Bird came in from behind. What do you do?

[Row Jimmy]

Had a gobbler come in behind me this afternoon.  He was coming from a canyon to my right and ended up behind me, 10 yds.   Didn't have a decoy out to get his attention.  Would you let him pass and try and call him back?  Other options?

I turned and shot.  In hind site I don't think I should have.  Little Gobbler fever on my part!   Do you think it will blow the bird out of that area?  Or should I be back in the general area asap?

Thx for any advice.

[fallhnt]

Let em walk and try to call em back after you reposition.  If that's a fail, go get in front of him.

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[owlhoot]

Patience is an asset that may or may not work  for you, he may walk past or not. It a gamble but if you turn around and he sees you it's all luck to get him back. Unless of course he doesn't and you get a shot at him standing there. If he is  strutting you have a better chance if he has the tail facing you.
Win some loose some .
Remember don't take an iffy shot and wound him. You are best to let him walk away and try to call him back again or reposition and try him again.

[mtns2hunt]

As you stated I would have waited. He came into your call and if he wandered off and did not see you. Chances are you could call him back. Has happened to me several times. I never seem to be facing the right direction when blind calling.

[Txag12]

I learned this year to not risk turning for a shot on a bird after a blatant miss. Made me sick to my stomach but was a good lesson learned as a couple weeks later I had another bird come in silent from behind an I waited till he walked past me. In the future I plan on practicing patience and if it ends in me not getting a shot then come back another day to try to get him in another setup

[Swampchickin234]

That's when ya gotta give him the injun sneak rollin Seminole crawl ground swat jump turn and spin and blast him.  Come off the ground like a snake just bit ya.  Turn and blast.   It's effective?

In all seriousness I'd let him try to walk by me.  If he spooked or didn't come, reposition and try to call him back.  I had to basically do the same thing this year. 


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[BABS9]

Sometimes ya win and most times he wins. I sit as still as I can hope he walks by me. If he walks away I'll reposition and try again or leave him for another day. No sense in trying to turn and risk spooking or taking a sub par shot.

[yelpaholic]

had that happen this year one came in behind me drumming over my right shoulder.  Finally got my head turned far enough i could see him, luckily for me he walked behind a thick bush i was able to slowly swing around and get on him, he saw me and periscoped up but it was to late the little 20 rocked him at 18 steps.  i got lucky i know..

[g8rvet]

My very first spring bird that I called in for myself:  I eased in when he was gobbling in the swamp on his own.  Would cut the distance in half on every gobble.  Got to about 100ish yards and sat down.  Called to him once, he gobbled.  Waited til he hit the ground and called he double gobbled.  He came right in to me and circled me on the my left-very thick on that side, probably 25 yards away, could hear him walking but not see.  I finally let him get by me and eased around to my left.  There he was looking for me from behind at about 25 yards-headed to what would have been my right!  No chance for a shot.  I was too impatient.  He would have walked right by me on my right. 

I am with the be still and try to call him back group, he may even walk by you and present a shot.  last day of the season and little time left, I may be more willing to take a chance. 

[mikejd]

I would have sat tight obviously no calling in hopes a decent shot presents itself. However if he walked off I would quickly re position even if it's 50 or 100 yds further just to.make him feel like the hen is wandering. Usually that will bring him back in.

[howl]

I'll let one walk before taking a questionable shot. It's easier to call them in again than it is to try a shot you're not sure you can make.

I have to let them walk away sometimes even when they come in from the front. My eyesight is so bad they can get inside 20 yards before I see them. Short range snap shots are not my forte, as they say. I have better luck making a move to take a shot when they're a-goin' than when they're a-comin'.

[BTH]

Be completely still and listen for how close he is. If he is far away and my tree is big enough to hide my shoulders and arm movement I will call or scratch leaves. If not, I would be completely still and listen. Once he starts walking away I would turn and start subtle calls again. If he does not respond. I would wait a bit and make a move to swing wide and get in front of him. I have had luck swinging around and taking a shot to kill him. I knew he was close by how loud his steps were on the leaves and how loud his gobble was the last time he did it and he had another gobbler with him. Not sure I want to press that luck again.

[RiverRoost]

Had a very similar situation go down last Friday morning. Bird came in drumming from behind me on my right side. As a right handed shooter that's the worst spot to be in. He went down in a small creek and came up out of it at about 8 yards off my right should. I had a big vine running about shoulder height down to the ground and I GOT GREEDY AND TRIED THE TURN AND SHOOT! Bad bad idea as at 8 yards my pattern is super tight and that is a very low percentage shot trying to turn.

Extremely mad at myself, but learned a good lesson THAT YOU DONT HAVE TO SHOOT AT EVERY BIRD THAT COMES IN! I should have let him walk past me hopefully and try to call him back in from out in front.

Luckily the bird wasn't spooked bad bc the next morning set up on the other end of the property I heard a bird hammering at that same spot from the morning before and killed a bird not 40 yards from Friday mornings tree at about 11:45 Saturday. Turkey hunting has a way of teaching you very obvious but not so obvious at the time lessons and humbling you

[Cut N Run]

I learned a long time ago, that gobbler's faster getting out of there than I can turn & get a good shot.  So I'll hold still and let him do what he's going to do, unless he's far enough away that I can get by with scratching leaves.  Sometimes they walk right behind me, dragging wing tips, spitting & drumming, and driving me crazy.  I might never get to see him, but he might also pass in front of me for an easy shot.

Jim

[Harty]

I will go with the consensus here. Be STILL. Let the bird walk. Then recalibrate and establish a new game plan. I learned the hard way...Turining and trying to get on em(wether slow or fast) has never worked for me . I wish their rearend was facing me when I turned, but never has been my luck!