Headed to Kansas w/Christopher for some Rio Grande's and Yotes *Update w/pics

[MPSR]

Awesome trip indeed in the books..👍

[LPJR]

Here is an update- on one of the most awesome experiences and hunts that I have been on with my son. Ever. 

Gonna try to post in between calls tonight as we had no wifi at the lodge where we stayed in Kansas all of last week. 

I think it was for the best, as other than taking pics, we decompressed and got back to what it really was about. Quality time spent together....

After landing in Tulsa, I let my son drive to the lodge as he has his permit. I took some video of the gorgeous land and properties as he drove...

I wish these times lasted forever....

[LPJR]

My son practiced his shots on a turkey decoy lent to us by @NotJust22s the week prior and was on point with his Switchback....

[LPJR]

It is no wonder why Kansas is a special place. The farms and woodlots appear to be perfect for some of the world class deer that it produces each year...

[LPJR]

The lodge was incredible. Owned by one of the nicest people that we ever had the opportunity to meet. Dirk Dieterich is a former director of Pope&Young and is on the advisory board currently. 

Everything about the lodge was beautiful....

 

 

[Bonefreak]

Awesome Lou!!

Looks like a blast!!!

Kansas looks like a special place!!

[LPJR]

Apparently, my son and I learned that one of bowhunting's icons Jim Dougherty killed his last 3 bucks before he passed away from cancer, from a barn located on the property he called the "barndominium" 

This was a great place to start our scouting for some gobblers....

 

[LPJR]

The days all blended together, but we located some birds about 100 yards east of the barn gobbling from the roost just before dark on our 1st night there..

Made a plan to get into it before the sun even cracked daylight the next morning....was a great decision...heard birds cranking in the early morning hours and filmed some below..

[LPJR]

2 big Rio's came into the field located to the left of the barn just out of site and mirrored every move a lone hen made who I could not get to come in despite my calls....we noticed the birds were following an old farm road to the left and decided to put up a blind tucked against the woods adjacent to the field.

[LPJR]

The gobblers were coming again. Saw them at full strut at about 75 yards to our left out the blind window...filmed them strutting again with the hen who wanted to stay away from us and took the toms with her again to another field about 100 yards away...

[LPJR]

We did lots of running and gunning and the birds were tough to say the least.....

The blind we set up was one of the Big Mike blinds...seated, it was impossible to see out the front window. The left window was good to go, the front was only good if we stood up as it was a tall blind to allow for Christopher to draw from....

I messed up and good one morning...after the gobblers left after sunrise, I told my son to sleep a few if he wanted to...after 2 hours of no responses to my calling, I grabbed his bow from his lap and placed it against the wall of the blind making the slightest sound. 

It was at that time I heard the putts..not from one but 2 birds....

I look out the front window and no further than 18 yards away are the 2 big gobblers starting to head out of dodge!! He is now up and at full draw and the closest bird was walking away at 38 yards....he drew and let down as they were moving quickly out of there. 

They came in SILENTLY!! Never knew they were there until we heard them putting..

I commended him for not flinging an arrow as the shot was not a good one..

 

[LPJR]

Hunted an hour more and they never returned...

Out the door each morning at 0600 hours, we were determined to get on one. We located birds, although the lodge owner said the turkey population in Kansas where we were in the Flint Hills has taken a huge hit to the numbers and population..

 

[LPJR]

On Thursday, the weather was a high of 38° in the morning with continuing wind gusts of 25-30 mph so we slept in to recharge...

We then decided to hit the barn again the next morning for a change of pace and this time I told Christopher he could try the crossbow if he wanted to bring it. Of course he said yes. 

We headed up to the barn at 1100 hours this time and there were birds in the field just below the window of the barn!! We snuck around into the back of it and quietly got in as I went to cock the bow...

It would not cock!! For whatever reason, the crossbow's loading switch or whatever was not clicking!! He looks out the barn and the gobbler is no less than 25 yards away looking at the hen who was getting nervous!!

Now THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU JUST CAN'T MAKE UP!!!

We shot the bow before leaving for Kansas with no issues!! 

So, Christopher made his way out of the barn and made his way back to the lodge for the Switchback...this was a 45 minute walk..to the lodge and back to the barn...

[LPJR]

As he left I watched as the birds left the field and made their way into a draw onto the north end of the property...

When he returned we were both shaking our heads on what had happened and how helpless we were with a giant Rio in bow range!! 

An hour later a bird enters the far field and starts making its way to my calls.....

The closer it gets we both see a beard on it....

Closer yet, and it is now 17 yards away. What do you think is posing for my son as it walks past?? 

Yes sir, A BEARDED HEN.....Can't make this stuff up!! 

I took pics with my cell and we were both laughing...

I wish these times lasted forever.......

 

Edited April 13, 2021 by LPJR

[LPJR]

Weather was gorgeous with the exception of the one day. Winds were unusually high, although the owner said winds are high in Kansas this time of year..However, each day had 20-25 mph steady gusts which was tough..

The turkeys definitely were a challenge, especially with the bow. But I wouldn't have changed a thing.

I wish these times lasted forever....

Each day was better than the next. My son LOVED driving the Polaris Ranger 500 after turkey hunting while looking for coyotes and sheds with the AR 15...

Edited April 13, 2021 by LPJR