OutdoorMissouri.com

Got up there Sunday evening for 3 days of hunting & being by myself.

Monday I saw some deer on my way to the stand. At about 7:00, I heard some turkey & stalked to where I hoped they'd be coming. I ducked into some brush & gave myself a shooting lane up to about 35 yards uphill. The hens were yelping & scratching coming closer. After 30 minutes or so, they were starting to appear on the hill above me. Most were passing through a little dip in the hill where I couldn't see them. Only 2 of the approximately 35 birds actually went through the shooting lane. Several of the birds started flying up into the trees. Many more were scattered around the hill, with some between 20 & 30 yards. I couldn't get a shot because of the brush. They stayed on that hillside for a long time. Finally, after hearing a couple in a place I thought I could shoot, I stood up and peeked around and saw two birds at 30 yards. One was behind a sapling, with some limbs between us blocking a good shot. The other was facing away from me, bent over cracking an acorn. Just behind her was a small cedar bush & there was nothing else between us. I had a 4X6 hole in that bush that gave me a view of her back. I drew & slipped an arrow in there & nailed her. She fell hard, flat on her face, and flopped like she'd been gunshot. Figuring she was dead, I headed up the hill. She stood up & turned sideways to me. The arrow was nowhere to be seen, so I thought it was a pass-through. She started running down the side of the hill, then took off flying. She was crashing through the limbs, so I knew she wouldn't go far. After a short search, I found her about 70 yards from where I shot her. She'd shucked the arrow right by where she died. The arrow went in just between her thigh & butthole, and ripped through her body, shattering her breastbone. That's my 2nd archery turkey. She also had a 6 inch beard. Pictures will be posted in a week or so.

After I took her back to the cabin, a little over a half-mile away, I came back to get my gear & continue on to the stand. Just as I picked everything up, I looked up the hill into that shooting lane I was watching, and saw a monster buck. Most of you would think it was alright, but for the Tick Farm, it was a monster. It had dark chocolate brown , probably a 17 inch spread, 10 points, with 8 or 9 inch G-2's & G-3's. I'm guessing it was 230 lb. He was trotting down the hill at a pretty good clip & didn't give me a shot. At his closest, he was 35 yards away. By the end of the day, I'd seen 12 deer.

Tuesday was very foggy. There was a little buck moving early AM. The next deer I saw, I was moving to a different location & jumped it. The next deer I saw was at almost 5:00 as I was headed to the cabin to call it a night. I drove back to Webb City to vote. I got in line at 5:45 & walked out of the polling booth at 7:38.

Wednesday I saw 15 deer by 10:30 AM. All were does (maybe a couple button bucks) and were headed in groups of 2, 3, or 4 to bedding areas. The first doe was huge. She was an old gray herd doe that I would've loved to kill. It got hot in the afternoon & didn't get back on the stand until 3:30. Saw one other deer, little 4 point.

I never saw any signs of rutting activity. There was no chasing, no bucks with does. I saw a lot of deer, just not the fun I was hoping for. With my schedule the way it is, I may not get to hunt again this season. That'll be disappointing to go without a deer this year.

Nice job on the turkey rafe.



Your story reminds me of a hunt i had about 15 yrs. back where i shot a big tom facing me through a small opening.

He also flew when i approached and thats when i reliezed i hit him low cause he had a 7 foot sting of intestines hanging off him like a kite-tail.

To make a long story short-the intestines got tangled up good in a tree branch about 30 ft. off the ground so i had to climb up the tree to retrieve him.

He was hangin upside down dead from his leash when i got to him.



Any how-good luck over the weekend.



I'm gettin ready to walk out the door-be back next week.

The thing about bowkilling a turkey, that I have found, is that it is just like a deer. The first turkey I killed with a bow, I shot and immediately went running after her. She took off like a bat out of hades. The rest I have shot and not moved again. I have totally stayed put, and not a single one of those birds has made it beyond 10 yards. When you shoot a deer, you don't get down right away and go chasing after it, you'd be lucky to ever find it! Do the same thing with turkeys, when you hit one, stay put, keep an eye on it, and you will likely know when it is completely done. Then go retrieve it. Just a lesson I have learned about killing them with a bow. How'd that spitfire perform on her Rafe? They really lay the smack on them don't they!!! Glad you saw a gang of deer, sorry you couldn't get a shot at the big one, especially if you are done for the year, that stinks buddy.

Rafe, that is a neat report and story. Sounds like it was still an enjoyable trip with some meat in the freezer.

Yeah, the Spitfire ripped the ever-lovin' crap out of her. It destroyed every internal organ except a lung & heart. I checked it out & cleaned it off. Seems to be good for another kill.

I may yet get another day or two up there, but it'll be tough. Things in the Hollister household really suck right now, so my hunting time will be very limited.

Glad you got out and made a kill Rafe.

Is that duct tape in the bottom pic holding the porch railing up?

No, Goober. That's duct tape holding up the pole that we use to impale people that dick around with us on the internet.

Truth is, that's a table we built and covered in cheesecloth that we use on cookouts. We duct taped a few tiki torches to it for the Halloween cookout.

Smartass.

I was only askin Rafe-i seem to always notice the little things.

As far as my avitar is concerned-that one is only a 45 but if you like i can change it to a 90.

I would pup an avatar of bucks in the 160's and 70's but then i would have to change my name to KINGHUNTER.

But since im not into deer as much as the fish-i think i'll stay with what i got for now.

Yeah, that avatar is much better, KF. Do you fish with Groundskeeper Willie?

Who is groundskeeper willie?

Simpsons. He's a Scottish drunk that looks like you fishing partner.

That went 90lbs?

Yep. That's Willie.