What's the draw for you on turkeys?

For me I could care less and would not bother if not for taking the kids. My be becues back when I was 13 or 14 there were not many around and it was big news when you saw one. Saw some fishing a small lake a few miles from my cousins and went back the next weekend when turkey opened and with 30 mins had my bird. went again whan I was 16 or 17 same thing dead turkey in less than an hour.

Over the years I would go now and then with years in between. Today it's only becues the kids like to go. Cheaper to buy 2 turkey than one tag not much meat and lots of ticks. But it's something to do the kids like and I burn a few vacation days to take them during youth season each year.

I know a lot of guys love chasing them so what appeals the most about them to you?

Calling them in close with them gobbling and strutting. Wouldnt dare deer hunt one or slip up on one. That isnt turkey hunting.

Taking kids for me. I’ve killed more than enough for me. Turkeys offer a great introduction to hunting in that there is plenty of action and you can conceal anxious kids in a blind and still have success.

I like to talk back and forth with them, love taking someone knew to the sport,

Love to turkey hunt.Besides people get to upset when my gun goes off in the grocery store

The challenge of working boss Tom’s into shotgun range, and the interaction with calling.

Hunting an animal that you are interactive with. Sitting on the ground at eye level, talking to and enticing an animal to come see you. You can’t do that with a deer.

Cranberry sauce.

We have no turkey hunting culture up here, really only had any amount for last 10 years or so...I have 30 visit every day for handouts, got one big male that bangs on the back glass door for me to feed him, lol. So I get all the turkey action I want...have no desire to hunt one.

Just got back from driving an hour each way to different 25k acre piece of public land. It's where the boys have killed most of their birds. Only heard/got 3 to sound off and actually saw 4 toms only one was one we heard. 2 in the safety zone behind the camp ground naturally.;)

they Were not vocal or responsive typically we hear at least 8 to 15 down a 15 mile stretch. Makes me think yesterday at a closer property they may have been quiet as well and more birds than we Thought.

I have to take back I don't get excited about turkeys. I don't care to shoot any myself but sure did get excited watching the boys and thinking about them smoking a few.

Now they are going to make it hard on this not turkey hunting turkey hunter by not responding or being vocal. It's always seems harder in the 25 k acre steep woods stay land areas we hunt the most than they are to kill in the flat farmland and strip mines where I grew up hunting whan they finally got established.

Sure mad me feel like I knew WHT I was doing when we heard our sound off and I told the boys as we drove away to find more what ridg would be best to use. Then we came back later (road dead ends in the Ohio River) and up on that rids was one tome a hen and likely a 2nd Tom but to far and thick to be sure.


Kids will listen in the morning for them at the farm while I'm at work. Hopefully The can fill some tags this weekend.

It’s an addiction. I realize some places are easy to call in birds, and if it was that way here I may have never gotten addicted. I spend a lot of time and money chasing these stupid birds!!

It’s unlike any other hunting here except maybe archery for deer as far as range to kill.

Their eyesight and hearing is beyond anything else out there. You’re going against nature to get a gobbler. In nature, he gobbles, drums, and spits and the hens come to him. You’re now the hen and you have to make him want to come to you.

If you set up where he can clearly see there’s not a hen, he’s not coming any farther. If your setup is right and tight, he’ll come within range trying to find that hen he heard. If it’s not, all you’ll get is a beautiful display of courtship out of range.

Make a move at the wrong time and he’s gone.

I will say this, woodsmanship will offset mediocre calling.

What’s even more interesting is different species have their own unique characteristics. Here I can get in front of an Eastern. You aren’t chasing down a Merriam or Rio. Those jokers hit the deck and have a destination already in mind and if you don’t know where that is, you aren’t killing them. Thats why roosting is important to me. My idea of roosting a bird is not knowing an area, but what tree or limb he’s on.

Different terrains also make things interesting if you’re used to hunting one species. Osceola’s will walk through an area so thick a rabbit wouldn’t even consider it. I’ve seen Merriam’s come down an almost vertical mountain face. I’ve seen Rio’s respond to a call at such a distance where I could watch them gobble and go back into strut with optics before hearing their gobble.

Each species sound different. Well, sorta. Eastern’s and Osceola’s sound the same, and Rio’s and Merriam’s sound the same to me. We have that thunderous gobble, the Western birds have “yodel” sound to them. I love hearing them all.

The allure of picking a state, getting on OnX, and planning a hunt adds to the addiction. Arriving on site and hearing birds and then killing a bird really really adds fuel to the fire!!

