Good Summer question members. What is your total season goal of number of wild turkeys taken in both Spring and Fall. I only hunt 2 States right now-N.Y. and N.J. --so my season goal is 6 turkeys total with some being hens possibly. It never works out that way. Taking 4 birds was my best season so far. I might equal that this Fall- we will see. What are your goals members and how many birds do you get in a Season?
Maryland = 2 bird spring / 1 fall
Pennsylvania = 2 bird spring / 1 fall
Total 6 possible
I'm content & happy with 1 or 2 for me personally. I'm usually more concerned with friends and family getting a chance to pull the trigger. Killed one in Pa, and never carried the gun the rest of the time. Working a bird into range is my thrill - who actually pulls the trigger is irrelevant to me.
In terms of harvest, my goal is to kill one bird in each state I hunt each spring. I generally hunt no more than three or four states each spring. I am not a fall turkey hunter, so that doesn't come into play.
Outside of harvest numbers, my goal is to have a good hunt wherever I might be. I define a good hunt as identifying a potentially good turkey hunting location and then going there, applying my hunting methods, and having a reasonable opportunity to work and possibly kill at least one gobbler. If that happens, I have met my goal,...except for when that happens and I somehow manage to screw up a hunt (or more) that I should have had a reasonable chance of killing a gobbler. If I screw up the killing part after doing everything else right,...well, then I am not so happy. ;D
For me it's 2 during the spring off of mine and my fathers lease. If him and and I can take 3-4 total together during a spring I'm perfectly happy. I usually shoot to try to get one off of public land aand or at some of my buddies clubs. Enjoy hunting/calling with and for them so if I happen to put a tag on one off of their places, I'm extremely happy also.
I don't really set personal goals. That is for goal oriented people and reduces the sport to a numbers game for me. Not judging, just not the reason I hunt. Last year my main goal was get my daughter a bird. I put one in front of her, but it was a marginal shot and she elected not to take it. She learned more about ethics in that decision than one meal would have filled out bellies.
There is a group of 4 of us that hunt Canada every year for waterfowl. We always have one or two new guys with us. At the end of the 11 days, every single one of them can tell you how many birds we have taken and when any of the 4 of us are asked (it always happens sitting in the bar at the end of the hunt), we always shrug and say we have no idea.
Don't get me wrong, turkey is my favorite meat that walks in the woods and butterballs ain't the same meat. But after I kill one I often lose the fever for myself and start worrying more about others.
Also, when I am actually hunting, then my goal is that bird that gobbles and I will do what is legal and what I consider ethical to carry him home that day. I have become fixated on a couple of birds and a few have taken a truck ride and a few walked another day. That is what makes this so fun.
I like to have a goal of one in each state I hunt. But for me what defines a good hunt , doesn't necessarily involve numbers. Anymore it's more important to me where I hunt and where I harvest a gobbler. What I mean by that is, I hunt a lot of public land, and it's all mountain ground. To me that's the epitome of turkey hunting. And like Steelerfan stated, taking loved ones or friends is of utmost importance to. And yes, I live chasing longbeards in the fall. To kill one in the fall is a goal in itself
23
I like to hunt hard and have fun. Hopefully my heart rate will increase a few times due to excitement and I will hear some toms gobbling. It isnt a numbers game to me. How I hunt is more important than success. I always want to improve and make fewer mistakes and when I am successful I want to appreciate it.
Quote from: The Cohutta Strutter on July 13, 2017, 08:07:23 PM
23
That is quite the Goal!! I will be happy with a quarter of that. :angry9:
No,no,no...my mistake. There should have been an "or" between the 2 and 3. I suppose my original post was a bit of sarcasm towards this topic. I think there are many here including myself that are well past the numbers game or even keeping score and really are just completely content just to be able to go at it one more time. I mean no offense to anyone.
I was beginning to think that the turkey in North Georgia were in trouble!! :fud:
Only one more
Quote from: Yelper on July 13, 2017, 08:41:49 PM
I was beginning to think that the turkey in North Georgia were in trouble!! :fud:
Lol, not in Murray Co, lol.
