The one quote I use to explain turkey hunting with a bow is from Mike Tyson: “Everyone has a plan ‘till they get punched in the mouth.”
I hunt turkeys in Southeast Nebraska. The primary subspecies is a hybrid of Merriam’s and a game-farm variety. They tend to be predictable in their daily habits. This predictability leads to optimism and fool proof plans that transform into frustration and some of the best hunting stories.
A popular technique during shotgun season is called “run and gun.” The theory behind this strategy is to stay mobile. Get in front of where the turkeys are heading. Adjust as needed. When archery hunting this is difficult. The challenge arises from having to draw back a bow in close proximity to the turkeys.
As a result I tend to go with a strategy called “posting up” during archery season. This consists of setting up a blind in an area that holds turkeys and waiting for their curiosity to get the best of them. The blind solves the problem of drawing back the bow and allows Rod (my dad) to take naps, drink Coke, and eat Snickers.
For my first successful turkey harvest of 2017 I had a plan.
1. Set up the blind in the turkeys’ natural path
2. Watch the turkeys fly down from the roost and work towards me
3. Once in bow range take aim and make a perfect shot
4. Hi-five Rod, take some pictures and send them to my friends
5. Eat breakfast by 9:00 a.m.
On paper it is the perfect plan, until I got punched in the mouth…
Set up the blind in the turkeys’ natural path – This was relatively easy. I made up an excuse that I couldn’t be down the night before and had Rod pack the blind half a mile and set it up. Still on plan.
Watch the turkeys fly down from the roost and work towards me – We heard the turkeys gobble on the roost (still on plan). But we never saw them fly down. We assumed they flew down on the other side of the draw and figured they would still work our direction. I started some light calling and stayed put. Still on plan.
Once in bow range take aim and make perfect shot – This is where I got punched in the mouth. First, the turkeys skirted the hill side and ended up on the opposite side of us. Two hens responded to my calls and I could see the hens working 200 yards away. The tom showed up. He headed towards the decoys on a dead sprint. Three jakes followed. Something happened. The tom came into 40 yards, did a 180 and left with the jakes. We stayed put. Increasing our calling.
This adjustment worked and the two hens came into the decoys. They didn’t like the attitude of our decoy and started to ruffle feather. The commotion gained the attention of the entire flock. It wasn’t long and 7 jakes and 10+ hens surrounded the blind. I picked out the closest jake. Settled my pin on the turkey’s head (a new philosophy that I thought would result in a kill or clean miss). And gently touched my release.
My philosophy held true and resulted in a miss. Disappointment and a sense of urgency filled my mind. I nocked another arrow. Took aim of a different jake. Settled in. Gently touched my release and connected with my target.
A frantic flop ensued. With a jolt of adrenaline the turkey go to its feet and moved to about 40 yards. Confident in my shot I watched the turkey lie down only to be harassed by the other jakes. Now I have to decide if I take another shot and risk spooking everything or wait for my shot to finish what it was intended to do.
I opted for the latter only to watch my prey get up and leave my range of vision. I decided it was time to get mobile. I left the blind and crested a hill. I saw my turkey standing in the grass. Took aim and missed. The turkey took off and I pursued. I caught up with him in the timber. Down to my last arrow I connected one final time and was able to put my hands on the bird that will provide my family pure protein. Adjusted the plan.
High five Rod, take some pictures and send them to my friends – With my prey in hand I captured the experience with pictures. The text messages to my friends resulted in catching some “crap” for shooting a jake (this will be another blog topic). Back on plan.
Eat Breakfast by 9:00 a.m. – It was a little later than 9:00 am by the time I got home. I chose a celebratory Busch Light over breakfast. However I successfully achieved my goal. Plan Completed.
How does this apply to business?
In business you need a plan. A strategy that will help you achieve your overall objectives. As situations change you need to adjust your plan keeping your original goals in mind.
Persistence is a strong quality. However, one should be aware of their current environment and not be afraid to make changes as needed. Blockbuster, Kodak and Encyclopedia Britannica are three examples of companies that stuck to their plan. Didn’t make adjustments. And as a result suffered major losses and are now business case studies of “what not to do.”
Five Questions
1. Do you have a current strategy in place?
2. How often do you need to review this strategy?
3. What market risks does your business currently face?
4. What adjustments do you need to make to turn these risks into opportunities?
5. What conditions need to be met before you make these changes?
Hopefully these get you started. Remember one thing: You’re going to have to earn it.