Got on a bird this morning. Textbook, called and he gobbled, then gobbled some more. He was closing the distance at a pretty good rate. Saw some hens coming that passed by about 30 yards in front of me. I could hear him drumming and bringing up the rear. Then there he was in all his glory, strutting and Puttin' on a big show. I clucked and he came closer, at about 15 yds. With him in full strut I decided I better go on and end this. The next time he stretched his head up I squeezed the trigger...... SILENCE! Somehow the firing pin was not set, sure wish I would of had a pump this morning. Never had this happen before. I sat there as he eased off. He went over a rise and gobbled again. I tried to get back around on him but the property line stopped me. Guess this just means I get to hunt him another day, I still feel like the hunt was successful.
I hate hate hate when equipment malfunctions. If it's a malfunction due to the gun itself, I'll discard it. No use getting out of bed that early just have your equipment fail when it's needed.
Hope you get another shot at him. Sounds like you will.
I know what I did, thinking back it was my fault. It's the first time I hunted with this gun this year. Don't know why I decided to grab it this morning. I've killed 2 with my old browning and just thought I would try something different I guess.
Catch and release. I wish more people would do that! :camohat:
Quote from: Vabirddog on April 09, 2014, 10:10:40 AM
Catch and release. I wish more people would do that! :camohat:
C&R - Beautiful idea. :icon_thumright:
Sounds like you know where to be in the morning. I can't wait to see the pics!
I'm gonna take a wold guess that you held the bolt back when you closed it so it wouldn't slam shut and be noisy.then forgot to bump it with your palm. I've been known to do that. Go get him. :icon_thumright:
Still sounds like an exciting hunt...well, short of the BOOM. "15 yards" - Love those close encounters! You'll get a second chance at him and be sure to show us the pics!
Well at least I did get to shoot him with my phone a short while later. Never could get him back from the ladies.
(http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd519/darn2ten/Mobile%20Uploads/image-26.jpg) (http://s1223.photobucket.com/user/darn2ten/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image-26.jpg.html)
aaahhh the memories lol
That stinks! Get after him tomorrow!
Belly crawl to him!
Quote from: Spring_Woods on April 09, 2014, 12:45:10 PM
Belly crawl to him!
To far, that's actually over the property line. He was further out in that clearing than in looks. I was zooming in.
I have a feeling that you will get another crack at him before it's all said and done.
Thats terrible! Always glad I have my trusty pump with me.
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Good luck on him next time, about 10 years ago my dad was using a browning a5 and we had the same thing happen and when it snapped he grabbed the bolt, pulled it back and let it go and was able to kill the bird. After that time if we use a auto we make sure that the bolt is all the way down.
I've had a very "similar" thing happen - called in 2 strutting toms from slam gone, came all the way into my dekes, & I went to fire -- *except*, in my case, my firing pin actually did hit the primer on the shell in my Mossy 835 (pump), and it didn't fire; at the sound, the birds IMMEDIATELY ran off 50 yards in a flash, and ... I panicked...
I've thought back on this hunt A MILLION times - and, had I to do it all over again (and not be SURPRISED by it, like I was back then), I would have just called lightly, and then when they (hopefully) got back to the dekes, shuck a shell real fast & shoot one...
Would-a, should-a, could-a...
Wow,I'm not sure what I would of done..I would of needed a box of tissues when I got back to the truck that's for sure lol.
I'm still "crying" over my ... incident... And, of course, that happened on the very last day I could hunt them, so... It still "hurts" to think about what "could have been"...
I normally hunt with a A5, wish I would of had it today. He's about a 10 minute walk out behind the house. I thought about racking the bolt real quick, but figured I wouldn't spook him. We'll play again another day.
Ya man, you'll get 'em!! Good luck!
:TrainWreck1: if you were a real man and hunted with an atlatl that woudln't happen LOL Sorry man, been there, it sucks...good luck next hunt! :anim_25:
Bummer but stay after him and you will get him.....
on my brwning gold i leave the action open when i unload it. when i get out next time i just put a shell in the magazine and it cycles it self.
scott
I had a hevi-13 dud last year on a bird. When he heard that click he BOLTED.
What a terrible feeling!! Got get him again!!
Man I know your pain, same exact thing happened to me a week ago!!! Sucks but I redeemed myself the next day so hopefully you do too
been there done that unfortunately for awhile at least you play the scenerio over and over in your mind asking yourself WHAT IF i would have done something differently.
Quote from: slamman on April 10, 2014, 10:25:25 AM
been there done that unfortunately for awhile at least you play the scenerio over and over in your mind asking yourself WHAT IF i would have done something differently.
yep, which really is "wasted energy" b/c the hunt is over. but, we all still do it! :)
I have had something similar happen with a pump. I had been dry firing my benelli to try and smooth the trigger the night before. The next morning I only opened the action far enough to drop a shell in the chamber, so the firing pin never cocked. Thankfully I managed to get the gun cocked and killed the bird at 15yrds.
Hope he will give you another chance!!
In 1994, I had one coming straight to my calls and already had the gun up on my knee. I eased the gun up to my shoulder and went to squeeze the trigger when he got inside 30 yards. Nothing happened. Without moving, I glanced at the bolt and it was wide open...I'd forgot to load the gun. I fished around for a shell in my vest pocket when the gobbler turned and his fan covered his head. I slid the shell in the chamber and went to close it, figuring I'd shoot as soon as the bolt slammed shut, but it never closed. The gobbler got nervous and bolted. It turns out that I'd accidentally loaded a cylinder shaped cigarette lighter into the chamber of my gun.
Ever since then I load the gun as soon as it comes out of the case and I only carry oval shaped lighters that I keep zipped up away from my ammo pocket. I don't even smoke either...I used the lighter to light a friend's cigarette at the truck and put it back in the wrong pocket by mistake.
Jim
Cut N Run- Someone had a heavy hand on that gobblers wings that day!!
He ran out of luck a few days later about 300 yards from where he got by me the first time. I was locked and loaded and he had a bad day. That last thing to go through his mind was some of my copper plated #6s at 22 yards.
Jim
Wow. That sucks! Good luck getting back on him!!
I always let the bolt slam shut on my 1100