How worried are you about losing a bird?

[csgrizz]

I have been turkey hunting for 19 seasons, and have been a die hard bowhunter for deer for longer than that.  I always wanted to take the next step and bow hunt the thunder chickens, but my fear of losing a bird delayed that for several years.

Finally about six seasons back I started trying and I have had a series of crazy events occur...hunting with out a blind I had a bird at 18 yards and when I shot I hit a single strand of barbed wire between myself and the bird and the bird escaped unharmed, I had another year, shooting the 100 grain bullhead at the wing joint (bought the 100 grain because it was advertised that you could body OR head shoot with that one) at a bird at 25 yards or so, drilled him in the wing joint ...flattened him on the ground...and then he got up and walked off gobbling up the hill, unharmed.

Last year everything came to what I thought was the end, called two birds in to 18 yards, drilled one quartering away, he collapsed in a brush pile 40 yards out after running a big crazy s curve through the timber.  I let him lay as I was taking NO chances, and forced myself to go for a walk.  When I returned...the bird was gone, I found a broken arrow a pile of feathers and blood and no bird.  I suspect a roaming dog found that bird but what are the odds?

I passed several birds over the years to get the perfect shot and then when I thought I had it, I ended up losing the bird anyway.  That was particularly devasating to me.  I have one fall bird to my credit, but still on season 6 with the bow...have yet to put my tag on one.  I will note each year I have put the bow away in frustration and killed one with the shotgun in the same season.

I just wondered how many other bowhunters out there put as much thought into losing a bird as I do.  I absolutely hate it and pass many shots each year because I don't feel its "perfect." 

Sorry for the long post, but this stuff eats me alive each spring, I wanna bowhunt but I hate to lose one.

later,

CS

[fallhnt]

I use 70# due to a 27in. draw.Turkeys are tough.Try going up the leg and shooting high.You may have some fly off but they are easy to find.You just have to keep going.I shot 16 birds in 2010.Some flew off,I left one over night and shot him again the next day.All we easy to recover.

[VAHUNTER]

it is easy to see why you have some fear. you have had horrible luck. but that is all it was, just plain stupid bad luck. from what i read really no fault of your own. i have only drew back on 1 bird . and he only took 4 or 5 steps and he was done.
you just got to keep pushing forward and try not to let the past haunt you.
Best of luck this spring. i hope this is your year. Shawn

[redleg06]

Ive been kind of worried about it but the urge to bring out the bow this year is just too strong....

I kill the target a few times each week so hopefully I can do the same to a longbeard here in the next few weeks...

[bad0351]

I was deer hunting last fall when a flock came ambling by my stand....it was almost dusk so I drew on the closest big hen and drilled her with a muzzy mx-3....she took off with the arrow in her and I saw where she landed went over and a ton of blood and feathers but no turkey!....I searched for 2 hours by flashlight at the end.
Found her balled up at the base of a stone wall missing a leg.....they are tough to kill....but I hear ya about losing one...I wasnt leaving without finding her.

[drenalinld]

I worry about it a lot!! I worry about losing deer as well. I find it much easier out of a blind. I have killed 6 longbeards in the Spring from a blind and 2 without a blind. I have 1 clean miss and one gobbler flew off with my arrow in him never to be recovered. That still haunts me. It is so cool to have them strutting up to decoys less than ten steps from you. It is a pain to pack a blind and chair(s) and camera and tripod and vest and bow and much more, but well worth it to me when I make it happen! Of the six one flew less than 100 yards and the others all died within a few steps. The 2 blade rage is bad medicine for any animal.

I hope this is your Spring!!!

[csgrizz]

Guys glad to know I am not the only one.

Wanted to let ya know, I finally broke the curse during first season here in IL.  Shot one and got the spine with an expandable and dropped him in the decoys at 12 yards for my first spring bird ever.

It was my mom's first experience with turkeys so it was extra special!

later,

CS

[drenalinld]

Congratulations grizz!!! I know you enjoyed that.

[Dan Mallia]

The areas I hunt are very thick and if its not a clean hit, they're gone, plain and simple. 

A buddy of mine uses Magnus Bullheads and I started at the end of our season.  Its truely a clean miss or clean kill with that broadhead.  I look forward to giving them a go this fall/spring 

[nannas guide]

I understand your reservation grizz, but it is your conscientousness that will continue to work for you. It is only after you get careless and complacent that you'll mess up. Just my opinion. Keep at it.

fallhnt,
how or where in the world are you getting 16 turkeys in one season?

[woodchip]

fallhnt,
how or where in the world are you getting 16 turkeys in one season?

That's what I was thinking when I read that!

[timbrhuntr]

I know a place where you could legally shoot 60 birds in one fall !!

As far as losing a bird I have only shot at 6 birds. 3 were clean misses and 3 were dead right there. After watching some of the archery turkey hunts on youtube I decided to shoot for the neck. So far for me it has been a clean miss or dead bird.

[Uncle Nicky]

Not knocking anyone here, but I won't do it. A load of pellets to the head/neck from under 50 yards is the only SURE way I know of killing what you aim at.

[fallhnt]

Woodchip,I killed 16 in 2010 with my bow,6 in spring and 10 in the fall.Not in a season.3 states in spring,4 states in fall.