Caught Of Guard With Your Gun Down? Here’s What You Can Do

© By Othmar Vohringer

It often happens that a tom comes running to our calls and we’re not ready to shoot. Don’t panic. All is not lost. Fortunately turkeys don’t see slow and gradual movement. There have been a few times that I had to bring my gun up or draw my bow on a gobbler with them looking right at me, but the emphasis is on slow and steady movement.

If you lucky the tom is strutting or walking behind a tree. If either of these scenarios occurs wait until the tree or the fan blocks his vision of you and then raise the gun or draw the bow quickly. Get ready to kill the tom the moment he provides you with a shooting opportunity.

 Slow and Steady
Keep an eye on the turkey, move the gun very slowly and gradually in a flowing movement toward him. Make absolutely sure the movement is super-slow motion. If the gobbler sees quick or interrupted movement he’s taking off. Turkeys often will tolerate mildly alerted slow steady movement as opposed to fast and quick movement that puts them on full alert.

Of course turkeys are wily and ever alert animals and the above tip may therefore only work six out of ten times, but what do you have to lose if the tom stands in front of you? Nothing so you might just as well try to get him.

Obstacles
If you see the tom approach in open view of you always watch where they’re going. If the tom heads toward a tree wait until his head is covered behind a tree before you raise the gun or draw the bow. Be aware though and time it right, a turkey can see better around an obstacle than you can. If the tree is closer to the bird than you it obscures his vision more. Conversely, if the tree is closer to you the tom’s vision might appear to you as blocked yet he can see you clearly.

Let him go
Another option that I’ve employed a time or two is to let the gobbler go. Sit absolutely still, after a while the tom will lose interest and walk away. As soon he is out of sight get you gun ready and start to call again. Very often this will get the tom fired up again and return quickly. Just make sure you’re not caught of guard again.

Getting a shot at a turkey that caught you of guards can be done but it is the exception rather than the rule, but as I said earlier. Try it you have nothing to lose.

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