2005 Grand Slam 6-Pack
Grand Slam 6-Pack HOME PAGE

Bowhunt For The Merriam's
Day 1 | Day 2

A Nebraska 6-Pack

Second Day

These wide open spaces sure make beautiful sunrises. Here it is for day 2. 

And this is how it looked from inside my blind.

The gobbles were distant and I waited until 11:00 but no turkeys came my way. Here is a pic of my blind setup at the edge of the wind break road overlooking the cornfield. 

I went to Terry's ranch house and no one was there. So I made olive loaf and liverwurst sandwiches. Terry drove up on his 4-wheeler and told me that Doug and Fred had gotten turkeys. I hopped on the back and drove to them and took pictures.

This hot action had me itching to get back out. Terry took Doug and I to a cedar break and we set up by a gate where Terry said turkeys cross regularly. There were lots of strut marks around the gate.

Here I am in the blind. Wearing black works good in the Double Bull because it is black inside.  We heard a gobble right away and Doug called at him. But he kept of going. So I spent the next 2 hours doing what you see in the picture.

Since nothing was happening Doug grabbed the chance to take a nap. Believe me, we are all tired, we haven't had a real nights sleep since Florida.

Gobble!

Oh yea. About 200 yards away. I poked Doug and said, "a gobble." He slowly sat up, shook his head, and gave a few yelps. The gobbler dug it and its gobbles got closer.  And closer. I folded up my small chair, just n case, and got on my knees so I could move around freely.

There he is. Walking up to the fence. I handed Doug my camera and he took the longbeards picture.

And them he zoomed in for a closer look at the tom.

The gobbler ducked under the bottom fence wire and took a few steps toward us.

Then he froze. The wind was gusting and ruffling his feathers as he waited in place. He had a major case of being "hung up."

He stood still as a statue. My knees started throbbing and my feet went to sleep. I shifted around. It took him over 15 minutes to figure what to do. 

He stood up tall. Looking at the Cally Morris decoy. This posture meant he was either going to come on over -- or leave.

I guessed him for  25 yards. He turned his back and narrowed down the choices to one, he was gonna leave. I drew. 

The wind was gusting hard and I held for a lull. It came! My pin was on him the whole time and I pulled the trigger on my release. The arrow knocked him down but he got to his feet and staggered away. Right away we slipped out of the blind and quietly slipped under the fence. He was laying under a cedar 60 yards away.

We took pictures on the spot. This bird was an Eastern. A big one with a 10 inch beard and inch and a half spurs. 

I carried him back to the blind and we waited there. Fred had said he would glass the area and wanted us to take the blind down if we got a bird. We did and before long Fred was on his way on the 4-wheeler. 

EQUIPMENT COMMENTS:
This gear did the job for me today.

• BowTech Patriot VFT - You need a hard hitting bow for wild turkeys. Gobblers look big when they puff up their feathers but the kill area is small and the feathers are tougher than you might think. BowTech packs the punch you need for wild turkey.
• Double Bull T 5 Ground Blind - We set up by a gate on the edge of a cedar break. As always, the gobbler never noticed the blind.
• Woodhaven Diaphragm - Billy Yargus Signature Series - Doug used this call today and it bought the gobbler 200 yards to us.
• INNERLOC EXP - Once again my shot stepped off at 23 yards. The tom went 80 yards and crashed and burned.
• PRO-RELEASE - The Silver Bullet realease is a super hunting release. I like the concho style wrist model. It works smoothly with my string loop.
• Fine-Line's Hunter Bowquiver -  This quiver is a good match for blind hunting. When it was time to shoot I was ready, thanks to this quiver.
• Venom Peep Sight - The see-through blue color, the perfect shape of the peep's hole, and the way it aligns right every time makes sighting effortless.
• I used blue EZE Eye Arrow Wraps with Tre Blue Camo Gateway Feathers. to make a special set of arrows for this year's Grand Slam hunt. I fletched them myself on Easton CarbonAeros in the Arizona EZ Carbon Fletch with straight fletch arms. It was fun and I have unique arrows just for this event.

Sponsors For The 2005 Grand Slam 6-Pack
Our Grand Slam 6-Pack with the bow created excitement with several manufacturers and they stepped up to the plate to sponsor the event.

SPONSORS

- BowTech - bows  - Innerloc Broadheads - Double Bull - blinds - Carolina North Rope Ratchet - EASTON arrows - Woodhaven Custom Calls

- Pro-Ears hearing   enhancement & protection - Fine-Line Archery peep   sights & bowquivers - Arizona EZ-Fletch -Venom Peep Sight - Rotaflex Archery Exerciser

- Sticks N' Limbs camouflage - Pro Release Release Aids - Free Bowhunting Video - Freddie Bear Sports   Assorted bowhunting gear - MyTopo.com - maps

OUTFITTERS:

- Fred Lutger's Wilderness Hunts Illinois - Wells Creek Outfitters Easterns