Now that it's over for just about all of us. I like to know how everyone screwed up this year. For me I'd have write a book, but I'll hit all my big blunders.
1. On the 3rd morning of the season I got in a calling contest with a guy on the otherside of the fence. We had a very hot bird in the middle, on my ground. I decide to shut up and sit tight and hope the bird would come my way. Well a voice inside my head said get up and move to a ridge top about 80 yards away. I didn't listen to it and a few minutes later a second bird that had not gobbled strutted out about 60 yards from where I was hiding. If I had moved I'd would have had about 15 to 20 yard shot. He stuck around just long enough to get my hopes up then went off to find the other gobbler. The voice in your head is usually right.
2. I was walking down a gravel road about 10 o'clock one morning and stopped to do some loud cutting on a diaphragm. I struck a gobble about 200 yards away. I slip down into the bottom to a small creek and hit the crow call. A bird sounds off close, I thought he was on the other side of the creek, but I could see the other side and could shoot 25 yards past the opposite side. In all my wisdom I decide to cross it instead of sitting down. Three steps later I get busted by a nice tom. That one tee'd me off. He was all alone and looking for company.
3. The last weekend in MS I found a hot bird on the roost and had him fired up once he hit the ground. He sounded like he hung up, so I decide to move just a few yards. Got busted again he was standing on the logging road heading to me. I closed my eyes, hoping he wouldn't see me, but when I opened them he was gone.
That's just the errors I made that I know costed me birds, I'm sure there are many others that I'm not aware of. I also spooked two more, but if I had that one back to do over I'd still play it the same way.
On opening morning here in AR I was hunting with my brother who has never killed a longbeard. We were backed up in a brush pile in a clear cut about 75 yards from the big timber along a creek drainage and about 125 yards from a HOTT gobbler on the roost. The bird flew down and gobbled and strutted along the edge of the big timber just out of sight for 15 or 20 minutes and then got quiet. I told him to get ready!! Somehow the bird slipped past us and a few minutes later we hear him drumming behind us!! The brush pile was about 75 yards long. He started a gobbling and drumming frenzy directly behind us for 10 or 15 minutes that was making me lose all rational thought...lol
I told my brother the gobbler was going to get bored and walk off or walk around the end of the brush pile 3 or 4 steps from his gun barrel and spook. I reasoned our best chance was to get turned around and then ease up and shoot him over the brush pile. It was high enough in the spot we were that we stood straight up and still could not see the bird. I suggested we crouch down and move a couple steps to the right where the brush pile was not as tall. We stood up high enough to see over and the bird gobbled and I had him pinpointed behind some brush at about 16-18 steps. I was looking down the barrel when his head popped up above the brush. I started a plea of "there he is, shoot him" to which I heard "where?, I can't see him"!!! This went on for several seconds before the gobblers head ducked behind the brush. The next thing we saw was a gobbler on the wing and we give him at least $20 worth of HTL without cutting a feather.
I wish I would have just let it play out. The gobbler was hot enough we could have let him walk away and called him back after a move, but I was so anxious for my brother to kill him. My brother was mad I didn't shoot him, but I could care less about that.
Earlier this year, I was telling a novice turkey hunter that I rate my season, not by how many birds I kill, but by how many times I really screw-up and blow an opportunity to kill a bird. This year I pulled a trick out of the "it seldom works play book, but what have you got to loose." Several years ago I was talking with Cuz Strickland and we were discussing bumping birds while moving and the dreaded, nervous cluck, cluck, putt, putt, putt, cluck, cluck, putt, putt which signals that you've been seen and the bird is alert, nervous, and usually means "game over." Cuz said that when he bumps a bird and it starts putting, he freezes, but immediately starts putting, clucking. and short yelping back to the bird. As Cuz said, "It seldom works, but is worth a try".
This year, I was moving on two gobblers on the roost which had sounded off to my owling. It took me about 20 minutes to cut off a ridge, down a hollow, and up to the ridge where they were. I set up and called and they gobbled on the ground off the far side of the ridge where they had been roosted. I picked up, moved, called, and they sounded like they were moving away.
