We miss spring gobblers for various reasons, from failing to pattern our shotguns to misjudging the distance. The list of reasons is long, and includes awkward angles, fatigue, obstructions, and many others. Unfortunately, sometimes we send a swarm of shot at him and he gets away, but we didn't miss. Some of the shot may have penetrated his feather armor. Maybe he'll recover. Or maybe not.
I suppose you need an element of luck to hunt turkeys for a lifetime without missing, but it's possible, and it should be our goal. Click here for "Don't Miss That Gobbler!" — my April 8 column in the Jamestown Gazette — and read a few reasons why shooting at a paper silhouette of a turkey head is not the same as shooting at a live gobbler.
To read other blog posts from MISSION: HUNTER, CLICK HERE to go to www.EverydayHunter.com.
Photo by Steve Sorensen: If you’re never going to miss a gobbler, you’re going to be lucky a few times. This is the only gobbler I’ve had to shoot at more than once. The first shot was at an extremely awkward angle.