What mistakes did y'all make

[njdevilsb]

My dad and I had 2 toms and 3 hens roosted, and they went into the trees kind of in between 2 fields separated by some brush.  We figured they land on the same side they took off from.  Well low and behold, the next morning they landed in the other field, on the other side of the brush from where we were setup.  If we were smart, we would have placed one of us in each field, or at least facing the other one.  Had one of us been on the other side of the brush, the first tom down would have been within 30 yards as soon as he hit the ground.  We could have almost set up back to back looking at each field, and one of us could have killed him.

[slamman]

I have shot some very nice bull elk with my bow, this was the first year I have hunted turkey with a bow and for some reason I was rushing my shots and missed every time so I have yet to take a turkey with a bow.  Maybe next year.

[Hooksfan]

REAL turkey hunters don't make mistakes.

I prefer to call them Presidential Choices, and I made my share of em again this year.
Two stand out in my mind that I would hit the rewind button on if I could.

1. During the last weekend of the Missouri season, I was taking my kids.  I had been weaning them off of hunting out of a blind--Partly because they enjoyed and had success in Kansas when we went chasing some, and partly because I hate hunting out of blinds and want the kids to learn how not to have to rely on them.  I had a group of six jakes come in and I told my 10 year old to shoot before he was ready.  He had it in his mind where he wanted the birds to be and I should have let him make that call--instead I told him to shoot and he missed.  Lesson learned.  It all worked out the next morning when I called another one in and he didn't miss--and it was packing an 11" rope.

2.  I was hunting public in the Black Hills.  I had filled my two Prairie unit tags in South Dakota and had one left.  I was calling to a group of birds that were making their way down a trail.  I was set up right on the edge of National Forest and private.  I had about a 10 yard wide window of opportunity before they would get behind some brush and get on private ground--No problem, though.  There were 3 hens with three toms in tow in full strut that were going to go right by me  The first two hens passed by at 25 steps and the third one which had lagged behind them took off running to catch up.  When the toms saw that hen run, they took off running after her.  I went from a sure thing to having to take action before they went through the shooting lane.  I made a quick call to stop them and
it worked.  Only problem was that two heads stuck up together and I only had one tag left--There was a day in my past.....well nevermind.....I couldn't shoot and they took off again.  I stopped them the second time just in time, but rushed my shot and missed. 

[Doug]

No patience this year.  Should have sat longer in some spots.

Didn't hunt all day even though we can here.  When I was at home, I wanted to be out hunting.  When I was out hunting, kept thinking about things that should be getting done at home.

Didn't hear or see a gobbler so there was nothing to screw up on that front.

[ncturkey]

First mistake was not waiting for a better shot on a gobbler. I let the pressure of trying to get my first Osceola make me take a shot that was less than perfect. Second mistake was misjudging distance on a gobbler in a field. Next year I will practice  more patience and learn to judge distance better. I felt like a rookie all over again this year. But I was still blessed with one gobbler. I took him at 10 yards. I almost let him get too close. But I had to wait for a good clear shot. I can not wait until next year. One thing to remember guys. Learn from your midtakes. It will make you a better hunter.

[seadux]

Made many mistakes as always but my top three were:
1. Never let someone who your are hosting from out of state convince you that they know more about the birds on your private ground than you do.  Busted birds off the roost twice by going in down the road (easy) vs. going through the woods (rough).

2. Don't think you are a better caller than you are.  Real hens are always more convincing.

3. Late season birds are not likely to come out into the open when they have been pressured.  I was trying to get a bird for a friend and knew where a Tom had been using.  He was henned up but was usually alone by 10:30.  We went in at 10:00 and were able to get him to answer excited cutting once.  I knew where he was so we eased along a field edge along some young hardwoods.  I decided to call again to see where he was he answered and was much closer <100yds.  I saw an opening in the hardwoods about 20 yds. off of the field edge and suggested we make our way in there to set up.  My friend was scared he would not be able to see for a shot in the woods so we sat on the field edge near the opening.  We were then treated to the sounds of a turkey spitting, drumming and gobbling for the next 45min. in the spot I wanted to set up.  The brush was just to thick to get a shot.     

