what's your beef with turkey?

[Billinsd]

Would you guys that believe turkey is easy on western public land tell me where these places are? Hunting turkeys on public land in San Diego is extremely difficult, because there is little good, public turkey habitat and lots of pressure. My son loves Turkey hunting and I'd love to take him on an easier hunt. Thanks Bill

 

[alexanderg23]

Western turkey are just dumb yard birds. Hunting in the Ozarks eastern birds would school anyone that thinks all turks are like western birds.

 

[Billinsd]

Western turkey are just dumb yard birds. Hunting in the Ozarks eastern birds would school anyone that thinks all turks are like western birds.

Show me some dumb Western Turkeys on public land during turkey season. You all can PM me. Thanks!

 

[RazzleDazzle]

If they were delicious, you still wouldn't hunt them. You would just go down your long list 'why nots'.

Correct! Its not a long list, it's very short. I just covered the fact that it's boring, meat is paramount when huntin anything, and wild Turkey meat taste like goat piss smells to me. Hardly worth the time and effort for me. I understand you like it but you dont have to justify that. I'm merely explaining that hunting is about the meat. ALWAYS. I'm not filling my freezer with wild Turkey breast. I'll pass on that. More for you!!!

 

[Poser]

Western turkey are just dumb yard birds. Hunting in the Ozarks eastern birds would school anyone that thinks all turks are like western birds.

I learned how to turkey hunt in TN but have since moved to SW CO. I can’t really perceive a difference in difficulty between the act of hunting the different sub species themselves.

 

[idahohikker]

Show me some dumb Western Turkeys on public land during turkey season. You all can PM me. Thanks!

Just drive some forest roads near timber in WA, ID, etc. They’ll make their presence known. I think they’re gobbling please kill me, I don’t like being a turkey.

 

[2rocky]

 

[alexanderg23]

Dumb compared to real turkeys...

Show me some dumb Western Turkeys on public land during turkey season. You all can PM me. Thanks!

 

[timekiller13]

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.

Those hunts occurred back when I was hunting a prime piece of private land in Alleghany County. You know, back in the days when Alleghany was THE turkey place in NC. You would have had to tried real hard NOT to kill a bird back then. Hunting public land birds would be a totally different ball game and would no doubt humble me real quick.

 

[Erno86]

If you don't put the fear of man into wild turkeys...they'll likely be chasing down an pecking every Tom, Dick and Harry, that they have a chance to come upon.

I'm also fearful of nymphal stage deer ticks, when I pluck a wild turkey.

 

[Wrench]

My dad grabbed one by the neck when I was younger and tried to step on its feet and break it's neck.

It didn't work.

That thing beat the shot out of him with its wings and the neighbor came over and ended it with a hammer.

That thing felt like it owned the right to crap on his 64 t bird.

 

[conley417]

K man. I’ve never lived in N ID or E WA, but I've lived in various places across Idaho. I’ll start hunting turkeys that gobble at me right off the public roads with a baseball bat so I can have an opinion. The only difference between me being a turkey hunter or not is killing them while they’re gobbling at me.

Even if they lived in a really cool spot and were smarter, I still don’t think they’re that cool of an animal. They also look super dumb in pictures with their head and neck all floppy. And you get a few pounds of meat that the majority dislike. Just my opinion.

I also refuse to hunt things that look dumb in pictures. Can't become famous on the gram with bad pictures

 

[idahohikker]

I also refuse to hunt things that look dumb in pictures. Can't become famous on the gram with bad pictures

I don't have a gram if you're poking at me there. Look at turkey pictures. I would throw it away if I took one because they look so lame. Probably not a popular opinion, that's just me.

 

[idahohikker]

My dad grabbed one by the neck when I was younger and tried to step on its feet and break it's neck.

It didn't work.

That thing beat the shot out of him with its wings and the neighbor came over and ended it with a hammer.

That thing felt like it owned the right to crap on his 64 t bird.

Awesome story! Haha Back to the baseball bat for me then. I doubt I could snap its neck.

 

[Wrench]

Awesome story! Haha Back to the baseball bat for me then. I doubt I could snap its neck.

The old man would pull....then Tom would pull back....all the while he was getting slapped shitless by Tom.

 

[Billinsd]

Just drive some forest roads near timber in WA, ID, etc. They’ll make their presence known. I think they’re gobbling please kill me, I don’t like being a turkey.

Thanks I find that advice as useful as anything else you've ever posted. 🌬

 

[conley417]

I don't have a gram if you're poking at me there. Look at turkey pictures. I would throw it away if I took one because they look so lame. Probably not a popular opinion, that's just me.

I'm just not used to hunters worrying about pictures so much

 

[Fatcamp]

I had a buddy show up at my house years ago a little out of it and all scratched to shit. Asked what happened and he said he was driving down the road and saw a flock of turkeys run towards the inside corner of a chain link fence so figured this was his big chance. He cornered them and managed to get his hands on a huge Tom. Mind you, this was no punk. He comes from a long line of tough guys and grew up hard. Said that bird beat the snot out of him while he was trying to wring it's neck. Finally bulldogged it and got it killed, threw it in the back seat and took off.

Couple miles down the road heard a noise in the backseat and looked in the rearview only to see that Tom's head up and bobbing around. Had just enough time to stop the car and get it in park before the fight was back on. Once he had the upper hand he cut its head off to be sure. Said he would never do it again and couldn't believe how tough that bird was. No joke, this guy was not afraid to fight, and it made an impact on him.

 

[Watrdawg]

I've been turkey hunting for years and they are not easy birds to kill. Now, I've seen them do some pretty stupid things before and at the same time they have been a royal pain to outsmart. They have great eye sight and hearing. I've told a lot of people that if they had the sense of smell like a deer you wouldn't kill one. I've never hunted western birds but eastern turkeys are not easy in anyway. They are tons of fun though. I've read a couple of post saying there wasn't much meat on them. Both my son and i shot a bird this season and both of them weighed in over 19lbs.

 

[wannabemountainman]

I’ll jump into the fray here...
I wish eastern hunters felt the way a lot of the guys on this thread did about turkeys, I could have them all to myself! Nothing easy about an Eastern turkey, private or public in my experience, but it’s always been my favorite springtime activity and fried turkey nuggets are about my favorite wild game meal.
To each their own, and I support anyone who doesn’t like turkey hunting as it leaves more for the rest of us who do enjoy chasing long beards!