Quote from: Happy on July 13, 2017, 08:10:06 PM
I like to hunt hard and have fun. Hopefully my heart rate will increase a few times due to excitement and I will hear some toms gobbling. It isnt a numbers game to me. How I hunt is more important than success. I always want to improve and make fewer mistakes and when I am successful I want to appreciate it.
agree, numbers are just numbers...just hearing and working birds are a blessing. The kill if successful is another blessing...Never forget the excitement of the hunt regardless ....Amen Happy great post.
My goal every season is the same, I hope to kill a bird. Everything else is icing on the cake. I say that as a veteran of 36 years hunting them.
I dont even know how many i have killed. I enjoy hunting them so much I wish I could being them back to life and hunt them again.
My goal is just to hear and work birds. Given the population in my area the last few years I'm happy just to hear a gobbler. I haven't even bought a second tag the last few years. I think I'd actually feel guilty killing more than one the way the numbers are around here right now.
Quote from: The Cohutta Strutter on July 13, 2017, 08:35:56 PM
No,no,no...my mistake. There should have been an "or" between the 2 and 3. I suppose my original post was a bit of sarcasm towards this topic. I think there are many here including myself that are well past the numbers game or even keeping score and really are just completely content just to be able to go at it one more time. I mean no offense to anyone.
:TooFunny: dang! And I was going to vote your "23" as best answer!! Lol ;D
I want to kill as many as I legally can, but I don't care if I get any........ Haha !!
I honestly have not killed a spring bird for the last two seasons. I have buddies that can NOT believe that I'm not upset or bothered by that. But here's the deal......... 2016 I called for my little girl (11 then) and she killed her very first wild turkey.......a 5" jake. 2017 I called for her again and she took one for the newspapers........ 10 3/4" and 1 1/4" spurs. At the instant both of those birds met their demise at the hand of my little sniper girl, my seasons were complete and I coulda cared less if I pulled the trigger or not. And I didn't.
Bottom line is I still LOVE to shoot turkeys !!! But if I never kill another one, I've killed more than my share........... It stopped being a numbers game for me, personally, quite a good many years ago.
I have never had a specific goal. I hunt as much as I can wherever I can. I hunt one hunt at a time, but I guess my goal is the limit in all the states I hunt. Some years I get em , some I don't. Heck as long as I'm not skunked I'm happy! This spring was great I killed everything I got close to and limited out everywhere. But I been doing this long enough to know I was very lucky. Next year could very well be a different story. But if I'm able I'll be hunting em and hopefully killing some, I'll see what the count is May the 31st.
My goal for turkey season is the same as it is for any game I chase after and that's to spend as much time as I can with my Old Man. There's gonna come a day I don't like to think about and his coffee cup isn't gonna be in the cup holder anymore and I don't wanna regret a single day I could've been out with Dad and wasn't. All the rest is gravy.
just enjoy the season for what it has to offer.. killing turkeys isn't that hard i could fill every tag pretty quick if filling my own tags was the only thing I was concerned about.
I spend at least half my time taking other people out and will often hold my last tag so i can keep hunting, after I filled 5 of 6 tags this past spring I let a few birds walk not willing to cap off my final tag unless the hunt was something special.
I do not hunt turkey in the fall, I have deer, bear, and elk all to hunt this fall no real time or reason to chase birds outside the excitement of spring unless its to call one into bow range while on stand for deer but I have no intention of seeking them in the fall.
Every year I hope I can kill 1........If I do, its been a successful season.
I'm a spring only turkey hunter.
I turkey hunt to succeed and success in my opinion equates to punched tags and limits filled.
I get 3 tags in Virginia and hunt/guide in multiple states, as well. I expect to see 20+ birds each spring take an easy walk back to the truck.
My goal is to pass up at least one mature bird. If it's not what I want, and I don't kill one, it's still a success.
