I missed!! - The Firearms Forum

flannelman · 04-23-2009, 10:10 AM

I went out to hunt this morning in the same place I have been hunting all season and I missed. I have never killed a turkey and I'm really still learning how to hunt them. Last week I called in two hens and a jake but didn't a shot at the jake. That was the first time I had ever called anything in. I go back today and use my owl hooter to see if I can locate a bird but they don't want to talk. No big suprise there, they haven't gobbled at an owl since opening morning! I waited to nearly daylight and never heard a bird so I decided to set up low on a ridge just up from a creek bottom. I had heard gobblers here last week so I wanted to set up inbetween where I had been hearing them. I got my decoys out and let things settle down a bit before calling. After the third set of calls I had one gobble so close that it scared me!

I got him to gobble again before I saw him up the ridge from me. He was trailing three hens and they were all moving down the ridge towards me. I called a little more to get them on in and once they saw my docoys they came in on a rope! The group got within a few feet of the decoys before they stopped and started looking real hard. I wasn't sure if they were going to take off so I started looking for a shot at the tom. He was behind a pine tree and I didn't have a shot! Finally he eased out a bit and I was able to take a bead on him. I shot and turkeys flew everywhere! Including the tom. He appeared to be unscathed!

I walked over to my decoys and saw that the pine tree probably took about half of my pattern out so I guess that is why I missed

. I had a great time calling in those birds though and decided I'd just head on home after looking around a bit just to be sure I did miss. It was a great morning!

tim peterson · 04-23-2009, 01:01 PM

Hey flannelman that well be a great story in the future. Dont give up, good luck .

TranterUK · 04-23-2009, 01:19 PM

Thats one lucky bird. You may have winged him.

I have found sometimes with birds and squirrels its almost easier if they are moving, especially cross ways than if they are still, or almost still. No idea why.

Pistolenschutze · 04-23-2009, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TranterUK

I have found sometimes with birds and squirrels its almost easier if they are moving, especially cross ways than if they are still, or almost still. No idea why.

But don't shoot until they get past the wife's bird feeder, Tranter!

fmacsin1 · 04-23-2009, 03:58 PM

Enjoy your hunt for that turkey! Maybe ol' Ben Franklin was right about the turkey being the national symbol. . .they ARE smarter than they look! Good luck next time! Believe me, they are worth the wait!

flannelman · 04-23-2009, 04:53 PM

It has already become a great story! I had a great time telling my oldest son about it when he got home from school. I did the whole hunt complete with sound effects. I don't think I hurt him at all because of the way he flew off. I did go check in the direction he flew just to be sure though.

catfish83861 · 04-25-2009, 12:23 AM

Great story and now you have every reason to go back out into the woods. Dang I hate it when theat happens

Good luck and hunt safe. You will get one shortly. catfish

Pistolenschutze · 04-25-2009, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catfish83861

Dang I hate it when theat happens

It's especially bad if one of these is chasing you, catfish.

358 winchester · 04-26-2009, 06:05 AM

Oh that one isn't going to hurt you he has a chipped tooth and just wants a ride to the dentist !!!

catfish83861 · 04-26-2009, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 358 winchester

Oh that one isn't going to hurt you he has a chipped tooth and just wants a ride to the dentist !!!

Hey Ron,Danged good catch there. Heck I didn't notice it until you mentioned it. Must be getting old or something.

catfish

Pistolenschutze · 04-26-2009, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catfish83861

Hey Ron,Danged good catch there. Heck I didn't notice it until you mentioned it. Must be getting old or something.

catfish

It's probably just all that SOS and bilge water you consumed in the Navy that's catching up with you, catfish. But then, it could be the moonshine too.

catfish83861 · 04-26-2009, 10:14 PM

Hey easy on that clear water stuff,might be a "suit" reading this. But if'n ya'all happen to get around hear,might be able to have a good sip of sumpin. Yes I can and often do still talk just the way I was taught or teached.

Bob

flannelman · 04-27-2009, 03:12 PM

You guys are just too much! I always get a laugh around here. Looks like rain for the rest of the week, which is the rest of the season so I might not get to go back again this year. There is always next year though.