[zhlhunter]

 My biggest mistake was not going with my gut feeling on were to set up or when to move. On the youth hunt with my daughter I wanted her to get this bird that I had taken a lot of pictures of. I was scouting a area the day before and found a lot of sine in a area that had a lot of scratchings around a good looking roost tree. I scouted this area before the youth hunt and heard 3 different birds in the area.  We ended up setting up on the bird that I had taken pictures of and had a fisherman bust him out of the roost at daybreak.
    My dad was in the area were I had a gut feeling of setting up and sure enough there were 3 toms roosted in the same tree were I thought they would be.  I did manage to get set up on these birds and called them in and she did get a shot but missed. The second weekend of season I had another gut feeling on setting up in a open area of a thicket that was right off the road with my daughter. But we sat up the blind on the backside of the thicket on the field edge hoping to get the bird in the field. Sure enough the bird was in the thicket gobbling his head off, he gobbled 280 times. We was moving on the bird and was going to come in on him from the road and he was right up against the road. We had to cross a creek and got set up and called the bird to about 40 yds we could here him drumming and thought for sure he would pop up over the hill. We gave him about 45 min and then I got up and moved towards were I last heard him and the I realized the the creek made a v and we were sitting in it and he would not cross it.
      The middle of the second week I was set up on a bird and the first gobble on the roost my gut told me to move to a point. I then heard a hen behind me and decided I would sit tight and wait him out. The hen moved off the other way from him and I decided to try to make it to the point and got busted.
   So next year I will listen to my gut feeling for sure.

[tomstopper]

Patience and calling to much. On opening day I had a huge gobbler come in to within 50 yds and gobble for about 45 min. He finally had enough of my hen talk and went right back from where he came. My ignorance cost me probably the biggest gobbler of my hunting career so far. I have learned a valuable lesson and will fix it next season. 

[trackerbucky]

(1) Broke my own #1 rule, "When you think it's time to move, wait 10 more minutes". Had a gobbler answering and he went silent.  30 minutes later I thought he must have walked off so I got up to move instead of waiting 10 more minutes and busted him at 50 yards or so.

(2) Wait a few minutes longer for the first gobbles on overcast mornings instead of running off into the woods and having to hurry half way across the tract when you finally do hear a morning gobble.

[woodchip]

I made a HUGE mistake this season.  Earlier in the year I bought a NEF 10ga and patterned it with the HeviShot magblends.  It was putting up a good pattern dead centered left and right but about a foot high and the sights were as low as they could go.  I thought "No Problem"  I'll just aim at the point where his beard is attached to his body and kill him dead.  I was a bit leary of taking it hunting so opening day I hunted with my 870 SM and killed one.  After that I began packing the 10ga.  About seven days into the season I was hunting on some public ground.  I arrived before daylight and made my way towards a bird gobbling on the roost.  I worked that bird for three hours, made about four different setups and he finally gave up and started coming to me.  I didn't see him until he was about 60yds away and before I knew it he was on top of me at 15yds spittin and drumming.  He put on a real show.  I've been turkey hunting for 16yrs and shooting turkeys in the head the whole time.  In all the excitement I forgot to aim where the beard is attached like planned.  Needless to say at 15yds the pattern was like a rifle bullet and when I aimed at his head I probably shot about a foot over him!  Still bummed about that one!!  It was a tough season for me in Ky because I wasn't able to hunt one of my best spots and the birds were far and few between.  I never got another real opportunity at another bird.

Worst mistake I've ever made in the turkey woods but hey if you haven't missed your not hunting much or your a liar, LOL

[jakebird]

I had four birds gobbling on the roost one morning i close proximity to one another and directly above me on the ridge. They always come down into a bottom where i was already set up so i gave em some light tree talk which they ripped up, and i waited for flydown. They ended up getting around me to my right unseesn, but within 75 yds. For the next hour we talked back and forth, atleast four gobblers and not a hen to be heard. They refused to come, even after the silent treatment, so i got aggressive and laid on some fighting purrs which had them burning the woods down but still wouldnt budge. Finally they quit talking and after 30 mins of silence i picked up and slowly moved the direction i last heard them. Within thirty yds of moving, i immediately spied a hen running hard uphill and away from me. Then another, and another, and another....12 to 15 hens, five or six jakes, and three strutters bringing up the rear, who never even broke strut, just followed the hens the other way. I circled them to no avail...

[Neill_Prater]

I didn't make any mistakes. I've become a well-oiled hunting machine in the woods, so unlike mere mortals, blunders are beneath me. If you believe this, give me a call. I have some oceanfront property I could let go real cheap! 

[Ol'Mossy]

The biggest mistake I made was starting to hunt these dad blasted birds in the first place 

[YELPA]

Too many to detail but the usual suspects.  Moved when I should have stayed put.  Stayed put when I should have moved.  Gave up with the sun still up.  Too stubborn.  Too loose. 

[TrackeySauresRex]

1st one was a bad set up (thick cover) on a bird that went silent. He came in on a sneak to get a peek and didn't like what he saw. Less than 20 and couldn't get the shot off. Busted bird.
2nd bird    I had a nice tom hang up between 60/70 yards struttin back and forth. Then Mr. Fox decides to take a run at my Tom. He flew off.. New set up.. I get a bird going good... and start thinkin about what happened with the hung up bird. I'm thinkin decoy time he'll see it and come rite in.... WRONG!... Man I hate them deeks. Busted bird
I still had a great season harvesting 3 mature birds