Spooked??

[KYHUNTER14]

If you spook a turkey in a particular place, will they usually come back there? How long does it take for them to forget they were scared away. I am asking for a friend of course as an experienced woodsman like myself would never make such a mistake. Yeah that sounds good. Thanks for the help.

[Hammer]

I killed my turkey last year from the same spot I blew a shot opportunity 2 weeks prior. I'm pretty sure it was the exact same bird.

[richarr3]

I think it depends on how bad you spooked them. I have bumped them off of a field, only to have them come back a couple of hours later.

[Chimpy]

My buddy worked a bird last year for 2 hours with no success. Interestingly, I had shot my first bird of the season out of the same field only a half hour earlier. His bird was strutting in the exact spot mine died.

[KyLongbeard]

Last saturday I spooked 5 off roost. Later that day around 1 I saw 5 birds where I wanted to set up. I didn't flush 'em but they did move out of the field. I moved in and set up a big Brickhouse blind. I killed a bird out of it an hour and a half later.

[SixPack07]

I think it depends on a lot of things as well. How bad, did they actually see you, where it was, etc., etc. I do believe they come back though, and I've seen it. Had 3 toms by me last fall and someone came driving through with an ATV and scared them off, but they were back that afternoon. One year during spring season I had to leave the woods where I was turkey hunting for a test in college (it was a final or I would have been able to redo it sometime) and there was a great big tom in the field that I would have to spook cause I was already late and didn't have time to sneak all the way around him. So I walked out, he flew away, and I can't remember if it was the next day or two days later he was right back there at about the same time. Of course I can't say any of these were the same birds, but I have a hunch, and even if it wasn't, just shows that you might spook one, but there are more out there that weren't spooked at that time.

[tomcat]

Imagine the number of encounters they have with any predator, but continue to stay in a given area. Why? This area offers roost and nesting habitat, food and water, and cover. Whether spooked by hunters/non-hunters or any predator, they will continue to use, and are driven to this area.

[Gobblergetter2.1]

They will be back within at least a week. I shot at a gobbler during youth weekend and he's been back there every morning since the following monday. Huntin' him sure will be easy, i know EXACTLY what he does when he gets off the roost.