At what point did you "get it?"

[chatterbox]

What I mean is at what point in your hunting career did you figure out how to have success in the turkey woods on a regular basis, where you didn't feel like you were muddling your way through it?
For me, it was this past season. I had had excellent success for the first 4 seasons hunting, and thought I had it all figured out.
Then came the next 4 seasons...........

I was really humbled by how little I knew, and how much I still had to learn, but I didn't give up, and kept plugging away.

Finally this past season, I really felt I was a part of my own success due to decisions I made that put me in a good position to harvest a bird. I went in the day before I killed him, learned what I needed even though I didn't get a shot, and had success the next day.

How about all of you?

[guesswho]

Early 70's.  I watched a Bobcat watching and maneuvering on a covey of quail.   In the end he had his lunch.  That's when I figured out I need to be more like Mr. Bobcat.   He figured out the killing spot and put himself in position undetected. 

[redarrow]

To be perfectly honest I'm still trying to figure it out. I can't break the habit of over calling.Luck is a major part of my success.

[turkey_slayer]

Honestly, I went by myself the first time when I was 11 and killed one within 2 hours. Ever since then I've been pretty successful. I've had a few birds give me fits over the years but mostly if I get on a bird I will kill him within 3 days. Deer hunting was the same way but it takes a pretty big buck to get me excited anymore but a 2 year old Longbeard will have me shaking like I've never seen one!

[Gooserbat]

I'm certainly a better hunter than I was 5, 10 or 20 years ago, but I'm still learning.  I don't think there will ever be a season where I don't get reminded of a past lesson or learn something new.

[drum817]

I learn something new EVERY season!!!  For me personally "get it" means that I finally learned that no two hunts are ever the same,  to stay away from doing the same things year after year and to try and hunt/kill in the moment. I also never take a kill or encounter for granted it could always be your last season (not being dismal just a fact). 

[Chuck1443]

Second year turkey hunting on a narrow short point ( say 300 yds long. ) I witnessed a hen cutting to my left ,driving two longbeards crazy in their strut zone at the end of the point ( back and forth. ) I sat and imitated her on my double slate over glass hs strut ( learned to cut ) killed one the next morning the other the day after , but 18 years later still learning , still getting burnt !


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[Vaturkeyhntr]

Everyday in the woods we learn something new!!!! But when i finally figured out the patience and letting turkeys do what they do, the numbers quickly went up!!!

[Tail Feathers]

I got off to a real fast start in the turkey woods.  Very early in my career I actually had been out to the woods 9 times turkey hunting and called six birds to the kill.  Five of them my own, one called up for a friend.
I was batting .666 on hunts!

My average is substantially lower nowadays.

[tomstopper]

I'm certainly a better hunter than I was 5, 10 or 20 years ago, but I'm still learning.  I don't think there will ever be a season where I don't get reminded of a past lesson or learn something new.

this is me......

[FloppinTom]

The biggest thing that helped me was learning to be patient. As long as you haven't spooked him or over-called to him your still in the game. You can circle away and around and fool with him all day. He will come when he's ready.

[Drthorn]

always learning something new..most of the time the learning is in regards to setups (where to position, how to position in relation to bird location).

[hookedspur]

Every time I think I "have it" the next turkey I work makes a fool of me.
I'm a lot more confident and have more patients than I used to have, so I'm more successful now
but I Learn and relearn every time out.

[VA_Birdhunter]

Like alot have stated you learn something new every time your in the woods chasing those long beards.   But I do get what your saying chatterbox.  I was fortunate that my dad started taking me with him turkey hunting when I was about 8.  I started carrying a shotgun at around 10.  The first call I ever learned to use was a mouth call crazy enough.  But I went many season before calling in and taking a turkey.  I got to see my dad call in several and take them up to that point....which it was always his goal to let me try and take them but it never seemed to work out.  But it taught me alot and my dad taught me ALOT!  Then my dad got very sick when I was in my mid teens so I ended up having to go alot by myself.  I went rounds with many different long beards and after a few years I finally sealed the deal.  I learned a bunch up to that point but at that moment I got it...I finally put a bunch of things I had learned together and it worked,  I set up right, I called just right (not over calling like so many times before), I learned what to say and figured out for the most part what they wanted to hear.  From that point on until now I've had many successful hunting seasons.  Which a successful hunt to me is not carrying one out even thought that is a bonus.  But since then there has not been one season I've not been blessed to bag a long beard.  Whats even more enjoyable for me is I've been able to call in a bunch of long beards for others and most important my dad!   I know I'll learn alot more this year but I do have a confidence that took many years, many hours, and many long beards going the other way to obtain!  That's just a few of the many reasons I love turkey hunting so very much!!!

God Bless

[J Hook Max]

I began to become a much better turkey hunter during the 1980's. I improved even more in the 90's. However,  I still learn something on nearly every hunt. That is what is so great about turkey hunting.