I decided to move to a flat on top of the ridge and had covered about 25 yards when I got busted. As the bird started putting and fast clucking, I could barely see a white head moving @ 60 yards away at the flat on top of the ridge. I started clucking and putting, dropped to the ground and crawled to a large tree and pulled out a slate and started clucking and soft yelping, all the while callling on my diaphragm. After about a minute, the intensity of the birds putts/clucks diminished and I heard a soft yelp from the ridge top. I started cluck/purring and scratching in the leaves then shut up. Within 3-4 minutes , I caught movement to my left and saw a bird w/ swinging beard silhouetted against the early morning sky. When he stepped behind a tree, I moved my gun and when he stepped out, I clucked shapely to stop him then cleanly killed him at @ 38 yards. As I got up and ran to him I could see another gobbler and at least 4 jakes. As Cuz said, "It doesn't often work ,but when it does, It sure is sweet."
I was doing some blind calling on a new piece of land and after 15 minutes my buddy said, lets move. My feeling was to wait at least 30 minutes because it looked like a good spot. Well 20 minutes later a tom is standing next the the tree I was next to gobbling like crazy. We went after him but bumped him. From that point on, I sat tight for 1 hour per location and killed a few birds this spring doing it.
I called when I should have shut up. He was coming in on a string. I just had to make him gobble one more time. Two other hens heard me ,ran into the field,grabbed my gobbler and took him away from the new hussies in the pop up.
Good thread! A word I forget a lot is "PATIENCE". Last year I spent 4 1/2 hrs and moved and reset 3 different times to kill a bird. This year my lesson in patience was all but forgotten.
First week of the season on public land I went to a spot where I was pretty sure a bird was roosted. Didn't hear any gobbling on the limb so when I estimated it was flydown time I simulated a hen cackle/flydown. After a bit I got impatient and as I rolled up on a knee to make a move, I got busted by a nice gobbler about 50 yards away that was coming in silent.
The 3rd to the last day we struck a bird and by the time we worked to him he'd gone silent. I crawled to the edge of the field and he was out there strutting with three hens. I was sitting with my back to the field looking over my shoulder and was turning back into the woods to direct my buddies on what to do. I decided that the bird 80-90 yards away wouldn't see me if I slowly turned and rolled onto my stomach. WRONG. He didn't spook and run, but he did a 180 and walked away from us. We killed him the next morning though... ;D
Mistake #1. Being to shy and not asking enough questions before season. I found myself in situations I wasn't prepared for.
Mistake #2. Not being prepared for situations I found myself in.
The only mistake I mad this year was not closing the deal when I had the chance. I have an honest 40 yard 20 gauge with no room to spare and let three toms walk away at what turned out to be 35 steps, but I wasn't sure when they we standing there.
Another mistake some said I made was watching the show too long. I let 4 more gobblers walk past because I enjoyed watching them strut, gobble, and breed hens. I could have killed each one multiple times the respective days I called them in, but I just kept saying I will shoot him in a minute and then he would disappear behind a bush or step out of range.
All in all I had a great year. Called in 10 toms and 6 jakes. 3 of the toms took a dirt nap from my hunting partners gun. Learned a lot - the main one being you don't have to shoot everyone you call up. I left a lot of gobblers on our place and Lord's willing I will put my tags on a few of them next year.
#1 - Not getting to a couple spots early enough in the morning.
#2 - Not moving in on a couple gobblers soon enough. Another hunter heard them too and moved in b4 I could. It didn't hurt too bad, cause I never heard a shot from his location.
#3 - While using my DB Blind, I hunted along the edge of the woods and field when I SHOULD have been 50yds out into the field. That way, I could have covered the area between me and the woods plus another 40yds out into the field. I would have doubled my covered area. Cost me a bird that morning.
