Editor’s Note: Longtime CVA Pro Chad Schearer of Great Falls, Montana, host of the TV show “Shoot Straight with Chad Schearer” on the Sportsman Channel. Chad gives us some insight on his Tennessee turkey hunt.
For those of you who don’t hunt with your wives you are missing out on a lot of fun and camaraderie. Being the gentlemen that I am I though I would let my wife shoot first on camera while filming our Tennessee turkey hunt. Some may say that was awful kind of me, but in all actuality it was for selfish motives. This way I knew how big of a turkey I had to get to win our longest beard competition. Oh, and I forgot to tell her the competition was on until after she shot. The weather forecast called for rain, however we were on a limited schedule and decided to hunt anyway. Our good buddy, Ted Bratcher had set up a ground blind close to a roosting area and we felt that was the best option with weather conditions we were dealing with.
Even while still dark we could hear birds all around us within minutes as the sun was coming up we saw some turkeys pitching down. Making some soft hen yelps the turkeys got even closer to the blind. But unfortunately they were all jakes, all 7 of them. They came right in to the blind by next season they would make for some even better hunting. As the rain started to let up we decided to run and gun looking for a longbeard.
We drove into another area and used a crow call immediately we had a gobbler answer us 300 yards away. At that moment the sky turned dark, thunder rolled and lightening flashed we knew a bad storm was close and about to hit. The bird was gobbling at not only our calls but at the sounds from the storm. As much as we hated to pull back we had to take cover to protect ourselves and our camera gear. The next morning we came back to the same area hoping to catch him on the roost. With Marsha running camera Ted and I had planned on doing some buddy calling if we could locate this bird. And locate this bird we did, right away he answered to my owl call. He was within 100 yards of where we heard him the night before. We moved quiet and quickly to get set up before he pitched down. I was thankful to have my Cabela’s Couch Potato turkey vest as there were no trees to lean against. We were within 50 yards of his roost tree and I thought he was going to get laryngitis from the amount of gobbling he was doing. I felt this was a done deal. However, he pitched down and went the opposite direction. Ted and I began our buddy calling with soft yelps. He answered a few times and then became silent. We quit calling in hopes he would come looking for us. Ten minutes later with my CVA Optima Elite lying on my lap I heard Marsha say, “Left!” This gobbler was 10 yards off my shoulder. He started to cluck and I knew it was now or never. I slowly cocked the hammer and beat my wife. I had just put the smack down on a 22 lb. 11 inch beard and 1 ¼” spur Eastern gobbler. Yes, I beat my wife by 1 inch. Next time, I was informed that I shoot first!
Being originally from the great state of Tennessee prior to marring my husband, Chad Schearer who swept me away from the Smoky Mountains to the mountains of Montana you can imagine how excited I was to get the opportunity to hunt Tennessee turkeys.
The season had been open for a week or so, but I was looking forward to taking my CVA Optima elite (www.cva.com) in pursuit of a big ole’ tom.
Chad and I headed out early morning and set up in a blind that our good friend Ted Bratcher had all ready for us. We had the birds fired up and were sure this was going to happen quickly, but the turkeys didn’t get my memo and had other plans. They pitched down on the back side of the blind and went down behind us out of range.
With the hens nesting early we decided to change tactics and become mobile. We waited until it was safe to move out of the blind not to mess it up for another early morning hunt, since we knew the turkeys were in the area. It was great to have Matt Sloan with Sloans Super Center out of Murefreesboro, TN (www.sloansmotercycle.com) set us up with an electric Polaris Ranger to make our move quick and quiet.
It wasn’t long before we found a very vocal tom. We knew we had better set up quick. Just as we were picking the area to hunker down and get ready there he was a nice tom strutting right towards us. I was so thankful I had my Couch Potatoe Cabela’s turkey vest (www.Cabelas.com) and was able to get comfortable immediately. Chad began calling and I turned on my Konus Atomic sight (www.Konus.com ) so I was ready to make my shot. Oh, I failed to mention my nephew Adam, from Montana was with us on this hunt. He was staying back and lying low but wanting to see this hunt unfold. But boy was I glad he was there, because the tom started to hang up on us and just out of range at about 90 yards. Then I spotted 2 hens and knew we had some competition. It’s hard to compete with the real thing . We had a decoy with us but didn’t put it out because the tom was already in sight. But after the scenario was changing we decided we had better try to ease it out there. Adam belly crawled up to me with the decoy and when the turkey was fanned with his tail to me I lied down to ease the decoy out in view. But I didn’t plan on the turkey turning and locking in right on the decoy. But that is exactly what happened. I was caught lying on my side with my gun down. This tom was in love with this decoy! He instantly started strutting and moving right towards me. I heard Chad say, “Marsha you’ve got to get your gun up fast!” I knew I was going to have to make one quick motion and be ready to take my shot. Chad told me he was at 65 yards but I had confidence in my CVA and was going to make my move. As Chad was running the camera, I whispered to him, “you on him?” He knew I was going for it. With a “yes” reply I thought I had better do it now before I chickened out. I cocked my hammer of my Optima Elite, set my sight on this long beard all in one motion and hammered him. I jumped up so fast and just took my first Tennessee turkey! I was pumped! My CVA did the job, again! I took a 21 lb. turkey with a 10 inch beard and 1 inch spurs. The celebration had begun! Oh, I was glad I had given Adam a Buck knife so he could dress his first turkey www.Buckknives.com what a great way to end an outstanding day in the woods.
Editor’s Note: Longtime CVA Pro Chad Schearer of Great Falls, Montana, host of the TV show “Shoot Straight with Chad Schearer” on the Sportsman Channel. Chad gives us some insight on his Tennessee turkey hunt.