I shot him and now I miss my friend

[GobbleGobble]

[sm=s14.gif] I have to admit I am just a little depressed and want to know if you all ever experienced this.....

I, through the turkey season, saw this 2 year old gobbler every morning for about a week strutting in a field by my house.  I finally got some time to hunt and that morning I was able to call him to me and then .....


Here is my delima....  Turkey hunting is THE one sport where I think you get a certain "connection" with the bird you are hunting. 

Think about it....  Doves, quail, ducks, and other game you scare them up and BOOM their done.  Turkeys (as is normally the case with me)  it takes me several times of going back to them same location before I get the Tom who has been outsmarting me.  I learn where he roost, where he lands when he flies down and what call it takes to come away from the lady hens....

Then when I seal the deal with the shot-  I feel excited (of course) but then- your friend is nothing more than a delicous breaded turkey dinner to come.

I think it means more to me also because the hunting I do is around my house and so I see these birds often unlike someone who drives 60 miles to some land to spend a day hunting. 

[&o]Can someone hand me a tissue as I take a bite of my friends leg[&o]

[MAK]

A buddy of mine once said he like to be able to breathe life back into them so we can chase them again.
 
My emotional attachment has been more of frustration.

[JPH]

The fact that it stings a little is proof that your head and heart are in the right place. The poacher and the anti are united, in that they will never undersand the emotions involved in being a hunter.

[Barry]

ORIGINAL: JPH

The fact that it stings a little is proof that your head and heart are in the right place. The poacher and the anti are united, in that they will never undersand the emotions involved in being a hunter.

 
AMEN!!!
 
barry

[MAKEemQUIVER]

I know exactly what you are saying. I think that shows that you truly love the sport. The second bird i killed this year i had watched for about a month and a half and couldn't wait to hunt him. After i was lucky to kill him though i sure missed getting to go watch him. Hopefully another bird will fill his spot for you.

[grunt_doc]

I didn't even really WANT to shoot my 2nd.  I'm sorry to say that I didn't bring him in...I went to him.  He was injured, though, and I didn't think he deserved to end up as either road kill or coyote food! 
 
http://forum.turkeyandturkeyhunting.com/tm.aspx?m=1741
 
Doc

[rbewilson]

I miss my friend too,I wish I was still hunting for him

[Va.ridgerunner]

I agree with the group.  Some birds it has taken me anywhere from 4 hours to 3 days to call in.  Sure do miss the hard, bad birds.  The easy ones are nice but, I love the hunt.

[GobbleGobble]

Hey there my turkey friends. Before the replies started coming in on the post, I thought you all would think I was a little looney. I guess we all think the same on this subject.

Now I think you all might agree I am crazy- Spring last year I heard a Tom gobbling in the woods across the street from my house. I did not have permission to hunt there- So in the morning as I did my morning jog I would "talk" to him. I am not talking about using a mouth call BUT actually yelling out Gobble, Gobble, Gobble. You guessed it.... he would gobble back to me.
This went on for two weeks. Then one morning after my jog, I was walking up the steps to my house when BOOM!!!....... a shot rang out across the street. That was the last morning Ole' Tom and I talked : (

Those crazy birds....or is it me who is crazy : )

[Gobblernut]

I guess the best thing we can hope for is that he passed his genes on and his boy will be as fun to hunt as he was..