Ugh

[Five Seasons]

So this is my 3rd year going after turkeys, and the first real serious year. The previous 2 I only got out a few times and had no success. So I was traveling on business opening day but got up nice n' early this morning. Decoys setup in a spot I saw them roosting during bow season in the hardwoods by 5. I had little to no time to prep and scout this year, so my spot was a shot in the dark.

 

Well around 5:30 I hear a gobble in a tree not 30 yards from me! Freaking awesome I'm thinking. He's going to fly down, I'll pop him and wont have to deal with all the calling and what not. So about a half hour goes by and 3 more birds join in. Then i hear footsteps and I'm thinking my neighbor has heard the same thing and is sneaking onto our land to get a bird. It ends up being a small doe and she walks by at like 10 yards and never even flinches. Keep in mind I'm freshly showered the night before in irish spring and head and shoulders. It's like they know...

 

Anyhow, all at once all 4 to 5 birds come off the roost. I'm geeking out and suffer a turkey case of buck fever. It's dim light, my hearts pound and there's some light brush. I'm shooting 3.5" hevi 13's and a reflex site from my 835 with pure gold choke. My gun was patterned in nicely the year before at 40 yards. I have my gun raised and take a shot to my left (think 90* perpendicular gun across the chest). Now, if they had done their normal thing I'm used to seeing in the fall they would have walked right in front of me... but I've never been this close. BOOM! through the light brush I see no death roll. WTF? I pump. Stand up, put the reflex on the bird again and BOOM. Now they start to scatter, and the one I shot at seems to puff up a little, but still no death shake. son of a beach. I take about a minute to find another shell in my vest and proceed in the direction 3 of them scattered. I climb a small hill and sit up top. a few minutes go by and I call and I see a bird about 50 yards  quickly go in the other direction.

 

I head to the farmers field about 400 yards away assuming I messed up my whole morning. call for about an hour and see and hear nothing but 3 huge deer. I head back to get my decoys around 8am and check the scene. 4 drops of blood and a fluffy feather. Bummed. Wish I had missed outright. Spend about 40 minutes searching, but I know this is not like tracking a deer and find nothing.

 

Seriously depressing. I know, I know boring story, but I had to get it down. hoping they'll roost in the same spot tomorrow. Don't have time tonight to pattern the gun so I'm a little worried, but I'm still thinking I just took a poor shot. I thought it was hard to miss these birds though...

 

 

ugh.

[WNYBuckHunter]

That sucks, but at least you got them in close in front of you. Better luck tomorrow!

[Deerthug]

Sorry to hear that man! Happened to me last fall. Had three in range - shot and clean missed all three. At least you had them come in. I saw squat yesterday and this morning.

[Cabin Fever]

That sucks. Did you step it off how far the shot was? Possibly farther than you thought?

[phade]

I hate to say you dropped the ball, but...failing to sight in the turkey gun at least ONCE would have solved it.

 

You probably would have been better off with the bow and your blind as you could have easily verified its being spot on without the need to go shoot the gun, etc.

 

That said, I missed a bird at very close range and I still sighted in last year. Sometimes it just happens. That hevi shot has a tight pattern at closer ranges that doesn't give much wiggle room.

 

Edited May 2, 2013 by phade

[Five Seasons]

my range finder said 35. It's sited in at 40. I told myself when I started i wouldn't take a shot over 30, let alone through some saplings and in low light. It's so easy to set standards and what not until the bird or deer is in front of you haha.

 

And phade, I totally agree and have religiously patterned and shot my bird and deer gun before every season. I'm still pretty sure this was nerves as I have never shot at a turkey before and the gun has been in the closet untouched from last season. And funny you mention archery... I was thinking to myself at that distance with only a small head and a reflex site that took up the whole bird, I'd have rather had my matthews. haha.

[Water Rat]

It happens to everyone sooner or later. A slight flinch will throw a tight pattern off at close range.

[phade]

We've all been there. The bird I miss last year was right off the roost darn near into my lap. I probably had a better chance of beating it with a stick than the 12 gauge at that range. It never dawned on me that he was that close. It was one long walk of shame home. Best part, neighbor goes..I heard you shoot...what'd you get?

[Five Seasons]

sleep got the best of me friday. went out again saturday. birds were roosted in another spot and couldn't get them in. Around 7:30 I made my way in their direction and *boom* *boom*

 

buddy and his dad doubled up on 2 jakes on the neighboring property. Glad for him, but worried about how many are left haha.

[Five Seasons]

got myself a jake this morning at 15 yds had some toms coming in but I couldn't hold off. my first bird and cant wait to eat him tonight. at least i know my guns not off

[josephmrtn]

CONGRATS!!! took some work for that one!!! pics?

[RangerClay]

Congrats!  Be sure to post some pics!

[Cabin Fever]

Congrats!

[Water Rat]

Bon appetit !

[Five Seasons]

nobody was home on Friday morning to take pics. I'm not a fan of posting just the dead bird/deer pics. You'll have to believe me or assume I'm lying

 

but I am curious as this is my first bird. The shot blew his neck apart, but I'm concerned this might be a pellet in the breast. Is there anyway to tell for sure without digging into it? There's no exit hole and i'd hate to lose a tooth...

 

tried to crop and zoom but not sure if that will help or make it worse haha.

[Pygmy]

Looks like there's a pellet in there alright... Perhaps if it worries you you can dig it out with a long, sharp knife blade..

Myself, I don't worry too much about them.. Over the last 50 years I have eaten 100s of birds and critters shot with a shotgun.. Upland birds, turkeys, ducks, geese, rabbits and squirrels..

Now and then I encounter shot pellet, but I have YET to damage a tooth..

[2012_taco]

if you dig into the spot with a boning knife, you will probably find the feather and pellet together. Seems the bb's pull a little piece of feather in with it. Yumm!

[NFA-ADK]

Very cool Belo, congrats, loved the story!!!  Enjoy that meal!!!

 

Funny stuff Phade!!!  I did that on a deer at 10 ft, complete miss...  ARG...  Luck favored me that week as my avatar buck fell 2 days later...  But that walk back to camp was depressing...  Persistence paid off!

 

Congratulations Belo, hope this is the first of many!!!  Boring story, NO, entertaining YES,  THANKS...

[Five Seasons]

so we had the bird that night and it was my first wild turkey. Was a little dry and tough but still delicious. And I blame that on the wife. Anyhow, she did pay attention to the hole and said there was an exit hole on the other side.

 

all is well. Hoping to get a tom this weekend. we shall see.

[whaler]

how did she prepare and cook it?

 

makes all the difference. kind of like painting. Its not so much much the actual painting part, its mostly the prep.

[G-Man]

Wild birds need to be cooked at a lower temp and if skinned need to have bacon or another coating put on it to keep moist. I like glazing it with honey and bacon held in place by toothpics .mmmm mmm good!