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Motivation Drives Action – US Slams: the good, the bad, and the ugly?


Over the past 3 years, I've begun traveling more to turkey hunt. There's a variety of reasons behind this. Primarily, a good friend of mine brought the idea of a US Slam to my attention. I hadn't heard of such a feat so I started doing some research. My buddy bought me Vol I and II of Doc Weddle's Turkey Tails and Tales from Across the USA. As I read the books, the romanticism of chasing turkeys for the entire spring, living out of a truck, and experiencing the various landscapes that turkeys inhabit grew on me.

As he and I dug further into the motivations behind completing a US Slam, our discussions came to several dead ends. Questions of "why" became burdened with "how." If you kill a gobbler on the first hour of the first morning in Mississippi, logistically speaking, you'd have to immediately take off to another state. After all, knocking off five to ten new states a year is a major feat of logistics and luck. This turn-and-burn methodology begs to question the motivation behind chasing a US Slam. Did you really experience Mississippi turkey hunting if you were only there for a night in the truck and ninety minutes of hunting? Did you get to build any relationships with other turkey hunters while there? Did you give more than you took from that area? These are questions that need answers before I could dive into such a monumental goal.


No doubt, there's plenty of good that's come from the increased popularity of the US Slam. More people hunting turkeys in more places should be a good thing. Turkey hunting, when done legally and ethically, is always a positive. Completing that slam in one lifetime is a massive undertaking. It requires an incredible amount of logistics and planning, hard work, dedication, budgeting, and stick-to-itiveness. Pursuing and accomplishing big goals like that builds character – and the world needs men with character. Even if the entire process is all turn and burn, you'll still come away with priceless experiences. The license and tag sales will benefit the conservation of wild turkeys in every state you hunt and the money you spend locally benefits rural economies and helps underline the importance of having turkey hunters on the landscape. I fully concede – it's not all bad.

That being said, there are some negatives that weigh in as well. Hunting pressure on many public areas has increased dramatically - particularly as more information becomes available to hunters. Smartphone apps give you every single little piece of info you'd ever need from licenses and regs, to maps and real-time weather. Finding and killing turkeys in unknown areas is easier than it's ever been. YouTube channels share success all the way down the online map pin in some cases. I've personally seen a YouTube series hunting an area successfully one year and a ten-fold increase in non-resident hunting pressure the following year. Is correlation causation? Hard to believe the two aren't closely tied together. Along with this increase in hunting pressure comes an increase in harvest. Trying to call up and kill pressured turkeys is one thing, but when the majority of the two-year-old gobblers are killed by mid-season, it takes tough to a whole new level. Can these public areas sustain this level of pressure long term? Is this hunting pressure keeping local hunters at home? If so, that could wreak havoc on the funding and management of these areas. As we all know, it's the local voters that have the most weight in driving the management of public hunting areas.

It seems as though this fad is rearing its ugly head. My perception is that ego is the driving motivation behind most of these folks' pursuit. Perception is reality. When we behave one way, others perceive that behavior and respond accordingly. Their perception of our actions drives their actions and all actions have tangible consequences. Ego also drives men to throw ethics out the window. Multiple times this spring I had turkeys bumped out from under me by hunters that knew I was there. After speaking with them, they were there chasing the slam and had a limited and decreasing amount of time to kill a bird. This type of behavior is not a good thing, and the other side of the coin is just as ugly. I've spoken with several folks that were chasing the slam and were knocking off one state each year. What's the point? Why chase a goal and half  it? This underlines the modern American dilemma of apathy towards productivity. If you set out to do something, and you share your goals with your peers, but make no real attempt at succeeding, what is the benefit in that – for you or anyone else? I believe these folks need to reevaluate their motivations or their actions will suffer.

This year, while traveling, 90% of the trucks I saw parked at public hunting areas were from out of state. Of the non-resident hunters I spoke with, all but two of them told me within a minute of meeting that they were trying for a US Slam – whether it was relevant to the conversation or not. It conjured up jokes about vegans and crossfiters. That, to me, was a bit stomach churning – and, to be honest, I'm not totally sure why. We're both there as non-residents chasing turkeys – why does it matter why we're both there? My best guess is that their need to tell others about their intentions made it clear to me that their motivations were less than sincere. They weren't there to simply chase turkeys and enjoy it, they were there to "knock off another state." Gag me.

