I need your input please.
 

SO This morning I went to a new spot and had a great textbook hunt right up until I missed a 10 yard shot!

There are not a lot of birds in the area, so I was feeling REALLY good to have called this guy in! He seemed far away when I first heard him, then a tad closer, then I heard a hen. I started "arguing" withe the hen, and eventually the gobbler stopped. soon enough, there he was entering the clearing. After making it with 80 yards or so, the wind was making my hen decoy move A LOT! The gobbler looked nervous and began to retreat. It was then that I saw the hen coming in toward my decoy, and this seemed to put the Tom at ease. he then came in closer, and closer and CLOSER! At 10 yards he was facing me and I raised my pump and MISSED! :s6:

I went to chamber another shell and the slide was JAMMED! My fleece glove just slid on the stock so I was hosed! I managed to get my glove of for one more shot but no dice.

My question is .....

Do you think it is worth hitting the same spot tomorrow or might this pair be too freaked out? These were the only two birds I saw this morning.

Thank you!!

Don

It happened to me too this year...shot, nothing, went through all 3 shells, lol...I was moving and he stood there looking at me..it didnt bother them too much until i bent over to get a shell of the ground, lol...I moved just a hair, like 70 yds. and had a chance the next day but it was a risky shot so I didn't take it....I think if you go , listen, get as close to that gobble as possible, you wont have an issue...if they dont gobble, just move a hair.....

I think you have a good chance he will be in the area. Similar thing just happened to me. Monday morning i had one come off the roost and i missed him. Wednesday evening I went back to see if he was roosting there. He was gobbling his head off! Thursday morning I went back to hunt him. He was roosted on the exact same limb as Monday morning. This time when he flew down on my lap I made the shot! He was also at least a 4 year old bird. 22lbs 11 1/8 beard and 1 3/8 spurs. So he will be in the area yet. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

I am just being lazy I guess.... I have to get up at 4:30 to get out there in time, and I'm not looking forward to that if chances are good that he's gonna be gone or REALLY skittish!

i would say some time at the range would be good before ya go back out again. I mean ten yards...thats scary....especially with a shot gun....didnt hit any part of the turkey....i understand that the load hasnt really expanded yet..i am just saying, ya shouldnt be missing that close, and if ya are, its time to take a step backwards..get some time in at the range.

as far as the birds...they aint real bright, but they can see good..it wouldnt surprise me if the turkey walked right back up to ya..or yer decoy.

I agree 100% that I flubbed the shot! But it wasn't lack of marksmanship skills, it was just a case of "Tom turkey staring at me from 10 yards-itis!!!!" jammed slide, and fleece gloves! All that combined with the fact that I wasn't bright enough to NOT rush the shot when the time came. I know what went wrong and how to remedy it, I was just trying to decide if I wanted to spend a morning sitting on the ground if chances were good that the birds would be in the neighboring county!

Thanks

Don

Misses happen regardless who you are at any distance! Professional golfers miss 3 foot puts too! Its just part of being human. Things happen!:confused0024:

couldn't agree more, but practice practice practice..especially if ya just missed a million dollar put?

Here in MT the birds don't get that skittish; I have been out helping my niece get her first bird this year & the first two mornings she missed completely & finally on the third morning she got him! He came in on a string all three mornings & acted as if he was never even shot at.

BIG DONNIE, I say go for it...

-South

I have had the same kind of luck on a big tom. He was coming but apperently saw me as he broke into a run. He was running threw some brush at a down hill grade. I pulled up and tried to nail him but over shot at it. I have seen him back there though yesterday morning after being in hiding for around 3 days. He is quite spooky acting but I am hoping I will get another chance at him.