, but I have been bow hunting for awhile and never wounded anything because of a poor shot or poor shot selection, so I didn't want that to be a first. Hopefully I get a shot at redemption tomorrow!

Congrats on the great bird! Just love it when a plan comes together! All the sweat, headaches, dog tired mornings, and failures vanish in a hurry as you soak in the satisfaction of that moment. Love it. Way to make it happen!

More details to come later... but I just had an opportunity. Didnt take a shot because I wasnt totally comfortable with it. But after an hour of a tom strutting back and forth about 45 yards out, a hen finally led him past me but outside the decoys. I was just about to hit the back wall of my draw and he sensed something wasnt right and turned and slowly walked away cautiously. Well within range but being new to bowhunting turkeys I wasnt comfortable with taking a shot. A dandy of a tom too. Still around now with 4 hens at 153 yards.

Nice morning in the blind so far. Wind was strong at first but dying off now. Still likely have awhile before birds start showing up but they usually do. Deployed the strutter decoy today... hoping that is the ticket.

I'll be getting out again on Tuesday with the bow. It has been very hard finding time to get out this year, between work and a 4 month old at home. Last time out I spent 12 hours in the blind and saw quite a few birds during the middle of the day. Had multiple times where I thought it was going to happen but the Toms wouldn't commit 100%. Making a small adjustment this go round and hoping things come together.

Well that sucks... I'm hunting a spot that heats up midday and has some good nesting cover. My dad came to check a trail camera out here the other day and saw 2 toms out here. We set up in the area he saw them and they just showed up today. Got them fired up with some putts and purrs and they came down onto the field about 60 yards. Rather than come to us they were on a dead run off towards one of our flanks. Turns out there was a 3rd tom behind us a few hundred yards in full strut. These two toms ran all the way to him to run him off and across the road. So all 3 toms were gone across the road. Few minutes ago one came back and is now on our side again with a hen. They are 400 yards out though. Man these things can frustrate you.

Finally in the blind again. Have only had one morning to hunt and that was pretty uneventful. Just nice to get out again and hoping today goes better.

Hey fellas. I will be giving it a go with the bow in Minnesota this year. Always went with the scatter gun in the past but only having 7 days last year made it tough with work and it took until the last day for me to connect. No vacation time to be using for turkey hunting this year, so I will be giving them heck on mornings when I work a late shift. I'll give it all I got to try to get one on the board for us. It's coming on real quick now!