Post by featherduster on May 12, 2012 6:27:47 GMT -5
I have always been lucky and killed a bird on opening day within the first hour of shooting time...........untill last year.
Last year because I had such a good view of an open field I was able to watch a group of toms court a group of hens for over 6 hours in an area no more than 20 yards square till the hens finally walked off and then the toms went on the prowl.
#1 LESSON LEARNED: Just because you don't see birds in an area that you know was holding birds don't leave, be prepared to hunt all day.
This means have food, water and a comfortable blind.
As any endeavor in life you must have confidence in yourself and in the equipment that aids you to becoming successful.
I have have an excellent blind,decoys and calls but this year I did not have an excellent shot pattern.
This year I decided to switch from my Remington 11-87 3" to my Benelli 3 1/2" so i bought a turkey choke and some 3 1/2" #4's. I patterned the gun with less than what I would call a "good" pattern but because I failed to at least try other brands and sizes I went into the field with a lack of confidence in my gun.
Opening day after 7 hours of waiting I blew a shot on a big tom at approx. 42 yards ( this story will be saved for another time) I was sick, like I have never been sick before.
I know I probably put shot in the bird and for this I am sorry but he just walked off like nothing ever happened and left me to wallow in my tears.
I went home and test fired that shot over again, and once again I had that less than satisfactory pattern. I then switched to a different brand of shells in 3 1/2" #5's fired that same shot and oh boy what a difference I had in pattern density just by changing brands and shot size, I went from 7-8 pellets in the kill zone to 30-40 in the kill zone.
Now most of us cannot afford to buy several different chokes but we can afford to at least try different brands and shot sizes.
#2 LESSON: Pattern you gun with several different brands and shot sizes till you find that perfect pattern that will give you confidence.
More on this topic at a later time.
Last year because I had such a good view of an open field I was able to watch a group of toms court a group of hens for over 6 hours in an area no more than 20 yards square till the hens finally walked off and then the toms went on the prowl.
#1 LESSON LEARNED: Just because you don't see birds in an area that you know was holding birds don't leave, be prepared to hunt all day.
This means have food, water and a comfortable blind.
As any endeavor in life you must have confidence in yourself and in the equipment that aids you to becoming successful.
I have have an excellent blind,decoys and calls but this year I did not have an excellent shot pattern.
This year I decided to switch from my Remington 11-87 3" to my Benelli 3 1/2" so i bought a turkey choke and some 3 1/2" #4's. I patterned the gun with less than what I would call a "good" pattern but because I failed to at least try other brands and sizes I went into the field with a lack of confidence in my gun.
Opening day after 7 hours of waiting I blew a shot on a big tom at approx. 42 yards ( this story will be saved for another time) I was sick, like I have never been sick before.
I know I probably put shot in the bird and for this I am sorry but he just walked off like nothing ever happened and left me to wallow in my tears.
I went home and test fired that shot over again, and once again I had that less than satisfactory pattern. I then switched to a different brand of shells in 3 1/2" #5's fired that same shot and oh boy what a difference I had in pattern density just by changing brands and shot size, I went from 7-8 pellets in the kill zone to 30-40 in the kill zone.
Now most of us cannot afford to buy several different chokes but we can afford to at least try different brands and shot sizes.
#2 LESSON: Pattern you gun with several different brands and shot sizes till you find that perfect pattern that will give you confidence.
More on this topic at a later time.
