Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

HELP!!! Missed shot, now what?


bmc

Recommended Posts

Hey guys,

I need some info. being a novice turkey hunter. I was out this morning and missed a gobbler (beard was haning down 8"?). I mis-judged the yardage and shot under him, taking 3 feathers off him. I watched him run off through the binocs, no worse for the wear. I was happy though that he walked by an open gate, went about 30-40 yards down the fenceline, and I called him back. I had a jake and 2 hens out, he seemed pretty nervous, probably not the boss of the woods I'm guessing. I wonder if it was my decoys or blind that spooked him? He came from the direction where I heard a gobbler for the first hour of daylight. Did I burn this spot, or should I hunt it again? If I should hunt it again, should I set up in the exact same spot or what? I'm thinking of trying a different area tomorrow. What to do, besides not miss? crazy.gif

Brian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BMC,

You should be fine hunting the same bird. Not in the same spot, not with the same set-up & probably not calling the same way.

WD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

The spot isn't burned either. Other birds will have no problems coming in but this one may be very leary for a few days. To help witht he excitement of a bird coming in and the tendancy to misjudge distances especially in fields, pace off your yardage and stick a twig in the ground for a reference mark.

Good Luck for the rest of your season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BMC don't worry about the missed shot everyone does it. As far as your spot goes you should be ok. Just not the same exact spot. If you are hunting the area because there is activity, I would advise watching him and trying to intersect him on his travels to and from the spot. If you see him come out of the woods at a certain spot chances are he will do that the following day. Try running and gunning for late season birds don't set up decoys if you are intersecting the birds. And put one the ground team 4 needs a fourth bird to score. Good Luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

bmc, I assume your mention of yardage is because you are using archery equipment. With a shotgun, you shouldn't have to compensate at all, unless you have a funky gun that patterns poorly.

Either way, turkeys are pretty dumb sometimes. That bird may not be spooked too badly if he came back to your decoys like that. I bet you'll hear (or see) him again in the same area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How's that saying go? Third time's a charm, or in this case, third shot is the charm. I let the "miss" spot cool off yesterday and hunted elsewhere's only to have no activity whatsoever. This morning, I go back to the exact same spot and set the blind up. Major gobbling activity this morning from 5am to 9am. I heard several different birds, including the one I missed the other day. I couldn't get my hen decoy stake to work today, so no decoys out front. About 6:15am I hear a hen cut loose, I mimick her calls, and she had the gobblers fired up. She came within 4 steps of the blind, then headed out to the planted field towards the closest gobbling tom. A short while later here she comes along the fenceline and what do I see, a big fan following behind her. The tom steps into the gate opening, I proceed to send an arrow just over his back, he runs to the right, and I call him back into the gate opening again. This time another miss, just under him. He kept gobbling off and on all morning, as did other toms. Tomorrow morning is my last chance. I'm very diappointed to say the least especially since I practiced a ton this spring. The shots were about 30-35 yds. What will this wind do to the activity? They're saying 15-30mph here tomorrow.

Brian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Put that bow down and shoot your first bird with a gun. Its so much funner to see them do backflips at 25 yards. Or get a gobbler guilatine and shoot his head off. Good Luck BMC. Ob1 Conobi your our only hope.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

Brian, I admire your determination to get your first bird with a stick. I wouldn't dwell on the missed shots, just enjoy the experience of the hunt.

Don't know if you got that bird your last day but I bet your hooked on turkey hunting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep Frank, much to my wife's dismay, I'm hooked on turkey hunting! grin.gif Actually she's really good about my outdoors hobbies. Now I may have a connection down by Menahga, MN to hunt, just have to see if there's a huntable number of turkeys in that area.

Brian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • gimruis
      Part of my issue with live bait is that it generally results in a higher hooking mortality than artificial does, especially in the heat of summer.  95% of what I catch is intended to be released, so in order to maximize that, it helps to avoid using live bait.  I'm not saying you can't accidentally kill a fish with artificial that is deep hooked, because you certainly can.  But as a general rule, they are more often hooked in the mouth with artificial.   The cost is also ridiculous for some live bait too.  Crappie minnows and waxies aren't bad, but when you start talking shiners, jumbo leeches, and decoy suckers...it gets out of hand quickly.  The last time I bought a big decoy sucker for muskie fishing years ago, they were $14 each.  15 bucks for a dozen shiners and half of them are dead by the time you get to the lake?  Take my left arm too why don't ya.
    • Bloatlord
      End of April is my guess for lakes along the I90 corridor.
    • Rick
      A weekly list of news briefs about fish, wildlife, and habitat management.Discuss below - to view set the hook here.
    • leech~~
      Great.  Have to swing by soon to see what they have, then over to Petti Bros for some jerky and sticks!  
    • Dash 1
      Great news. They opened last Wednesday. Sounds like it’s about twice as big. Looking forward to checking it out soon. 
    • Luv2BowHunt
      It was dismissed before court via email correction from enforcement officer Robert Gorecki.
    • Luv2BowHunt
      It was dismissed before court via email correction from enforcement officer Robert Gorecki. 
    • Hookmaster
      Last weekend I was monitoring a bay on Tonka whether people were still driving out. I saw 6-7 vehicles. In one spot there were 4 trucks with 3 wheel houses. One of the houses was 20 ft+. On Sunday I arrived to see the sheriff put up a thin ice sign that 6 vehicles had driven past.   I returned to fish it last Wednesday late afternoon with 4 vehicles already out. Drove to the spot I fished 2 other times in the last month and drilled the first hole. LiveScope showed the fish 30-50 feet away. Drilled a cluster of 5 holes in that spot and game on. It was almost as fast as you could put your line down. A lot of up bites. After it slowed down on the small jigging spoon, I switched to a 4mm tungsten jig and caught more. The fish shifted 10 feet away once where one of the other holes was and then went back to the initial hole. For crappie, I ended up with a 13, a couple 12s, couple 11s, three 10s and a handful of 9s. Also 4 bluegill either side of 8” plus several smaller of both species. All fish were released. The pictures I posted are the 13 with me, both 12s an 11 and a dink. I measured them on a Li’l Dipper which is accurate from the middle of the hole at the top of the handle. I am going to order a Ketch board. The rod for the tungsten jig is a Tickle Stick and for the spoon a Panfish Sweetheart.   All three times I’ve fish this spot the big fish move out about 60-90 minutes before dark. I suppose they are moving to a different area (weedline?) to feed. If I get out to this spot again this year I’ll try and figure out where. When I drove off the bay there were still 6 other vehicles out.  
    • TomWehler
      Yup. Bullseye on the Ricochet . Bit o simple St Pats humor as that’s how I live n guess this flows thru my fingers.   Always interesting to see how close guesses are here.   where my island is clears out before the bay n large sections of lake so that is fun also. In past a few times last 28 years I hit it right on. Silly icy fun Big Smiles n Keep on Rocken! T            
    • delcecchi
      8 degrees in Rochester this morning.    looking at the 10 day forecast for Cook, not much melting going on out to the end of next week.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.