rybohunter

Well I'm kind of embarassed to admit it but I completly blew an absolute perfect opportunity to getreal nice gobbler with my longbow.

I'll try to keep this short:

I was on a powerline with my decoy spread, I was tucked just inside the woods behind an old rock wall. Perfect cover spot for me to get a shot from, except that the comfort factor wasn't real good when I faced my dekes for long periods of time. The morning was quiet, no birds sounding off anywhere close. I continued to give some calls every so often.About 20minsafter a hen came in and spooked from my setup, from the other direction, I hear the drumming of a strutting bird. I turn around to see a big fan RACING to my decoys on the other side of the wall. I scramble to get into position, grab my bow, and prepare for the shot. Finally I raise up, and thats where everything falls to pieces. I just drew back& fired in seemingly the general direction of the bird. There was no focus, no concentration, no nothing of a normal shot sequence. I didn't even know where my arrow went. The bird had NO clueI was there, and only cared about strutting for my dekes. He never really even moved on the shot. I grabbed another arrow, but by this time he had moved out of my shooting window, then up along the woods, where he proceeded to go in and out of strut about 40 yds from me for another couple minutes. Keeping one eye to that weird guy behind the rock wall, the other to my dekes.
In the end I did manage to be close enough with my shot that I took out about 8-10 feathers, but that's all. I'm not one to really lose it in front of game, I am a bit disappointed in myself.[:@]

I'll be back in the same spot this saturday.

MGH_PA

No worries, sounds like an awesome time. At least you missed with a longbow...I blew a perfect opportunity and missed on saturday with my 12guage[&:]

PreacherTony

Don't ya just LOVE it!?!? That's what hunting is all about ..... you'll connect soon enough .... they arent as hard to kill as deer, yaknow ...

Schultzy

The excitement probably had more to do with you trying to shoot one with the longbow then anything. People on here say it doesn't matter what kind of bow your shooting (Traditional or compound) if your hitting your mark. BS, it does make a difference! Practicing and hunting are 2 different things, specially these Traditional bows. After a person gets a few animals with your Traditional equipment you might settle down some, not always though! Hang in there Rybo, you will get one I'm sure!!

rybohunter

Yea, shultzy its tough enough with trad gear without the goober behind the bow acting a fool J The moment I realized I was going to get a shot, I drew back & fired like I was in a speed shooting contest. Like I said it is very uncharacteristic of me to get that flustered in the presence of game. A rush, yes of course, but to completely lose focus, I am not happy with it. If I were to miss I’d rather do so on a shot that I concentrated on and just didn’t put it where it needed to go. I want nothing more than to redeem myself, even if I would miss again, I want it to at least be a shot that I executed with the normal concentration I expect of myself.

Schultzy

It happens to us all Ryan!! My 1st animal I got with my recurve I couldn't remember a thing that happened. I was so nervous and excited after it was all done I must of hiper ventilated about 10 times in my stand!!

Steven McBee

x2!

BowHuntingFool

Thats great you got a shot off! I'll say congrats, thats a big deal! I've been thinking about my 1st shot with the Longbow and how I'm going to handle it. It's going to be interesting!

TJF

Ryan

You will get it done the next time. I've got a friend who went to tradbow 3 years ago. His first year, I squeak in a coyote for him. He missed at 13 yards.

That next hunt that afternoonhe missed a doearound 15 yards. About 10 minutes before that he got busted by a nice buck on the draw so that might have added to it.[&:] Like you, he got flustered anddidn't concentrate on the shot.

With a compound and in a tree, he never had a problem.First time hunting on theground and with a trad bow ( actually a self bow ) he fall apart.Last year heshot his first doe from the ground. He was very happy to say the least.

Don't beat yourself up like he did. That will just make it worse the next time because you will doubt yourself. Got to have faith in yourself and concentrate on the spot.

Post a picture when you kill your turkey. Looking forward to seeing it !!

Tim

Germ

Atleast you seen a TOM I am not sure what one looks like anyomre.

Great story thx for sharing