One more spring morning, one more gobble, and one more Tom to admire.
My goal is to keep from getting shot from the turkeys that carry guns.
:z-guntootsmiley:My goal to to put my daughters in position to at least get a shot at a tom within the first few days of the season.them I like to take out a few buddy's and get them a fair shot at a bird. Myself I like to at least have a fair chance at getting near the roosting birds ever morning I go out and enjoy the show
Quote from: tha bugman on July 14, 2017, 11:46:15 AM
My goal is to keep from getting shot from the turkeys that carry guns.
Good statement and I agree on public land.
I do not like putting numbers to killing turkeys. That is what put the turkey population in trouble last century along with market hunting. Just because you can kill a limit does not mean you have too in my opinion. I hunt a small farm that is rather secluded. I could easily kill my limit but instead I may kill one or two but leave my third tag unfilled just so that I can continue hunting the entire season.
I never want to go into the turkey woods in the spring and not hear that Gobble. Its not a killing game to me although harvesting a Turkey does involve pulling the trigger. Turkeys are a huge resource and not to be taken lightly. Remember that this coming spring when you are standing out there waiting for that gobble and not hearing any and bemoaning the fact on this forum under Gobbling activity. JM2C
My goal is a limit for wherever I hunt that season. ;D
Limits vary from area to area tho.
And I've had some darn good seasons where my goal for kills wasn't met, but my other goal of hunting turkeys all spring was met. :toothy12:
Does my heart good to see the evolved turkey hunters on this site. Even when we argue, it is nice to see folks basically think alike.
Original question - short answer - My goal is to fill every tag I have.
Now to explain - my ultimate goal in turkey hunting is to spend every day available in the spring woods. To do this, I hunt multiple states and try to have enough tags available in order to make this happen. Being "tagged out" and missing possible days in the woods doesn't really do it for me.. I want to be somewhere hunting tomorrow.
Now, I know damn well that I won't be filling every tag I have.. that would be fairly unrealistic.. Doesn't mean I won't try. The first and only time this has happened was the season I killed my first turkey.. second day I hunted that year #2 fell and I was done for the season. I won't let that happen again. I suppose I could take people and what not, but turkey hunting is a 1 on 1 game to me, and I really enjoy extending my season into other states and seeing new things.
Quote from: g8rvet on July 14, 2017, 02:47:59 PM
Does my heart good to see the evolved turkey hunters on this site. Even when we argue, it is nice to see folks basically think alike.
Agree 100 percent. Most of those who like to argue only come around during or just before turkey season opens...good group of guys and girls on this forum...good post...
My goal is to be one of the new turkey hunters, or shoot a flying fall bird. Just sayin, Mike
My season's goal is not number killed but quality hunts vs smart toms. :OGturkeyhead:
Southern Illinois has five seasons and a hunter may have up to three permits. While I usually fill my three permits with mature gobblers, I'm always somewhat sad when I fill a permit since that means my hunting is over until my next tag comes into season. The land owners often ends up with of the some turkey white meat. If I fail to fill a tag, it's usually because I've learned a new way to screw up my opportunity.
Great replys here!! Thanks for sharing... During my first 5 full Spring and Fall turkey hunts- I was trying to break the ice . Finally I did with less then 1 week left in that 5th Spring. So now -6 in a season is my goal- but if I get just 1 gobbler- I am still happy because I remember what I went through just to tag my first one.
One state one bird and I am good.
Taking someone else it's sure nice to get a bird to their gun , but even then they need to enjoy just being out there too. Don't do it for money or bragging rights so no pressure there.
Just out enjoying the season.
I get 2 tags each year and my goal is to have great hunts attempting to spend them on mature gobblers. I'm not crushed if I fall short of that goal. My goal is also to let every jake I see walk. I'd rather eat tag soup than take next year's longbeard off the properties I hunt. What anybody else does with their tags is up to them.
I attempt to take one bird without using decoys and the other with decoys, just because I can.