Personally, I'm not interested in it. Hunting transplanted turkeys on an island in the middle of the pacific that have to roost in bushes doesn't spike my emotions enough to pay for the plane ticket out there. Sure, if I were there already and had the opportunity, I'd give it a whirl. I'll try anything once, and I don't knock anyone else for wanting to try it either. Also – is there really that much difference between killing a turkey in Rhode Island and killing one in Massachusetts – or Vermont vs. New Hampshire? Where do you draw the line? Why not try to kill a turkey in every county of every state?


The bottom line is that motivation drives action. If your motivation behind pursuing a US Slam is to share it on social media or brag about it, it's going to lead you down a dark path. Your behavior will suffer, your mental state and stress levels will suffer, and you'll be a leach on the resource.

However, if you're purely in it for the personal challenge and the experiences it will undoubtedly gift to you - I say more power to you! Chase your goal, climb your mountain, enjoy the experience, but don't post about it on social media until you're done and then go write a book about it so I can buy it and read it myself.



So, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the matter?

Am I being hypocritical and judgmental? Definitely and I do try to keep that at a minimum, but I also believe this is something that needs to be thought out and discussed by anyone passionate about chasing wild turkeys outside their own backyard. My opinions can be changed.

My ultimate hope is that our actions ensure that we can all continue turkey hunting, have viable populations of turkeys to chase, and that in 50 years folks are still doing the same thing with the same level of vigor.

It is strictly a personal challenge I think.  Those who take it on better have a lot of drive and time to get it done.  I know a couple who have done it and/or are in the process.  I figured out that I just don't have the drive at my age for such a task. I still travel to hunt each spring but not at the pace that challenge requires. 

The influx of non-resident hunters is from social media and YouTube hunters creating a viral sensation over traveling to hunt. Turkey hunting has been sold out by your YouTube heros. All there is to that

I did 5 states this year. It's pretty stupid to roll in somewhere and shoot one the first morning. If the state limit allows for it, in that particular case, I hang around for a few more days to continue to hunt, but also get the taste of an area. I probably like that just as much as I do the actual hunting.

In fact, I don't mind if I have to go back to a state for a second year in a row-with the exception of Mississippi. I shouldn't have to explain why that is lol. But to answer your question, it is pretty ridiculous on what it's becoming. One of my closest friends rolled into a state for like 1 hour this year and got it done. Seems pretty crazy to me, but if that makes him happy, I guess that's all that matters. What I would say is that 1. it's really not easy and 2. the fad will go away when something new comes along. I do think we over-exaggerate the amount of people doing it a little bit. I hardly ran into other hunters this year

I just simply love hunting these birds, hunting them in new places is always interesting and typically challenging.

I hunted 4 states this year, I typically hunt 5 to 7, added two new one's and it was basically out of convenience, I have virtually no interest in the US slam or even a grand slam for that matter, Florida is not high on my list.

I can hunt a cluster of states in a 10 day period and have the opportunity to shoot quite a few birds, I hunted a new area of a familiar state this year, one I wanted to try a new area for the challenge and two it was closer to home, I have killed birds in 3 completely different areas of that state. 

I spent twice as much time in one particular state this year, tough hunting but also a nice place to stay and good friends kept me there even with the tough hunting and weather.

Just go out and enjoy the spring, if you want to puff out your chest and act like "Pro Joe" turkey hunter have at it, but that is not what it's about! 

I personally see myself eventually getting a US slam but it's a crawl not a sprint.  I get to hunt 3-4 states each year and at that rate it's going to take time. 

I enjoy going new places, I mostly get to hunt later so by the time I get to a location it may be the last week of season and the odds of tagging out quick are so slim.  It takes some doing to find, figure out and kill a bird. 

All fifty states? Even the ones with yankees in them? Pass.

I get more out of hunting flocks in specific areas over multiple seasons. Getting to know the birds and having a picture of the comings and goings adds a lot to the hunt. Just blowing through and killing one doesn't really do much for me. In fact, if I travel and kill too many temporally close together turkey hunting loses some of the appeal. Never have understood the appeal of running around from state to state taking the cream off before heading to another motel to do it again. It seems immature.

