Spooking Turkeys

[Dhamilton1]

Every year it seems like I inadvertently spook a turkey ���. Makes me sick when it happens.

Today was no different.

I decided to hunt my grandparents property, less than 50 acres, since I was taking my son there to be babysat anyways. (He hasn't seen his Nunna in a while since they live an hour away).

I've never turkey hunted there before but my grandpa has been seeing a couple nice gobblers in the evenings (can't hunt past 1 pm in WV), so I hoped to get in the mix.

Anyways, not a peep all morning. Got up around 9:30 to move spots and spooked one that was down over the hill. Never knew it was there, not sure if it was a hen or gobbler. Just a loud putt and wing flaps then saw it sail off.

To finally get to my questions, if you spooked the only bird on the property, would you 1) go towards where he flew to in the hopes to catch up with him and 2) do you think he would come back to the spot he was?


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[joey46]

Since Grandpa saw more than one I'd wait in the same area and call a while. It's a crap shoot whatever you chose.  Good luck.

[bbcoach]

Don't sweat it.  They get spooked just about every day so get back in there tomorrow morning.  He or she won't remember what went on this morning.  Good luck!       

[Zobo]

Believe me you are probably spooking more turkeys than you realize. If the turkeys are accustomed to seeing people which appears to be the case, then: no on question one and yes on question two.

[Tail Feathers]

Turkeys get spooked several times per day by various things.  Some real danger, some not.  They forget it soon enough, go back after him.

[Dougas]

I once shot a nice tom right at fly down. Turkeys flew all over the place to parts unknown.
Next morning, I sat in the same spot and killed a nice tom right at fly down. Turkeys flying and running all over to parts unknown. 3 days later I sat at the same spot and shot a nice tom shortly after fly down. Turkeys flying and running all over the place to parts unknown.  Next weekend, I took a buddy in there, sat in the same place and he shot an ok tom right after fly down. This time, the Turkeys just jumped and started feeding away.
The point is that sometimes they spook and never come back, but most often they don't go far and come back.

[Greg Massey]

Go back and keep hunting... Good luck, just have a little more patience...

[Tom007]

Go back and keep hunting... Good luck, just have a little more patience...

X2, they get spooked every hour, they are used to it.

[ruination]

Believe me you are probably spooking more turkeys than you realize. If the turkeys are accustomed to seeing people which appears to be the case, then: no on question one and yes on question two.

Funny.  I was set up yester morning and had a couple Jake's and hens come in.  Milling around me.  Then all of a sudden they sprinted away.  Figuring I had been made to decided to try a different turkey.

Turns out they were running away from guy walking down the path 100 yards away...yea they e been chased lol.

I only knew someone had joined me in the woods because the real of marijuana, I could followed this dude to his set up. 

PA hunters have a reputation around here ...this was a new one for me though.

[GobbleNut]

Turkeys and humans live in proximity to each other in a lot of places. They get used to each other for the most part...UNLESS the turkey learns to associate danger with those encounters with humans. In your case, it sounds like you did nothing that would make that turkey make that connection. ...And it also sounds like nobody else may be hunting around there and thereby giving those gobblers the opportunity to make that connection (to me, that is a possible "wild card" here).

I would certainly think it would be worth trying it again. I would take the time to evaluate where those gobblers are most likely to hang around on the property and/or where they are most likely to hear you calling from (and might gobble to let you know they are around) and get comfortable for a while and see what happens. On fifty acres...which ain't much...that is one time when a lot of patience is indeed a virtue.   

[nyturkeyduster]

I've shot at and missed a turkey, and killed that same bird later that day.

Don't dwell on spooking them. Its bound to happen if you hunt enough. Keep at it. 

[quavers59]

    I had a Female Dog walker with a Yellow Lab off Leash on a Trail in the Hardwoods.
  The Yellow Lab Spooked a Vocal Gobbler. I heard him Gobble 1 hour later- but a no go.

[RutnNStrutn]

Turkeys get spooked several times per day by various things.  Some real danger, some not.  They forget it soon enough, go back after him.

This!!! ^^^

[YoungGobbler]

If I spook one, I won't 'run' after it to not make him associate the sound of my calls to my presence...

And second thing, I would memorize where he was and I would go back there next morning at the same time. They often use the same places at the same times everyday...

[zelmo1]

Once or even a couple times may not matter. But constant harrasment in anyspot will push them out. I believe that they have a short memory, but repetetive behavior can be altered by negative stimulus. Don't give up on the spot, but don't blow them out either. Good luck, Z