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Archery - 2005

Been a while for an update, so let me get caught up.

Shot at a doe, but misranged her and went over her back.
I use a Trophy Ridge Matrix and I can not say enough good things about it.
The vertical pins really let you line up behind the leg and provide a great reference line to the lungs/heart.
Basically line up the pins on the inside of the fwd leg and choose your pin. I chose the wrong PIN and missed, but the shot was right in perfect alignment with the doe.

Now I just need a better bow and a rangefinder.
Better bow for 3d and my Ego, the rangefinder so I can take some of guesswork of predistancing range from my stand.

I will be spending a lot of time this spring on woodchucks and squirrels try to get my "stalk and range" down.

Bow Contenders

Archery Research - AR35

PSE - Diablo

Browning -Illusion

Hoyt - VTech

Quick recap:

Adventure 1 - Turkeys just outside 20 yards. Took Home 1 Feather.

Adventure 2 - Turkeys outsmarted my brother and I as we tried to rangle/rustle then into a trap.

And so here is the retelling of Adventure 3:

It was an especially hard week at work. Politics, Budgets, and Staff. I decided to take today (Friday) off early and try and intercept the local turkey flock.

They move across and between 2 fields slightly after the morning traffic is past and slightly before the evening traffic home commences. They don't follow the same path, they dont follow the same schedule, and they certainly don't follow the logic of aspiring turkey ranglers.

So I get home about 3:30pm and I get my gear, a nice book, and figure I'll sit the stone wall on the edge of the field and see if I can get some action. I head over to my 'peeking into the field' location and lo-and-behold the turkeys are just starting to cross the field from the lower corner to the other side.

I commence to run back up to the head of the field, across the top, and down the far side (no short sprint!!!) to find a place to hide. Only issue is there IS NO place to hide on that side. It bounds up against a persons well manicured lawn and their drive way. So, I settle between two trees about 5 feet apart and try and look 'small'.

Slowly the turkeys come just over the rise and start heading as if to go into the other neighbors back yard and not up the side. OH THE HUMANITY!!! Again, the turkeys seem to sense my presence and are not doing what they are supposed to do. This time however I am equipped with my mouth call. *cluck* *purr* *cluck cluck*. Slowly the flock turns and heads up the side.

Now if you can imagine, I have this 'just large enough to make me look small' tree directly in front of me, the turkeys coming over the hill exactly in line with the tree, and another tree directly behind me. I would find at full draw that my elbow JUUUSSSTTTT touches the tree behind me.

And I wait, and I wait, and I wait.
Finally, I dare to 'peek' around the tree and immediately get spotted. The hen is 'oh-about-20yds' (if you read the other story, you know what that might mean), and she pauses. This time, since I have my mouth call, I wait for her to dip her head and I put out an 'ever so soft' *putt*. They edge closer... closer to what I would imagine 20 yards in real life is. It is clear they are not going to get any closer, that hen is Wary. I draw, I bead, I release!!!

My older Nova goes off in a sound that I imagine to the turkeys sounds like Moden Rap sounds like to Country and Western Fans. 'Cause they take off through the field. I swear my Dads AR34 and my brothers Thunderbolt are whispers on the wind compared to the Nova.

They ran a good long distance right down the middle of the field before they disappeared into the woods and down the tote road at the end. I watched that hen and she does not slow down one bit.

I waited a bit, then walked over to pick up my arrow. To my surprise, I had secured my second trophy of the year (see picture). Still though, nothing in my oven.

Ever try Turkey Rustling?

The rain is pouring down in buckets. If any of you live in the NE, you'll know what I mean. It was a biblical rain for 3 days straight.

My brother from Mississippi has stopped by when I get a call from the neighbor, "Turkeys are across the field, hope you have better luck than last time." *chuckle*.

Jason gets on a rain jacket and I suit up in the camo and grab the PSE Nova. We reach the edge of the field and see they are on the far side.

This time, considering the other side of the field was a person driveway there would be no stalking up to the edge of the field. We would have to use a different tactic. Thinking back to last time after bagging my feather, the turkeys moseyed down the field edge to the corner and into the woods before I could cut them off. So, we figured that if I ran across the field below the small ridge the turkeys would not see me getting into place, and then he could show himself at the head of the field and the turkeys would walk down the edge right into bow range. That was our plan anyway, our little bit of turkey rustling.

So, I move off down to mid field where the turkeys can not see me and he starts up the road SLOWLY, giving me time to cross the field and work my way up.

{SIDE NOTE: as soon as I step into the field, the doe I had stalked earlier in the morning (got within 20 yds or so, but too much brush between us) was standing in the field, flagged and dashed off. At least I know she is still around.}

I get into position and wait. About 5 minutes later, I see the turkeys crossing the field towards where we had previously been standing!!!!! The pesky turkeys were crossing the field. I see my brother coming up over the ridge and so I flag him and hand wave him to try and cut them off and move them to the other far corner. I take off running to the end of the field, the turkeys see me run but since I am 'moving away' it does not seem to bother them and they turn back to watch my brother.