Quote from: arkrem870 on June 03, 2021, 11:52:37 AM
The influx of non-resident hunters is from social media and YouTube hunters creating a viral sensation over traveling to hunt. Turkey hunting has been sold out by your YouTube heros. All there is to that

The internet May have fanned the flames but I was traveling for birds before I could watch YouTube. Remember dial up internet?  :toothy12:

Good post by the OP. I've been thinking a lot about this lately as well. It's really getting ridiculous. Am I the only one left that still gets great satisfaction out of trying to fill my 3 tags in my home state, and then maybe hunt an adjoining state or two with some friends for a couple days? Sheesh. Everything today is about going big in grandiose fashion or go home.

The idea of blowing through states with no sleep, no enjoyment other than killing a turkey just isn't for me. When I do my trips with my buddies, we stay for a few days. Hunt hard all morning, trout fish or golf in the afternoon, and then dinner and some beers in the evening. That's fun to me. Some years we do well, some we don't

I do wonder what's the motivating factor for the push for the slam? It's really quite ridiculous when you think about it. The money spent , time away from family, killing just to knock that state off the list. No thanks.

I respect the time talent and perseverance it takes to do this. I just fear it's ruining the sport and depleting a struggling resource.

Quote from: turkeyfool on June 03, 2021, 12:36:42 PM
I do think we over-exaggerate the amount of people doing it a little bit. I hardly ran into other hunters this year

Interesting. It could very well be that my anecdotal evidence doesn't line up with reality. I'm primarily hunting states that are popular "travel to" areas like TN, MO, and KS.

As much as I enjoy turkey hunting, I have zero interest in a US slam.   I've hunted turkeys since the 60's and have only killed 3 varieties or species, or whatever you call them.   I'm sure at some point I'll probably kill a 4th, but that's not a goal I have.   For the people who have done it or have it on their bucket list, more power to you.   I hope you had or have a blast in your pursuit. 

Quote from: Mountainburd on June 03, 2021, 04:00:44 PM
Good post by the OP. I've been thinking a lot about this lately as well. It's really getting ridiculous. Am I the only one left that still gets great satisfaction out of trying to fill my 3 tags in my home state, and then maybe hunt an adjoining state or two with some friends for a couple days? Sheesh. Everything today is about going big in grandiose fashion or go home.

The idea of blowing through states with no sleep, no enjoyment other than killing a turkey just isn't for me. When I do my trips with my buddies, we stay for a few days. Hunt hard all morning, trout fish or golf in the afternoon, and then dinner and some beers in the evening. That's fun to me. Some years we do well, some we don't

I do wonder what's the motivating factor for the push for the slam? It's really quite ridiculous when you think about it. The money spent , time away from family, killing just to knock that state off the list. No thanks.

I respect the time talent and perseverance it takes to do this. I just fear it's ruining the sport and depleting a struggling resource.

People definitely enjoy things differently. I'm all for anyone that wants to go at it as hard as they'd like. Sometimes thats the only way to truly accomplish a goal. Running a marathon doesn't make sense on paper, but people do it all the time and some get an incredible amount of benefit from it.

The issue I'm seeing is the folks wanting to chase the US slam but not truly going at in an organized and reasonable manner. Instead they're primarily after the hashtags and social media likes instead of truly working towards accomplishing their goal and enjoying the battle/experience of it. If they hunt a state and leave empty handed their ego is hollow - which at times pushes them beyond the limits of ethics. If they were in it for the right reason, they would take their licks and adapt without sacraficing integrity - because to do so would crumble the entire motivation behind it.  Do they really want to finish a US Slam or do they want to be able to tell everyone they're working on the US Slam? These are two entirely different motivations.

Again, I could be dead wrong on this, but I don't believe I am. It's impossible to climb inside another person's head and know their intentions. I make a concerted effort to treat everyone I run into with respect. Me being a jerk about it isn't going to help the issue from any angle. We all know where making assumptions about people on first impressions can get you...



I hope it is a fad and that these folks that are doing it to be or at least appear to be "cool" are going to fall out of it in the coming years. We'll see.