About the only thing I think that would compare to the action would be calling in a bull elk, moose, or coyotes. Our only advantage is turkeys can’t smell human scent. Or rather, human scent plays no factor in a turkeys demise. If it did, there would be very few turkeys killed.

Good description!

Yup

I like that you can shoot most of the flock off the roost with a spotlight and .22 before they bust out. Start with the low ones and work your way up, great way to gather a bunch of meat fast.

I didn't know about their matting dance but I sure have shot a LOT of them. Since they lay their eggs in other birds nest and take off from what my grandparents bird lady neighbor said. Her yard was full of feeders baths and looked like the wildlife viewing station at the nature center at state parks except about 3/4 acre in size. She gave me permission to shoot starlings, grackle, and cow birds. I was at my grandparents every weekend my red rider and later 5mm Sheridan blue streak got worked out.

NADA

Cow birds initially followed herds of bison, they couldn't keep up with the bison and their food source if they were sitting on eggs and raising young, it's in interesting adaption to utilize other birds nest

28 inches

lol

I figured you used the flintah.

wow between bowhunter and Donnersurvivor I think cow birds may just be interesting enough for one of the kids to do a 4H project on. I had no idea they were so interesting.

I’ve only seen them once time while I was visiting my brother down in Idaho. He said they weren’t worth eating, and I took his word for it.

I've shot maybe a dozen turkeys. It was fun on the first couple watching them gobble and strut but there didn't seem much challenge in shooting one so I lost interest myself.

Ate one of the kids turkey breast from last year tonight for dinner. It was very good. Deep fried the entire bird is good.

Just dropped another few hundred on crap for turkey hunting tonight. New camo for the boys they keep growing, a few more calls, face net for the youngest he wanted face paint last year , and bug spray. Glad we still have plenty turkey loads. both traditional #5 and tss.

X2 Mostly boring, like bowhunting deer.

Lol I can't agree with you on boring bowhunting deer. Put me on a top of a canyon as the sun is coming up watching a big muley through the spotter pick his bed for the day and me strategizing on how I'm going to make my stalk in short grass and that's challenging.

Friend of mine says the hardest part of turkey hunting is getting off the couch and sliding the glass door open a few inches....

Kind of like chasing elk, they are vocal and silent on approach it’s a game you like or don’t and I agree it’s an addiction

An 8 year little girl can kill a deer with a modern firearm...especially with a scope.

I’ll say this I’m 61 didn’t have turkey around here till I was 28 learned it myself just like deer hunting dad put me in a stand at 10 and left to his stand . There wasn’t no youth seasons or guns that fit you . You learned by doing that’s just how it was .

A lifelong competition with my best friend he’s a sit and call guy I’m a run and gun guy it’s harmless fun we are happy when the other guy scores and just as happy if the other misses. The other buddy is just getting into it it’s about getting him a bird I didn't have a tag this week just went to call I enjoy that ans much ans hunting maybe more and I know the area well.

Speaking of tags. Yesterday I thought to ask the wife if she got the boys yout licenses yet this year she said yes. I thought about it and asked if she was sure. No she didn't she was rembering buying my combos hunting fishing license Before I went fishing last month. Old one was not expired yet but I like them taken care of early.

Well Indiana changed the system and the kids go under my licens in the system tell they are 13 so she had to set the 14 year old up his own account. Amd she could not get loged into my account to get my 12 year old license. he will be 13 in September. She ended up geting locked out of the system and his going to try to go get it at a store.

Technology is nice when it works. told my wife it reminds me of having to drive to several stores to find one not sold out of deer tags years ago.

I hope she can het his license taken care of or we will just have to hunt on the farm. Being a holiday she can't get ahold of anyone in any of the DNR offices.

Edit. she got it after having to argue with the lady at bass pro telling her he didn't need one if hunting with a licensed hunter. It's taken care of now if 7pm would get here.

I’m very happy that this many people are of the opinion that turkeys are easy, dumb, boring, and taste horrible.

I must be boring as turkey and archery hunting are my 2 favorite ways to hunt. LOL I’m OK with that then no problem I’ll just carry on then.

More for us lol

Yep, you two love birds can have them all to yourselves far as I'm concerned.

Turkey sandwiches!

Sarge

Just can’t figure why some folks would think I care if they don’t like what I enjoy it makes no sense but if it trips their trigger spank that monkey!

Amen!

Had a buddy get into turkey hunting all because my idiot self invited him over to try some smoked turkey breast. He now hunts and doesn’t care if it’s a gobbler or a jake, he wants that breast, lol. I will say he’s matured enough he’s passing jakes at least until the last week of the season if he hasn’t killed anything, lol. He now likes to hear that gobble.