Yesterday morning I experienced one of the worst feelings in hunting...I missed a bird because of stupid mistake.
Bird gobbled on the roost infrequently. Heard two or three hens near him. Heard multiple birds fly down and then he gobbled. Never answered one of my calls. Over an hour later, I saw him cross the road at about 80 yards away. I gave it 30 or so minutes before me and my buddy walked down the road and made a loop on him. Got to an intersection a few hundred yards down the road and threw a series of yelps and clucks into the block. He answered immediately. He was around the corner at the end of a food plot. We were stuck at the corner. My buddy decided to ease back down the road the way we had come and yelped. He answered every call and was closing the distance. The only spot I could set up on was a dirt mound covered in briars. I laid on my side on the dirt mound with my gun pointed towards the intersection waiting on him to round the corner. I didn't want to hold my gun up the entire time (mistake) so I thought I could rest my gun on the dirt mound and pick it up when I thought he was closer. Needless to say, he popped around the corner quicker than I thought and I rushed and picked up my gun ever so slightly. He saw the movement and spooked and I shot. Didnt cut a feather.
Missing stings. Missing stings worse when it happens due a complete rookie mistake. When the bird is coming... HAVE YOUR GUN UP.
We have all had similar experiences, I suspect. The problem, as I have discovered over the years, is that the perfect set-up where one can maintain the required positioning for shooting, and hold there indefinitely, is quite often not achievable in a lot of situations like you describe.
Often, for many of us, I think, quick set-ups are not going to provide ideal conditions. We assess the situation as best we can in the spur of the moment, make decisions based on what we think is going to happen, and hope the gobbler sees things the same way we do...and follows the script we have formulated for them in our minds.
Unfortunately, gobblers seem to have a mind of their own about when and where they are going to show themselves. All too often, it is "when and where" we least expect it. It is awfully easy to end up shaking our heads over the resulting negative outcome of those encounters. Too bad that "20/20 hindsight" thing doesn't take place a bit earlier. ;D
Had a similar situation, rushed setup as the bird closed the distance fast and was behind two hens. They came to 15 yards and fed by. He offered a shot at the max range of my M/L and I just missed. I was sitting in a weird position, back all hunched and holding myself still with mostly my legs. I was actually sore for a week after I was so twisted in knots.
I don't make near as many "rookie mistakes" as I used to. But, TRUST ME........ I'm still fully capable of it. :help:
Missing sucks, I've done it far more than I care to admit.
Still, it's better than rolling one. That will make you hate life for at least a few days.
Rolling one? Need a definition here! Haven't heard that term
" rookie mistakes", Seems to sum up my entire ~25 years of fooling with turkeys!
Quote from: chingson on April 16, 2025, 09:03:12 AMRolling one? Need a definition here! Haven't heard that term
You shoot, he rolls over and flops like he is dead. You stand up to claim your prize and off he goes. I had that happen once and there is not a worse feeling in the world of turkey hunting. He flew right towards my nephew who watched him go down and flopping in the palmettos but he was not sure exactly where I was and did not want to rush him. Went and found a pile of feathers there too, never found the bird. I just told me brother today that is the one that still bugs me the most.