# shortest spring season yet



## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

i know i havent been posting on a regular basis for some time now.

but since i switched careers and became a truck driver i dont have near the free time that i used to have for hunting.so i dont get out very often for calling yotes and the like.but i do manage to make time for my biggest passion when it comes to hunting,and that would be hunting wild turkey.

spring season here in Mn started last wednesday,but i was out on the road until friday morning.got home with the semi about 6 am.

went home grabbed my bow,my blind and the rest of my turkey hunting gear and hit the woods.

i was all set up and ready to take a shot by 8 am.

the weather was rather dreary,overcast,cool and windy.well it wasnt windy in the clearing i was sitting in at the bottom of the hill in the middle of the woods by the river,so that was a plus.

didnt hear any gobbling until around 10 am,and then it was only 2-3 gobbles.around 11 am i seen a hen enter the field on the far side from me but didnt see a tom following her.i was getting a bit hungry at this point.so i grabbed my can of pringles chip and proceeded to shake a few chips out of the can.

thats when i heard a cluck to the right of my ground blind(no windows open on that side to look out).i peeked through the only open window and towards my right.there were four hens there followed by what looked like a 2 year old tom in full strut.

they appear to be making their way towards the front of my blind so i nock and arrow and get ready.but the tom decides hes going to go towards the tree line instead.which leaves me a bad angled shot out a very narrow portion of the window and to my right.

i come to full draw but i am shaking so much i shoot low and miss him.

well he didnt get spooked and just made a circle in front of me but about 60 yards away,and hung out with the hens for what seemed like and eternity.

at about 12 or so they went back in to the woods where the single hen came out of.

so i patiently stay put as i know the birds like to use this field all day long and there are a lot of toms in these woods.

about 2 pm my brother calls me to update me on my mother who has been in the hospital.as we are talking i see three hens come out of the woods where i seen the young tom and the four hens went in earlier.

these hens are being followed by that young tom and three more hens.so i tell my brother "i got to go,birds are coming back out".

now these hens and this young tom are walking single file in my direction.but i also see two more toms standing at the edge of the tree line now.i grab my binos to get a better look at these two.nice mature birds so i decide to wait to see what they do.

i can tell these two are staring at my decoy,so i grab one of my custom made pot calls that i got from Rodney and make a real light purr with it.now these two toms start my way.they are walking shoulder to shoulder.when one makes a move the other mimics his move.they do this all the way in,shoulder to shoulder mimicking each others moves.

they get to about 50 yads and one goes into full strut,drumming and spitting,spitting and drumming.

i take a couple of deep breaths to calm my self down.they slowly approach but still walking shoulder to shoulder with one in full strut.

they get to spot i ranged earlier in the day,its 27 yards out and my decoy is at ten yards.i come to full draw and tell my self to wait until they are closer/they take a couple more steps and i figure they are at about 20 yards now. so i steady my bow take a deep breath and let it out as i place my 20 yard pin on the bigger bodied of the two,which just so happened to be the one in strut. i tell my self to stay calm and steady the bow.

then i loose the arrow.

PERFECT SHOT! he dropped right where he was standing and never got back up.i hit him right above the right shoulder and the arrow was coming out the left shoulder.now i start to shake from the excitement of the hunt and the successful shot. i wait a minute or two and climb out of my blind to tag and weigh my bird.

my biggest bird to date, 21.84 lbs,8.5" beard with one spur at 1 inch,and the other at 1 1/16th of an inch.

he had a beautiful fan until he flopped around in his own blood puddle

my season lasted about 6.5 hours,what a shame as i love to spend as much time in the spring turkey woods as possible.but i got my bird so i am happy.on the upside i still get to guide/call for my son and his girlfriend in another three weeks.we will be hunting the same field in the middle of the woods and down by the river,this is where they each got their first ever birds last spring.like i said,lots of turkeys in this spot.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Redemption! Congratulations on a good bird! Wondering what bow you were using.

Looks like you still have lots of time to enjoy some more hunts. Good luck the rest of the way.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Congrats., thanks for sharing.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Congrats Tim ! That's a really nice bird. Great write up too.


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

Congrats on a real nice turkey and a very good write up.


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## Ruger (Jan 22, 2011)

Congrats on a great bird!


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

glenway said:


> Redemption! Congratulations on a good bird! Wondering what bow you were using.
> 
> Looks like you still have lots of time to enjoy some more hunts. Good luck the rest of the way.


thanks Glen. i was using my wheelie bow. mission venture made by mathews.

i cant hunt any more this spring(only one bird per season per person) but i am allowed to guide for other hunters. so i am hoping to be able to call in birds for my son and his girlfriend again this year.i am confident that i will be able to,as this area (like i said) has lots of toms and i have only seen one other hunter on this land last year.


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

thanks everyone :redface:


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## dbpredator  (Sep 14, 2016)

Beautiful Turkey and taken with a bow.

Congrats!


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Thanks, Tim. The arrows gave it away. But, I must say, I've taken a fair amount of turkeys, but never with a bow and arrow. Very cool.


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

glenway said:


> Thanks, Tim. The arrows gave it away. But, I must say, I've taken a fair amount of turkeys, but never with a bow and arrow. Very cool.


ive taken many sneaky ground buzzards with my shotguns but this was my first bow turkey,and this hunt was one of the most exciting turkey hunts i have ever had

my next goal is to get a bird with one of my self bows.just need to make one that will fit well in my ground blind and arrows to go with it


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## birdsnspurs (Mar 17, 2017)

Dang nice bird and hooks congrats


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## Rick Howard (Feb 25, 2012)

That is awesome! Congrats! I have few weeks till our season. I'm getting very antsy.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Nice Turkey... Congratulations Tim


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## ReidRH (Feb 1, 2010)

Congratulations! I hunted several days Last Hitch while I was home had some gobbling and had some Real Close but these Southern Thick Woods Make it hard on ya sometimes! I was Working one on the Roost Not Long after Daylight heard something behind me to my right big ole Gobbler Lookin me Eyeball to Eyball at about ten steps He didnt really spook but He didnt stick around either the Other gobbler got to within 30 yrds or so but the Woods were so thick I never got a shot!

I will have 4 days to Hunt when I get back home Hoping to connect, I am not a real serious Turkey Hunter like some but it sure gets the ole Heart Pumping when they are there about 30 yrds or so Spittin and Drumming!

I got to take my Grandson out for Three Days or so we had Three Gobbling at us One Morning and the Neighbor Came into the Field and Loaded Hay on a Trailer Right after Daylight I couldn't believe Our Luck!!


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## dwtrees (Mar 5, 2012)

Congratulations on the huge tom.


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