I also have zero interest in a US slam.  I retired in February several years ago thus bought several NR licenses to hunt several states. I killed 13 toms that spring starting mid-April and ending in May. I didn't enjoy it near as much as I thought I would. It seemed I was always in a hurry to get a bird and then on the the next state. Anymore if I plan on just a few birds in a few states and I'm satisfied. Now...granted the YouTubers and Facebookers want to kill birds everywhere they can to promote their channel and ego...that's fine...but it's not me.

Great write-up, Garrett.  Your assessment of the various motivations is well thought out and equally well conveyed.  I have thought about the subject some myself, but because my reasons for turkey hunting are apparently different than some folks, I have never really attempted to "get below the surface" in truly evaluating what motivates people to do the U.S. slam thing.  I personally just can't relate.  I do, however, look at it from perhaps an entirely different perspective than maybe other folks here do.

Simply put, I love to turkey hunt,...but I am not obsessed with it to the point that I am willing to abandon the other responsibilities and relationships I have in my life that deserve attention to a greater degree than my desire to go turkey hunting.  If I was single, had no obligations other than fulfilling my personal desires in life, and had the financial wherewithal to do it, I might consider spending two or three months a year galivanting across the country,...but the fact is that I do have other obligations in life and, in my mind, they override my desires to turkey hunt at will. 

Unless someone is completely independent and void of interpersonal relationships, as well as possible financial obligations that supersede the not-insignificant costs of running about the country to turkey hunt, there reaches a point,...or at least there should,...where a person has to ask themselves whether they have gone too far with their passion such that it has become an addiction that needs an intervention.

Having said all of that, if anybody truly fits the parameters I've outlined of total independence and lack of personal obligations,...and their goal is life is to focus singularly on turkey hunting as their "end all, be all", then more power to them.  Quite honestly, and perhaps apologetically, I find myself having more sympathy for them than I do admiration.

I've killed turkeys in a lot of states and spend 5-6 long weekends every year on the road camping and hunting. Been doing this for the last 17 years. It's a balance.  That said the us slam doesn't appeal to me. I just want to hunt.....where doesn't particularly matter

Quote from: Garrett Trentham on June 03, 2021, 10:52:16 AM
Motivation Drives Action – US Slams: the good, the bad, and the ugly?

Am I being...judgmental?

If we are honest with ourselves, every time we meet a new person we are judgmental.  And occasionally we change our judgment one way or the other. A slam is just something to brag about. A turkey hunt is just a contest between the man and the turkey wherever it occurs.  How the man feels about the contest should depend on whether the contest was conducted under the rules of fair chase or not.

Quote from: silvestris on June 03, 2021, 06:17:59 PM

Quote from: Garrett Trentham on June 03, 2021, 10:52:16 AM
Motivation Drives Action – US Slams: the good, the bad, and the ugly?

Am I being...judgmental?

If we are honest with ourselves, every time we meet a new person we are judgmental.  And occasionally we change our judgment one way or the other. A slam is just something to brag about. A turkey hunt is just a contest between the man and the turkey wherever it occurs.  How the man feels about the contest should depend on whether the contest was conducted under the rules of fair chase or not.
[/quote .        Well said

perfectly happy killing birds w/in an hr of my house. can be in 5 states if I wanted, but hunt just 2. Most birds killed with in 20 minutes of house. Mike

I want to get my slam. It is just something I want to do. And not a single person I know will care. The few hunting friends that I have are big games hunters. They don't say it but they think I'm crazy to fly somewhere to hunt turkeys, let alone the cost. So it's pretty hard to brag or boast about something when  no one really cares. I don't care what strangers think.

If it's the first hour of the first day in a new state or hunting area and a nice turkey presents its self, I'm taking the shot. To many times weather, other hunters, bad luck have have ruined a turkey hunt. Nothings says I have to rush somewhere else. I'm sure there is fly fishing, hiking, site seeing I can do to enjoy and explore the area.

Traveling to new places and meeting people is what I enjoy. I love turkey hunting. The slam seems like the perfect thing to bring it all together.

I can speak to the slam as someone who has a considerable number of states under my belt and someone who will make a considerable effort to finish it next spring.

I started travelling to hunt turkeys purely out of the desire to challenge myself through hunting turkeys in foreign environments around 2003.  For many years, man of the places I travelled captivated me and I repeatedly went back there due to the landscapes, turkeys, and people.  But the difficulty of having to adapt, overcome and problem solve in real time diminished as my familiarity with those places increased.  I travelled casually for many years. 

