Turkeygirl Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 So I set-up on top of the ridge just inside the field edge. He gobbles for a bit...then I hear his hen call after it got light out. Finally he flew down and like the other morning, he flew down around the contour of the ridge and landed on the side on a logging trail that runs up it. I give some light calling and soon here he comes with his hen towing him along. They get about 30 yards and she starts to get a little nervous, he is stopped behind some sticks with his head up and instead of being patient and waiting (mistake 1) I decide it's now or never. BOOM! He flies off, she flies off...I check around to make sure he didn't fly then die somewhere but nope. I check to find some twigs I thought I missed were obviously torn up by the shot:( So I set up below the ridge by a tral they use to come out of the deeper woods...I wait and hour then do some calling for an hour, to no avail. I decide to cross the grass fields between the gravel pit and a patch of woods seperating that field from the corn field...thought maybe he'd go there by chance. I wasn't sure where he went when heflew but thought below the pit. Well I get to the other side of the grass field and go to start down the bank to cross the woods to the corn field and a turkey takes off in front of me...I tend to think it was him...good size bird...althoughcould have been a big hen I saw around a week ago....but it could likely have been him. I think he probably flew across the corn field and landed in the woods on the other side. I came home and called it quits for the day. I've really messed up and it is hard to not kick yourself:mad: So what now? How long till he comes back? I figure go back up to the gravel pit tonight and listen for roosting...if he gobbles like he did last night/this morning...I'll know where he is if he isn't on the ridge...This bird has all day to re-group with his hen...think they'll be back to their roosting ridge? If I have no luck roosting, then maybe I'll go to the state land in the AM...but I feel like if I don't keep on this bord, I'll lose his location and I don't know if there will be any one on this land this weekend...hasn't been so far minus 1 on the other side Tuesday. So while I go shower and try to stop beating myself up...any advice? I'd appreciate it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckbuster11 Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 Ouch, that hurts. Personally I would stay away for a couple of days if I could afford it. I might go back in the evenings to see if you can locate him or to see if he gobbles on the roost just to keep tabs on him. But I'm give him a break for a couple of days before starting after him again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted May 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 It's soo annoying...I finally got this bird patterned to a T...then this happens. I have faith he'll come back but when...? I guess I'll see if I hear him tonight and go from there....he sure is hot on this hen though...strutting the whole time... I'm not 100% positive the bird I spooked was him...when I shot he flew towards the pit, she went that way but when I was looking around by the bank of the pit to make sure he wasn't head...one flew out of a tree above me and landed down in the field and went in the woods....didn't see a beard so guessing it was her...the spooked one I only saw the back of it...man I really wanna see this bird again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 Sorry to hear you missed him. If he's not hurt too bad he should still use his same general pattern. Turkeys don't usually fly too far before touching back down. He will probably be harder to coax into shotgun range now though. It shouldn't hurt to go listen for him this afternoon to try to hear him go to roost but I agree with buckbuster11. You probably ought to give him a few days to settle back into his daily routine and hunt somewhere else like the state land you mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted May 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 I know I don't think I hit him...no feathers or anything.... He wasn't even coming to my calling...he was following the hen and she was going onthe route I believe they take in the morning...they fly off the roost and she feeds along this trail out into the field....it;s how it sounded the last couple times I heard them in the mornings... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbeard Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 If ya ain't missed a gobbler, then ya ain't shot at many............. Happens to the best of us, believe you me............ Congratulate yerself for gettin' close enuff for a shot............... He'll forget about it in notime.............. He ain't got a clue as to what happened, I'd expect.............. Stay after 'em Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need2hunt Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 To me it all depends on how much time you have to hunt and what your other viable options are. You've put a decent amount of time into figuring this bird out. If it were me in your situation, I would be right after him again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dartonman Posted May 3, 2007 Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 I agree with Gary....but I would do your best to call lightly, if at all, and basically bush whack him on his travel routes.....it doesn't have to be pretty or text book Ruth, just hunt him down and shoot him dead.........you'll get him, keep the faith, we all miss...Im not even gonna relive my moments like yours...........but I can just say, I was shaking so bad, and still do when I walk by whats left of the tree I leveled with my new turkey choke years ago....real brush cutter...lol............al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted May 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2007 Yeah, I was thinking if he is back and roosting tonight or sometime this weekend, I'll set-up where he's flown down twice now and just get concealed well and make an ambush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Too bad about the miss Ruth, it happens. Think I would follow Gary and Redbeard's advice if I were you, bet they are right and he will be back. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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