I suppose my ultimate goal is to live until next Spring so I can enjoy hunting turkeys again. I have nothing happening with me which suggests I won't get that chance, I've just unexpectedly lost a couple of friends recently and it makes me enjoy every day a little more. I don't take any days for granted.
Jim
5
I usually get 5-7 per year and call in 15-20 that someone else kills. Always wanted to get a double digit year but it's not happened yet.
my goal is to get every one i set down to killed..not very realistic.. but thats my goal anyway ,lol
Im a turkey hunter. When I go hunting, my goal is to kill a turkey. Can I go and not kill one and be happy? You bet. But you can also bet I'm gonna be trying to figure out how to kill the one that got away.
I always hate discussions and talk about how many folks have killed...Pretty much a turn off to me.
But, I also don't buy into the "I'm evolved beyond the kill stage in my hunter progression " nonsense either.
A lot of different factors come into play on how many birds a person can or has killed and not all folks experiences and opportunities are equal.
My brother and I both grew up hunting Southeast Louisiana turkeys. We both have nearly 40 years experience and both hunt with the same basic techniques. He killed the only bird that was killed in a lease with 16 members...most of which turkey hunt. I wouldare say, a good number of the "number touters" would be hard pressed to get a bird down there. When he comes to visit me in Missouri, his success rate goes dramatically up. Kinda weird how that has worked out that way for the past 19 years straight.
Getting back on topic....., I would have to honestly say that if I reached the point that I truly didn't care if I killed one, I would take up another hobby...perhaps baking cookies or something.
[quote author=H
Getting back on topic....., I would have to honestly say that if I reached the point that I truly didn't care if I killed one, I would take up another hobby...perhaps baking cookies or something.
[/quote]
I don't think anyone is saying they don't care if they kill turkeys or not. Rather they have evolved to the point that killing turkeys or large numbers is not the only factor in the hunt. I for one enjoy the green up of Spring and especially the sound of all the song birds. They just sound so happy. I enjoy looking for morel mushrooms or last Falls buck rub. I care about wheather I kill a jake or not as that Jake will be next years Tom.
Now when I was younger I killed everything but over time became more selective. I have hunted all over this great country of ours and there is so much to enjoy. I believe that Turkey hunters over time learn to kill turkeys regularly and start to lose their tunnel vision and enjoy whole hunt more. As for cookies: they do make a great snack.
Quote from: mtns2hunt on July 16, 2017, 09:55:43 PM
[quote author=H
Getting back on topic....., I would have to honestly say that if I reached the point that I truly didn't care if I killed one, I would take up another hobby...perhaps baking cookies or something.
I don't think anyone is saying they don't care if they kill turkeys or not. Rather they have evolved to the point that killing turkeys or large numbers is not the only factor in the hunt. I for one enjoy the green up of Spring and especially the sound of all the song birds. They just sound so happy. I enjoy looking for morel mushrooms or last Falls buck rub. I care about wheather I kill a jake or not as that Jake will be next years Tom.
Now when I was younger I killed everything but over time became more selective. I have hunted all over this great country of ours and there is so much to enjoy. I believe that Turkey hunters over time learn to kill turkeys regularly and start to lose their tunnel vision and enjoy whole hunt more. As for cookies: they do make a great snack.
[/quote]
I hear ya and agree with where you are coming from. Guess what I hate to see is situations where hunters try to compare themselves to others.
But..... I did cook a pretty mean blackberry cobbler this morning. Can't be a big adjustment to switch to cookies...
Quote from: Hooksfan on July 16, 2017, 11:03:32 PM
Quote from: mtns2hunt on July 16, 2017, 09:55:43 PM
[quote author=H
Getting back on topic....., I would have to honestly say that if I reached the point that I truly didn't care if I killed one, I would take up another hobby...perhaps baking cookies or something.
I don't think anyone is saying they don't care if they kill turkeys or not. Rather they have evolved to the point that killing turkeys or large numbers is not the only factor in the hunt. I for one enjoy the green up of Spring and especially the sound of all the song birds. They just sound so happy. I enjoy looking for morel mushrooms or last Falls buck rub. I care about wheather I kill a jake or not as that Jake will be next years Tom.
