Turkey fail

[cynthialee]

So it was long enough when it happened that my ego can handle the ribbing....
I lost a turkey during this years turkey hunt. :redface:

What happened:
Well I heard a pack of turkey outside my house. I looked out the window and picked a respectable looking bird in the flock. I went and got my .56 smoothie renegade loaded up with bird shot and carefully opened the back door and blasted my turkey.
It fell over, the flock went for the hills. So I walked up to the turkey and looked it over. Looked dead to me, bleeding out of multiple holes in its' neck and head. YAY!
Well it was raining and I didn't want to bring the bird inside while it was still bleeding so I went inside to put my smoothbore aside so it wouldn't get wet as I dealt with the turkey.
Anyways on the way out the door to get my turkey I saw it take flight. I chased after it for a half an hour before I gave up. Soaked to the bone because I wasn't in my outdoor gear. I was in a skirt and crocks.
So my bird went off somewhere to die, I caught a chill to my bones and I spent the better part of the afternoon cursing.
The worst part is when I was standing over the bird watching it bleed my first instinct was to butt stroke it to the head with my renegade. But I did not want to get my rifle gory and I figured the bird was already dead.

So I learned my lesson: always do a coup de grace even when it doesn't look like it is needed. Thing is when I shoot anything else I always double tap. Had a porcupine turn out to not be quite dead once back in my early 20's....

 

[Wes/Tex]

"He who has not lost one, let him cast the first stone"...or something like that. I probably ought to say, "Welcome to the club" since most of us have seen that miracle, to wit..., a dead bird gets up and flies off. The other end of that tail is the one where you shoot at a bird that falls dead as a dime, but when you pull out every feather, there's not a single hit to be found...and I mean nowhere! Heart attack? Cow pie Kamakazi? Act of God? DUH!!??

 

[Swamp Rat]

Yep. Normally the head will be sticking up on a bird that his neck is not broke. So a good practice is to step on the head, Grab a leg or two and give a little pull and twist. If you feel a little give. He isnt going anywhere. Haven't had one do like yours play dead then get gone. Another thing don't grab them legs to fast or hard, I have scares to show you why you should not.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Bad luck Cynth. Shame for your efforts to be wasted n'all. Things will go wrong and it is easy to critise with hind sight....next time it will go better our friend. Got a brandy for your bones?

B :thumbsup:

 

[agill]

It happens. :redface:

 

[flyfisher76544]

We all learn. :hatsoff:

 

[Patocazador]

Turkeys are stupid. Yours probably didn't know he was dead. :grin:

 

[Spikebuck]

Nothing in nature ever goes to waste. If he died, there are animals out there that benefitted. Small consolation, and all of us that have hunted for a while have shared in the pain you feel over a lost animal. Even nature's more perfect predators lose game!

 

[cynthialee]

I couldn't even look at a gun for a few days after I cleaned my smoothie. I was serious ******.
Totally with myself. I didn't listen to instinct which was saying to me to make sure it was dead. I let my disdain for icky over ride that instinct. Bites me in the butt every time I do not listen to that voice.

 

[don hepler]

I used to get down on myself, when something like that happened. But, my father-in-law, used to say, "you ain't the only one, that needs to eat, you made some critters, happy tonight."

 

[Britsmoothy]

I couldn't even look at a gun for a few days after I cleaned my smoothie. I was serious ******.
Totally with myself. I didn't listen to instinct which was saying to me to make sure it was dead. I let my disdain for icky over ride that instinct. Bites me in the butt every time I do not listen to that voice.

Who amongst us has never screwed up?

Load that gun and check it's function and make a good ready...this time there won't be no chasin' :thumbsup:


Brits.

 

[Roguedog]

I can empathize with the pain! A few years ago, I called a nice gobbler in and shot him with my 12 gauge pump (before I went all traditional). The bird dropped at the shot and started flopping all around. Well, I went to pump another round in and nothing happened. Mind you, all this was happening quickly! The bird regained his feet and started to run. This entire time I am still trying to pump another round in the gun. Long story short, my plug jammed in the magazine spring preventing the gun from cycling another round. The bird finally took to the wing and was gone in a flash. I spent the entire afternoon looking to no avail. That turkey haunted me for a long, long time. As others have said, unfortunately it happens. Don't give up.

Jeff

 

[Patocazador]

I've found that #4, 5, or 6 shot in a capsule when aimed for the head is an almost sure killer.

 

[azmntman]

Well Cynthia, I got that beat! I called in a big tom to 8 FEET in howling wind. Wasnt expecting any results but had camped and thought Id give it 10 min and go home. He came to my side and I saw a bit of black in the periphialy(?) vison and thinking it was a spider I jumped and he took off! Missed him at 10 yds running rolled over wrong way shooting from laying position. Jumped up and he went over a lil rise/hill and was gone. Then his head showed as he skirted me at 30 yds and I shot him with the other barrell and he DOWN! YAY!. Went over and he not even twitchin so I pick him up, turn around and hold him up to my 10 yr old son and gave a chirp on the diagphram call still in my mouth. He opens one eye and looks around and then he beats the hell outta me with wings n spurs! Had I not been dressed for cold he'd a gutted me! Took some doing to keep Jake from unloading on him during the fight but finally got him down and busted him with a rock! Jake laughed till his stomach hurt too bad to blow his sax at school that day! I believe I may have knocked him out with a single pellet to the noggin?

 

[Patocazador]

Turkeys don't have a brain. He was probably dead already but didn't know it. :haha:

Seriously, For 50 years I have heard hunters say how smart a wild turkey is. BALDERDASH!!!
They are very spooky, but smart? No way. I 'putted' at a hen in a clearing once. She stood there for 41 minutes by my watch, twisting and turning her head looking for the source of the sound.
I don't know the average life span of a turkey is but she probably used up 1% of hers being paranoid that day.

 

[Carl Fowler III]

Bad luck there CL, the first thing I learned from Rob Keck was to get on that bird...one foot on head and the other on those turkey feet till it stops moving! Like the others have stated worms have to eat too!

One time I was out hunt'n for deer in a heavy snow with 6 inches already on the ground...just pussy foot'n along real slow like when a doe stood up from her bed about 30 yds away. She was in some real heavy secondary forest growth and I put the sight on her chest...she had no clue I was there...but decided not to shoot her and hold out for a buck...as I lowered the gun she caught the movement and turned to run, as she ran thru a slight opening I saw her HUGE RACK :shocked2: ...in 2 jumps he was gone and I was left with egg on my face :redface: and completely ****** at myself :cursing: ....always take the shot and definitely trust your gut! :v

 

[hanshi]

It is wise and just common sense to remove one's self from the vicinity of ANYTHING that appears to be a spider.

 

[Flint50]

I,ve told this story before, but some may have missed it. My wife and I were taking some photos of fall leaves on a 4x4 trail. As we rolled along I spied a grouse surrounded by colorful foliage and took a few pics. Then I remembered it was grouse season, and I did have my .357. My wife said "you can't shoot him after taking his picture"
I eased out of the truck and BOOM! I went the 15 yards or so and picked up my "dead" grouse, shoved him under the seat and was off. My wife was giving me the silent treatment on the way home. Suddenly the grouse popped out and began flying all around the cab of the truck as my wife was screaming at the top of her lungs. Quite distracting at 70 mph. I was finally able to catch him and wring his neck. You can imagine the look on my wife's face.

 

[silly goose]

Now that right there, is some funny.

 

[hanshi]

Thank your lucky stars it wasn't a buck!