| Author |
Message |
disgusted turkeypicker
| | Posted on Sunday, April 28, 2002 - 8:57 pm: | |
I've been obsessed with trying to call and bag this vocal tom on my own property, and he had made a fool of me several times last week in the AM. I also found out that some trespassing hunters had messed with the bird, slipping over from adjacent property, for the first 2 weeks of the season. So I formed a plan. We can hunt afternoons here, although I seldom do, but I decided to hunt this bird in the PM on Sat. He always roosted in generally the same area every night. I've found that call shy, boogered-up birds let their guard down in the afternoons, and will sometimes run to a call. So I set up in the hollow 150 yards below the ridge where he roosts at about 5 PM. I find that gobblers almost always approach the roost by coming up a hollow in the mountains. I called very sparingly, and 15 minutes later I hear, "pffffttt." I wasn't sure I heard what I heard...but listened attentively...."pffffftttt" again. I look and see the bird coming from 60 yards down the hollow. He comes to 40 yards and turns 90 degress, goes behind a tree..I position my gun...and he apparently saw movement...sends up the periscope. 40 yards usually equals dead bird with my gun...so I take the shot. He rolls backwards and labors to take flight. He manages to get about head high and flies down the hollow for about 50 yards before having a crash landing. I looked for over and hour, then came home and took my spaniel back (she is exceptional at finding any kind of dead bird). She found the crash site...a small pile of feathers, but no bird. Utter disgust at myself. I shot a holley bush off about 10 yards in front of the bird. Maybe I wanted this bird too badly. Take good clean shots guys. Don't make the same mistake. I hope the bird survives, but have my doubts. Only 3 days left in my season. Hope it doesn't end on this note. |
GN
| | Posted on Monday, April 29, 2002 - 8:40 am: | |
Been there...that can be a haunting ending to the season. But it happens, if you hunt long enough(and you have) . There are a lot of birds that survive being shot ...perhaps he is still there . When you put the dog on the ground and did not come up with it I would say that is a petty strong indication the bird is in good shape(considering it was shot). Nobody likes to talk about this but it does happen and is a fact of turkey hunting. |
tp
| | Posted on Monday, April 29, 2002 - 11:32 am: | |
It's been quite awhile since I hit a bird I didn't get. I've had some close up clean misses, and those hurt too, but not as bad. I know a guy who shot neck feathers and drew blood from a bird earlier this spring, and the bird is back gobbling now. I'm going to go back in a week or so (after the season) just to see if my bird gobbles again. GN, this was the darned biggest bird I think I've seen in awhile (maybe ever) -- paintbrush beard. I think his size may have been a contributing factor as to why he had such a tough time getting airborn, along with being peppered with #4's of course.
I know what you're saying about the birds being tough. I've killed birds that were absolutely full of shot in the body from a previous encounter. I killed one bird (gobbling his head off) and had to throw away one side of the breast, because it was green from where he'd been shot previously. I will feel better if I can confirm he is still alive.
My luck has turned sour anyway. I was returning from hunting this AM and a big gobbler ran smack dab in front of my truck and sailed down the hollow (on national forest). I continue on down the road out of sight and park the truck. I sneak back down the road planning to drop in above the bird to set up. I sit around awhile and call...nothing. As I'm leaving I say what the heck and give a cackle. The bird answers me on down the road. I slip down the road to get positioned above the bird...as i slip around the bend in the road...low and behold he is standing in the busiest national forest road in the system (instead of down in the woods as I had deducted)!! The good news..lately, my luck has been so bad...it can only get better! |
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