First Missed Bird Today????

[jayslim]

I've been turkey hunting now for 5 or 6 years and I missed my first bird this morning at 30 yards in the woods.  In my head, I knew before I shot I was potentially taking a bad shot attempt.  I had to shot through some twigs and small brush, but I could see his head pretty good.  Looking back on it now I would have waited for the bird either to give me a good clear shot or let him walk away in hopes of calling him back up later.

Now here is the question do I let him rest or get back after him in the morning?

[turkey slayer]

If you have more places to hunt then I would give him a break

[Basser69]

If you have more places to hunt then I would give him a break

X 2 Give him a day or two to calm down

[harvester]

I would get back in there but with different calls and setup. Change up everything.

[Hognutz]

If you go back after him, I would definitely use a completely different call and set up. He may still be hot and shootable.

[bowhunter84]

If you go back after him, I would definitely use a completely different call and set up. He may still be hot and shootable.

[TrackeySauresRex]

I'd give him a day or two as well...Then mix it up

[jayslim]

It looks as though I'm going to give him a break for a couple of days.  I'm going to a buddies place tomorrow morning and have church Sunday morning. So I'm going to get back after him Monday morning and try new calls and try to come in from another direction.

The funny thing is I haven't pulled the trigger on a bird in 2 years due to letting other people shoot first and my first shot I booger it up  

[BrowningGuy88]

It looks as though I'm going to give him a break for a couple of days.  I'm going to a buddies place tomorrow morning and have church Sunday morning. So I'm going to get back after him Monday morning and try new calls and try to come in from another direction.

The funny thing is I haven't pulled the trigger on a bird in 2 years due to letting other people shoot first and my first shot I booger it up  

It happens -- if you hunt enough, eventually you will miss! The next will make it better!

[jayslim]

It looks as though I'm going to give him a break for a couple of days.  I'm going to a buddies place tomorrow morning and have church Sunday morning. So I'm going to get back after him Monday morning and try new calls and try to come in from another direction.

The funny thing is I haven't pulled the trigger on a bird in 2 years due to letting other people shoot first and my first shot I booger it up  

It happens -- if you hunt enough, eventually you will miss! The next will make it better!

I agree its all part of the game of hunting. It was still a great hunt and I thank the good Lord for every bit of it.

I've already been blessed to be able to call up a good friend of mine's first bird this year, which he is getting mounted. (11 ¼" beard, 1 1/8" spurs, 20+ lbs) That joker strutted for an hour.

[Beretta686]

If you ain't missed them, you're not hunting. If someone says they have never missed a turkey, then they haven't hunted turkeys too long.

Welcome to the club.

Let it cool for a couple of days and give him the soft stuff with a little scratching in the leaves.

[trkehunr93]

If you ain't missed them, you're not hunting. If someone says they have never missed a turkey, then they haven't hunted turkeys too long.

Welcome to the club.

Let it cool for a couple of days and give him the soft stuff with a little scratching in the leaves.

  Set up on a different ridge/side of the field, whatever your hunting and come at him w/ clucks, purrs and scratching in the leaves.  Use a wing if you have one, your hat or a gloved hand patted against your leg will sound like a wing beat.

[hookedspur]

I would get back in there but with different calls and setup. Change up everything.

hes callable then hes killable just move on him and switch it up some ....

[PANYHunter]

That sucks you missed but it happens to the best of us.  If the shot didn't spook him too much and they arent too pressured  you can probably go back to the same spot and kill him.  

[AndyH]

I'd go back after him in the morning. Maybe with a different setup. I wouldn't worry about switching calls.