Letting one go

[Strick9]

I have been hunting the same bird for two years previously, this season makes 3 years of chasing him. I would say the tally is about 12 hunts on him.

I have had the opportunity to see him on about 1/3 of those occasions but yesterday was different.

I can't really tell you how it was different it just was. Everything felt different actually. There was no anxiety, no rush, no worry of work nothing but bliss. The old bird lit off a couple of gobbles to which I responded to out from under a huge live oak. He flew down hit the ground right in the middle of the oak flat about 80 yards away and gobbled. It was chilly enough to see his gobble steamed breath.

His hens began singing to him and I joined in with them. One of the hens had the prettiest assembly call I have ever heard. He gobbled again more steam. The hens circled me looking and scratching. He gobbled again strutting and drumming now at 50 yards.

Gun up as he moved in closer. The next 30 minutes were the best show I have seen in awhile. The gun well,  I just put it down.. I just wasn't mad at that old rascal anymore.

Now on to find one I don't like so much.

[renegade19]

 

[SteelerFan]

 

[OldSchool]

Congrats on a great hunt!! Success doesn't necessarily have to be measured by birds killed. You won the game and he's alive to gobble another day.

Bob

[KYHeadhunter02]

If I fought with him that long I probably would have ended the battle. Either way it sounds like it's a memory you will never forget! Sounds very humbling.

[Gobble!]

Weird.

[Happy]

I get that. Totally respect it also. Sometimes it's enough to know you won. Even if he doesn't.

[spaightlabs]

I like that hunt and outcome a lot!  Well done, one for the memory books.

Not all successful hunts end with a bang.

[Rapscallion Vermilion]

Well done.  I admire that in a hunter.

[TRG3]

Your experience in letting that ol' gobbler go just reinforces what I tell those who get discouraged with their lack of success in that the animal you are hunting must win every time you hunt him, but you only have to win once.

[Chilly]

Good story, I felt like I was there with ya!

[darn2ten]

Props! I did basically the same thing 2 years ago. Chased a bird for 2 years. Had 4 encounters with him on the last year. Should of been dead on the 2nd encounter at less than 20 yards, but my bolt wasn't all the way closed and nothing happened when I squeezed the trigger. I got on him on the next to the last day of the season about 12 noon. It was our 4th encounter and I finally got him to about 15 yards in front of me. I put the bead on his head and clicked the safety off. After about 30 seconds I clicked it back on. Just didn't feel right, he had made it all season and something just told me to let him live. I had never done that before, but was content just to watch him walk away. I got everything I wanted from that bird and was fine with the ending.

[Fullfan]

Good deal, just wondering how long you have been turkey hunting ??  I started in 1976 and have knocked down close to 200 gobblers. I have had remorse after I killed a bird that had whipped me several times. Knowing that I would never get to chase that bird again.

I have let several walk, just did not have the need to kill or was not all that angry at him. It felt good knowing I could have killed the gobblers that I let walk. And I left the woods with a big smile on my face on the days I let the birds live.

My hat is off to you for letting him walk...

[mgm1955]

Congrats on a great hunt!! Success doesn't necessarily have to be measured by birds killed. You won the game and he's alive to gobble another day.

Bob

[GobbleNut]

It is admirable that you chose not to pull the trigger on him.  I don't think I would have done what you did,...but it is admirable just the same.  I have passed on shooting a lot of birds in my time, but if I've hunted a specific bird for three years straight, he is most likely going to get his snood slammed in the dirt when I finally get the chance.