Missed turkey educated or myth?

[Turkeyslayer 101]

Well today I missed a gobbler at about 8 yards today, it was a quick set up as the turkey topped the hill we had no time to get a good set up and the gobbler appeared thru sage brush at 8 yards and I was on one knee and free handed and when the safety went click he turned and I fired the beretta extreme A400 with a rhino 660 choke and the turkey bolted and ran back to the top if the hill about 200 yards away and looked back down like what the heck happened! My question is do you think he is educated now or don't know really what happened? And how long would you wait till try him again?

[guesswho]

If you just sat still after the shot he has no idea what happened.  If you jumped up he might be a little paranoid for a day.  I missed one like that last year on the next to the last day then killed him the next day. 

[Turkeyslayer 101]

Good to know, I sat still he never seen me...man I couldn't believe I missed but he was to close

[timbrhuntr]

Couple years ago I had three toms in front of me and shot a branch off a tree and obviously missed. 2 days later I had the three same toms in almost the same spot and shot one. Listen to what Guesswho says he seems to know what he is talking about.

[TheTwistedOne]

In South Carolina we can kill two a day.  

I called in two gobblers a two years ago and laid one down.  The other sped out of there unscathed.  The first one was DRT so I stayed put, waited about 15 minutes and started calling again.  30 minutes later the other bird came in and I laid him right beside his partner.

If they don't see you move they will sometimes come right back.  Doesn't work every time but I've done this more than once.

[strutter]

I missed one once and he came back within the hour to the same spot.

[Turkeyslayer 101]

I saw the same 2 strutting this evening all is good !

[Spring_Woods]

I saw the same 2 strutting this evening all is good !

Great! Your still in business. Good luck!

[Ontgunner]

If you just sat still after the shot he has no idea what happened.  If you jumped up he might be a little paranoid for a day.  I missed one like that last year on the next to the last day then killed him the next day. 

I agree. We have shot one bird and the second or third has run off 100 yards and stopped. Sat still and called and had them return to the scene of the crime and had an opportunity to harvest a second.

[sippy cup]

You can give them a couple hours after the miss then change your setup he will come back might not gobble as good as first time or even come in silent Ive taken a many of them this way so be very alert

[jakebird]

Look how often you see it in videos....someone calls in two or more toms, puts one in the dirt and as the rest begin to scatter at the shot, somebody will get on a fighting purr and give it to em hard. Next thing you know all the birds are gobbling again and they run back and pounce on the dead one. If they can get over a gunshot within seconds, they can definitely get over it in 24 hrs. Go give him a dirt nap, this time!

[jblackburn]

My buddies and I have killed several public land birds in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma that were carrying around old shot from hunters that had missed.  In fact, in 2009 I called in two great Rios for some friends, one of which had two different sizes of old shot in him.  Either someone was using duplex loads or he was shot at at least twice.  The old wounds were healed and the shot had scar tissue growing around them.  I worked these two to 20 yards and my buddies did not miss!

[MouthCaller]

a few years ago I missed a bird in Mississippi and scattered the flock we stayed in the same place and most of the flock had returned in an hour. 2 years ago I missed a big tom at about 5pm and let him rest a week and came back and did him in 50 yards from where I had missed him.

[vicksburg]

My buddy missed one Thursday, and he and i went back this morning and he killed him... 2 yr old.

[TheTwistedOne]

I think we can call this myth BUSTED!