I've hunted turkeys very occasionally for the last 8-10 years with a lot of encounters but rarely success and a lot of "learning experiences." I got serious about it last year and had success. For those of you who have missed a bird, what was the reason for your miss? I'm looking to upgrade my tureky gun and probably move to TSS and curious how many of you have missed a bird because of a pattern too tight or a bird too close, and then also your advice on how to avoid that. How many of you shoot an O/U to have the option of 2 chokes?

I’ve missed a few. Reason-

1. Lack of patience. Did something stupid
2. See above
3. See number 1.

Shoot at enough of them and you’ll miss one. Doesn’t matter how tight, even, open etc your pattern is sometimes it just happens. Find a choke/load combo you’re comfortable and confident with. Just listened to a moron the other day that I know brag to somebody he didn’t really know about how he’d never missed a turkey. He conveniently left out the fact that he’s only ever shot at 3. Good way to get that bad juju on you there.

I'm a novice turkey hunter and it took me 2 years to "get in the game" with one to where I was able to take a shot. I straight up missed the joker with a 3.5" #9 TSS. That shell is now the "pull" on my ceiling fan in my office to remind me not to fart it up again.

More than I cared for

I certainly understand that misses are part of it and that if the Lord blesses me with enough days of turkey hunting, I'll have my fair share of missed birds. I reckon that's why I'm interested to hear about others experiences and what they felt like the reason was for it. I relate all too well with you there Bullseye.

Lol ive missed 3plus a season past 6/7 years…sucky feeling. Got too into too tight of choke and with not using decoys hunting the woods things happen…switched to a more open choke and gun last year after wounding one and missing 3 more (red dot was 1.5ft off from a fall I took) and opened it to a modified and full choke in my over under…proceeded to kill 6 straight birds in diff states after.

I've missed more than my share, for various reasons. It hurt to type that, lol

Letting the gobbler get to close is my biggest problem.

I’ve missed 3 so far. 99.9% sure I shot over the top of them from being so worked up and not paying attention to where my face was on the stock when I pulled the trigger. Shoot what you’re comfortable with. I hunt with an over and under with 2 different chokes. 1 is set up for TSS and a little longer range. The other is not TSS and good up to 40 yards.

Wish you hadn’t reminded me…

Yep, sho have.

Awe ya!!!

Get your freaking cheek down on the freaking stock

There can be several reason but one common one - the show is so magnifcant - you forget to get cheek down and it looks like u are lining beeds up - u shoot over him
If u a beginner - make sure u pattern your gun - don’t assume it a great shooting gun

If u in a huge field 50- 100-200 acres - 75 yards can look like 45 yards - you will swear it 45 - no - they 75-80 yards out

If u go - you will eventually miss

Boogered one up two years ago. Still don’t know how it happened. 40 yards with TSS, well….maybe 50.

I miss birds every year. Missed 3 last year and still killed my 5.

I seem to miss a couple every year as well. Like others have said, usually the excitement getting to me, cheek not down on stock, impatience, etc. I will say, I went back to rifle sights and got away from the red dot last year, and only missed one. And the one I missed I know for a fact I shot over him. I was using a youth model 20ga I bought for my wife, doesn’t fit me well at all. With the short stock, It doesn’t naturally point as well as a full size shotgun, and you really have to sit there and like everything up and make sure you’re looking flat across the rib.

I've missed 27 individual birds (couple more than one shot), the most in a year was 4 (also killed 4 that year) with 16 years without a miss. Ive missed my share. No doubt the most common problem was too tight a pattern for the range, as in bird got in close (<20 yds) and his head was moving. Second most common problem was not getting head down on stock, typically happens when I can see them coming from too far. Solution for the first is now shooting a modified choke on my affinity 20 ga with #9 tss that throws a pattern holding around 200 pellets inside a 10" circle at 20 yds. Any more than that is too tight for me (tight chokes will get well over 300). This puts around 450 pellets in 10" at 20 yds and maybe low 500's in a 20" circle at 20 yds. This allows full use of tss IMO and allows for slop of lifted head or moving turkey.

I missed one last year. We all know not to take a gun out without shooting it. I missed at 15 steps. Too bad the gun patterened about 4 inches left and 7 inches high... Yes, I felt like an idiot. Otherwise, I've missed 3 other birds in 33 years. My dad missed 1 bird ever. He thought missing a turkey was about the worst thing a man could do. I had taken his gun the day he missed. He was pissed at me for a long time over that one.

I thought this was something we never talk about?