When is enough…enough?

[Onpoint]

Personally I dont use blinds or decoys. A couple years ago my wife started turkey hunting she went with me down to Tennessee just to "tag along" and see what it was all about. She stuck by my side run n gunnin sittin up with our backs against a tree and saw me take 3 TN public land gobblers. When it came time for her to hunt I set up a blind. A couple hours into the hunt she said " I don't like sittin in a blind, let's go get one fired up". That's all I needed to hear. Since then my wife has killed several longbeards and they've all been taken "old school" without use of blinds or decoys. Do I look down on using blinds or decoys? Absolutely not, it's just not for us.
I lived with my grandparents growin up and my grandad is 70 years old and still a flat out turkey killer. He started takin me hunting when I was 4 and he taught me a lot and I've learned a lot on my own along the way. For us it's just more exciting to go get em. Honestly I don't feel like I would've killed any more turkeys over the years if I had used a blind. That's just not how I hunt. But I will say theres been PLENTY of rainy days that I was soakin wet and cold and I'd be sittin there thinkin " I wish I had a damn blind."
About the only thing I don't agree with in turkey hunting is folks that hunt over bait, even If it is legal. (which it's not here in Ky) but other than that If it's legal and that's how you choose to hunt then by all means go for it.

[Old Gobbler]

I posted that picture above for illustrative purposes - you ask yourself what the heck does 3 guys holding up snow geese have anything to do with the topic of this thread ?  well hear me out

These guys are hunting with newer method of hunting equipment - layout blinds in particular , I can assure you had they not been using some of the newer layout goose blinds , they ( or anyone ) would have not been goose hunting that day or any day , in fact in the last 10-15 years  layout blinds have opened up goose hunting in areas never before possible - these guys are using all kinds of decoys , but the trend is the super realistic types -  People are turkey hunting in wide open areas , just like this , in the the west and mid west , pop up blinds as people call them are a necessity , its either hunt in a blind or don't hunt , and these areas also dictate you use a decoy cause , if the gobbler doesn't see a hen , your odds just got worse , more like impossible - again ...areas where standard methods do not work .....that's why they use a layout or popup blind in these areas

Whats really giving blinds a bad rap is the abundance of horrible TV hunting shows that are shot on virtually infested hunting areas - this gives the general public that the blinds are some kind of stand off weapon that gives the user a unfair advantage - I live in Florid and Portable Blinds are so unpractical because of the temperature and geography , almost nobody uses them , many Florida hunters do however make Palmetto blinds out of about 10 fronds that stand about 30 inches high and have done so for decades  - but anyways through out much of the south most guys wouldn't think of using a pop up blind because you can sit against a tree - People in Kansas and Iowa cant say the same , its use a blind or stay at home

Decoys like turkey calls have been refined , some companies have been making turkey decoys for 25+ years  ---if someone doesn't like them ,(just like turkey calls ) don't use them ... In Florida just about everyone uses a decoy , not just for attraction purposes , but to keep hunters from walking up on your spot , you can see a decoy from 1/4 mile down a fire break and avoid that guy - for me ...Ive seen a fatal turkey shooting , and I will NEVER turkey hunt without a decoy ever , if anyone is getting shot its mr plastic - if anyone has seen what ive seen with my eyes you would probably think the same way - but hey to each their own

Turkey guns , I have hunted long enough , and shot thousands of waterfowl and a lifetime of gobblers to harbor the mentality of.... use reliable potent shooting equipment  , and use common sense in taking proper shots , - using a powerful shotgun with a built in fudge factor , and knowing how it shoots is a very responsible train of thought in my book  - There are a small handful of people out there trying to get 100 yard turkey shooting    publicly acceptable , for me I feel confident in my ability not to have to feel the need to pursue that thought pattern -State Game departments have all kinds of hunting regulations many of them focus in on the weapon for safety purposes -   

Shannon-J-Kelly

[WildTigerTrout]

IMO way too many hunters rely on blinds and decoys. I'm teaching my son to hunt turkeys "Old School" without the use of either one. I have shotguns in 10,12 and 20 gauge. At some point during the season I hunt with all of them. I do NOT however use HTL shot. I shoot good old lead. The way some guys talk I wonder how we ever killed turkeys before HTL. I wish I had a nickel for everytime I have heard "How many pellets in 10" at 40 yards"? I believe woodsmanship and calling ability are much more important than hauling all that junk to the woods. Too many guys hunt from blinds with decoys so they can drink coffee, talk, text their friends,make phone calls, move around and have a picnic. They do everything except hunt. I am proud to say my 14 year old son and I both bagged mature longbeards this spring and we did it "Old School". Sorry for the rant, just my opinion. You may agree or disagree with it. Either way that's fine.

I guess I don't understand the, "technology has improved but I am still going to make it as difficult as I can for me and my kid" philosophy when it comes to hunters.  I killed a bunch of turkeys with a 12 ga 1100, single bead fixed modified barrel, shooting 2 3/4" Remington Duplex 2x6 shells, because that is what I had to hunt with as a teenager & college kid.  I sure wouldn't think of going in the woods with it now.  I wanted to give my son every advantage I could when he started turkey hunting 2 season ago at the age of 10 and his first year he was able to kill 3 out of a blind shooting 20 ga Hevi-7s.  The closest kill was 12 yards and the furthest was 40 yards.  He killed 3 this year at the age of 11, one he was sitting in a Gobbler Lounger in the middle of a logging road, one he was sitting in a Gobbler Lounger in front of a big rock, and one from a blind.  All three were shot right at 40 (+/- a few) yards as soon as they presented him with a clear shot.  He and I were just as excited on the 6th one as we were with his first.  We go turkey hunting to kill turkeys not to prove we are superior hunters in comparison to anybody else in regards to how we kill them.    Keep doing what your doing if it makes you feel good.  I think we are going to shoot 18 g/cm3 shot next year.   

I want my son to experience the true essence of turkey hunting, not sitting in a blind and watching decoys! I want him to see the TRUE challenge.The way turkey hunting used to be.

So you guys are gonna walk to the woods instead of driving?

Well now that you mentioned it, yes I can walk to the woods. My favorite turkey haunt is within walking distance of my house. I can leave my front yard and start hunting in about 5 or 10 minutes.

[jblackburn]

Geez. Do what it takes to legally/ethically kill a gobbler ad it is a trophy. Who cares what other people think.

Sometimes I use a blind, sometimes I use decoys. Sometimes I use a bow , other times I use 3.5 inch lead shot, sometimes hevi shot.

People, get off your high horses and get into the woods!

[2much2loud]

I rarely use a blind mainly because I don't want to carry it.... I use decoys in the field pretty much just to see the interaction... I have seen some pretty cool things with decoys... Had a jake try to breed my avian x hen and my avian x jake has taken quite a few beatings this year