Had a funny experience the other day and thought I would paint a funny picture of it for y'all.
I live on about 25 acres south of San Antonio. I really only have one neighbor that has a visual of any part of my property, so I try to keep that in mind when I'm down in any part of the field that can be seen from their back porch. (They seem to entertain quite a bit on that porch and back patio).

Anyway, I looked out of my back window and saw a small flock of turkey just outside of my yard. They were probably 30 yards from my back porch. I've never killed a turkey, and I've only recently decided that I was going to remedy that. So when I saw that there were a couple of nice looking toms I jumped into action. I knew that there was a short window to try to get into location to try to get a shot, so I ran to the closet and grabbed my bow. There was one arrow in the quiver, and I didn't have time to do anything but grab and go. I also happened to be wearing a pair of shorts and nothing else.

I went out the front door and snuck around the side of the house. I could see a couple of turkey, but most of them had started walking past the tank dam. I waited for a few seconds until the last two started past the dam and tried to get to the decent of the yard where I hoped to have a twenty yard shot. No luck. They were in range, but too much brush and foliage. They were still close but now I was going to have to sneak down the other side of the dam to cut them off. Problem. No shoes. But they were so close! I did a quick calculation in my head - early spring - so this year's crop of crippling stickers were not yet up. Last year's stickers buried under a thin layer of leaves and new grass. I also calculated that I might be 1/64th Comanche, and since I was hunting with a bow I might somehow draw from that to miraculously become oblivious to sharp pointy things. So I left the safety of st. Augustine grass and started picking my way up the tank dam and through the trees. I'm also now heading towards the fence line with my neighbor. I could still see a couple of birds, but I wasn't sure where the rest of them had gone. I picked up a couple of grass burrs, but was able to rake them off and continue on. I was also trying to watch for snakes and cactus as I looked and listened for the birds. I again got within distance but couldn't quite get a shot. The birds kept moving. !!@/ - got a little careless and brushed against a prickly pear. Got some of those tiny thorns right around my ankle! Went a few more yards and now I could see the neighbors fence and side of their house (still about a hundred yards away)' but I couldn't see any birds. I needed to get to the edge of the dam to see left and right, and hopefully see the birds still in range. I went a few more yards and was just about to step out of the trees that are on top of the dam when my Comanche armor had a catastrophic failure. A good sized mesquite thorn found it's way into the bottom of my foot. It was hard not to scream. There seemed to be something wrong with my eyes, water was mysteriously filling up my eyes and leaking out. I stood there on one foot and looked down at the problem. It was in there pretty deep. I set my bow down, held onto a tree and tried to get the courage up to pull out the thorn.

I probably stood there for a few minutes when I heard a car door. I looked up and could see my neighbor's wife getting into their car. Like I said she was probably a hundred yards away, and I was standing in some trees, but if I could see her she would be able to see me. Thankfully she didn't notice me and I was able to pull the thorn and limp back in defeat. I don't know where the birds got off to.
Even though it hurt (it's still sore almost a week later) I have to admit that even I would have a good laugh if I could see it on video. Please enjoy a chuckle at my expense.

Thanks for a good laugh this morning. Thanks for sharing.

Good times. Sometimes the experience we are left with is reward enough

. Not laughing at you, laughing with you. That was a great story!!

No body saw you; but we all know about it now..

Funny Story!

Good!

I'm thinking about going barefoot more often. Need to toughen my feet up. My Dad claims that when they were growing up they never wore shoes during the summer. He said that their feet were so calloused that they took needle and thread and sewed their names in the soles of their feet........of course he also walked 5 miles to school - uphill both ways.

In the snow.

lol

lol thats good! barefoot in s tex never a good idea!

Thats a good one and could picture the whole thing, btw my wife said she saw you LOL JK

Buddy... Even the Indians where smart enough to wear moccasins on their feet!!!

It wasn't the smartest move, but those birds were so close! I've got a few more stories of failures and not-so-bright ideas. I'll tell some more soon.

Cody Lundin would have some words about this topic... ha ha then again he wouldn't be hunting a turkey he'd would be trying to steal their food

good story, have you since assembled the gear a little more for the next time, like shoes close to the bow ready to go?

I'm ready for the next time, which means I won't see them anytime soon. I added a few arrows with some rage bh's and I've laid a camo shirt next to the bow. Shoes are a definite must for the next time too!