It's been a frustrating season for me. Took vacation the second week to hunt but life got in the way for part of it and the gobblers were henned up when I did get to go. I worked one off the roost Friday and Saturday of my week off but he went the other way both times. Post-hunt scouting revealed fresh scratching on a knoll in direction he went both days. So this morning I came in from the other direction to get to this knoll before flydown. Walking in I flushed a big turkey off the roost about 250 yards from his previous roost pines and about 200 yds from the knoll (should have used a locator call earlier but I thought I knew where he roosts). Not sure it's him so I went on and listened and then yelped at my planned spot but no gobbling, probably was him. Decided to run and gun, walked a loop around this 300-acre farm intermittently prospecting with crow call and yelps. At 7:30 as I was walking along a power line right of way, in the vicinity where the gobbler I flushed off the roost had flown, my yelping was answered by a gobble from about 70-80 yards away in woods down slope from power line. I quickly found a decent set-up tree which allowed me to cover the right of way and the woods in his direction. He answers a couple of yelps and is getting closer. Then he appears in woods front left at about 20-25 yds but a blow-down blocks my view of his head as he moves around to my left looking for the hen. Head appears over blow-down when he is left and slightly behind, about 8:00 and only 15 yds away. I shoot and he flushes like a quail, hopefully a clean miss. I use only a standard full choke for situations like this but at 15 yards that pattern is still fist-sized and you just got to aim.
Wyatt Earp had it figured out: "Get your gun out of the holster as quick as you can, but take your sweet time aiming."

I've missed two this spring.. shake it off man. Get back out there before it's over.

I've missed one last year, and the only chance I got in WV to shoot one. Sometimes you swear they are wearing body armor. Understand, keep at it, you'll connect.
Vic

I rolled one last year and rolled one in Nebraska two years ago. Both cases I'm sure the bird didn't make it. One was a tad too far and the other one was just me not aiming where I should have because the bird was probably 30 yards away. If you hunt long enough its going to happen. Agree with others. Shake it off.

Been there myself this year. Know how it feels. Though Revenge is sweet.

Earl