Help...shot a big gobbler an hour ago...can't find him.

[Honolua]

I had two miss fires on follow up shots and he ran up the hill.

I looked for an hour and just returned to the ground blind 15 minutes ago. Hen just flew down out of a tree in front of me 2 minutes ago.

I'm sick over this...

[2eagles]

Is it legal in your state to use dogs during spring season? If so, maybe someone with a bird dog could help. Not legal here in Iowa.

[Bama turkey hunter]

How long of a shot was it and what's ammo was you using

[strum]

I hate to say it but finding him will be like hunting a needle in a haystack.
the fact that you had time for at least two more shots ..and he ran off instead of flew tells me he is defiantly injured.
  how far he can go and where?. who knows. Im sorry it happened to ya man but all you can do is learn from it and move on.
  first thing you need to do is toss those shells and get some fresh ones.. two misfires ?..not good.
   

 

[zelmo1]

Don't panic. Get some help and go back and look. Replay the scene in your head. Do your best to find him. That is all you can do.If a dog is legal, it sounds like a good idea. Good luck. Keep us posted. We are pulling for you.

[g8rvet]

Many of us have been there.  Have a real good look around, follow the way he went out after a good wait.  Don't know how cool it is, but I even looked the next day.  Went back 4 days later and saw buzzards. Pizzed me off so much I set off in the woods to at least find my bird.  I am dumb, but I know I did not shoot the bloated possum that I found! 

I have also cleaned gobblers with torn up breast meat from rifle slug and one that had been shot in the leg, probably the season before.  I did an autopsy and found the #5 pellet. 

[Marc]

As 2eagles mentioned, I'd take a good bird dog for a walk and carry a shotgun with you...

Take the dog to the last place you saw the bird, and let him work it out...  Even with a good dog, your chances are less than marginal of finding that bird...

[SinGin]

Look in any brush piles or blown down tree tops and good luck.

[Ihuntoldschool]

If he is hurt bad he will be hiding under some thick stuff. Like suggested, look under blowdowns, old logs, big rocks, ravines, ditches. Anywhere he can hide.  I have seen them run straight to water if it is nearby.

[mgm1955]

All good suggestions. I agree about changing your ammo. Good luck.

[buck_hunter21]

Keep after it and I hope you find him. He's gonna be hiding in something thick so check everything.

How old was the ammo you were using?

[2eagles]

Hey guys. It could be a shotgun problem,not an ammo problem. A buddy shoots a Stoeger that bangs sometimes - sometimes not.

[Onpoint]

Hey guys. It could be a shotgun problem,not an ammo problem. A buddy shoots a Stoeger that bangs sometimes - sometimes not.

If it's a model 2000 It could very well be my old gun

[Honolua]

Tried to reply through tapatalk but it didn't show up. I appreciate all the help. I looked for the bird for 6 hours. Got my dog out there for a couple hours and I think he must have got off the ground because she was super birdy to a certain spot and kept circling back. I called periodically during the search so I wouldn't bump the wounded Tom. Ended up calling several other birds in and of course each time I thought it was him coming back for whatever reason.

I am super heartbroken and devastated to say the least.

OH! I forgot to mention that I went and got a Primos Double Gobble Shake call last night at Bass Pro and all I can say is WOW!

Hunt started off with me actually walking 100 yards over and 100 yards past fthe ground blind I was gonna start hunting from. I got to the top of the ridge that over looks that draw and gave a kee kee run with a Woodhaven Red Ghost and then some yelps and clucks with the same call. Then I shook the Primos Double Gobble one time.

After that, I started walking back into and across the draw to the opposite bottom pausing half way to give some louder raspy yelps and a couple clucks with a Woodhaven black wasp. I also shook that Gobble call once more.

I got to the other ground blind and sat down and gave 2 very soft purrs and a faint yelp on the cheap Tramp Stamp pot call, raked the leaves in three sequences of three and shut up.

I told a guy on here I'd buy a pot call from him and was trying to remember my paypal password after only being in the blind for a few minutes and I heard some movement. That big Tom walked out a minute later and I shot him and then everything went south.

I was skeptical about that call and would have most returned it but my friend said I should try it...

[Dr Juice]

Too bad. Get back soon with the search party and good luck.