Did I ever tell you about " Gimpy" ? I had him dead to rights. He stepped behind a bush and I brought the muzzle to bear. When he stepped out... just as I was squeezing off the shot... he made a sharp left turn uphill and I ended up crippling him. I felt terrible about it the rest of the season. But guess who showed up during deer season!? Alive and well -- except for the limp. I had a ball hunting that bird the next couple of years! He was real cagie after that, even brazen at times. One morning I looked over at a clump of honeysuckle about 20 - 25 yards away and saw a head SLOOOOWLY duck behind the top leaves, then SLOOOOWLY reappear, and then SLOOOOWLY duck back down. I didn' t know if it was a jake or not, so I just watched. Then about 2 minutes later, guess who stepped out of the obscured deer trail into the logging road --JUST OUT OF RANGE!!!?? You got it! My old pal Gimpy. He just stood there - out of range - broadside so I could get a good look at his beard and spurs-- laughing at me ( snickering really)! You' d think he took it personal or somethin' . Then he turned and limped away... Never saw that bird again. I miss him.

Don' t worry about that turkey. Just try to make a better shot next time. We owe them a clean, humane kill, but that doesn' t always hapen. Turkey season is WAAAAY too short to dwell on it too much. Just relax and have fun.