Shooting a Gobbler standing up

[Dr Juice]

I have neither had the pleasure nor the opportunity to harvest a thunder chicken while I was standing upright 

[g8rvet]

Could not hunt opening morning many years ago.  I could get away Sunday.  A hard rain moved in that night, but since there was no lightning, I went with a buddy.  We walked our legs off all over those woods.  Never saw or heard anything.  About 11:30 we were heading down a tram to my truck and just as we could see the truck a a gobbler ran across the road about 150 yards in front of us. We both said "did you see that?" at the same time.  We formulated a plan.  Where he was headed was very thick and there were 2 places he could get out of there without flying out, or coming back the way he came.  I chose spot A and buddy went to spot B.  We hoofed it there at high speed. I already knew where I was gonna set up.  Just as I got there, I went to take a seat when a hen came by and spooked.  She ran by me at about 5 steps and took flight.  Right on her heels was Tom.  He could not have seen me, but he saw her and that was good enough for him.  I was a new turkey hunter in those days and I aimed at his head as he ran by at about 7 steps.  Needless to say, I missed and he took to the air.  Mistake.  At this point, I had blood in my eye (as my buddy likes to say) and I just said, calm down, you got this.  I let him fly far enough out to be sure I had a reasonable pattern and said to myself, "This is like shooting a Canada Goose.  Aim at his head."   I squeezed and down he went.  Ran up to him and he was flopping, quite dead. Several pellets in the head (bulged the off eye).  Only hit him in the head and neck.  He did have a broken clavicle (wish bone) where he hit the ground so hard it fractured the wish bone!  I had never had a chance to sit down or call. 

I did accidentally creep up on one in a thick swamp and he had closed the distance to me from where he was gobbling.  There were hens all around him and I guess he thought I was another hen slipping in.  I missed him through the thick stuff.  Should not have shot.  Would not shoot today as I know better.  Young and dumb I reckon.

[wvmntnhick]

I've shot several while standing. Most were in the fall but a couple while hunting in the spring. Walking to a destination and top over a small rise to find a strutting bird in from of you. No need to drop down and setup at that point. I've shot two while laying on my back years ago. Both times I'd shot at a bird in a fall flock and missed. The birds flew above me and lit in the tree above me. I'd just roll over and shoot them. Worked out well. Saves the walk to pick them up when they fall at your feet.

[Marc]

Shot them prone, sitting, and standing.  Prone was the worst cause it was way off my right side (I would probably shoot left-handed if that happened again).

Bird I shot standing was strutting 20 yards away from me in a small depression and I never saw his head.  I figured he would come out of the rise at any time, but he started walking off...  I stood up and took a couple steps to higher ground as he was strutting away from me, gave a loud cluck, and his fan dropped and so did the hammer. 

[Farmboy27]

maybe 5 or six in the spring and heaven only knows how many in the fall.  A lot.  (although not all the fall birds I shot standing up were gobblers)

[ilbucksndux]

I have shot a couple standing up. Walking thru the woods and struck one. not realizing how close he was,didnt have time to sit and hide.

[Mike Honcho]

Several when I was younger....I didn't  know any other turkey hunters to learn from so I taught myself to stalk them.
That was 30 years ago.
Honcho

[Happy]

Shot one standing and 2 laying flat on my stomach.

[JK Spurs]

Shot one last year standing up.

[renegade19]

Have not shot one laying on my back....just about every other position though. 

I whacked one laying flat on my back.  Great hunt!

[J-Shaped]

I've shot them standing, sitting, prone, laying on my side, kneeling, squatting...basically whatever the situation dictates. I think the biggest mistake most folks make is getting a game plan established in their mind, getting locked into it and not adapting to the situation at hand.

[hookedspur]

Yes I have . The last one standing came in behind me and I had sat with my back to a huge oak ,big enough for me to stand and look behind it without giving myself away..  Bang

[Cottonmouth]

I was hunting one afternoon about 10 yrs ago sitting in a hardwood bottom and had been calling for about an hour. Nothing going on but an armadillo pestering me for the last 30 min. So I decided I would pick up a stick and do the Mohican sneakin on him. I made it about 20 ft. and had that feeling something was watching me. I looked back behind me and a longbeard was headed straight to me. I managed to get behind a big oak and waited for him to get about 25 yds before I lowered the boom on him. The armadillo got away.

[Swather]

Standing up?

I prefer shooting them when they are slumbering on the limb. 

[Greg Massey]

Never carry to kill one having a slumber party on the limb ..Swather...is that called hunting or just killing..