04-23-2009, 10:10 AM	#1
flannelman Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rural Arkansas. But isn't all of Arkansas rural? Posts: 1,176	I missed!! I went out to hunt this morning in the same place I have been hunting all season and I missed. I have never killed a turkey and I'm really still learning how to hunt them. Last week I called in two hens and a jake but didn't a shot at the jake. That was the first time I had ever called anything in. I go back today and use my owl hooter to see if I can locate a bird but they don't want to talk. No big suprise there, they haven't gobbled at an owl since opening morning! I waited to nearly daylight and never heard a bird so I decided to set up low on a ridge just up from a creek bottom. I had heard gobblers here last week so I wanted to set up inbetween where I had been hearing them. I got my decoys out and let things settle down a bit before calling. After the third set of calls I had one gobble so close that it scared me! I got him to gobble again before I saw him up the ridge from me. He was trailing three hens and they were all moving down the ridge towards me. I called a little more to get them on in and once they saw my docoys they came in on a rope! The group got within a few feet of the decoys before they stopped and started looking real hard. I wasn't sure if they were going to take off so I started looking for a shot at the tom. He was behind a pine tree and I didn't have a shot! Finally he eased out a bit and I was able to take a bead on him. I shot and turkeys flew everywhere! Including the tom. He appeared to be unscathed! I walked over to my decoys and saw that the pine tree probably took about half of my pattern out so I guess that is why I missed. I had a great time calling in those birds though and decided I'd just head on home after looking around a bit just to be sure I did miss. It was a great morning! __________________ What we do in life echoes in eternity! **** Liberals, they make about as much sense as a screen door on a submarine. If you want to be a looser the best way to get there is to hang around with other loosers. -->

04-23-2009, 01:01 PM	#2
tim peterson V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: COLORADO Posts: 280	Re: I missed!! Hey flannelman that well be a great story in the future. Dont give up, good luck . __________________ The great objective is that every man be armed. Every one who is able may have a Gun. Patrick Henry

04-23-2009, 01:19 PM	#3
TranterUK Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cambridge UK Posts: 5,103	Re: I missed!! Thats one lucky bird. You may have winged him. I have found sometimes with birds and squirrels its almost easier if they are moving, especially cross ways than if they are still, or almost still. No idea why. __________________ DVC - Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas - Accuracy, Power, Speed. The light at the end of the recession tunnel IS a train coming the other way!

04-23-2009, 03:58 PM	#5
fmacsin1 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Moosehead Lake, Maine Posts: 433	Re: I missed!! Enjoy your hunt for that turkey! Maybe ol' Ben Franklin was right about the turkey being the national symbol. . .they ARE smarter than they look! Good luck next time! Believe me, they are worth the wait!

04-23-2009, 04:53 PM	#6
flannelman Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rural Arkansas. But isn't all of Arkansas rural? Posts: 1,176	Re: I missed!! It has already become a great story! I had a great time telling my oldest son about it when he got home from school. I did the whole hunt complete with sound effects. I don't think I hurt him at all because of the way he flew off. I did go check in the direction he flew just to be sure though. __________________ What we do in life echoes in eternity! **** Liberals, they make about as much sense as a screen door on a submarine. If you want to be a looser the best way to get there is to hang around with other loosers.

04-25-2009, 12:23 AM	#7
catfish83861 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North Idaho Posts: 2,019	Re: I missed!! Great story and now you have every reason to go back out into the woods. Dang I hate it when theat happens Good luck and hunt safe. You will get one shortly. catfish __________________ 'Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid.' - David Hackworth

04-26-2009, 06:05 AM	#9
358 winchester TFF Admin Staff Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Pensacola Fl. area Posts: 7,335	Re: I missed!! Oh that one isn't going to hurt you he has a chipped tooth and just wants a ride to the dentist !!! __________________ Administrator & Owner RangeDay.com Proud, White, Heterosexual, Gun Owning, Southern American, Christian. Any question about where I stand?

04-26-2009, 10:14 PM	#12
catfish83861 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North Idaho Posts: 2,019	Re: I missed!! Hey easy on that clear water stuff,might be a "suit" reading this. But if'n ya'all happen to get around hear,might be able to have a good sip of sumpin. Yes I can and often do still talk just the way I was taught or teached. Bob __________________ 'Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid.' - David Hackworth

04-27-2009, 03:12 PM	#13
flannelman Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rural Arkansas. But isn't all of Arkansas rural? Posts: 1,176	Re: I missed!! You guys are just too much! I always get a laugh around here. Looks like rain for the rest of the week, which is the rest of the season so I might not get to go back again this year. There is always next year though. __________________ What we do in life echoes in eternity! **** Liberals, they make about as much sense as a screen door on a submarine. If you want to be a looser the best way to get there is to hang around with other loosers.