Now when I was younger I killed everything but over time became more selective. I have hunted all over this great country of ours and there is so much to enjoy. I believe that Turkey hunters over time learn to kill turkeys regularly and start to lose their tunnel vision and enjoy whole hunt more. As for cookies: they do make a great snack.
I hear ya and agree with where you are coming from. Guess what I hate to see is situations where hunters try to compare themselves to others.
But..... I did cook a pretty mean blackberry cobbler this morning. Can't be a big adjustment to switch to cookies...
[/quote] :TooFunny: good one....funny ...lmbo.....
I am very serious about my turkey hunting. Believe me when I hit the woods it is go time. However I do not place a kill as the only thing that describes a successful season. Not to sound sappy but every morning when I get away from the truck and have the stillness of a spring pre dawn morning around me. I take a knee and thank the good Lord for the gift of being able to do one of the things I love the most. Yes I love to kill turkeys. That is the goal. But I don't want to be so consumed with that goal that I miss everything that makes spring turkey hunting what it is.
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Quote from: Hooksfan on July 16, 2017, 09:25:20 PM
Im a turkey hunter. When I go hunting, my goal is to kill a turkey. Can I go and not kill one and be happy? You bet. But you can also bet I'm gonna be trying to figure out how to kill the one that got away.
I always hate discussions and talk about how many folks have killed...Pretty much a turn off to me.
But, I also don't buy into the "I'm evolved beyond the kill stage in my hunter progression " nonsense either.
A lot of different factors come into play on how many birds a person can or has killed and not all folks experiences and opportunities are equal.
My brother and I both grew up hunting Southeast Louisiana turkeys. We both have nearly 40 years experience and both hunt with the same basic techniques. He killed the only bird that was killed in a lease with 16 members...most of which turkey hunt. I wouldare say, a good number of the "number touters" would be hard pressed to get a bird down there. When he comes to visit me in Missouri, his success rate goes dramatically up. Kinda weird how that has worked out that way for the past 19 years straight.
Getting back on topic....., I would have to honestly say that if I reached the point that I truly didn't care if I killed one, I would take up another hobby...perhaps baking cookies or something.
I feel much the same way. At the beginning of the season, I have no goal. Each morning I wake up, my goal that day is one bird. This year was tough for me. bad weather on my days off and maybe a little bad luck, but I heard 3 birds gobbling all season in North Florida. And killed one of them. Was frustrating to be where I knew there were birds and certainly did not go home and pout, I just hunted harder. But I enjoyed this season as much as last where I was done after 11 days.
My goal is to watch/call in 20 or so birds for friends and family. My goal is to try and fill the tags I have bought with Toms only no jakes! That number equates to over 20 tags for myself. I have not got above 20 toms in one season with me behind the trigger but have came very close to that in a season. My main goal is to be safe and teach a few new hunters what this sport is about every season.
At my age I don't put that much emphasis on killing and never have goal to kill any I'm more about the experience and good quality hunt anymore. I love the game and the challenge these days once he s in easy range I may or may not shoot just depends on my mood there are some days I just want to hear him one more time at daybreak. Everyone goes through phases in hunting I've had my years where if they were in range they were getting shot at but the joy to see another get a bird outranks me shooting even if I eat few tags
Quote from: turkeyfoot on July 19, 2017, 09:29:38 AM
At my age I don't put that much emphasis on killing and never have goal to kill any I'm more about the experience and good quality hunt anymore. I love the game and the challenge these days once he s in easy range I may or may not shoot just depends on my mood there are some days I just want to hear him one more time at daybreak. Everyone goes through phases in hunting I've had my years where if they were in range they were getting shot at but the joy to see another get a bird outranks me shooting even if I eat few tags
You can easily see the different stages in a turkey hunters evolution in this topic through the many different answers. I believe the more you hunt and the more experience/success you have the more you strive to enjoy the whole hunt and not just the desire to kill a turkey. I can, however, remember vividly the effort and time I spent trying to kill my first turkeys.