I make it into the woods and following a tote road, I get in position on the OTHER side of the field and wait again. There was NO, NOT ANY, way the turkeys could have seen me get into place this second time either.

As he tried to push the turkeys more gently down that side of the field, they have had enough. Breaking up into two groups, they rush for the OPPOSITE corners of where they needed to go.... HAHA. Pesky turkeys got away.

And so went our first attempts at turkey rustling.

With a ground blind it would be sooooo easy but what is the challenge in that? Or so I tell myself.

(things to add to hunting gear next year: Flater shooting bow, range finder, and now ground blind.)

Fall Turkey Hunting and my First Trophy
Well, it has been around 15 years since I last hunted with a bow. My Dad and Brother got me back into it this year by passing down one of their bows as they each upgraded.

Sure, I said. We're finally settled into the house, work is going ok, and the daughter is old enough (almost 3yo) to not need two parents around 'all' day to keep her out of trouble.

So I get the old Nova all decked out with some newer accessories and practice, practice, practice. Finally get to the point, where if I know the distance I can definately hit the 'spot' 9 out of 10 times.

So fall turkey season opens and I am ready (almost). The neighbor gives me a call about 8am on a brisk and rainy day. "There are some turkeys on the edge of the field", he says. "They look to be within bow range I would guess."

I grab the bow, a camo jacket, head net and box call. Trying to keep my heart rate in check, I walk across the potato patch and over to my neighbors. From his house I glass the field and sure enough, there are some turkeys just waiting for me to stop by.

I plan my approach, and ease up on the hedge row. I skulk along the fields edge using boulders and trees as cover, moving slowly.... slowly. 50yds, 40yds, 30yds?, 20YDS???

Here is where things get a little wishy-washy. Notice above how I mentioned being 'almost' ready? Well, one thing that sort of falls off the skill list in 15 years is the ability to estimate range. 20 yds out plunking the bag looks very different when it is 20 yds in the woods, or 20 yds across different terrain, or 20yds looking at a turkey as opposed to a deer 3d target.

So now I am just trying to get close enough that is HAS to be less than 20 yds. Problem is... it is not. I can just sense that I can not get close that what 'seems' to be 'about' 20yds.

I pull the box call and chirp and purr, trying to peek their curiosity. No go. The small flock prefers to scratch at the ground and look over in my direction to see who the newcomer is. They can not be bothered to come over and visit.

So, here it is. I either have to hunker down and 'hope' they get closer, or I have to take my chance.

I stand, and they look in my direction.
Several nervously titter to the right. I pick out the closest one.... he is checking me out... I draw. He raises his head. I place the PIN!!! He senses something is not quite right with this instantly grown Mossy Oak "Tree"...

I let FLY!!!!!
I score my reward for 45 minutes of hard stalking....
One neatly severed feather.

Some turkeys in the yard fattening themselves up for Fall Turkey Season.
Taken through the window screen. When I tried to get outside they scooted into the woods.

Dad has returned from Colorado.
Elk 1 : Dad 0
Elk 1 : Bro 0
Mule Deer 0 : Dad 1 (AR34 Ram.5 @ 35 yds)

And so it begins. After a 15 year layoff, I once again have a bow in my hands.

My brother, Marc, was kind enough to give me his PSE Nova hunting bow for my birthday. I have linked to a modern version, but his was/is older.

I have switched out some of the outdated parts including the sights (to TR Matrix), and the release (to a Scott Mongoose). Other than that, I had Dad make me up a batch of arrows to match his and Marcs (Beman Hunter Series) and picked up some Muzzy 100gr. off eBay for a great price.

Last week I went to my first 3D open house at the Maine Outdoorsman. I placed second out of 5. I shot white, only having shot at home at the bag for about 3 weeks (every other 3rd night or so). Due to time available and light conditions we skipped 5 targets.

I ended up shooting last each round so I would not have to walk through and retreat, making the other archers wait, so I had a bit of an advantage in getting to never shoot first. The other guys seemed to think I did pretty well for my set-up.

I shot a 223 out of 250 (white stakes), 1 less than the nights winner (blue stakes).

It was really fun. Very different shooting at Crocs, Javelina, Turkey, and more. Let alone across creeks, and through foilage (not dense). I got a little messed up on the two Deer 3D. The 10/12 ring was not where I would have traditionally shot. It was a bit high and back a bit, more a lunger than heart shot. I also misjudged the distance on the leaning bear (leaning sideways into a tree while standing), I thought he was farther than he was and ended up a little high into the '5s'.

Unfortunately the nearest course is about 40 minutes away and the one I went to last week was over an hour.

I'll probably be upgrading the bow next year, but the PSE Nova is definately a forgiving bow. I can hit the bag where I want pretty consistently, even though I still have to work hard on my form.

Ever try and tie a release string? Here is how:

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