#4 - Not exactly a mistake, but I need to work on my mouth calling more. I'm OK ( I think ), but know I could be better.
I took two weekends off in the middle of the season. That was my mistake.
Quote from: 2ounce6s on May 31, 2012, 01:20:12 PM
3rd mistake
Killing a blonde phase turkey and posting pictures of it on the internet with no intention of having it mounted. :)
If ya kill another one, post the pics. The only ones like that I'll ever see are on the internet. I don't care if your mounting him or not.
Quote from: guesswho on May 31, 2012, 01:29:05 PM
Mistake #1. Being to shy and not asking enough questions before season. I found myself in situations I wasn't prepared for.
Mistake #2. Not being prepared for situations I found myself in.
Ronnie
You should know by now that you DONT wear blaze orange in Bama during turkey season ! :funnyturkey:
#1
Jerking the trigger on a long beard in the first half hour of my first hunt in MO. Shot a real nice notch in an oak tree about 15 yards from me and the bird took off like a fighter jet up thru the trees. I did shoot a long beard about 150 yards away 3 days later.
#2
Not pulling the trigger on a long beard in KS. Thought I'd let him get a little closer, hen putted and that was that. Thank goodness it was tag #2.
#3
Deciding on opening day in MI that I did not want to shoot one of the 3 gobblers in front of me as you only get 1 tag here. Never got close to shooting one again. Got to spend some quality time with my Thermacell!
Quote from: 2ounce6s on May 31, 2012, 02:15:10 PM
Did mistake #2 have anything to do with camo flip flops?
:-X :laugh:
Quote from: vaturkey on May 31, 2012, 02:32:46 PM
You should know by now that you DONT wear blaze orange in Bama during turkey season ! :funnyturkey:
They should make that a rule so people won't mess up.
One of the few times i used decoys the field had a small roll in it,i thought the gobbler could see them when he came across the field but he passed by at about 75yds and went back into the woods.After about a 1/2 hour i got him to come back out and he came out in the same spot and went back across the field.After he was gone i walked out to where he crossed the field and looked back to where i was sitting and as tall as i am i couldnt even see the decoys.Oh well theres always next year.
My dad and I had 2 toms and 3 hens roosted, and they went into the trees kind of in between 2 fields separated by some brush. We figured they land on the same side they took off from. Well low and behold, the next morning they landed in the other field, on the other side of the brush from where we were setup. If we were smart, we would have placed one of us in each field, or at least facing the other one. Had one of us been on the other side of the brush, the first tom down would have been within 30 yards as soon as he hit the ground. We could have almost set up back to back looking at each field, and one of us could have killed him.
I have shot some very nice bull elk with my bow, this was the first year I have hunted turkey with a bow and for some reason I was rushing my shots and missed every time so I have yet to take a turkey with a bow. Maybe next year.
REAL turkey hunters don't make mistakes. :wave:
I prefer to call them Presidential Choices, and I made my share of em again this year.
Two stand out in my mind that I would hit the rewind button on if I could.
1. During the last weekend of the Missouri season, I was taking my kids. I had been weaning them off of hunting out of a blind--Partly because they enjoyed and had success in Kansas when we went chasing some, and partly because I hate hunting out of blinds and want the kids to learn how not to have to rely on them. I had a group of six jakes come in and I told my 10 year old to shoot before he was ready. He had it in his mind where he wanted the birds to be and I should have let him make that call--instead I told him to shoot and he missed. Lesson learned. It all worked out the next morning when I called another one in and he didn't miss--and it was packing an 11" rope.
2. I was hunting public in the Black Hills. I had filled my two Prairie unit tags in South Dakota and had one left. I was calling to a group of birds that were making their way down a trail. I was set up right on the edge of National Forest and private. I had about a 10 yard wide window of opportunity before they would get behind some brush and get on private ground--No problem, though. There were 3 hens with three toms in tow in full strut that were going to go right by me The first two hens passed by at 25 steps and the third one which had lagged behind them took off running to catch up. When the toms saw that hen run, they took off running after her. I went from a sure thing to having to take action before they went through the shooting lane. I made a quick call to stop them and
it worked. Only problem was that two heads stuck up together and I only had one tag left--There was a day in my past.....well nevermind.....I couldn't shoot and they took off again. I stopped them the second time just in time, but rushed my shot and missed.
