Ken/WV

MISSED!

I just got in as we have to be out at 1pm, and I missed this morning. Got setup, hooted, birds gobbled right where we left them. Waited awhile and the next thing I know they are out in the field going the other way. Hit the long spur a couple of times and turn and close the distance from 150 to 70yrds. They(two gobblers) stand there for 5 minutes then one breaks into strut and struts for another five minutes while the other is looking right in my direction trying to find the hen. My decoys are just to the side of me and from their view they can't see them. So I am stuck frozen there. Then three hens come feeding out from my left and feed infront of the gobblers...they pull the strutter in what I thought was 15yrds to around 55yrds and he holds up there. The hens feed closer to me then turn and start feeding away....the two gobblers turn and start to go with them. The strutter drops out of strut and sticks his head up...I shoot and the two gobblers flee the field on the right and the three hens to the left. I try to figure out what happened...and sit there for awhile, then finally get up and walk it off. 65yrds! Yikes! I didn't think it was anywhere near that far and was just barely out of my range I guess. I had shot the gun at 60 before and had a strong pattern, but I guess not strong enough. I was so disappointed to because these were two nice toms, but with 10 inch or better beards. Couldn't believe it.

So in a couple hours I'm headed to a buddies farm with the drenalin and the blind...going to see what I can do with that and let my grandpa and buddy use the shotguns on the otherside of the place. Wish me luck, cause right now I feel like crap with a miss.

Ken/WV

Sitting in the blind now on the blackberry. Couple birds have gobbled this morning but nothing close to me or the drenalin. I did hear my grandpa shoot alittle while ago though.

Ken/WV

Turned out it wasn't my grandpa that shot....don't know who was hunting but it was across the hard road on another farm. The birds today were across a small hollar from me and never came over. So it was another blank today....can't believe the heat either the last two days. Up to 91 yesterday, and 84 today....supposedly some rain coming in tonight and some cooler temps the rest of the week. Back to the honey hole tomorrow in the blind incase it is raining.

Ken/WV

Washed out today....heavy rain all morning till just ago when it slowed down.

Where is everyone?

camokenny

Yeah ken I know what you are talking about, today we were done before we even really got started , rain and fog. Yesterday the guy that I am hunting with in Missouri would not sit still and spooked two different gobblers in about an hour, so we just went to work.
This is his first year hunting turkeys and he is getting all the land for us to hunt on. So I can't really chew his butt to bad and he does have some good land for us to hunt. I think that I will suggest that we split up and go different directions. No worries , we still have till the 10th to hunt in Missouri. And have until the 17th to hunt in Iowa. Only one more bird in each state so I'm not worried.

blackjeep04

Rained out here as well, Though I got my bird last year in the rain with my bow I wasalittle worried about my 835 today. I will go at it again tomorrow.

Ken/WV

I hate to even post this but I missed again this morning....exact same place as before, but the bird was closer and I don't know what happened. He couldn't have been 40yrds maybe, and my leg was so far numb and asleep that I had to pull the trigger then and I don't know what happened. He run out of the field and I was left wondering. Couldn't believe he was gobblin and coming in with the wind blowing so hard, but he did. I just can't believe I blowed it again....I don't know what is wrong and my confidence is completely shot. I'm at a personal low when it comes to hunting right now.

camokenny

Ken, keep your chin up and stay with it bud.
Have you checked your gun? even if you did before season check it again so that you will erase all the doubts about what might have gone wrong. Keep your head down and kill him before you look. That is probably the biggest reason for misses that we have as turkey shooters.
Keep at it ken as I have missed a bunch of them in the last 30 years, I know that don't make it any easier. just go find another and talk yourself thru the shot and it will happen.

Ken/WV

Pulled the scope off the gun this evening, then went down and roosted a few in a spot where I haven't hunted yet. Had three birds gobbling hard on the owl hooter. So I'm going to see what happens in the morning. My grandpa did a great job calling this morning and it took awhile but the bird came in. He didn't come into pretty boy like I figured he would and I don't know if the scope was the reason for me shooting so far or not, but I pulled it so I don't get the urge to shoot to far. Again this mornings shot was probaly 40yrds, my grandpa thinks it was maybe closer to 50 from his point of view. But I was so disappointed....I can't stand to miss, but it is better then crippling something. So I pulled the scope and am back to open sights and will be out again in the morning....I'm not going to let this beat me, even though I have never been in a situation like this.

Ken/WV

RUNGE...please post pics asap so I can add your score to our total!