what's your beef with turkey?

[Poser]

It’s not cool for the flatbrim crowd and you won’t get a lot of likes on Instagram. There’s no “look a me and my hard core ways and this big ass pack out” wooo hooo I’m an extreme outdoor dude. And not much to hang on the wall.

I could pop deer while eating Capt’n Crunch in my jammies, so the nuisance thing is kinda funny.

Lotsa high horse riders....

There’s a whole other IG crowd around it and it looks like this:

Blinds
Absurdly fancy and $$ mechanical decoys
Fancy Shotguns patterned out to 100 yards

It’s lame and pathetic. They brag about 90 yard shots on social media and then Jerk each other off about Red dot scopes, high end shotguns, chokes and ammo combos. Somehow, turkey hunting went from being about calling and woodsman-ship to being a high end shooting sport where you haul a blind, a chair and a life size mechanical decoy around.

So, to add to all of the things I listed above, the contemporary social media culture built around turkey hunting disgusts me. **** these guys. If you take the purists approach out of turkey hunting, there’s really nothing left except a gear intensive shooting sport.

 

[MuleyFever]

I got into it when I lived in WI. It wasn't that fun for me but I enjoyed calling for other people. I just never got excited over killing them. They stink and the ROI is low.

 

[Wrench]

If you can't kill a turkey with a baseball bat in the north Idaho / eastern WA area by lunch....you are a bunter for sure.

 

[badshot]

The funny part for me in all this is I see both sides. Turkey hunting is where it all started for me so I have a passion for talking to those big toms and calling them in but after chasing bear in the spring and elk in the fall all over the mountain side its just harder to get as excited for a turkey only trip. I spent the last weekend mostly scouting new spots with a shotgun in hand and visions of opening day and big bulls going through my mind. I got a sweet banded tom and of course that was the first thing I told the buddies but within 30 seconds of that it was but you are going to love this meadow I found that looks to have a great watering hole.

 

[Randle]

Shot 2 on my property last weekend, Dang north Idaho street gangs is all they are
"Keeping the neighborhood safe , 1 bird at a time"
It aint hunting but they taste good with taters.

 

[Bagel_7]

The nuisance bird shits in the carport, eats the cats food off of the front porch and they fight themselves in the reflection of our house windows. You can walk up to them and get 20 yards away before they do anything. this is in north idaho where you can shoot 5 a year. I just don't see the challenge. then 50 roost in your trees and land on both sides of your house and just squawk. I might enjoy them if i did not live with them. Had 2 jakes in the yard this morning. I don't like them, but i could care less if somepeople do.

I’d be glad to take 5 off your property. It’s my first year ever hunting turkey and it’s been a blast I’m hunting central ID. I’ve gotten in close to the birds both times but no shot opportunities. These birds get a lot of hunting pressure and the times I thought I’d get a shot another hunter or hiker has messed up my opportunity. I’m going out again this weekend with a better plan so I hope to knock one down for the first time Sunday.

 

[mtnbiker208]

I’d be glad to take 5 off your property. It’s my first year ever hunting turkey and it’s been a blast I’m hunting central ID. I’ve gotten in close to the birds both times but no shot opportunities. These birds get a lot of hunting pressure and the times I thought I’d get a shot another hunter or hiker has messed up my opportunity. I’m going out again this weekend with a better plan so I hope to knock one down for the first time Sunday.

I actually don't allow adults to hunt on my property, but i have had a bunch of kids over the years, get there first turkey at my house.

 

[browning2480]

Growing up in the Midwest and hunting turkeys I have never heard anyone say it was easy. Most have some dumb ones out west Try hunting them with a bow.

 

[justin davis]

I think they are fun. Besides there is Nothing else to hunt here in the spring. For me It’s like miny elk hunting. And they can be tough to hunt and kill with a bow here in Colorado. Highly Pressured on public land. if you think it’s easy come try to kill a mountain bird along the front range of Colorado. Very few birds and tons of pressure.

 

[timekiller13]

Boring. I have turkey hunted 3x in my life. I called for 10 minutes a turkey walked in and I shot it. Those were my 3 turkey hunts. Literally have spent less than 1 hour turkey hunting in my life and killed 3.

 

[Terrapin]

I enjoy turkey hunting. I started the first year there was a general season in Idaho. We used to drive several hundred miles to get to the birds. I’ve also hunted them in Oregon, Washington and several mid-western states.

I don’t enjoy hunting yard birds on private property. Mountain turkeys on the other hand are something else. I hike the ridge tops and call. Then close the distance and call them in. Beautiful weather, low pressure, easy to pack out, good to eat.

They are challenging with a bow off the ground, but relatively easy out of a ground blind if you can take the boredom. I’ve been using a single shot 410 for the last 5 years. Really enjoy the lightweight and the challenge.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

LOOOOOLLLOLOLOLOLOOLOLOLOL

Poser made the most perfect post in regard to Western American's opinion towards turkeys:
It's hot out, and I could be snowboarding!!!!!!! Hot and snowboarding are NOT two words that many turkey hunters would put together. I get the whole disgust toward blinds and expensive decoys. I haven't killed a single turkey with a decoy.