No patience this year. Should have sat longer in some spots.
Didn't hunt all day even though we can here. When I was at home, I wanted to be out hunting. When I was out hunting, kept thinking about things that should be getting done at home.
Didn't hear or see a gobbler so there was nothing to screw up on that front.
First mistake was not waiting for a better shot on a gobbler. I let the pressure of trying to get my first Osceola make me take a shot that was less than perfect. Second mistake was misjudging distance on a gobbler in a field. Next year I will practice more patience and learn to judge distance better. I felt like a rookie all over again this year. But I was still blessed with one gobbler. I took him at 10 yards. I almost let him get too close. But I had to wait for a good clear shot. I can not wait until next year. One thing to remember guys. Learn from your midtakes. It will make you a better hunter.
Made many mistakes as always but my top three were:
1. Never let someone who your are hosting from out of state convince you that they know more about the birds on your private ground than you do. Busted birds off the roost twice by going in down the road (easy) vs. going through the woods (rough).
2. Don't think you are a better caller than you are. Real hens are always more convincing.
3. Late season birds are not likely to come out into the open when they have been pressured. I was trying to get a bird for a friend and knew where a Tom had been using. He was henned up but was usually alone by 10:30. We went in at 10:00 and were able to get him to answer excited cutting once. I knew where he was so we eased along a field edge along some young hardwoods. I decided to call again to see where he was he answered and was much closer <100yds. I saw an opening in the hardwoods about 20 yds. off of the field edge and suggested we make our way in there to set up. My friend was scared he would not be able to see for a shot in the woods so we sat on the field edge near the opening. We were then treated to the sounds of a turkey spitting, drumming and gobbling for the next 45min. in the spot I wanted to set up. The brush was just to thick to get a shot. :goofball:
My biggest mistake was not going with my gut feeling on were to set up or when to move. On the youth hunt with my daughter I wanted her to get this bird that I had taken a lot of pictures of. I was scouting a area the day before and found a lot of sine in a area that had a lot of scratchings around a good looking roost tree. I scouted this area before the youth hunt and heard 3 different birds in the area. We ended up setting up on the bird that I had taken pictures of and had a fisherman bust him out of the roost at daybreak.
My dad was in the area were I had a gut feeling of setting up and sure enough there were 3 toms roosted in the same tree were I thought they would be. I did manage to get set up on these birds and called them in and she did get a shot but missed. The second weekend of season I had another gut feeling on setting up in a open area of a thicket that was right off the road with my daughter. But we sat up the blind on the backside of the thicket on the field edge hoping to get the bird in the field. Sure enough the bird was in the thicket gobbling his head off, he gobbled 280 times. We was moving on the bird and was going to come in on him from the road and he was right up against the road. We had to cross a creek and got set up and called the bird to about 40 yds we could here him drumming and thought for sure he would pop up over the hill. We gave him about 45 min and then I got up and moved towards were I last heard him and the I realized the the creek made a v and we were sitting in it and he would not cross it.
The middle of the second week I was set up on a bird and the first gobble on the roost my gut told me to move to a point. I then heard a hen behind me and decided I would sit tight and wait him out. The hen moved off the other way from him and I decided to try to make it to the point and got busted.
So next year I will listen to my gut feeling for sure.
Patience and calling to much. On opening day I had a huge gobbler come in to within 50 yds and gobble for about 45 min. He finally had enough of my hen talk and went right back from where he came. My ignorance cost me probably the biggest gobbler of my hunting career so far. I have learned a valuable lesson and will fix it next season. :newmascot:
(1) Broke my own #1 rule, "When you think it's time to move, wait 10 more minutes". Had a gobbler answering and he went silent. 30 minutes later I thought he must have walked off so I got up to move instead of waiting 10 more minutes and busted him at 50 yards or so.
