[rat]

Probably my best chance to kill a turkey is in the fall with my xbow. I could have killed several hens by now, but lay off them. Just a matter of time til I kill a longbeard with that thing though....

I never count my turkeys before they are killed because I hunt from an elevated seat with my bow, not a shooting house. Turkeys have pretty good peripheral vision so I never think I’ll get drawn on one. The only two times I did I had a unique opportunity to draw way ahead of time. Plus, there are usually a bunch in a group in the fall so that’s a lot of eyes to overcome.
I let groups walk right on past twice last season Archery hunting.

 

[callaojoe]

I never count my turkeys before they are killed because I hunt from an elevated seat with my bow, not a shooting house. Turkeys have pretty good peripheral vision so I never think I’ll get drawn on one. The only two times I did I had a unique opportunity to draw way ahead of time. Plus, there are usually a bunch in a group in the fall so that’s a lot of eyes to overcome.
I let groups walk right on past twice last season Archery hunting.

I am using a crossbow now, so as long as I see them coming... I am pretty sure I can pull it off. Given all the xbow back and forth.... I will say, killing a turkey with an xbow is easier than with a compound, it's a much wider gap than the one for deer. If that makes any sense. Personally, 1 Turkey during archery, and it has to be a tom/jake is not a bad way to change things, honestly they could just eliminate them all together in the fall, and I wouldn't care. I am out there trying to kill a buck, turkeys are targets of opportunity.

 

[20']

20 I just feel like if MDC took away the turkey tags added in with deer archery tags they might feel inclined to drop those tag prices,doesn't matter none of it will happen. It's a big business and big business will never change...money first

That makes sense, but hopefully the MDC would be smart enough to realize that $17 bucks has been an absolute bargain for 4 critter and would still be a bargain for "only two deer".

 

[20']

You mean like 6 or 8 birds fewer? Got a chart?😁

I'd say they would pick up a shotgun instead of a bow resulting in more birds taken....not fewer.

Probably my best chance to kill a turkey is in the fall with my xbow. I could have killed several hens by now, but lay off them. Just a matter of time til I kill a longbeard with that thing though....

i like the honesty!

 

[20']

I never count my turkeys before they are killed because I hunt from an elevated seat with my bow, not a shooting house. Turkeys have pretty good peripheral vision so I never think I’ll get drawn on one. The only two times I did I had a unique opportunity to draw way ahead of time. Plus, there are usually a bunch in a group in the fall so that’s a lot of eyes to overcome.
I let groups walk right on past twice last season Archery hunting.

When the groups are coming i will intentionally mobve just enough so they see me and just alter their direction. the last thing I want is a shooter buck walking in with 20 sets of crazed eyes watching me draw.

 

[rat]

I dont spook them intentionally but I see it as a win if I can sit there while they walk by and not be detected.

 

[20']

I dont spook them intentionally but I see it as a win if I can sit there while they walk by and not be detected.

I should have been more clear, only during prime time.

 

[Wings Fan 19]

I don't see the excitement of shooting a turkey from a tree stand, I've done it twice and that was enough for me. Turkey hunting is about playing the turkey game IMO, calling, strutting, gobbling, drumming etc. I don't see much of a thrill in ambushing and or bushwacking a bird either. Plenty of guys do and that's fine for them.

 

[rat]

I don't see the excitement of shooting a turkey from a tree stand, I've done it twice and that was enough for me. Turkey hunting is about playing the turkey game IMO, calling, strutting, gobbling, drumming etc. I don't see much of a thrill in ambushing and or bushwacking a bird either. Plenty of guys do and that's fine for them.

You are largely talking about spring vs fall. Fall you just bust them up, kee kee and sit tight, they will be back.
I saw them daily when deer hunting this past year and it wouldnt have been any challenge at all to be where they were every day. No gobbling, strutting drumming none of that.

 

[rat]

You are largely talking about spring vs fall. Fall you just bust them up, kee kee and sit tight, they will be back.
I saw them daily when deer hunting this past year and it wouldnt have been any challenge at all to be where they were every day. No gobbling, strutting drumming none of that.
And I agree, sitting in a deer stand during the spring is just wrong.

 

[henry]

You are largely talking about spring vs fall. Fall you just bust them up, kee kee and sit tight, they will be back.
I saw them daily when deer hunting this past year and it wouldnt have been any challenge at all to be where they were every day. No gobbling, strutting drumming none of that.

Back when there were a lot of birds and early fall flocks could easily be found and busted it was a hoot. Ambushing them with a shotgun when birds are harder to locate leaves a lot to be desired and is reflected in the low fall firearms hunter numbers.

 

[rat]

I think it also just used to be a bigger tradition than it is now, probably factors in.

 

[henry]

Lack of birds killed a tradition. Killing more should fix that.

 

[NoLuck]

If they could just cross a wild turkey with a coyote, it would fix all this. Kill one and 5 more would take its place

 

[birdman]

If they could just cross a wild turkey with a coyote, it would fix all this. Kill one and 5 more would take its place

Crossing with racoons would be even better. Instead of being replaced by 5, it would more likely be 10.

 

[Hawk]

Reina said today that this wouldn NOT be happening. Theres no justification. If any regs changes happen they will be to allow more spring hunting time.

 

[t-tomshooter]

Well if someone shoots a hen and post it on here in the fall we have to ban them

 

[birdman]

Some, yes. Not all.
Bearded hens made up only 1% of the take this year or so. It’s not enough to worry about enforcing if you made it illegal.
Some people cannot tell the difference, serious about that. Not everyone is a seasoned turkey hunter.

Interestingly, in the taxidermy business, we find many bearded hens are actually targeted because they have beards, rather than be misidentified. For example, this year we had two bearded hens brought in that were shot on the same farm. In fact, they said they had seven jakes come into the decoys and passed on them before a bearded hen came in, which they thought was cool and decided to shoot. I'm not judging anyone that decides to shoot a hen as long as it's legal, but we certainly hear plenty of accounts where the beard actually put a target on her back.

 

[t-tomshooter]

Birdman nailed it! And also the few hens that get shot in the fall are typically the lead hen or dominant hen and is bigger than the rest and the hunter always seams to go for, nothing wrong with that and is legal but if you don't think that affects the flock through the winter you are way wrong! These two examples with the bearded hen and shooting the boss hen is plenty justification for the lady hawk was talking about

 

[bverboy]

biologist say fall hunting has no effect on the flock