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Author Topic: Color me frustrated  (Read 1984 times)

Offline Neill_Prater

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Re: Color me frustrated
« Reply #15 on: March 18, 2023, 11:19:45 PM »
Everyone eventually loses an animal if you hunt long enough. Sucks, but it's a learning opportunity. If a bird goes down, keep your eyes on it as you approach. If the head is up, shoot him again.

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Offline Sir-diealot

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Re: Color me frustrated
« Reply #16 on: March 18, 2023, 11:44:36 PM »
Lost a deer two years ago, shot at close range with a 30.06 that I know was on target. No clue what happened, huge pool of blood to start and decent trail then nothing. Came back the next morning and searched for several hours with no luck. It is a sickening feeling.
Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength. Arnold Schwarzenegger

John Koenig:
"It's better to live as your own man, than as a fool in someone else's dream."

Offline Tom007

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Re: Color me frustrated
« Reply #17 on: March 19, 2023, 07:14:53 AM »
Keep your spirits up. There is not one Turkey hunter on this earth that has hunted for many years that hasn’t had this happen. Unfortunately it is part of the game. Stay at them, good luck!
“Solo hunter”

Offline Hwd silvestris

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Re: Color me frustrated
« Reply #18 on: March 19, 2023, 08:38:58 AM »
I had something similar to this happen a few years back.  My son at that time was 9yrs old and we were fortunate enough to get a pair of gobblers fired up at in the afternoon.  They both came in hot.  My son wanted us both to shoot on 1,2,3 boom! I told him no and  when he was ready to shoot to shoot and I would deal with what’s left. 
Long story short he shot (bird flopping).
I then shot (bird flopping)
We both walked up with my gun in hand (his gun back at tree) and admired the birds. He wanted to make sure his birds spurs were bigger. 
We high fived, hugged and celebrated with adrenaline still pumping.  Birds have quit flopping at this point.  I went back to the tree to get all my stuff together.  I heard him say in a yelling type whisper (Daaad!).
I looked up and my bird what walking away!
Now keep in mind my son is right out there in the mix with both birds.  I couldn’t shoot because my son is between me and the walking away turkey.  I ran past my son and  then sent 4 rounds toward that turkey. Nothing, didn’t touch him.   Now my gun is out of shells.  The turkey was trying to escape the lil opening.  I noticed after I shot 4 times, that his wing was broke and dangling below him.  The woods were too thick right there on the edge for him to slip thru.
I threw my gun down and form tackled that sucker!
Gosh! I remember that so vividly!
My son standing there (im sure confused) watching all this go down
Ive never and still not one of those guys that just sit back after the shot.  I’m getting to the turkey flopping as quickly as possible.  What I did learn is to put my hands on the bird. 

Hang in there ole buddy.  As everyone has stated at some point stuff life that happens if you hunt long enough. 


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Offline Howieg

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Re: Color me frustrated
« Reply #19 on: March 19, 2023, 09:05:49 AM »
Sadly , it happens to everyone.  But don’t worry!
You will get over it in about 20 years ????

Online Notsoyoungturk

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Re: Color me frustrated
« Reply #20 on: March 19, 2023, 10:35:24 AM »
Sorry to hear it.  I have been there before.  You never forget but eventually that pit in your stomach goes away.  Get back on the horse, it helps heal the wound.
A hunt based on trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be - Fred Bear

Offline 3bailey3

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Re: Color me frustrated
« Reply #21 on: March 19, 2023, 03:20:49 PM »
It happen to a buddy in my club Thursday, He went and got a guy with just a house dog and they found him still alive under a log, finished him of with a stick.

Offline Duckdogdad

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Re: Color me frustrated
« Reply #22 on: March 19, 2023, 04:51:44 PM »
Looked for two hours, found tracks in mud showing me direction he went it.

Offline Paulmyr

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Re: Color me frustrated
« Reply #23 on: March 19, 2023, 06:30:49 PM »
Looked for two hours, found tracks in mud showing me direction he went it.

Bummer, nice effort on the the recovery attempt. Many would just load up and move on to the next spot.
Paul Myrdahl,  Goat trainee

“I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.". John Wayne, The Shootist.

Offline Kylongspur88

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Re: Color me frustrated
« Reply #24 on: March 19, 2023, 06:59:25 PM »
I’ve lost a bird before. It sucks and I still think about it. Fact is even in middle age if I knock him down I’ll make a mad dash to him that would turn an NFL scouts head at the combine and get a boot on him. I know some people thinks it’s disrespectful but considering I just shot him in the face… probably not that bad. Get back on the horse. You’ll kill the next one stone dead.

