Not the way I wanted to start.!!!!!!!! One of those rare flash hunts on the first bird of the year, nothing all morning till 7.20 and he gobbled on his on. Slipped in the woods , set up in my chair pulled the mask up, called one time and he cut me off at 75 yards. With in one minute he is at 50 yards in full strut and coming my way fast , zig , zagging through the tree's in the bottom , pops out at 25 steps still in strut , I clucked loud one time to try and get him out of strut , he stopped and I shot only to watch him fly away untouched as I picked up my chin off the ground.!!! Must have shot right over the top of him.!!!!! Less than fives minutes start to finish.!!! Still break down and cry two or three times a day , but will be back after them this weekend.!! Missed before but they were bad shot's and knew better when I took them.!! Heart pounding , short on breath , rushed it . If you don't get that way with every bird you need to quit.!!! Hunting the for over twenty years and still get the shakes when he shows up.!!! One thing about it , I will remember that hunt longer than most.!!!!!!!!
Happens to us all . I missed one this year. First miss in 15 years for me. It's heartbreaking and I feel your pain. At least you will get to hear him gobble again. I know when I kill one it's bitter sweet. Glad I killed him but sad he will gobble no more. Stand back up , brush yourself off and climb back on that horse. Good luck the rest of your season.
Quote from: Spitten and drummen on April 01, 2016, 12:33:35 PM
Happens to us all . I missed one this year. First miss in 15 years for me. It's heartbreaking and I feel your pain. At least you will get to hear him gobble again. I know when I kill one it's bitter sweet. Glad I killed him but sad he will gobble no more. Stand back up , brush yourself off and climb back on that horse. Good luck the rest of your season.
I couldn't have said it any better. Sorry to hear about your miss and as much as it stinks I'd rather have the memory of a bird missed than one running off crippled any day. It'll be that much sweeter now when you get him. :icon_thumright: Good luck.
Bob
Happens to us all... I have missed a couple and they still haunt me!
Yep, happens and I'm over it for the most part.!! And yes glad it was a clean miss. Have to remember to take that deep breath and put the bead on his chin.!!!! LOL That was what I told a buddy on Facebook, missed him on propose, the hunt was too easy and this way I get to hunt him again, and told him he should try it" brings more joy to your hunting" He didn't buy it.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep your head up but down on the stock when hunting. :lol:
I missed an easy one once... He was about 15 yards away, with his head sticking straight up over a knoll, and I am certain I put it right over the top of him. 20 some years later, and I am still kicking myself over this bird, as it was one of the best birds I have ever had an opportunity on.
I have also missed some easy shots on waterfowl that I still remember with a sense of bitterness (some took place years ago, some last year).
I think we need to miss every once in a while to keep us on our game, and to keep it exciting, and to give us a little humility.
Shooting a turkey is always a bit anti-climatic, and a bit of a relief... It ain't shootin' them that is normally the hard part, it is gettin' em' there to shoot. I am always surprised that as the birds approach they do not hear me, as the closer they get, the more I sound like Darth Vador... I am always relieved with the smoke clears and the bird is afloppin' on the ground.
Thank you for sharing, and making all of us feel a bit less embarrassed about our own misses. :OGani:
My first 3 years of turkey hunting I would have given anything to have had a bird to miss!
I bet I hunted 60 days those first 3 years - heard a few, saw a couple, came close to having an opportunity to pull the trigger a few times.
In a way it is nice to have another opportunity to get after them.
Good luck on the next rodeo my friend, and may many more opportunities come your way.
The positive side is that you may be able to set up on him again!
I missed yesterday morning at 7:20. Full strut at 20 steps. Flat blew it. First one I've missed...in a couple years and it hurt just as bad as I remembered. Matter of fact I can tell you exactly there that miss was too, I could take you right to the top of the mountain in Missouri where it took place. Drove all night to get there and 10 minutes after fly down missed a stud. Broke my heart. If you hunt long enough it happens. Keep your head up and the next one will pay the price!
Keep your head up, it happens. I called two big toms right into my buddy's lap this morning and he missed at 15 yards. He's sick about it, I'm sick about it. But man what an experience, live to hunt him another day...
Quote from: BBD on April 01, 2016, 02:33:00 PM
Keep your head up and the next one will pay the price!
NO! NO! NO!
