Closet Reapers??

[Greg Massey]

I've killed a lot of gobblers between 9 and 11 just saying ... I've hunted the days of old and now the days of new technology and while i do appreciate both, i still enjoy some of the new technology better .... I still hunt ever so often with one of my old non-choke turkey guns and wear the old woodland camo etc... but seeing that old brass bead is getting pretty hard to see in my golden years.

[joey46]

Funny "traditional archery" was mentioned. I grew up and hunted in Ohio since probably 1960 (started with squirrel).  I experienced the deer boom that started about 1970. I watched these same type of arguments about the effects of technology arise during the early bow seasons  . First it was "oh my god it's a compound bow".  Then it was "oh my god it's a mechanical release". Of course the number one thing that would doom the sport was the crossbow .  Tool of the devil it was described in ancient text. For unknown reasons even with crossbows, improved deer stands, scents, etc there is still a deer in Ohio.  Yes I know a deer isn't a turkey but the panic over technology seems very similar.  And yes many of you ARE attempting to legislate knee jerk regulations you'll never reverse once implemented .

[joey46]

I've killed a lot of gobblers between 9 and 11 just saying ...
[/quote


And that would allow for a leisurely breakfast at Waffle House or a late lunch at Burger King.  That 9 to 11 may just work out.

[crow]

I've killed a lot of gobblers between 9 and 11 just saying ...

Your thinking of a 7-11, and running them over in the road if front of a store on the edge of town doesn't count

[Greg Massey]

I've killed a lot of gobblers between 9 and 11 just saying ...

Your thinking of a 7-11, and running them over in the road if front of a store on the edge of town doesn't count

Crow , these kids only think you can kill a turkey from breaking daylight until 7 am. in the morning ... 

[crow]

 


9am to noon can be deadly

[Paulmyr]

I've killed a lot of gobblers between 9 and 11 just saying ...

Your thinking of a 7-11, and running them over in the road if front of a store on the edge of town doesn't count

Crow , these kids only think you can kill a turkey from breaking daylight until 7 am. in the morning ... 

Daylight to 7 is the best time for gobbling. Gotta know where there at if you gonna Pearl Harbor, reap, and turkey drive them in the timber.

[Greg Massey]

I've killed a lot of gobblers between 9 and 11 just saying ...

Your thinking of a 7-11, and running them over in the road if front of a store on the edge of town doesn't count

Crow , these kids only think you can kill a turkey from breaking daylight until 7 am. in the morning ... 

Daylight to 7 is the best time for gobbling. Gotta know where there at if you gonna Pearl Harbor, reap, and turkey drive them in the timber.

X2 

[eggshell]

I got my first turkey permit in 1970 or 71 (too dang long ago to remember for sure) and the season was 3 days long daylight till noon. If you found one gobbling bird you were in high cotton. I think Ohio had 40 some gobblers killed that year and I called in my very first one but never fired a shot because all I could see was his head and since it was my first dance I didn't know whether to kiss the lady or bow before her. well I chose the latter and he/she left. What did happen was it infected me with a disease that at times nearly wrecked my life, from being late to work to ignoring my family. I don't know if my daughter ever truly got over that dad was always gone on her birthday, choosing to hunt a damn bird instead of be with her! I saw the boom of new hunters and the boom of flocks as they saturated new ground. I saw days my buddies and I could simply move from bird to bird and kill a seasons limit in two days. I saw birds expand into places that tradition said they would never thrive. I saw hunters gather to support a resource through new organizations and then fall to the devil's trap of pleasure and money in the name of our noble bird. I was the very first in a wide region to use a mouth call and embrace new technology. My love drove me to a degree in wildlife management and a career in fisheries. I worked privately securing and enhancing thousands of acres of land to provide for wildlife. I grew up farming and my dad always left some for the wildlife. I am proud to say he was recognized with a state award as an early conservationist. My ancestors established an early tree farm that still exist 100+ years later and is still managed well. In all those days I knew poachers and noble sportsmen/women, but over overwhelmingly the noble sportsmen prevailed. They are the champions that built this great pursuit of ours and it is there legacy. Fair chase was meeting the game on it's ground and it's terms and when you harvested enough to feed your family you quit. I am not saying there was not slobs, there were. The community knew who they were and they were not welcome on most farms. All these old mentors and heroes of mine would be appalled at the many methods that are being employed now and the kill at all cost approach we see today. I watched one day, as a young man, one of our guest caught one of these poachers on our land and he promptly took the man's gun from him, unloaded it and demanded all his remaining shells, handed the gun back to him and told him to run to his truck before he got his  kicked very severely. The poacher complied and he later received a visit from the game warden. Poor behavior was not accepted as each can do as they want, there were standards. Again I'm sure you can sight many exceptions, but I believe most followed a higher moral ground.

Here is where I ask, why should I accept poor behavior now, especially if it harms the sport and resource. Why does speaking out make us whiners? I realize we just get tired of the drama and simply want to hunt, but sometimes we must do more. I spent a lifetime trying to make this a better outdoor world, working on endangered species and sport fish alike and do not like what I see. So I will whine until I die. Please don't take offense I am just adding to the conversation.

