2005 Grand Slam 6-Pack
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Bowhunt For The Rio Grande, by Robert Hoague
First Rio Hunt | 2nd Rio Hunt | Rocky Creek Hunt

Nice Day For A Grand Slam !!!

THURSDAY Apr 28

Morning

Daylight, and a few gobbles came from the river. But not as many as usual. Today I am only planning to hunt for an hour because I have to meet Kenny McCrea in San Angelo, Texas at 2:00 pm for our weekend turkey hunt on Rocky Creek Ranch. 

Two gobblers talked to me but didn't come into view so at 8:15 I got ready to leave. But it didn't happen. A hen walking along the cow pasture fence, headed for the woods. This year one of my goals is to improve my hen calling. Doug Crabtree has it pay off for him, he keeps the hens around and the gobblers come to them. I yelped softly and the hen meandered over.

It zig zagged over pretty close. It looked back the way it came several times. I looked too.

And saw the top of a red head 65 yards away and moving in my direction. Promptly I closed the blind completely up on 3 sides. The Matrix's forth side was already open and I left it that way. Then I knelt in the blind with my bow at the ready.

When the gobbler cleared the last bushes I saw its nice beard. It stopped and watched the hen and then walked closer to it ... and closer to me.

Foooppppp! The tom blew up in full strut and took a few more steps ... and stopped 8 yards away. Then it dropped strut and stood still. I didn't take a picture this time, I drew.

My arrow knocked him down and he flopped behind the nearest tree and got quiet. The hen raced over to where he disappeared and stood for awhile and then walked off. I waited 30 minutes and walked over there.

I didn't see the tom and scanned the area, it was mostly open with one big oak tree that had a bunch of tall, green leaf weeds under it. I walked toward the tree. The tom flew up and over the nearby fence, 30 yards from the gate.

I clipped my CrossFire Sling (from Pro Ears) on my bow and carried my bow to the side so I could get it quickly if needed and it would be out of the way of limbs and brush. 

I didn't want to make the noise of climbing the fence so I went through the gate and walked slowly along the fence in the direction toward the river. Soon I saw the tom laying still in the trail nearest to the fence. When I started toward him he flew up again, back over the fence, and into a group of trees on the creek 35 yards away.

Methodically I searched the small clump of trees and thick brush, back and forth, on each side of the shallow water. No turkey anywhere.

These trees were like an island, too, isolated in an open, grassy area. I circled the trees, wider and wider. Nothing.

I decided to let things settle down and walked to my truck. My new wife's car was parked next to it. I called for her and she answered. Since I had told her I would only be an hour she got worried. We decided to eat lunch and call Kenny McCrea to tell him I would be late. But that didn't happen.

As we drove through the gate Debbie said, "Look at the buzzard."

It was flying low over the same trees the tom had flown into. Immediately I drove there, stepped out, got my bow, and walked into the bushes. I heard the tom's wings again but only briefly. Debbie and I split up and scoured the brush on each side of the creek.

Again, no turkey was seen. So I stepped into the water and went slowly along. Suddenly the tom flopped, I had stepped within inches of it and had not seen it. Now the tom lay still under some cedar limbs a few feet from me. I got ready to shoot again but it was not necessary.

We took a few pictures of the Grand Slam longbeard.

Afterward I phoned Kenny McCrea and told him I wouldn't be on time. I arrived there after dark.

EQUIPMENT COMMENTS:
This gear did the job today. Just knowing I have equipment of this quality gave me extra confidence that I could get the Grand Slam this Spring.

• Woodhaven Diaphragm Call - It made this hunt happen. I used the Jim Pollard Sting Team call and it pulled the hen over to me. And the hen pulled in the big tom.
• CrossFire Bow Sling - A real help to this hunt. I wanted to carry my bow with me on the search. This easy to use, handy sling made the bow easy to carry and kept it from dragging in the grass or catching on limbs, twigs and brush.
• BowTech Patriot VFT is smooth drawing, fast and hits hard. Set at 64 pounds this bow shoots in the 270's and has done the job for me on deer, wild hogs and wild turkeys.
• INNERLOC EXP - The broadhead broke the tom's leg completely in half and gave him a lethal but not immediately fatal cut. In my opinion the Innerloc EXP is the one of the best broadheads made for taking wild turkey. The wide, 3 blade cut can bring them down even if the hit is less than perfect.
• Double Bull MATRIX 360 Ground Blind - I set the Matrix along the fence between the woods and a cow pasture, a few steps from the gate. It is in plain site but turkeys as well as deer paid no attention to it. This blind is a big asset for bowhunting turkeys. It gives you a view all around you and it is easy to close up the mesh sections when you want to.
• Venom Peep Sight - I really like it. This peep groups my broadheads tighter than anything else I have ever used. And you need that with turkeys.
• Silver Bullet - This release aid from Pro Release is a big favorite of mine. It's trigger is smooth and consistent. The model I used has a concho style with a wrist strap.
• Fine-Line's Hunter Bowquiver is the perfect match for ground blind bowhunting. I use the nock bar to support the bottom of the bow and lean the bow against the side of the blind, with an arrow nocked and I'm ready when a turkey shows up.
• Spot Hog Hunter Hog-It Bowsight - I had to change bow sights before this hunt, the plastic sight guard broke -- traveling is tough on bow accessories. The Hunter Hogg-It is all metal and it is tough. The way the pins adjust up and down is unique, accurate and solid, this is the easiest way to sight in of any sight that I've ever used.
• 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