Missing a shot on a wary tom turkey can be disheartening. But don’t give up hope – with the right approach, that gobbler may still end up on your dinner table. Here we’ll explore tips for calling a turkey back after a missed shot, and what impacts your chances of success.
How Badly is the Turkey Spooked?
First, analyze how badly the turkey was spooked when you shot and missed.
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If he saw you draw back or move before shooting he’ll be extra alert.
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If he only heard the shot and took off, he may return to investigate hen calls.
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A clean miss with no pellet contact gives better odds than if pellets hit but didn’t penetrate.
Wait Before Pursuing the Same Bird
After the shot, wait at least 20-30 minutes before attempting to re-call the gobbler. Sneak out quietly in the direction he fled. Then take a stand and call softly to avoid over-alerting him.
If he was only lightly spooked, he may come back looking to re-connect with that ‘hen’. But a turkey hit by pellets will likely shy away for awhile.
Adjust Your Setup and Location
If pursuing the same bird, set up in a new spot 100-200 yards away. Avoid your original position. Also consider using different calls than before so the sequence sounds ‘fresh’.
Turkeys rely on patterns. Altering the routine can make you seem like a new hen. This tweak may entice the gobbler to come investigate.
Hunting a Completely New Bird is Safer
While possible to re-call a missed bird, it’s usually much easier to start over on a completely new tom in a different area. An untouched gobbler won’t be looking for danger signs.
A fresh start on unpressured ground almost always boosts your odds versus trying to outsmart a warier bird. But in limited hunting scenarios, re-calling the missed turkey may be your only option.
Be Patient and Persistent
With the right approach, a missed gobbler can still end up bagged. But it requires patience and flexibility. If he doesn’t respond right away, try again in a couple days.
Don’t pressure him too heavily. And be ready to abandon the attempt if he seems too alert or has hen distractions. With persistence and care, the missed bird may ultimately surrender.
Learn from the Experience
Analyze why you missed and revise your tactics accordingly. Were you too rushed? Did you misjudge distance? Were you not adequately concealed? Assess these factors honestly.
Use the misfire as a chance to improve your skills and strategy. With a focus on learning, a missed shot can make you a better turkey hunter in the long run.
Missing a shot is disappointing, but all is not lost if you respond correctly. With care and strategic adjustments, that same wily gobbler may still strut into shotgun range, giving you a second chance. Be patient and persistent, but also flexible, and you can often turn a miss into a treasured memory.
Bumped. Spooked. Busted. Whatever you want to call it, the bird you’ve been after all morning is on to you.
He saw something he didn’t like and now he’s gone, a blur of wings and feet headed in the opposite direction. What’s next?
The obvious solution is to find another gobbler and let the bumped bird settle down. That’s not always an option, though. Small tracts of land, a ticking clock or silent woods can force us to play the cards we were dealt. And that means you have to hunt that bird, spooked or not.
Before you can figure out your next move, you first have to determine if you were actually busted. A missed shot? Obviously. A bird bumped off the roost? Yep, he saw you. A gobbler that turns and walks away just out of range? That could be any number of things.
How you approach those and other situations will determine what you do next and ultimately, whether or not your morning will end in success or a long walk back to the truck.
When you Spook Turkeys, What next?
FAQ
Will turkey return after being shot at?
“It might take a while for him to come back, but there is a good chance he will. Just don’t be surprised if he comes back without ever gobbling. A few decoys can give him the confidence to come back into the field, too.”
Will a turkey fly after being shot?
A turkey taken with a shotgun usually drops on the spot — a head shot is quickly lethal. However, even a well-placed shot with an arrow may only wound a bird that can run or fly away after being hit. In these cases, you may need to follow the bird to recover it or take a second shot.
How long do turkeys remember being shot at?
I believe their memories are pretty short. I have seen turkeys shot at, run off and be back in the same field the very next day.
Will a buck come back after being shot at but missed?
Yes, a mature buck will come back to the area where he was wounded, says Kip Adams of the Quality Deer Management Association. Depending on where it occurred, maybe in an open food plot or field, a buck might not move in during daylight hours for a while, but he’s not leaving his home range.