Rookie Mistakes

[Rhino]

Some of you may recall I spent Friday through Sunday last weekend trying to help a new turkey hunter sling one over his shoulder. Well...close but no cigar. A couple of mistakes he made sure hurt our chances. Hope this helps some of you from making these.

We had a bird gobbling his head off at everything we threw at him but hung up and started what's referred to as "strutting a line". By that I mean the bird was gobbling on a line back and forth for a distance of about 50 or 60 yards. With good cover we made our way toward the east end of his line. When the bird finally gobbled on the west end we made our final move to get into range of the east end. While sitting down my inexperienced hunter made the mistake of raking his seat cushion down the side of the Hackberry tree he was going to sit on making a loud, unnatural noise. Next time the bird gobbled he was heading further west. From that point on the bird would occasionally gobble answering us but wouldn't budge toward us. Yep I warned him about making unnatural noises.

The next day we were moving in to get into position on a bird that's burning it up on the roost. As we get within 250 yards I stopped to get a final fix on his position. The gobbling suddenly quit less than 30 seconds before we stopped. A few seconds later I hear a hunter with an owl hooter on the neighboring property across a large creek that apparently shut the bird down. He was terrible with his hooter making no break whatsoever between notes. The bird was doubling gobbling on his own already...no need to coax him into gobbling.

On the 3rd & last day we are set up on a bird gobbling good on the roost about 200 yards out. He touches down and gobbles twice & closer each time and shuts down. I tell my hunter to get ready. What seemed like 10 minutes or so pass and I see the bird easing in looking for that hen. I whisper to my hunter "here he comes". My hunter decides to reposition himself and his shotgun slightly with the bird in view some 60 yards or so out. Bird goes to full alert and eases behind some brush, never to be seen again. And yes...I had already told my hunter before hunting "if you can see the bird, he can see you move". Bottom line is...if you think a bird is coming in, get ready and aim where you expect him to come from before he gets there. If he gobbles outside of view and you realize you need to adjust your aim do it then before he closes in.

My buddy was with another inexperienced hunter while I was with the rookie. This inexperienced hunter has killed 2 birds with me in the past so he should know better. They were blind calling off the edge of a field where we had gotten trail cam pics of birds. About 8:00 he told by buddy he needed a #1 relief break. It happens but instead of just rolling off to the side and going to his knees he stands up, walks off behind my buddy, and on his stroll back a bird hits the air off the edge of the field to their left.

Anyway...hope this thread helps some of you from making these mistakes this year. Gotta go get with another rookie this afternoon and tomorrow morning. Good luck!!

[Nut]

Good story and things to learn from. My young hunter missed with me last week but he scored this morning with his Grandpa for his 1st bird. I get a share in the credit because I left him a slate and taught him how to use it. LOL

[Diamond Archer 01]

Good story. People can learn a lot from what you just said.

[jbeck]

how about 2 long beard racing each other down a road, each wants to be the first one to the hen they think is waiting patiently for them to arrive. young shooter thinks that a 47 yard shot would be better than waiting the approx. 10 seconds it would have taken them to arrive at 20 yards. LOL

[arrow32]

Sounds like you still had a good time.

[The Kid]

I have one that i've done when calling to a bird that you know is there and he stops gobbling, just because hes not gobbling doesnt mean he's not on his way!! sometimes those big old birds come in silent!!always be ready

[Ethan Givan]

I have one that i've done when calling to a bird that you know is there and he stops gobbling, just because hes not gobbling doesnt mean he's not on his way!! sometimes those big old birds come in silent!!always be ready

Yep. Thats a mistake I have made in the past and witnessed others make. A bird gobbles a few times and you set up on him. You call to him for an hour or so, and you dont here anything so you give up and start walking off to find another bird. You make it about 50 yards and there he is. Busted. When you think its over and he isnt coming, stay put 20 more minutes.

[Flintlock1776]

Hunting is a true learning experience. No one is perfect. Good luck and keep at it!