Keep your head down (on the stock) when shootin' that next one!!! ;D
Just chalk it up as a learning experience. Everybody misses, I've missed some that haunt me from 10 yrs ago. It will teach you to concentrate more on making the shot.
Missed a chip sit myself about 4 years ago and then another I sold have had two years ago. One of those is still hurts a little to this day. It's part of the game. If you haven't missed then you haven't killed many either. Good luck on round two.
Nothing I can say will make you feel better, so I won't even try. As others have said, if you hunt long enough, it will happen. All you can do is get back out there and shoot one!! :fud: :turkey: Good luck!!
todays tight chokes and shells can make close shots interesting!
Anybody who says they never missed one has not hunted very much. It happens to everyone at some point.
Hate to say this, but be careful next time...missing is CONTAGIOUS. :TooFunny:
I was amazed how that rush of adrenaline was so quickly replaced with that wave of disbelief when it happened! WHAT? SERIOUSLY? YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING?!? Holy *%#! NO WAY!!!
Yup... it happens :OGturkeyhead:
I know after the chip shot I missed I think it took a few minutes to pick my jaw off of the ground and let reality sink in. I had done everything up to that point perfectly. The tom aproached in textbook fashion and I dropped the hammer with the calm assurance he was dead right there..... Only to watch him sail off the ridge. It hurts a little to talk about. I feel for ya.
I've certainly had misses in the past, but opening morning this year(last Saturday) I had a misfire at 20 yards on a fine public land bird, that one hurt.
Quote from: Happy on April 01, 2016, 04:11:10 PM
Missed a chip sit myself about 4 years ago and then another I sold have had two years ago. One of those is still hurts a little to this day. It's part of the game. If you haven't missed then you haven't killed many either. Good luck on round two.
Oh, I believe I can recall one of those misses. Couldn't stop laughing long enough to pull the trigger myself.
I'd like to say I've never missed but I have. Happy was around to watch me "whif" on one a few years ago at point blank range as well. Another friend of mine watched me miss twice in the same day. It's going to happen. Only good thing can be said is that the bird will be there to hunt another day. I've never lost sleep over a missed bird. Just regroup and get after another one almost immediately. In fact, I've missed enough birds over the years that I could care less anymore. The kill isn't the fun part. I enjoy it as much as the next guy but it's not the best part of the hunt by any means. My preference is for the tree talk, strutting and gobbling. The anticipation of what the bird will do and how it all unfolds is what gets me going. Pulling the trigger is the easy part. What happens next is irrelevant to me at this point.
We all have missed. Good thing is he will be back, you will be back, and you get to try again!!
Missing is tuff no doubt, but it happens to everyone eventually. This gimme shots are the tricky ones lol. I've missed them by pulling my head off the stock. It's a sickening feeling. But he flew away most likely not injured so get back after him another day!
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Quote from: Gobble! on April 01, 2016, 04:19:45 PM
todays tight chokes and shells can make close shots interesting!
Yep that is what I keep preaching.
Happens brother. Now try to figure out what you did and don't do it again. If you shot over him sounds like you might have aimed at the head. Shoot for the waddels and your far less likely to shoot over them.
[quoteThank you for sharing, and making all of us feel a bit less embarrassed about our own misses][/quote]
QuoteHate to say this, but be careful next time...missing is CONTAGIOUS.
Thanks for all the kind reply's, Yep that's why I posted it , to help myself get over and others to understand it happens.!!!! There are two kind of hunters, those that will admit they missed and those that will not.
That's one type of "Contagious" I don't want.!! LOL
I'm sure you keep replaying the scenario over and over in your head, but nothing is going to change the outcome. I have been there and done that and it plain out sucks. Shake it off and make it up on the next shot.
Quote from: ilbucksndux on April 01, 2016, 11:57:09 PM
Quote from: Gobble! on April 01, 2016, 04:19:45 PM
todays tight chokes and shells can make close shots interesting!
Yep that is what I keep preaching.
Agreed X's-3
I missed at 25 yards this morning!! My safety wasn't all the way off on my first attempt and I rushed the shot on my 2nd try. I'm still in disbelief. I did see him back with his hens an hour or so later.
Yup join the ranks :'( so close you can picture him in the bed of the truck and then BOOM ! Gone...... Been there done that, makes ya humble fast.