Headhunters

[Archerysniper]

On 4/23/2018 at 9:09 AM, Borch said:

If early mornings aren't her thing just hunt later.   If I had to cut out 2 hours of the day it would be the first two.  I'd hear less gobbling, but I rarely shoot a bird early.

Wish I knew you were down and within a few miles of me. I have been pretty consistent putting people on birds in the evenings. 

[Scoot]

I appreciate the idea very much!  DonBo also had a nice offer too. However my buddy really wanted to hunt his land and we wanted to get the three of us together for the weekend. If we had an extra day or two if have happily taken you guys up on the offer. Next time!

[hugonian1]

Been having a tough time getting out.

Spent 2 days in Wisconsin with the shotgun. A couple encounters but both hung up out of range.

Got out with the bow this morning in MN.

An absolutely enchanting morning.

Had a Tom engaged at 5:30.

5 Hours of gobbling, Phfft-ing, strutting, and staying just out of range or behind brush & trees.

Finally stepped to where I could get a clear shot off.

 

 

Edited May 19, 2018 by hugonian1

[IceHawk]

Congrats Nice Bird!

[DonBo]

Five hours? Wow! That's about 3 hours longer than any bird I've ever worked. Good job.

[Scoot]

Awesome!  Congrats and great work!!!

[ANYFISH2]

Nice bird, good job!

[Borch]

Way to go!  That's persistence!

[brittman]

Assume you were in a blind since you are bow hunting.  That is a long time ...  active bird or no bird.

 

Very Nice.

Edited May 21, 2018 by brittman

[Scoot]

It is not looking good from our end. I finally got Morgan out yesterday and she came to full draw on a nice tom but he busted her on the draw and scooted out of there. I got a shot off at him at 20 yards and he was walking and I didn't quite lead him enough. I clipped feathers back in high but he was fine otherwise.

 

I have family obligations this coming weekend and stuff going on the following weekend. There's a good chance that our turkey season is over.  If this was Ryan without the tag he would be pushing hard and still chomping at the bit to shoot something. Morgan is much less concerned with filling her tag. 

 

Unpunched tags drive me completely crazy! But it looks like we will have some in the Engel household this year. Sorry team! Good job to you guys who managed to get it done and my apologies that we couldn't hold up our end of the bargain. Well... Ryan did, but Morgan and I couldn't do it this year. Next time!

[Borch]

Hey, it's all good. Morgan and you spending time together in the outdoors and getting a close encounter is what it's all about.  

 

Sometimes the birds win and we simply run out of time.

[Scoot]

You got it, Borch!  I was disappointed with how the season ended, but you're definitely right!  I also learned a trick this year- cards!  Morgan really enjoyed playing cards with me in the blind.  It was a good way to pass the time and we enjoyed it quite a bit.  We had a great season together and enjoyed it a ton!  

 

That last encounter we had was really something!  I'm convinced the worst thing birds can do to a bowhunter is to come in to the deeks is stand there and stare.  I'd rather they hung up and didn't come in or did pretty much anything but that.  It makes it virtually impossible to get a bow drawn!  The turkey was at about 5 yards, because I knew we I needed one close for Morgan.  However, at five yards and staring directly in the direction of the blind, she was smart to not try to draw.  That dang bird stood there for two full minutes and didn't move a muscle.  Morgan had a smile from ear to ear and at one point told me "I was so excited and my heart was pounding so hard I thought I might die!"  

 

It would have been a slam dunk with her crossbow, but she wanted to get one with a vertical bow.  I'm proud of her for sticking with it and she said "I'm just fine with not shooting one, Dad."  I'm glad she's ok with that.  I wish I was more ok with it...  but, that's hunting!  

[Borch]

It reminds me if the first year I took my son turkey hunting.  He had several close calls but didn't get a bird.  He was upset.  I said, "Why are you upset?  We got to hunt together for several days and had several exciting encounters.  If you shot one the first day we would have missed all that fun together"  He thought about it for a while and he smiled.  The older I get, the less its about the kill.  Reframing what I thought success was has added to my hunts.  Now, if I could get less upset when I miss a bird I'd have it all figured out.  

[Scoot]

Haha, sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders and great perspective, Borch.  Plus, I think it's good to be upset about missing!  It motivates a guy to take more selective shots and make better shots.  My shot selection was ok, but my execution was not good.  I made a good shot at a stationary target, but the target was walking.  D-U-M, dumb!!!  Such is life!  Next year Morgan and I will shoot turkeys (as long as I can still get her out there).