What would you have done?

[wade]

Set up on 2 gobbling toms in the edge of a woods over looking a field. Jake and hen decoys 20 yards straight in front of me. The 2 year olds came out into the field catter corner from me about 130 yards away. If they had cut the corner I would have been in business. But they walked out right in front of me turned 90 degrees and walked straight at me. There was a natural shooting lane about 3 feet wide right in front of me and cover on both sides. Because they were both looking at me the whole time I felt like I couldn't raise my gun. After what seemed like forever they turned to leave and I planned to shoot 1 in the back of the head. But just like they knew what they were doing they stayed lined up with the cover to the right until they were about 100 yards away. So should I have took a chance and tried raising my gun?

[roverboy]

I'd probably done the same thing. I would've been thinking they would give me an easy shot.

[POk3s]

Nothing different here. Sometimes they win. I would've waited until they went to leave to kill one just like you. I guess have two tags would be the answer! Hahaha

[BTH]

Happens a lot to me as well. Gobblers using trees to line up and walk away if they feel something isn't right.

Honestly, I would have not done anything different at that time. But I would have tried to figure out where they were heading and use some type of cover to get in front of them and try em again after they got out of sight. 

[g8rvet]

I guess I do  not really understand.  How far were they from you when you first saw them? 

It is a judgement call, and if you are experienced like it sounds like you are, then your best guess at the time is usually the right one.  The only reason I may have tried anyway would have been if it was the last week, if I was on a 2 day quota hunt and would not get a chance to be back.  If it is a place you will get another shot, then you did not spook them and should be able to get another whack at them. 

I had my gun up in the dark swamp on a bird I was 85% was a gobbler this year.  But could not see a beard and he only offered a brief chance.  So I held off.  No regrets.  It happens.  Thought he was gonna circle and give my nephew a chance but he eased off with a tree between us, just like yours did.  And this was on the last day of a 3 day quota.   Would rather eat tag soup than cripple a tom or even worse, kill a hen. Was not even tempted.  Sounds to me like you did right. 

[snapper1982]

When they first appeared I would have started slowly raising my gun and it would have been shouldered by the time they was in range.

[dublelung]

Given 130 yards notice I would've been looking down the barrel and fired once he got in range but I would've done it without the decoys.

[Spitten and drummen]

That's why if I'm hunting a field , I back into the woods about 40 yards and make them come looking

[guesswho]

I'd have started loudly cutting or purring while raising my gun.  This will sometimes confuse them and will pause and look giving you the extra few seconds to raise your gun, get on target and shoot. 

[Marc]

I'd have started loudly cutting or purring while raising my gun.  This will sometimes confuse them and will pause and look giving you the extra few seconds to raise your gun, get on target and shoot.

My thoughts exactly...

Although this year while hunting with my daughter, I simply picked up the gun (ready to call) and shot the bird...  (The birds were down to our left, and came in up to our right and I basically had to turn all the way around).  They started to move off, but not so fast I still did not have a good shot.

Problem is, if your gun is down, and birds come in, at some point you have to get the gun up...  I have had this happen more than once, and generally, their heads pop up (for an instant) giving me a good opportunity for an easy snap-shot (which is one reason I do not like the idea of optics on my turkey gun).

[zelmo1]

This happens, I get my gun up as early as possible. I am old and slow, it works to my advantage sometimes

[Happy]

My boy had that problem on Saturday with two longbeards at 25 yards. He needed to shift his gun slightly left and get his head down on the stock. They were both in full strut and he would have been able to pull it off if he had moved decisively. They popped out of strut for a about two seconds and stood stock still and he could have shot if he had fully committed. However as soon as he saw the birds start to react he froze and that hesitation cost him. Experience is the best teacher but keeping a cool head when it isn't perfect goes a long ways.

[Marc]

My boy had that problem on Saturday with two longbeards at 25 yards. He needed to shift his gun slightly left and get his head down on the stock. They were both in full strut and he would have been able to pull it off if he had moved decisively. They popped out of strut for a about two seconds and stood stock still and he could have shot if he had fully committed. However as soon as he saw the birds start to react he froze and that hesitation cost him. Experience is the best teacher but keeping a cool head when it isn't perfect goes a long ways.

Well put...  Experience, confidence, and decisiveness.  When I am caught with my pants down, I develop a plan as to a course of action (i.e. which bird I am going to shoot, focusing on the target, making sure I am going to shoot the bird before I take any action, etc.)

For younger shooters, the stars and planets need to be lined up...  I think sometimes kids need to be talked into shooting...

I generally sit against a tree, and holding a gun on my knee at ready for extended periods is not appealing...  On half or more of my birds, I have had to make make some degree of "action shot," and you generally have some time...  Hunting the woods, I can often wait for a bird to walk behind a tree, bush or rock as well. 

Part of making the move is reading the bird...  A bird in strutt, or birds pecking at the ground while causually walking, you will likely have some time...  A bird nervously walking in with his head up, you'd be be prepared to act & shoot fast.

[appalachianassassin]

often I let birds get in range before raising my gun and it has never let me down. but you have to be quick.

[wade]

Thanks for the replies. I've done the slowly raise my gun thing before and had the tom hang up just out of range starring me down, when my arms finally gave out he putted and fast walked away. But, based on what happened on Saturday, in hind sight it might have worked. They came in just like they were on a rope. With a single strutting tom it's pretty easy to raise the gun but this struttter had a sentry. I like the loud cutting idea and will give that a try the next time I find myself in that situation.