3 tags, 3 birds. I always go down swinging.
I want to fill every tag I buy because I'm taking time away from my family to pursue my hobby/passion.
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I can shoot two bearded turkeys in the spring, and I more often than not fill both tags on toms. However, I spend majority of the month long season playing guide for my grandfather, father, brother, wife, and other friends and family. I get so much enjoyment out of seeing others take birds, and spending time with them, its hard for me to just fill tags and hunt multiple states.
Thinking about it further from my own perspective, if I am hunting somewhere that I can legally kill more than one or two birds, I find myself reluctant to shoot more than one or two because I really don't want to have to deal with more dead turkeys than that. I am one turkey hunter that believes that if you shoot a turkey, you should fully utilize the carcass.
Every turkey I kill, I take all the meat, and try to utilize as much of the rest of the bird (feathers, head, legs) as I can. That is just my personal ethic. I have found that dealing with multiple birds at a time under that ethical constraint is rather tedious,...and I just don't want to mess with it under the guise of "putting another notch in the gun".
However, when I go on a hunt,...especially one out-of-state,...the first mature gobbler that comes into shotgun range is in big trouble. After that first one, though, the second is a "maybe", and everything after that is probably going to get a pass unless it is a bird that I just can't pass up. So far, after 50+ years of doing this, I have not seen that bird.
Fill every tag. Usually 2 but sometimes 3. I will say that I take great pleasure these days in helping someone else kill a bird.
My goal is a number but it changes every year, that number is how many hunters I can mentor. Whether a youth, lady or guy but just the goal of getting them out there. If we get a bird great, but as long as I can start them down that road, that is my goal. In the end it's all about the "Hunt" and I enjoy that more than anything, I do have some luck too :)
MK M GOBL
There are phases a normal person should experience as a turkey hunter. I have gone though one phase twice; first thirty years ago and now but not as extremely as thirty years ago. That is the practice of getting the drop on a gobbler and letting him walk. Perhaps it my imagination but after such an experience, his gobble seems to take on a supernatural quality. But at nearly seventy and so many encounters it is the quality of the hunt that I relish, the memories that I carry between my ears. I want to sit alone a few times with a magnificent gobbler across my lap, smoothing his feathers and admiring the beauty of his feathers gleaming in the sunlight, but I know I will not experience that many more times.
My health is starting to fail and the populations are falling in SW Mississippi and central Louisiana, and too many are invading my space as the teams of videographers increase each year. They are missing the magic inherent in my dear friend, Kenny Morgan's subtitle to his first book, "A One Man Game". Ah well, the times they are a changing. At any rate, as long as I can I will continue playing the game, and that is what it, a game, not a contest, at least not with my fellow "hunters".
Quote from: silvestris on July 25, 2017, 01:04:55 AM
There are phases a normal person should experience as a turkey hunter. I have gone though one phase twice; first thirty years ago and now but not as extremely as thirty years ago. That is the practice of getting the drop on a gobbler and letting him walk. Perhaps it my imagination but after such an experience, his gobble seems to take on a supernatural quality. But at nearly seventy and so many encounters it is the quality of the hunt that I relish, the memories that I carry between my ears. I want to sit alone a few times with a magnificent gobbler across my lap, smoothing his feathers and admiring the beauty of his feathers gleaming in the sunlight, but I know I will not experience that many more times.
My health is starting to fail and the populations are falling in SW Mississippi and central Louisiana, and too many are invading my space as the teams of videographers increase each year. They are missing the magic inherent in my dear friend, Kenny Morgan's subtitle to his first book, "A One Man Game". Ah well, the times they are a changing. At any rate, as long as I can I will continue playing the game, and that is what it, a game, not a contest, at least not with my fellow "hunters".
Amen to that and may the Good Lord keep you in the game for as long as you desire to do so.