huntingmotherearth

This post was originally posted on Ladies in Camo Field Journal.  http://ladiesincamo.wordpress.com/2012/04/28/little-runts-are-kicking-butt/

I am absolutely thrilled to tell you that my granddaughter took a fantastic long beard turkey this morning.  She was hunting with her mother (my daughter Shannon).  As they made their way to their hunting spot, they had turkeys gobbling on the roosts.  Since Sarah was using a crossbow, they set up quickly, putting the decoy only 10 yards from their position.  Shannon yelped a couple of times shortly after daylight, and was rewarded with gobbling from 2 toms.  They could just glimpse the tom to the east in the morning light of the pink and purple sunrise.  As these 2 fine birds made their way to the girl’s position, a hen started talking, and lead them both away.

Both Shannon and Sarah maintained their positions, and listened and waited.  Calling occasionally.  Soon they were rewarded with another Tom heading their way, this time with 8 hens in tow.

Three jakes were bringing up the rear, just coming off of the ridge.  These birds all worked their way over 400 yards to come into Shannon’s call.  At 30 yards Shannon quietly told Sarah the birds were in range.  Sarah replied “wait for it, wait for it”.  When the tom pecked the head of her Little Runt decoy, Sarah released her bolt, and the turkey fell to the ground with out even a twitch!  The rest of the birds never understood what had happened, and continued to peck around on the ground.  She quickly told her mother to re-cock the crossbow, there were more birds coming their way, and Shannon still had her tag.  Unfortunately they were only the jakes, and they were left to grow for next year.

Sarah’s long beard had a 10″ beard, 1″ spurs, weighed 23 pounds, and was shot with a Ten-Point Crossbow!!  Sarah had been practicing hard for this day.  She started shooting the crossbow, and has become an excellent shot with it.  Just 2 nights ago, her and I went over different scenarios on birds coming into the decoy, and where to shoot with the crossbow.  She follows instruction wonderfully!