Then I watched my brother start the slam in 2015 and check off a dozen or so states through 100% DIY public/knock on door private access.  I knew the extensive research, the planning and sheer degree of difficulty one accepts when you're giving yourself 2 days to kill a turkey in a foreign place irrespective to weather, breeding phases, etc and I craved that challenge.  He absolutely inspired me and so my slam began in 2017....

I have oriented most of my life around turkey hunting (hunting in general, honestly).  I was hunting after class in middle school, hunting before and after class in high school and my college schedule was arranged to allow me to turkey hunt 3 mornings per week before class.  Turkey hunting and the pursuit to become a better turkey hunter has competed for the number one priority in my life for the last 23 years (I'm 36).

If you pursue the slam through public hunting and knock for private access, you have chosen to pursue the most difficult task a turkey hunter can accept.  While I recognize the validity of the tough questions asked in the OP's post, what I can say for certain is that achieving something so exceptional should require sacrifice.  It should be incredibly difficult.  No one who achieves an extraordinary thing loved the journey 100% of the time but they remained committed to their goal despite the adversity.  And that's why I chose to pursue the slam: it was difficult, I wanted to test myself and I wanted to achieve something great.

By accepting the challenge, I have seen beautiful landscapes, formed relationships with then strangers/now close friends that would never have emerged if I hadn't been in those random/obscure places and I tested my own abilities to problem solve with many constraints and factors working against me.  I have known nothing that compares to the US Slam in terms of difficulty and nothing that rivals the high the comes from success on the road.

Some on the outside may disapprove.  Some on the outside may be extremely skeptical.  Most on the outside looking in will never understand but I absolutely acknowledge that there are quite a few guys now doing it for shameless self promotion and they have the hashtags to prove it in their social media posts.  Personally, I could careless about the court of public opinion on the US Slam.  I don't hashtag and I don't say where I'm at when I take my non-descript pictures.

My slam is mine and I will be completely satisfied with it when it's over.  That being said, only those who have dedicated themselves to the task and made the necessary sacrifices to achieve it get to know what success tastes like when you're under the unique constraints presented by the slam.  But let me tell you there's nothing like it and I'd keep doing it if social media and the internet vanished tomorrow.

I do believe we have a sustainability issue rapidly emerging on public lands with the number of people who are travelling.  They say only 1% of turkey hunters are able to limit out in their home states but the 1% are the guys who are hitting the road and they are absolutely leaving a wake of feathered kill sites across the country as they move into new states.  The problem, in my opinion, is the fact that no state currently categorizes tags for public vs private allocation (unless it's a draw tag).  I think the solution to the problem of overharvest on public lands is simply limiting non-residents to 1 public land tag or one private land tag or just having a 1 bird limit for non-residents that can be utilized on public or private.  This prevents a hunter or a group of hunters from finding pockets of birds and killing them out in the pursuit of their limits.  It would allow for more gobblers to make it through the season and more to be alive when the next hunters shows up. 

Right now, there are a lot of states relying on good hatches.  By the time the season is over, most of the gobblers have already been killed and this year's jakes become next years targets.  But what happens when those states have a string of terrible hatches with virtually no carryover from the year before?

I don't have the answers to all the questions presented by the OP but I believe state wildlife agencies are too slow to act and the problem is rapidly accelerating.  I hope I'm wrong but the number of nonresident plates on public lands seems to exponentially increase with each new season.... changes will come.  Hopefully they come sooner than later and maybe, some outspoken super slam guys can contribute constructively to these conversations.

I agree with a lot that has been said there. Kyle hit some great points.  The super slammers are typically killing one bird and moving on. It's the traveling killers that move into a state and whack their limit and some of them plus 1 or 2 that are way more detrimental to the population than super slammers. That being said I had already typed up my response to the OP before I read Kyles post. So here it is.

I didn't answer some of the questions, but I got to putting thoughts on paper about why and how I got started pursuing the super slam.

I have on several occasions asked myself why I am after this goal and is it worth it.

