Before you take that shot!

[busta biggun]

Think about the odds of a turkey making it to adulthood. Nests are destroyed, eggs are eaten, and every critter out there is searching every square inch of ground to find something to eat. Then they hatch. They are so vulnerable. They can't fly. Again facing endless numbers of animals trying to eat them. They have no feathers, so the chance of dying from hypothermia from a simple rain shower is extremely high. Their brood mates die off one by one until there are only two or three left out of the original nine that hatched. The ones that are lucky enough to make it, now have to deal with sweltering summer heat and drought. In the winter they have to find some way to survive with a foot of snow on the ground, 20 below zero wind chills, and little to no food. Storm after storm comes and somehow they are able to survive. Then spring comes along and they square off and engage in bloody battles to earn the right to breed. If they get a deep gash from an opponent's spur it could be life threatening due to the risk of infection. I am always amazed at what these amazing creatures go through just to survive. I have such deep respect for their ability to overcome such misery and huge odds just to make it to adulthood. Every year I think that there must have been a huge die-off due to a brutal winter and yet every spring they are there, gobbling their heads off and celebrating survival. I have absolutely no problem killing them, but every time I do, I stop for a moment and reflect at what this amazing animal has endured and overcome. I feel extremely humbled and honored to have the right and privilege to hunt these trophies. I respect them immensely and do not ever want to take them for granted, or let my pride allow me to abandon proper judgment in shot selection, just to watch him hop off to die a horrible death. We all will have misses and we will all accidentally wound a bird without instantly killing it. But if we all hold ourselves accountable for every shot, and all of us strive for a good clean kill with every shot we take, the chances of misses and wounded birds goes down exponentially. Let us all think about whether a hail Mary shot that has about 10% of success is worth it just so we can brag to our friends about that 60 yard shot. These birds have overcome so much. I think we owe it to them to hunt them in a responsible and respectful way.

[Turkeyman62]

Amen 

[longbeard11]

Wow, absolutely well said!!!! They are amazing animals for sure and all odds are against them, yet they make it year after year.  Awesome stuff and cant wait to get out and chase the kings of spring a little more this year! 

[Vabirddog]

Here, here. As well said as I've ever heard it!

[CT Spur Collector]

Very well stated and I couldn't agree more. Well done, a great message for us all.

[SSCsnood]

couldn't have said it any better myself...hats off to you sir, well written stuff!

[Spring Creek Calls]

I hope everyone reads and understands this post!

[busta biggun]

Thanks for reading guys and thanks for the kind comments. I know it is a little long, but I have wanting to say this for some time, so I finally wrote down what was on my heart.

[Tomspur]

Could not agree more. We are truly fortunate and blessed to be able to hunt these great animals. Good luck to all this spring.

[SSCsnood]

its a subject that really appeals to me due to the fact that another hunter at my lease regularly "peppers" birds and it really grinds my gears when I hear his stories explaining how this or that bird got "peppered" and the only conclusion I can muster is that the guy take unethical shots quite often. the guy has rolled a many of turkeys in his day but I have to call him out every time I hear "well I think he saw a piece of me, so I had to shoot at him running........through a pine plantation"   

he's one of those that wants to kill every turkey on the place before I do and lord help him if I "get one bird up on him"

"far too many men, hunt turkeys not seeking the bird, but seeking the bubble reputation" -Tom Kelly   
  ^ I'll just leave this right here

[chatterbox]

That's good stuff right there!
Well said!

[wvnut3]

Probably one of the best posts i ever read. Well said and cant be stressed enough. Lee

[Greenshed Longbeard]

Well stated, hunt with ethics and poise yourself to hunt mature birds let the little guys walk you can hunt them next year. Pit your expertise against the best your reward is greater.

[tomstopper]

Totally agree with you.....

[Muzzy61]

     very well said.