Offline Treerooster

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Re: Color me frustrated
« Reply #25 on: March 19, 2023, 08:05:08 PM »
It is a bummer but it can and does happen to the best of us.

One time I shot a tom at 30 yards and he immediately flew up, traveled about 80 yards and then went down at a steep angle. I knew I hit him. Looked for about 1 1/2 hours then decided to go get my dogs (2 bird dogs). I also got my back-up turkey gun which has no sight on it and put some lead 4's in it. Was back in about 45 minutes and told the dogs to hunt dead in the area. In less than 5 minutes both dogs go on point in some thick grass. I move in and the bird flushes and I wing shoot him at 25 yards. That bird wasn't 50 yards from where I saw it go down. Doubt I would have ever found it tho without the dogs as it held really tight and was completely buried in the grass.

Never figured out what when wrong with the initial shot, sight was on.

Offline Paulmyr

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Re: Color me frustrated
« Reply #26 on: March 19, 2023, 08:24:59 PM »
When 8 was first getting into turkey hunting my brother rolled one over that proceeded to get up, catch air, and barely crest a nearby rise. When he showed up at the cafe and told the story. I asked if he looked for it. He said he hoped it would laying just over the rise but it didn't. I told him what I read about wounded birds hiding right away and we needed to go back and check. So him, my dad and I went back to look see after finishing breakfast some 3 hours after the shot.

My brother was the only one carrying a gun as my dad and I already filled our tags. On the way into the spot where he shot, we were walking a forest road that has a thick fence line running along it that bordered the woodlot where he was hunting.
We hear something run a few steps and hear this thump.

Not knowing what was I s
Paul Myrdahl,  Goat trainee

“I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.". John Wayne, The Shootist.

Offline Paulmyr

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Re: Color me frustrated
« Reply #27 on: March 19, 2023, 08:56:34 PM »
When I was first getting into turkey hunting my brother rolled one over that proceeded to get up, catch air, and barely crest a nearby rise. When he showed up at the cafe and told the story. I asked if he looked for it. He said he hoped it would laying just over the rise but it wasn't. I told him what I read about wounded birds hiding right away and we needed to go back and check. So him, my dad, and I went back to look see after finishing breakfast some 3 hours after the shot.

My brother was the only one carrying a gun as my dad and I already filled our tags. On the way into the spot where he shot, we were walking a forest road that has a thick fence line running along it that bordered the woodlot where he was hunting.
We hear something run a few steps and hear this thump.

Not knowing what it was I stepped through the fence line and look around. The sounds came from near brush pile just inside the woods. I look around and don't see anything.

We proceed onto the spot where the shot was taken and started to look over the rise where he last seen the bird. We start checking everything. We spread out with my brother in the middle with the gun. We sweep the area in the direction the bird was heading and are coming up with nothing. I keep thinking of those sounds in the fence line and how unnatural the thump was. I had to go check again. I let my brother know and him and my dad continue the sweep. I get back close to where the funny noise came from and out steps, from behind a tree the wounded gobbler. He starts running away as I start screaming for my brother and chasing after it. It gets to the fence line and runs straight into it 3 time before I get there. He's obviously still dazed and takes another run at the fence. I reach out to grab his neck and he ducked, did an about face and ran between my legs. With no fence to stop him this time I couldn't keep up and he catches air and glides into a tree about 200yds away. My brother arrives just after all the commotion and can't believe I almost had his gobbler. I show him where it sailed to but was he spotted before getting a shot and the bird flew across a nearby ravine.

I don't know what would have happened if I would have got my hands on the birds neck but I was willing to take one for team. I'm not sure if the bird made it. Thinking he might have been blinded in one eye that's why he was running into the fence as his other eye was on me.


Paul Myrdahl,  Goat trainee

“I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.". John Wayne, The Shootist.

Offline TurkeyReaper69

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Re: Color me frustrated
« Reply #28 on: March 20, 2023, 06:38:31 AM »
These damn birds have become immune to any shot other than TSS. They really are evolving wow.

Offline Mountainburd

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Re: Color me frustrated
« Reply #29 on: March 20, 2023, 07:22:23 AM »
I’ve lost a bird before. It sucks and I still think about it. Fact is even in middle age if I knock him down I’ll make a mad dash to him that would turn an NFL scouts head at the combine and get a boot on him. I know some people thinks it’s disrespectful but considering I just shot him in the face… probably not that bad. Get back on the horse. You’ll kill the next one stone dead.

This exactly!  I've been reading in the last few years that some people think it's disrespectful to put a boot on his head when he's flopping.  I just don't get it.  As long as that bird is still flopping, I always make a beeline and end his suffering faster.  And I don't have to worry about the scenario unfolding like some of what I've read above which is a bird running away.