And the wind cried.... Turkey!

[Shaun]

I know it takes time to write a tale this well Charlie and you just keep getting better. The Iowa season does not open for another week, so take your time.

[Mo. Huntin]

I got to agree with not likeing broadside on a turkey.  I'd much rather have facing away.  I never have shot one with a bow facing me. Besides the vitals you just got to be perfect right and left and you got a lot of spine to hit and facing away you don't got to penatrate much to hit the spine.

[frassettor]

[Gatekeeper]

I'm still trying to get past the image of you skipping.

[Tater 2]

It's morning    

[Charlie Lamb]

The second morning of the hunt started much better. My alarm had been adjusted,set and by 4:45 a.m. I was savoring my first cup at the kitchen table and tying my boots.

One hour later I was throwing my pack on and preparing for the walk to my blind in the pitch black.

All went according to plan except the part where I missed my cut off spot and kept walking up the two track.
When enough time had gone by that I should have reached that spot I realized my mistake. I stopped right there and dug the GPS out of my pack.

I wasn't off by much, but ended up coming at the blind from the opposite direction. The GPS walked my right to it. Ya just gotta love it.

This would be the warmest day of the hunt, but there would be no shot opportunities this day.

Once again I called to the birds I could hear roosted nearby. Once again there was a veritable parade of turkeys starting just after fly down.
First came a flock of hens that had to number twenty birds. Not a beard in the bunch.

Shortly after two huge old monarchs strutted past behind the blind following a lone hen. They wanted nothing to do with my calls and she had other places to be. I watched them disappear over the rise to my west.

The rest of the day went pretty much the same way.

[Charlie Lamb]

Day three started much the same as day two except that this time I sat in the truck until I could see the light of morning spreading across the eastern horizon.
I arrived at my blind in time to hear the birds calling from the roost area.

It must have been a huge roost as everything seemed to start there in the mornings and ended there in the evenings.

Again a group of hens numbering in the teens flowed past just after fly down. Again there were no males with them.

I'd buttoned up the Double Bull pretty tight this morning. The wind was substantial and increasing. There was the damp feeling of rain  hanging in the air and low, gray clouds raced across the sky.
I'd donned an extra layer this morning and kept the little heater close.

Somewhere around 9 o'clock two hens showed up unexpectedly in front of me. In what had become and almost reflexive move I leaned over and raised the right hand flap of the blind to check for more birds.

What I saw brought my heart into my throat and my breath started coming in short, jerky gasps.

Two gobblers in full strut were just outside the blind and set to pass in front of me at about 12 yards.
Trying to keep from getting busted by the ladies in front of me I hurriedly put on my Big Shot glove (yeah, yeah, I wasn't ready!) and scooched around in my chair. Without thought my bow had come to hand and I watched the approaching gobblers appear in the corner of the window.

[maineac]

Great story.  Sorry about the lost bird.  I have been asked to use my shorthairs to track two birds hit by friends with their bows.  Neither tracking ended up well.  I want to use my bow this year, but think I might use the head lopping style broadheads.  Can't wait to see what happens with those two big boys.

[wollybear]

the LOVE of trad.  it is great!!    lets get out their...      

[Charlie Lamb]

This scenario is enough to stop this old boys heart on the spot. I had two mature gobblers strutting into view almost side by side.
At one point the closest gobbler stretched out his head and let loose with the loudest gobble I'd ever heard.... can't say I'd ever been that close to a turkey when he gobbled.

For a moment an evil thought crossed my mind as the first birds head was superimposed over the vitals of the second bird. "Hmmm! If I head shoot the first bird, I'd hit the second in the goodies."
Two with one shot!! I immediately thought better of my greedy ambitions and set about anticipating reality and the ONE bird I wanted to shoot.

As so often happens the shot opportunity would be decided for me. The tom furthest away "depuffed" and stepped ahead of the closer tom and at the same time turned quartering away.

I imagined my arrow slipping under a particular feather and without further thought found myself at anchor. When my draw settled and I knew the arrow could go no other place, I released.

Three of the birds erupted in motion as I was aware of my white fletched shaft smacking solidly into the target tom and him going down hard.
He suddenly raised his head and stretched it straight out. "NOT GOOD!", I thought to myself. I fumbled beside me for the Bullhead tipped shaft I had waiting for just right opportunity.
It never made it to the string.

In that split second the bird rose from the ground and began a running flopping attempt at getting airborne. I watched him enter the brush some fifty yards distant and go down again.
I knew he was hit hard. I just didn't know how hard.

[mjc]

I need to get out to the shop and get to work but I cant seem to leave this chair.

[SouthMDShooter]

   

[Charlie Lamb]

I was quickly out of the blind and headed for the downed tom. I'd come around the from his blind side behind the brush at the base of the little locust tree he'd crashed by. If he needed a finisher, I wanted to deliver it from as close as possible in case it was a moving shot.

As I got closer there seemed to be a lot of commotion going on where my bird was. It was soon evident that his traveling partner had come back and was trouncing the crap out of him.
Once again greedy thoughts crossed my mind, but the other tom spotted me and left the scene in short order.

As I approached the downed bird I could see there was some life left in him so at ten yards I sent a second broadhead through his brain. It was now officially over.
 
   


After the picture taking session I shouldered my trophy and headed for the truck.
 
The wind was clipping along briskly now and held the promise bad weather to come. And the wind called... turkey.

[mjc]

Great story Charlie, congradulations on the gobbler

[frassettor]

  Charlie, your one hell of a story teller! Thanks for taking me along in your adventure..Great shot, great bird,...and fantastic story.

[Charlie Lamb]

Right now I can hear the shop calling ME turkey. Gotta tend to business guys. Be back this evening. It ain't over yet!!
         

[BobCo 1965]

Great read. Congratulations Charlie!!!

[tradtusker]

       
Awesome been a while sine we had one of your adventures
thanks for sharing charlie

[DW]

AWESOME Story as usual Charlie.....and Congratulations     Don

[Over&Under]

Thats what I'm talkin' about!!!!
Felt like I was right behind you in the blind!!

Great story indeed!!

Looking forward to the rest!