Missed the first bird of the season

[101st501]

Sorry, this is kind of a long read.  I went down to my local public land this morning and hear about 4 different birds on the roost.  I sneak in, sit down, and start to call easy on a box call.  Immediately, I hear a hen behind me.  She starts yelping and clucking nearly constantly.  This goes on for several minutes, and she is in the same spot the whole time.  I started to wonder if I had snuck in on someone by mistake.  Suddenly, she starts to cackle and cut and I can hear her moving to my right.  A gobbler fires off just across the property line, and then another down below him at the creek.  I spin to my left and after a few minutes I can see one.  I can't keep both in sight at the same time so I am reluctant to try to adjust any more.  Eventually, the strutter breaks and moves towards a gap in the trees that I have already decided would be my kill zone.  He sticks his head out, I shoot.  I jump up and run about three or four good paces in his direction.  When the smoke cleared, I saw a bird on the left side, and one on the right side of my kill zone.  Both acted like nothing ever happened and then proceeded to walk back the way they came.  They must have seen me shortly after because both then flew off in different directions.  I cried, kicked myself, and then was thankful to at least have the opportunity to hunt.  I don't believe they were too far, but it was a downhill shot through a patch of trees.  I could have snatched the trigger.  Who knows?  Anyhow, my question is how likely is it that those birds might come back in the morning?  Should I use a decoy to ease their minds?  I appreciate any advice.

[870supermagnum]

I've never shot at a bird and missed, and then hunted the same spot the next day, so I'm no help to you with that question.  I have walked upon birds and have them scatter and then come back to the same spot two or three hours later and they're back in the same spot.  There's a good chance they'll be in that area tomorrow morning, just maybe not in the exact same spot.  One things I've learned about the turkeys around here, they don't necessarily do the same things every day.

[Worm82]

I missed yesterday also. Get back after em

[TauntoHawk]

thats a maybe, maybe not scenario on if they'll be there and another one for how receptive they will be. I really wouldn't be surprised if you killed one sitting against the same tree running the same call, but I also wouldn't be shocked if you said you went back and didn't hear or see a thing.

If I had other places and other birds I would let it rest a few days, if that was my very best chance at finding a bird then I guess I would go back and see what's up in the morning.

[Gobble!]

Sorry, this is kind of a long read.  I went down to my local public land this morning and hear about 4 different birds on the roost.  I sneak in, sit down, and start to call easy on a box call.  Immediately, I hear a hen behind me.  She starts yelping and clucking nearly constantly.  This goes on for several minutes, and she is in the same spot the whole time.  I started to wonder if I had snuck in on someone by mistake.  Suddenly, she starts to cackle and cut and I can hear her moving to my right.  A gobbler fires off just across the property line, and then another down below him at the creek.  I spin to my left and after a few minutes I can see one.  I can't keep both in sight at the same time so I am reluctant to try to adjust any more.  Eventually, the strutter breaks and moves towards a gap in the trees that I have already decided would be my kill zone.  He sticks his head out, I shoot.  I jump up and run about three or four good paces in his direction.  When the smoke cleared, I saw a bird on the left side, and one on the right side of my kill zone.  Both acted like nothing ever happened and then proceeded to walk back the way they came.  They must have seen me shortly after because both then flew off in different directions.  I cried, kicked myself, and then was thankful to at least have the opportunity to hunt.  I don't believe they were too far, but it was a downhill shot through a patch of trees.  I could have snatched the trigger.  Who knows?  Anyhow, my question is how likely is it that those birds might come back in the morning?  Should I use a decoy to ease their minds? I appreciate any advice.

If they like the area, very likely. I have hunted and killed birds that were missed on two occasions just by setting up in a different location 100 yards away on a later day. I have never had luck using decoys on birds that have been shot at. Saying that all of those birds have been missed over decoys.

[renegade19]

I'd hunt them again.  But I'd set up in a different location.  100 yards of so away.  Don't sweat the miss, happens to all of us at least once!