Swamp, I assume you are putting me in the “complainers” group. And I suppose you are correct. If it helps my standing in your assessment, instead of hunting myself I took a buddy who had never killed a turkey to my spot, and got him his first. Then, since that was opening day, I took a friend’s daughter who was hunting under a youth tag and got her first one also a few days later. Actually I just picked the spots and gave them some calling lessons, then let them use my decoys and pitched a blind next to them and enjoyed the show. Indiana law does not allow me to call for someone else (even if I do not have a gun) without a tag.
But yeah, I am standing by my statement that the state can keep “their” overgrown sparrow for $53 or $56 or whatever it was. Turkeys just aren’t that big of deal to me, so that’s my choice. I would go $20, but they aren’t taking bids. You are correct that another big bird just is not important enough to me. And so I am a complainer, I will admit it. But not complaining too much, because again, another turkey is not terribly important to me. I spend a lot of time in the wild places, and turkey hunting just doesn’t add much percentage wise.
I did really enjoy watching the buddy and the young lady get their birds though, more than I would have enjoyed blasting one myself, and the best part, it was next to free (i hunt private land, no lease or fee, spoiled for life I am…)
I do hear what you are saying, people pay big $ for extra curricular activities all the time, but in my case the turkey wasn’t worth the $56 they are charging now. Maybe it is a clue to how important shooting another one is to me that I refer to them as overgrown sparrows. No shade to those who love turkeys, just not a huge deal to me.

Story time, Vinke quit reading a while ago but some may find it funny..
Was at the Primitive Archery National Shoot in Marshall MI a couple decades ago and the subject of turkeys came up in camp. Norm, an avid turkey hunter who used flintlocks he made himself to chase them, was talking about how smart they are, and another buddy looked him dead in the eye and said “dumbest animal in the woods!”. Norm gave him the stink eye, and the guy said “I will give you an example! You are walking in the woods with your buddy, and hear what sounds like a particularly attractive lady at the top of the hill calling out ‘oh boys, I am soooooo in love with you, come up here and show me some lovin’ boys!!! Come on what are you boys waiting for, I’m right here!’. Now you may be good friends, but some things are worth competing for so you both run up that hill elbowing each other to get there first. Your buddy is faster and gets there first…. BOOM, he gets his head blown off. You run away in terror but you get halfway down the hill, and you hear that same attractive sounding lady at the top of hill saying “Im still here, and your buddy is flopping like a weirdo, come back, I am all yours now big boy. What would you do? Because I doubled on turkeys just like that last season!
Norm joined everyone in a good laugh, he didn’t mind losing that argument.

Spent a couple hours with the grandson hunting slugs. Didn’t cost much, aside from the salt used. Great time for all!

What do yall do with them? Fish bait?

Slugs? I'm assuming what we call leaches?

I have little use for those nasty things. Seen em attached to beaver before and turtles.

$$$ has severely changed the activity of hunting in my part of the world and not for the better is my only point. And I seriously doubt anyone that truly loves hunting and has lived through the changes I've seen would disagree with me. If that's whining than so be it but that's just my opinion based off my experience. Is it easier to harvest a big deer today in my area than it was 30 years ago? Yes if u can get on ground to hunt but so much of all the other experiences of hunting are lost because of the Dollar and what it brings to hunting.

What do yall do with them? Fish bait?

Slugs? I'm assuming what we call leaches?

I have little use for those nasty things. Seen em attached to beaver before and turtles.

…. This is what they look like … grandma would send you with a can of mortan salt to hunt them lol

Swamp, I know there has to be some good game wardens, but I haven’t seen or met one in far too long. I still remember the story of a warden getting caught turkey hunting on land he didn’t have permission on and it got him ran out of Maries County. I still have and use one of their turkey box calls. These days we get a new warden every 2 to 3 years straight out of the academy. All gung-ho and ignorant of how to work with the public and short on humility. They cannot build relationships that would help them be more successful or even try to become part of the community.

While the pros are assembled.

What is up with a deer severe drooling,
frothing at the mouth?
The same one did it last year.

I have been on some great hunts that some of you would envy. Never paid 10 cents above equipment costs. I still won't. Pay to hunt is not a good thing. I will never participate.