Well if you listened to any of the recent On The X podcasts you would know that I was recently in a bad mood. If you haven’t heard the podcast let me fill you in, I missed! Yep, I missed a hard gobbling turkey, in my face at a distance that hurts to even think about. And, since I am reliving that awful moment, I will go ahead and tell you that it was 26 yards. So there it is and now I wish I could be done talking about it but the truth is that it happens. It actually happens more times than most hunters care to admit.
Not A Turkey!
You rarely ever hear someone tell their buddies how many times they missed a turkey in the spring because it is just not cool. It is not something you want to talk about and you hope that the few people who might know don’t bring it up in conversation around other people. But who really cares? Missing is part of hunting just as losing is part of playing a sport. No matter how many times you get it right, there will come a time when the streak ends. Just ask that UCONN girls team. Anyway, back to me missing and not understanding why people think they did something wrong and should be ashamed of it. I admit that you can always find a reason for a miss and it usually boils down to being impatient, but a miss is not a total loss. I found that turkey by himself about 9:15 in the morning. He was on a ridge walking and gobbling trying to find a hen. I put myself in a good spot, called and he immediately answered. A few more soft calls and ten minutes later he was there, at 26 yards and in no hurry to leave. My impatience took over and I rushed the shot for no reason! Was I mad, heck yeah! But it didn’t last long because I realized I had won. Yes I had won. I did everything I set out to do when I left the house that morning. I hunted hard, found a willing gobbler and effectively called him to within comfortable shooting distance. I know some of you are having a hard time thinking I won when I did not kill the turkey. That is where you’re missing the point though. I did everything right and in the moment with the game on the line I missed the winning free throw, but I learned a hard lesson and that in itself is a WIN!
Listen I am all for social media and sharing posts, but there should never be a time when you don’t learn from what the woods teaches you. Our good buddy Troy Ruiz said “if you don’t learn something every time you are in the woods then you wasted that day.” I believe that whole heartedly and apply it every time I’m outdoors. So take every day in the outdoors as a blessing. Whether you miss or whether you walk out with a longbeard over your shoulder does not constitute success or failure, you simply won by spending time in God’s creation.