[joey46]

Terrific reply.   Now define today's "poor behavior".One man's opinion may differ from yours or mine. I'm happy if the hunters on the lands I access follow the laws and limits. If they use a decoy or shoot a Jake (perfectly legal here)good for them. If they use TSS and hunt from a blind good for them. I won't try to legislate their morality or ethics if they are hunting legally.  You are experienced/educated enough to know shorter seasons and reduced limits are in the cards. Maybe even a return to quotas.  This will be the result of human over population and loss of habitat and not someone's use of a decoy or watching THP smoking a cigar. Everytime someone throws the "what about drones" (not you) into these discussions I know they're out of ammo. No I wouldn't support the use of drones. Would even frown on satellite guided cruise missiles.
At some point these discussions enter the  category.  I'll drop out for now.  Someone else gets the last word award. Please no whining.

[crow]

Whew!  I guess I've chased them for 50+ years also. I live in a state that has two zones so I can conceivably hunt for around two months in the spring and take two gobblers.  If things would change to a time the season would be one month with a one bird limit would I quit? Of course not .  I'd be a little more selective and if tagged out load up the tent and travel to become a pesky non resident somewhere else. If legal my old buddy Funky Chicken would be in tow.
This has become the most doom and gloom bunch I've ever experienced. A shame really.  Even during this tragic turkey downturn I, at 75, in 2022 managed to take a Fl land public bird, a FL private land bird and topped the year off with a WY Merriam. Health issues this spring limited my time but one Osceola still went into the oven. Maybe hunting more and whining less would be a good thought.

The problem is if anyone voices concerns over methods, tools, or social media practices that could be considered damaging for turkey populations, turkey hunting opportunities, and the future of turkey hunting, he or she is labeled as an anti-hunter, whiner, elitist....the list goes on.  It's usually that with very little substance to support the opinion.  And that's the real shame.

,   page 20 and 21 of Old Pro Turkey Hunter,
I wonder if Old Gene would of been called a whiner

pages 20-21 are good but what I was thinking of is the last paragraph of pg 44 and page 45.
Keep in mind this was written 43-44 years ago and it's gotten a lot easier for people that want it easy.

[Hook hanger]

To me its no different than choosing to shoot one out of the roost where legal.  I don't  look down on how others choose to kill thier birds. Most of us have our own set of ethics that usually supersede the laws. The only problem i have is when people poach and try and say they killed them legally.

[El Pavo Grande]

Terrific reply.   Now define today's "poor behavior".One man's opinion may differ from yours or mine. I'm happy if the hunters on the lands I access follow the laws and limits. If they use a decoy or shoot a Jake (perfectly legal here)good for them. If they use TSS and hunt from a blind good for them. I won't try to legislate their morality or ethics if they are hunting legally.  You are experienced/educated enough to know shorter seasons and reduced limits are in the cards. Maybe even a return to quotas.  This will be the result of human over population and loss of habitat and not someone's use of a decoy or watching THP smoking a cigar. Everytime someone throws the "what about drones" (not you) into these discussions I know they're out of ammo. No I wouldn't support the use of drones. Would even frown on satellite guided cruise missiles.
At some point these discussions enter the  category.  I'll drop out for now.  Someone else gets the last word award. Please no whining.

But you clearly stated, ADAPT OR QUIT.   I don't think you can have it both ways.  I mentioned drones because yes, by your logic, we should just accept it and move on, or throw in the towel.  It's tongue in check now, but left unchecked and there will be drone hunting, because it's legal and because it's entertaining, and because someone will market it.  Currently remote control decoys are legal in some states.  You can literally roll a decoy out on a remote control car and roll it back in with gobblers on tow.   I'm not adapting to that regardless of "if it's legal" and I'm not going to quit.  There comes a point to be either on the right side or wrong side of history.   I think we are there right now with turkey hunting.   And I have plenty of ammo for a discussion, at least much better than "quit whining" at least. 

[WV Flopper]

 A man was shot last year deploying a decoy. He was shot in the chest from 30 yards with a .243. Yes, he died.

The person that shot him was convicted of a misdemeanor. Illegal hunting. Since the shooter had permission to be on the ground, "I assume" he pulled the trigger before legal shooting time. This would be the Illegal hunting charge, Misdemeanor.

Lots to this story, but only hearsay. This was not the first time these two guys had met in the woods and there was a prior issue.

So, if you put a bullet through a decoy is it a crime? What if your holding the decoy and someone puts a bullet through it?

Doesn't really matter to the guy that was holding it...

Maybe I went to far with this example but their are people that are crazy and that will do stupid stuff.

I have been absent, but do check in a few times a week, had to go back and reread some of this thread.

I will put it like this:
If you need or rely upon, a decoy, an electronic caller, a "weapon" that will effectively kill beyond 40 yards you ain't much of a turkey hunter!

You don't need better tools, you need to learn how to turkey hunt.

Not sorry if I offended.

[CAPTJJ]

Guess I'm not much of a turkey hunter even though I choose to hunt them with traditional bows.

I'll say this, the amount of self-righteousness that is continually displayed on this forum is quite astounding. If some of you were truly confident in your abilities and achievements, there would be no need to put other hunters down constantly.