(2) Wait a few minutes longer for the first gobbles on overcast mornings instead of running off into the woods and having to hurry half way across the tract when you finally do hear a morning gobble.
I made a HUGE mistake this season. Earlier in the year I bought a NEF 10ga and patterned it with the HeviShot magblends. It was putting up a good pattern dead centered left and right but about a foot high and the sights were as low as they could go. I thought "No Problem" I'll just aim at the point where his beard is attached to his body and kill him dead. I was a bit leary of taking it hunting so opening day I hunted with my 870 SM and killed one. After that I began packing the 10ga. About seven days into the season I was hunting on some public ground. I arrived before daylight and made my way towards a bird gobbling on the roost. I worked that bird for three hours, made about four different setups and he finally gave up and started coming to me. I didn't see him until he was about 60yds away and before I knew it he was on top of me at 15yds spittin and drumming. He put on a real show. I've been turkey hunting for 16yrs and shooting turkeys in the head the whole time. In all the excitement I forgot to aim where the beard is attached like planned. Needless to say at 15yds the pattern was like a rifle bullet and when I aimed at his head I probably shot about a foot over him! Still bummed about that one!! It was a tough season for me in Ky because I wasn't able to hunt one of my best spots and the birds were far and few between. I never got another real opportunity at another bird.
Worst mistake I've ever made in the turkey woods but hey if you haven't missed your not hunting much or your a liar, LOL
I had four birds gobbling on the roost one morning i close proximity to one another and directly above me on the ridge. They always come down into a bottom where i was already set up so i gave em some light tree talk which they ripped up, and i waited for flydown. They ended up getting around me to my right unseesn, but within 75 yds. For the next hour we talked back and forth, atleast four gobblers and not a hen to be heard. They refused to come, even after the silent treatment, so i got aggressive and laid on some fighting purrs which had them burning the woods down but still wouldnt budge. Finally they quit talking and after 30 mins of silence i picked up and slowly moved the direction i last heard them. Within thirty yds of moving, i immediately spied a hen running hard uphill and away from me. Then another, and another, and another....12 to 15 hens, five or six jakes, and three strutters bringing up the rear, who never even broke strut, just followed the hens the other way. I circled them to no avail...
I didn't make any mistakes. I've become a well-oiled hunting machine in the woods, so unlike mere mortals, blunders are beneath me. If you believe this, give me a call. I have some oceanfront property I could let go real cheap! ;D
The biggest mistake I made was starting to hunt these dad blasted birds in the first place >:( ;D
Too many to detail but the usual suspects. Moved when I should have stayed put. Stayed put when I should have moved. Gave up with the sun still up. Too stubborn. Too loose.
1st one was a bad set up (thick cover) on a bird that went silent. He came in on a sneak to get a peek and didn't like what he saw. Less than 20 and couldn't get the shot off. Busted bird.
2nd bird I had a nice tom hang up between 60/70 yards struttin back and forth. Then Mr. Fox decides to take a run at my Tom. He flew off.. New set up.. I get a bird going good... and start thinkin about what happened with the hung up bird. I'm thinkin decoy time he'll see it and come rite in.... WRONG!... Man I hate them deeks. Busted bird
I still had a great season harvesting 3 mature birds ;D
First year out, bagged a longboard morning of my second day. I think that must have been complete beginners luck combined with the worlds stupidest Tom. I'm sure my calling sounded ridiculous.
One more tag, last day out. Not a thing in the woods for three different days. Walking back to the truck, decoy bag swinging from my shooting shoulder, gun over my other shoulder. Walk past a clearing and there's a turkey putzing around at thirty yards. We looked at each other, I shouldered my gun as he was lifting off. Flat out miss with first barrel, flat out miss with second barrel. I'll never get surprised like that again. Kind of embarrassing for a wing and clay shooter.