BOWHUNT FOR THE RIO GRANDE
by Robert Hoague

Day 4 - Turkey Hunting With Billy Don
| Hunt 1 | Hunt 2 | Fred Gets His Rio |

Morning:
Fred Lutger's Hunt: Day 2 at Billy Don's
Billy Don and Fred drove to the "super secrete" site. They set up near where we had been yesterday. Soon gobbles sounded from 4 different directions. A hen came out of the creek and walked by the blind, she was making light hen calls. Fred got out his Woodhaven cherry slate call and made hen calls. A Tom gobbled behind them, the opposite way they were set up to shoot. Fred worked the Tom closer.

Gobbles came from the creek. Two red heads came out of the cedars. Fred called and they gobbled loudly. They advanced to 60 yards and stopped. Fred called and they broke into full strut. Fred did light hen calls and the gobblers started moving toward the blind.

Fred watched them and drew just before they were going to clear a cedar tree. When the gobblers were in the clear they were 15 yards away. Fred aimed and shot, both birds ran, but Fred was certain he had a killing shot. The gobblers ran 60 yards and disappeared behind some cedar trees. In seconds the bird walked back into view and fell in sight.

Fred turned to Billy Don and said, "We've got the bird but let's give it a little time."

Billy Don broke into a big grin and replied, "We've got all morning."

The second gobbler went to the downed one and started pecking it violently. When it left Fred recovered his Texas Rio Grande wild turkey.

Billy Don said, "Let's go get another one."
Fred answered, "Do you have another spot in mind.
"No we'll go looking."
"Well, this spot is pretty good."

They waited half an hour before calling and got a response right away. Fred worked the gobbler for over an hour and had it 30 yards away but behind a cedar limb. A hen came right to the gobbler and the two walked away.

FRED LUTGER'S EQUIPMENT COMMENTS: 

• BowTech Old Glory:  My bow is set set at 60 pounds, I usually shoot 75 pounds but for turkey I like 60. It is better for hunting in a blind.; You have to draw sitting and may have to hold a while, so 60 is easier. This is a medium length bow and is perfect for shooting from a blind. It's fast and smooth drawing too.
• Grim Reaper Broadheads: They shoot exactly like my field points. And I especially like the collar system the broadhead has, one collar is 100 grains and two collars is 125 grains. I am shooting 125 grains to slow down my arrow so you can see it on video. The inch and 3/4 cut put this gobbler down in sight. 
• Venum Peep Sight: An excellent bowhunting peep sight. It has it all. You don't have to worry about it lining up right when you draw, the tether lines up right every time. The sighting hole is just the right size for bowhunting.
• PSE Top Gun Bowsight: The fiber optics are very bright on this bowsight. That is a plus for hunting in the darkness of a ground blind.

Billy Don Van Cleave

Billy Don Van Cleave's Wild Horse Prairie Ranch We are bowhunting Rio Grande Wild Turkey with Billy Don. His ranch is the home of the Bowhunting.net Annual Bowhunt in October. He has bowhunts for trophy bucks, does and wild hogs. Plus Exotics: black buck, red stag, rams, aoudad and more. Billy Don, P.O. Box 199, Satin, TX 76685 Call: 254-749-6119 Fax: 254-546-2709 Email: bdvanc@aol.com Web: Wild Horse Prairie Ranch

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Billy Don Van Cleave's Wild Horse Prairie Ranch Billy Don, P.O. Box 199, Satin, TX 76685 Call: 254-749-6119 Fax: 254-546-2709 Email: bdvanc@aol.com Web: Wild Horse Prairie Ranch