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Tracking wounded turkeys?

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VolDoug

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Anyone ever had to do it?

I have on two occasions. One was on a bird I called Nemesis a few yrs ago (you get the idea). I thought he was down after my first shot, but he did a back flip and took off running when i approached him while I emptied my gun at him. Thankfully, he was hurt bad enough that I was able to stay within 20-30 yds of him as he trotted along. (I was out of shells). Anyway, he climbed into the first fallen tree top he came to. I expected him to die, but he didn't and proceeded to run off with me in tow. I ended up diving on him and then had to strangle him, but that's a different story.

The other occurred last year. I knew the bird was hit good, but he flew off but was struggling to get very high. It was in the edge of a field and I just watched his direction of flight. I waited a few minutes and then went that way. The first brier patch I came to, I could make out the tip of one feather from inside the middle of it. He was dead. Had I not been specifically looking for him in there, I would not have found him.

So, don't just assume that you missed if he doesn't hit the ground right there.
 
Shot one in full strut one morning Doug @ 25 yards and rolled him seen his wing flop and heard him flopping as well, it was late season when the Jackson co under growth starts growing from the forest floor up I ricked a shell and started running towards him and he got up and flew off I never found a speck of blood but tons of feathers, He lived to see another day but definatly was on Tylenol that night! :D
 
The first bird I ever had within 40 yards was pure luck. I had a ol .20 ga topper single shot at twelve years old and rolled him at twenty yards ands he got up and flew off before I even got to my feet never did find him but looking back now and knowing a lil more now I'm sure I killed him. Still makes me sick
 
If bird flys away with a leg down or both legs down you have killed that bird. Problem is he may go 200 yds. I have saw this first hand. Try to focus and mark a spot where you see him land. Just like when you dove hunt.
 
The leg down theory is true! I busted one two years ago at about 25-30 yards. Bird was flopping on the ground so I decided to take my gloves and facemask off and just as soon as i put it in my vest, I look up to see my dead long beard flying off. Legs were down on him and I watched where he landed and ran to the spot where I had last seen him. After looking around for thirty minutes and feeling very defeated, I found him in a log pile. So I truly believe in the leg down theory.
 
Yep but I was right behind him so I saw where he went. I think alot of gobblers get shot at, fly or run off, then die. I probably caused it some myself when I was just starting and was shooting to far.
 
Wish i would have known this last season. I had never shot a Tom until last year and i know i hit the biggest bird i had ever seen, but he flew off. I did not know to look for the legs being down and he flew towards a 40-50 acre high grass and briar field. I looked but he did have to clear some trees to get there. I didn't see if the legs were down or not and i never found him, so i guess he could have gotten out of there.
 
Few years ago had one flop down a tall, steep side of a ridge to within about ten feet of the bottom, I kicked him the rest of the way down, #*!^!# bird.
 

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