NY Longbeard with my Recurve

[CAPTJJ]

Finally able to upgrade my recurve Eastern from a jake to a nice tom near home early this morning, quickest hunt ever: 11" beard, 7/8"+ spurs and 20 1/2 pounds.

[fishnmachine]

Nice one! 

[hickgtx600f4]

Very nice. Congrats on a great bird.

[Raquettedacker]

Great job Jeff...

[buckblaster]

Great bird congratulations

[Green Mountian Hunter]

            Awesome job Jeff ; know the recurve is broke in good shape I'm thinking the grip will fit me just fine hehehe    Congrads again Jeff  ......

[reeleyz]

Great job JJ! That is a great picture too.

[monk]

An awesome accomplishment for sure!

[CAPTJJ]

Thanks all.

And now for the hunt recap. Hadn't been able to hunt in 4 days between rain and work. Also didn't get out to roost the night before and was tired from working all weekend, so I didn't set my alarm, figured I would head out when I woke up. Well, I was up at first light coming through the windows, 5:08 am. Got my stuff together and got dressed, out the door by 5:20. Nothing roosted so I decided to try calling at a bunch of spots looking for a hot tom, parked at the first spot at 5:25. Had been good there in the past but hadn't heard a bird there yet this year, but they like to roost on this "knob". Walked up the trail past the knob calling, tried a couple yelps, then a cutt/yelp and one gobbled on the other side of the knob where they roost. Quickly got back to my truck for my blind, decoys and bow/arrows. Made a quick yelp and he answered, he was coming.

Back down the trail around the knob, then off to a small clearing in the woods to set up. Set out the decoys and made another yelp and he answered, but sounded like he headed toward my truck where I had just yelped. Now he was coming around the knob right to me, could hear him drumming... and I don't even have the blind set up. Good thing have set it up hundreds of times, quickly got it out of the pack and popped out the sides. Big problem, the top won't stay up? I need the peak up so I have room to the top limb of my recurve. More drumming , getting close now and I can see him headed my way in full strut. What to do?

The setup, notice the collapsed roof on the blind:


Quickly figured out that if I got all the way to the right, I could cant the bow and get a shot off, luckily I had the jake decoy positioned right there ahead. Moved my stuff to the front and out of the way, got my facemask, gloves, and shooting tab on, then knocked an arrow. He came from my right circled around behind the jake, then turned broadside, still strutting, and went to face the "intruder" with the hen. I drew, then released and the arrow found its mark through the wing, he went about 10 feet and flopped, lots of blood, 5:35 am. Hadn't even been awake for a half hour.



Broadhead broke the wing bone, major damage:

[Deadeyez]

Awesome job!! Great story and pics as well 👍🏼

[longbeardking]

GREAT story. Congratulations.

[reeleyz]

Great story!

[Deadeyez]

Any of you guys been chasing birds?

[reeleyz]

Any of you guys been chasing birds?

I took a walk last Saturday morning and didn't hear any gobbles. Just a few yelps. I did have a coyote come through at about 20 yards and got some video of him.

[CAPTJJ]

They still be gobblin. Called a nice tom to inside 20 yds yesterday at 11:50 am, 10 minutes left. Found some birds., 2 toms, 3 jakes and a lone hen at 11:30 and quickly set up. He wouldn't commit, was coming right down the trail then veered off onto the woods. Think it was the jake decoy, they are done fighting this late in the season, should have gone with just the hen, or nothing even.

Had a hen come I  where I was set up earlier, behind my friend's house. Talked to him later and he said 4 turkeys were right behind the house at 7:20, I went through at 6:30??