What would you do

tmaster · 11-10-2003, 06:01 PM

Some advise here is greatly needed... This past Saturday I had a bird come up on me from behind some brush (and I mean close enough to where I could have spit on him) almost behind me to where I would have to spin around the tree I was sitting at the base of. I had my head cranked around like a barred owl but could not see him.

Here is the catch, my father in law was opposite of me in a location where I thought he had a shot...but he just kept calling. I could not see my f-i-l to see if he was going to shoot or if he did not have a shot (which turned out to be the case). As this bird came in, I just sat there hoping I would hear my f-i-l' s gun go off, but it didn' t and soon...I didn' t hear the rustling in the leaves anymore.

Now, what should I have done? Should I have risked blowing a shot for my f-i-l by moving around the base of the tree to try to get off a shot (keep in mind, this bird was real close), or let the turkey walk by as I did and try to call him back in.

NOTE: He was running solo and I heard no other birds in the area.

sprig25 · 11-10-2003, 11:33 PM

tmaster,

I would have let the turkey walk by and try to call him back.

Deer and turkeys both move too fast to try to turn on them to get the shot. They almost always win that battle.

But not always getting the shot makes it hunting and not just killing. That is part of the fun of it.

Good luck next time.

jalvja · 11-11-2003, 03:26 AM

Well said Sprig

Bobgobble2 · 11-11-2003, 06:30 AM

Another thumbs up to Sprigs reply.Birds that are spooked and running away present shots that most often end up in a crippling situation.I would have have eventually moved but in a extremely slow and cautious manner not neccassarily to try and get a shot but to once again set-up in a better position to take the shot in trying to call the bird back in.This is a common mistake alot of unseasoned turkey hunters make in that instead of letting the bird show himself first the hunter moves when the bird is in tight to try and see and the only thing they end up seeing are tail feathers or now and alert bird to your presence.One other thing I would have done here is to stop calling when that bird is in tight.You give your position away and the turkey not seeing the bird it is hearing will often times leave or hang up!I believe if your f-i-l would have done this the bird would have walked out looking for the caller presenting you with a harvestable opportunity!

Good luck.... Bob