Will a Turkey Come Back After Being Shot At?

Shooting at a wild turkey and missing can be a frustrating experience for any hunter. However the question often arises – will that turkey come back to the same area after being shot at? Here’s a look at what influences a turkey’s return after an encounter with a hunter.

Factors That Determine If a Turkey Will Return

There are several factors that come into play when determining if a spooked turkey will return to the same area:

• Degree of the miss – If the turkey was missed completely or just had some feathers ruffled it’s more likely to come back than if it was wounded. A wounded turkey will associate that area with danger.

• Time of season – Early in the season, turkeys are often still flocked up and will be influenced by what the rest of the flock does. If the flock leaves, they all tend to leave. Later, when toms are with hens, they are more likely to return on their own.

• Availability of hens – If a tom doesn’t have hens with him, he’s more likely to return looking for love. If hens are present, the tom will be more influenced by what they do.

• Weather conditions – In poor weather, a turkey is more likely to return to a known food source despite being spooked. In good conditions with abundant food, they may roam elsewhere.

• Familiarity with the area – A turkey that uses an area regularly is more likely to return than one just passing through. Familiar areas are perceived as safer.

• Bird’s personality – Some turkeys are bolder and less paranoid than others. Timid birds may abandon an area altogether.

According to experienced turkey hunters, completely missed birds often return to the same area within a day or two. However, a turkey that was wounded will likely avoid that spot.

Best Practices for Calling Back a Spooked Turkey

If you’ve spooked a turkey, whether you missed or not, don’t give up hope. Here are some tips for calling it back:

• Wait at least an hour before pursuing a bird you’ve shot at. Going after it too soon will push it farther away. Be patient.

• Note exactly where the turkey was when you shot and the direction it flew or ran. This helps focus your recovery efforts.

• Circle the area where you last saw the bird, looking for signs of a hit like feathers or blood. Mark the bird’s last location.

• Use owl or crow calls to elicit a shock gobble from a tom as you move through the area. Hens use these locator calls, so they sound natural.

• Try different turkey sounds – yelps, purrs, cuts – and calling volumes to pique the interest of any birds still in the vicinity.

• Calling softly at first often works better than loud, aggressive calling after a miss. Ease back into it.

• If you hear gobbles but the bird hangs up, it’s a good indication it wants to return but is cautious. Keep calling patiently.

• Consider using a turkey decoy to add realism to your calling and draw a hesitant tom back within range.

• Move your blind or change your calling location if the turkey has pinpointed your previous set up. A change of scenery helps.

• Hunt the same area for several days if legal. The more you call, the more likely a gobbler is to become competitive and return.

Recovering and Returning to Hunt a Wounded Turkey

Recovering a wounded turkey can be difficult due to their thick feathers and lack of significant blood trail. However, with some effort most birds can be recovered:

• Mark the bird’s last known location, and use a GPS to record the location and your route while tracking.

• Search in ever expanding circles around where you last saw the bird. Turkeys usually don’t go more than 200 yards when fatally hit.

• Check dense brush and vegetation, creek beds, logs, and tree bases – turkeys will hide instinctively when injured.

• Look for feathers or blood specks that indicate a hit. A blood trail is rare, so focus on pinpointing the bird.

• Use a partner to help search if available. More eyes increase your chances of finding the bird.

• Once recovered, wait at least 5-7 days before hunting the location again to allow the area to settle down.

• When you return, set up 100 yards or more away from your original spot. Close locations associate danger with your previous calling.

• Calling aggressively again too soon may flare other birds. Start soft with hen yelps and clucks to rebuild trust.

With some woodsmanship, patience and smart calling, it’s very possible to bring a pressured turkey back into range after a close call. Don’t hesitate to try calling in that bird again. With persistence and care, you may just bag that gobbler after all.