What is the worse slump you have ever been in?
Technically right now is my worst slump. Out of my 7 years of turkey hunting I have killed a bird every year except 2013 and last year. Every year since I started I have become more serious and hunt more than the last. I put a lot of effort into last year and got onto some birds, but they were either too far or jakes. However, things are looking up and although I haven't been successful yet, this year looks VERY promising.
One year. I only got to hunt a few days and dedicated them to one bird. I could have killed him the last day but it wasn't on terms I was agreeable with. I let him walk and don't regret it.
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Last year for me. First time in 26 years I didn't get one. Sure was a lot of people hunting the private I was on. Problem was I'm the only one that had permission.
My first year took me 3 weeks to kill one.
Last year , killed a bird opening day and thought man im gonna be on a roll. I hunted over half the season. Did not work another bird until the last weekend and ended up killing him the last day of season at 1pm.
From May 15th to March 15th. Other than that maybe six hunting days.
My worst slump was the season after I killed my first turkey. Maybe I thought it would be easy after that and maybe it took me a while to figure out that it would not be any easier than it had been. As I recall, I was able to kill at least one bird that season and maybe a couple. After that I was able to relax more and really enjoy the whole experience.
Thanks,
Clark
Quote from: guesswho on March 29, 2017, 01:41:33 PM
From May 15th to March 15th. Other than that maybe six hunting days.
Right on!
I've had some bad ones for sure. Had a banner year about 10 years ago and then went 3 years without a spring bird. Still killed birds in the fall but not a spring bird. My time was quite limited during that time frame so that didn't help. I plan to not let that happen again.
Last year it took me almost the whole season to kill the boss bird. He keep a hen with him all season until i killed him. What was great about getting him i was using my new 20 gauge 870 i had built...
I guess I'm in it now. Didn't kill a spring bird last year. (Got a nice one in the fall). Last spring broke a streak of 23 years of getting at least one spring gobbler. Not even looking forward to this season. Just not seeing birds, or finding signs. But who knows. New season, new hope!
I hope you break your previous record. Stay after them and good luck!
Spring of 1977 until the spring of 1982 took 5 seasons to kill my first bird. Had several chances and several blown opportunities and several flat out misses until I finally got my boot on the first ones neck.
About 3 days and then I killed him. As long as I can remember I have never has a spring season where I did not kill several long beards.
Probably my first 4 years. Couldn't kill one or really get on one. Relative said I was like a young pup. Plenty of enthusasum and energy but no skill or knowledge. Another relative had scattered a gang the previous evening (fall hunt). We settled on a spot, did a little tree talk and a few clucks. Was answered immediatly and a hen flew down. It was an eye opener to me. Killed a gobbler that Spring and every Spring there after except one with a few Fall birds thrown in. Over the years I have slowed down my hunting but still love to run and gun but I kill many more birds. Would probably kill less but love to eat them.
Now defintily now..... didn't kill one last spring. Called one up Saturday. And you guessed it, missed. Guess I was to fired up. Wife always tells me I get over excited. I keep trying to tell her I just have to control it better sometimes :) if I didn't get excited I wouldn't go. Maybe this Saturday will break the slump!!!
Back in 2003 I had 5 or 6 straight trips to the woods where I didn't hear a single gobble. I finally killed a bird the next time I hit the woods.
Definitely last year. It was one of only two years I didn't kill a Mississippi gobbler since I killed my first one in 1984. To make it worse I missed the same gobbler twice on two consecutive days. Glad that slump is over!
My first five years, when I didn't know anything, I didn't even see a gobbler. I shot a few hens in the fall.Then I started to figure it out, and started getting gobblers.I didn't know they could see, and hear, from 300 yards away, or more.The last 8 years, I have rubbed out several really good birds, but yeah, my first 5 years, I was in a slump.
4 year stretch that I'm on now
My slump starts on opening day every year! I used to be really discouraged until I killed one and have had 2 different years where I did not kill one. Both years, my son or someone I was hunting with killed one that I could have if hunting alone, so I don't even count those. I have learned over the years to enjoy the process more and worry less about the results. But the end game is to tote one out and once I get one, I feel like it is all a bonus after that. I killed one last year on the last day I could hunt in the AM. Packed a lunch and was gonna stay until 1 (public ending). I killed him about 9am. As I was sitting and just enjoying the moment with him at my feet, another gobbler came to the setup as well (one per day on public). Funny how that works. It is terrible until it is awesome!
I agree, it's great to be out there in the woods. It took me several years to learn the woods.The last 7 years, have been good to me in the turkey world.You are right, it is all about the chase.
Well my first year I didn't kill one, but called one in for my buddy (same hunt), second year didn't draw a tag but called in one for my Dad, 3rd year I killed my first and then my 4th year I had my first miss but also called another in for Dad again (same hunt).
Since then "I have had some Luck"
MK M GOBL
My drought began in 1982 and ran through 1985 when I first started hunting turkeys. I had no idea what I was doing & got busted by a few that were working closer. After that I got access to some really good private land, but I had to call for others who lacked calling skill and instinct. I called in several birds for other hunters before I killed my first. By calling only and watching others hunt, it allowed me to sit back and observe, which made me a better hunter in the long run.
