Archery Turkey Hunting

That is all I needed.  It was just after noon and the gobbler was 30 yards away from me.  He hid behind his large clump of rugosa rose, I hid behind my clump of rugosa rose, and a hen decoy twirled in the wind in the opening between us.  My heart was beating out of my chest as I prepared to draw on my bow, just waiting for him to take a few more steps…

The morning started very early for me, as I set out from my truck to my pop up blind sometime around 5:00.  There was only a slight chill in the air as a few scattered raindrops warned of a more steady rain forecast later in the morning.  I disturbed a few deer from their bed in the thick patch of honeysuckle, but I bet they scared me more than I scared them.  I set out a single foam hen decoy in an opening in the woods and returned to the blind to await sunrise.  While my scouting confirmed the presence of several turkey on the property, I did not know where they were roosting so I listened intently over the noisy bird song for turkeys flying from their roost. I was unsuccessful, and the only turkey noise I heard at all early was a single tom gobbling in the distance on the other side of the creek on the adjoining property.

So I sat in the blind, watching the squirrels scurry back and forth, the nuthatches working over the bark of an old ash tree, and a pair of kingfishers chattering away as they flew up and down the creek.  It seemed like every cardinal in the county must be in area as their calls were incessant and deafening.  Northern parulas rattled away and Eastern phoebes, waterthrush, and Prothonotary warblers flitted along the creek bank.  But no turkeys.  No gobbling, no sighting, nothing.  I dozed off.  Actually, I all out laid down inside the blind and napped as if I was home on a Sunday afternoon on my favorite couch, and it was glorious.  I awoke after who knows how long and I found things much as I had left them, so I decided to walk around a bit.

I found more of the same wildflowers blooming, but added wild sweet william to my list for the year.  May apple plants were very tall but still no sign of any their hidden white blooms.  Then, almost out of no where, I found my first morels for the season as a few small grays stood right along side the trail.  I had searched for mushrooms on Friday along the same trail with no luck so they had just arrived.  I truly enjoy seeking morels in early spring, and become engulfed in the hunt as I scour likely areas in search of mushrooms.  My anxiety grows every time I fail to find them and become obsessed, stopping even for a short walk in search of them just to put my mind at ease.  So even though today’s find was just a few small mushrooms, it was huge for my mental health.

Eventually I settled on a nice tree to lean against and let out a few purrs on my box call.  Instantly a loud gobble replied, not very far off in the woods, and definitely on my side of the creek.  I waited a few minutes and tried again, this time the gobbler replied but was further  away. I got up and moved quickly, trying to close the gap.  I brought the decoy with me and quickly set it up in a small grass field surrounded by woods.  Again I called, and again the gobbler replied.  This went on for a few minutes but he did not come any closer, and eventually went quiet.  I know that I am not great with the call, so I try hard not to overdo it.  It was getting late in the morning now and I had to get going in order to make it to Billy’s noon soccer game.  I packed up and started heading towards the truck.

I could see my truck in the distance, about 200 yards away, with only a horse pasture between me and the truck.  And of course, a single gobbler in full display strutting to himself in the middle of the field.  I quickly ducked into the shrubbery, hoping that he didn’t see me.  I peaked around and he was still there doing his thing.  I hastily set up my decoy again in the slightly taller grass at the edge of the field, and found a thick rose bush to hide behind.  As soon as I called, the gobbler replied excitingly.  He contined to gobble, begging the hen to come out to the field to join him.  I continued playing a hard to get hen, waiting several minutes between calls.  It seemed to be working, as he came closer and gobbled more frequently and with increased intensity.  I could not see him, but it sounded as if he stationed himself on the edge of the pasture and gobbled non-stop, trying to lure the hen to the shorter grass.  After a few minutes, he started walking towards the decoy, and I could catch glimpses of him through he shrubbery.  He finally stopped about 5 yards shy of the edge, pausing to take a full look at the decoy.  I was ready for him, comfortable and confident that as soon as he showed himself I was in excellent position to draw and fire the arrow at him through the opening.

But it wasn’t meant to be.  He sensed something not quite right and very quietly crept back away from the decoy and my hiding spot, sliding away unseen to safety somewhere else.  I was left wishing I had set up just a little differently, choosing a different rose bush to hide behind that would have afforded me a better view of the gobbler’s approach.  These are the lessons I learn turkey hunting, that usually the bird is smarter than I am.  But this was also very close, and the thrill of the chase and the satisfaction of calling a gobbler into range will keep me heading back into the woods every April and May.  The nice nap in the blind is pretty perfect too.  Something tells me I will be back out there soon.