Lolololololol

I hunted 4 days in Colorado and had 2 shot opportunities on legal bulls in NW Colorado during 1st Rifle of 2018. I hunted a total of 18+ days on public this season and killed 2 toms. I also killed 2 coyotes that walked into my lap that didn't make it out in the same day, on two different set ups a mile apart from each set up. Had a 3rd in the same week catch an load of shot in the ass. Much like y'all complain about elk not bugling, too many people hunting, etc., turkey hunting in the East and particularly the Southeast are different. However, I'd argue they're similar in the amount of pressure from all sorts of predators.

Come hunt an Eastern with me in South Carolina on public and you'll appreciate it better. You'll walk about 5-6 miles a day. They don't gobble much.

Different strokes for sure, but an Eastern Tom can be as much work as a legal bull out West.

 

[ncstatehunter]

Boring. I have turkey hunted 3x in my life. I called for 10 minutes a turkey walked in and I shot it. Those were my 3 turkey hunts. Literally have spent less than 1 hour turkey hunting in my life and killed 3.

I wish I had that luck. I get bored and frustrated, excited for season to open but after hunting and hardly hearing any birds I get bored and maybe only go one more morning. Two years ago when I finally killed one I was on gobbling birds all season on one piece of our NC public and that had me wanting to go as much as I could which was just Saturdays. Heard birds each trip so that was a fun season. I’ve determined unless they are vocal it’s just not my thing as the weather is perfect for fishing and the spawn, but I still do it at least once a year just because it’s a love/hate thing for me. I hate the damn things most of the time but that one morning I finally killed one and had birds going nuts 100 yards in front of me on the roost was something I loved. You’ll have to tromp around on Pisgah and Nantahala, at least you’ll get some good scouting in for deer season like I have this year.

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

I wish I had that luck. I get bored and frustrated, excited for season to open but after hunting and hardly hearing any birds I get bored and maybe only go one more morning. Two years ago when I finally killed one I was on gobbling birds all season on one piece of our NC public and that had me wanting to go as much as I could which was just Saturdays. Heard birds each trip so that was a fun season. I’ve determined unless they are vocal it’s just not my thing as the weather is perfect for fishing and the spawn, but I still do it at least once a year just because it’s a love/hate thing for me. I hate the damn things most of the time but that one morning I finally killed one and had birds going nuts 100 yards in front of me on the roost was something I loved. You’ll have to tromp around on Pisgah and Nantahala, at least you’ll get some good scouting in for deer season like I have this year.

That's generally how I've felt on Public at least in Sumter NF. This year was especially good though. I can always go to my family's land in the Bama Black Belt and kill one. With our place, we limit one bird per family member just like we do good bucks. Seems to be a good thing. A lot depends on the hatch. Came across a nest in the NF that had 12 eggs one day, and 15 three days later. #hopeful

 

[ncstatehunter]

That's generally how I've felt on Public at least in Sumter NF. This year was especially good though. I can always go to my family's land in the Bama Black Belt and kill one. With our place, we limit one bird per family member just like we do good bucks. Seems to be a good thing. A lot depends on the hatch. Came across a nest in the NF that had 12 eggs one day, and 15 three days later. #hopeful

It’s funny, the couple times I’ve hunted Sumter NF down around our camper I’ve never run into anyone else turkey hunting (we hardly do deer hunting too, everyone wants to be in a club and hey, I’m not gonna complain as way less pressure for us!). Same with this year, I’ve been twice on National Forest land and no one else around but other guys are swamped with pressure, especially further East you go. Benefit to living west of Asheville. Or it might be a clue as to why I hardly hear anything .

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

It’s funny, the couple times I’ve hunted Sumter NF down around our camper I’ve never run into anyone else turkey hunting (we hardly do deer hunting too, everyone wants to be in a club and hey, I’m not gonna complain as way less pressure for us!). Same with this year, I’ve been twice on National Forest land and no one else around but other guys are swamped with pressure, especially further East you go. Benefit to living west of Asheville. Or it might be a clue as to why I hardly hear anything .

Yeah, it's an interesting NF. Sometimes I see a lot of folks during deer season (this year particularly) but haven't seen much overall since I've hunted there. Beautiful chunks of land. Definitely, good deer and turkey hunting. Ducks too if you find them. Hogs galore. Only killed one buck this year but have LOADs of pork. There are big pigs and bucks there if you look/hunt hard enough

 

[Fatcamp]

I think some of you guys would be surprised if you put in some days on pressured public land. They can be a very challenging target.

Comparing your yard turkeys to ones that have been hunted is like thinking OTC elk would be a cake walk since they're pretty friendly in Estes Park.

Word. Damn things.

 

[Midwestwaterfowl]

Sounds like I need to do some turkey hunting out west.

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

Hell, If y'all need help, I can hit some turkeys with a ball bat in Idaho. Tennis racket would be more sporting though. As long as that gets me a combo elk/mule deer tag.

 

[bdg848]

Turkey hunting is my absolute favorite! I love trying to sweet talk one into range. And wild turkey are nothing like urban turkey. An old, wild Tom is super skittish, everything around him is trying to kill him. I also like that I can get out, spot and stalk, call, and practice my woodsmanship WITHOUT freezing my but off.