For the first time in decades, I had an off year in 2012 where I got skunked. I lost my lease a week before the season and had become so accustomed to hunting awesome private land that I had not taken the time to locate birds somewhere else. Pretty much, everything that could go wrong that year, did. I had to re-focus and get back to really hunting turkeys more than just shooting turkeys. At the lease, I knew where the turkeys liked to travel and I knew favored strut zones and hang out places, which was easier to call birds to. I failed to realize at the time how hunting at the lease had caused my skill set to slip a little.
Jim
2016 to now. Had weather ruin two different out of state hunts. Coyotes ruined all my instate hunts last year. This year so far went to Georgia and only had jakes and a bunch of hens around hopefully next week in Oklahoma changed my current trends
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Down here in south Florida and only able to hunt public land. Opportunities are far and few with all the pressure from out of state hunters. Was able to draw a nice hunt this year. Which only happens every few years. Last day I was able to bust a jake. Only got 2 days left here for me. Gonna hit a central Florida romp and stomp. But then there's years that it seems the birds just walk in your lap. This years jake was the first bird I harvested in 3 years hunting down here. He tasted mighty fine. Mmmmm!!
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Quote from: Ozarks Hillbilly on March 29, 2017, 07:01:49 PM
Spring of 1977 until the spring of 1982 took 5 seasons to kill my first bird. Had several chances and several blown opportunities and several flat out misses until I finally got my boot on the first ones neck.
You and I started hunting the same year! Got my first one the third season, in 1979. In 1980, I tagged out here in MO with 2 birds and was absolutely convinced I was an expert! :TooFunny: :TooFunny:
Forty seasons later, I am now convinced I am not. ;)
Quote from: Neill_Prater on March 31, 2017, 09:49:44 AM
Quote from: Ozarks Hillbilly on March 29, 2017, 07:01:49 PM
Spring of 1977 until the spring of 1982 took 5 seasons to kill my first bird. Had several chances and several blown opportunities and several flat out misses until I finally got my boot on the first ones neck.
You and I started hunting the same year! Got my first one the third season, in 1979. In 1980, I tagged out here in MO with 2 birds and was absolutely convinced I was an expert! :TooFunny: :TooFunny:
Forty seasons later, I am now convinced I am not. ;)
:TooFunny: your not giving yourself enough credit! 40 years of hunting equates to alot of knowledge in my opinion.
I guess my first year solo, 2011, but I wouldn't call it a slump, I was just learning. I killed my first which was a Jake at 6 steps, couldn't kill another one that year, goofed up on some easy birds that should have died. Then my 2nd year was tough, but better. I tagged out but it took all season to do it. The following year, I tagged out in the first week, 4 birds in 4 hunts. Never will let that happen again, but it was fun while it lasted. The year after that (2014) was possibly my best season. Killed all my birds within a month on the same WMA and called up a bunch of other birds too that didn't get killed. 2015 was slow, poor gobbling, especially on the public land, but I killed my biggest birds, my first double beard and first triple beard on private land. Then last year was a great year, hunted some new spots by boat, missed a couple easy shots that still bother me to no end, but got a 4 beard on a WMA and tagged out late in the season.
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2010 - Called in three birds and missed all three (3 separate hunts)
2016 - Called in my buddy's first and I missed on what woulda made it a double. Never came close again all season as the birds just did NOT cooperate for me.
it took me 3 (maybe even 4?) years to kill my 1st gobbler.
After my 1st, ive killed atleast 1 each year. The last 5 years Ive managed to kill 2 or 3. I shot my 20th longbeard last season and started 11 years ago.
I hunt a LOT of public in my home state of MD. I goto VA for 4-5 days each spring to hunt with my buddy who has a huge lease with multiple properties.
At home in MD i hunt every. single. day. until I get my 1st bird. Usually my weekday hunts are only 2 hours bc of work.
I hope I didnt curse myself! I typically do better than all or most of my buddies which is good becasue I suck at deer hunting big bucks and most everyone else is good at that around here lol. When its spring, I am king.
Quote from: Jbird22 on March 31, 2017, 03:12:29 PM
2010 - Called in three birds and missed all three (3 separate hunts)
2016 - Called in my buddy's first and I missed on what woulda made it a double. Never came close again all season as the birds just did NOT cooperate for me.
. That's a bummer. I usually get within 15 yards these days, so if I miss, I'm a total bafoon.
My first five years of hunting.
Few years back MISSED 3 longbeards same day on 3 different farms before 10 AM! Was peeking after first miss, put on a hologram sight and my batting % went up, still have nightmares of that one.
A few years back, I missed 3 in a row over about a 9 day span. I was filming turkey hunts and was getting some great footage and kill footage but I snuck off every free minute I had to try and get myself one. After I missed #3 I was a wreck. I knew before I shut the truck door that I was gonna miss if I had an opportunity. It was awful. I moped around like a little school boy who just saw his sweety smooching his best bud under the handle bars on the play ground. When I finally got # 4 down the barrel of my gun I made dang sure he was going for a ride in my truck.
Never did find any of his beard.
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