To cover my background some, I didn't know anyone on a personal level that traveled to hunt other than my grandfather who would go to TX to hunt with a friend occasionally when I was very young. I was supposed to go my senior year of high school and his friend lost his lease so that was the end of that.  I finally did realize once I was in my twenties with a decent job and vacation that I could really go to another state to hunt. It started with a hunt every other year or so and built into going to TX on a family trip each year with my grandparents and my cousin who had permission to the property.  That went on for about 7 years until my grandparents quite going.

In 2011 after starting my new job a longtime friend and I who work together decide to go after a single season grand slam. We started planning and in 2013 we made the trip to FL for our Osceola and then got our Eastern at home in MS. In late April we headed west with plans to hunt in KS with some acquaintances and then one week later were to hunt with a friend in WY who had moved there from MS. On the long drive out, we started talking about what we would do if we tagged out in KS. It was agreed upon that if we both killed in KS or any other state we would  just keep going  to new states which we did and ended up also hunting in NE and SD before our commitment to be in WY. This is really when the fire to travel and see the country and try to outwit a bird on his ground which I had never set foot on before began. It still started slowly and the super slam was not really the goal with only hunting one or two new states in 14, 15 and 16. In 2017 having successfully hunted in 12 states the goal of the super slam set in and I began to pursue it with more purpose and planning.

Is it fast paced sometimes? Yes. Is it a struggle sometimes? Yes. Do I have to postpone or miss things? Yes. Have I met some great people along the way? Yes. Are there a lot of folks out there just for the pictures and recognition? Yes. Is it a goal that everyone should go after? No. Do I get into too much of a rush sometimes and not enjoy it like I should? Yes. That being said I try to take lots of pictures for myself and enjoy it and not be in so much of a rush.

I try to plan around as much as possible, but I'm also tied to my work schedule when I can take days off. I very seldom hunt for myself when I'm at home. I try to take or go with family and friends and focus on them.

I have pulled into a state with a 1 bird limit and killed my bird in 30 minutes, and I was done there. I'm not after that but if it happens it happens. I learned a long time ago you don't pass up opportunities if you want to eat a bird and not a tag. Most of the time myself and my friend travel together so we are there for each of us to get a bird and that usually prolongs the stay. Sometimes if the hunting is good, we will stay in a state an extra day or two if the bag limits allow.

Simply as stated before I love to see new places and hunt there. There is just something about pulling into a place I have never been, finding, figuring out, and killing a bird in a fairly short period of time. That usually means when I'm on the road I'm there to hunt. I didn't drive xxx miles to sit around the campfire all night or whatever else, I can do that at home, I drove there to hunt. Everyone is different though and that's why you see some folks that just want to go have the experience and if they kill a bird that's a bonus. It's just boils down to what you enjoy.

I have no idea the success rates of the traveling hunter, for me it is rare I do not kill a bird, so some of us traveling idiots do quite well!

It is the same as any locals, some put in the effort and have the knowledge to get it done and many do not, not any different.

Firstly, I'll give my background. Wildlife professional from Mississippi. Went on my first out of state hunt to Texas in 2006 for a high school graduation present. 2007 rolls around, dad and I want a Merriam's so we head to the Black Hills. 2008 all we lack is an Osceola for a slam, so head to Florida! Heard about how good MO was, so we end our season there. Each subsequent year, we headed back to repeat states and often tried to throw a new state in the mix. Very thankful to have a father who loved to travel and chase turkeys as much as I did. And a mother who supported our addiction! Finally get a 'big boy' job in late 2013. The next spring (2014), I made it a goal to hunt a new state or two every year. A few years later, I'd gotten birds in a bunch of states...It'd started to really add up!

I always looked forward to Dave Owen's post on forums with his end of season recap. Always hunting turkeys in new places and sharing amazing experiences. Then I read about this book called "Turkey Men". In February 2017 at the NWTF Convention, Thomas Pero, author of Turkey Men, had a booth set up. I'd already planned on purchasing the book, which contained Super Slam "profiles"/experiences from hunters who'd completed their Slam. When I visited the booth, Jeff Budz (super slammer/like 100 grand slams or something crazy) was also there. For 30 minutes the three of us chatted about turkey hunting, the Super Slam, my plans for new states that spring, etc. I finished reading the book pretty quickly and decided I'd become a slammer as the feat was obtainable and I set a goal of accomplishing it by the time I was 40. Pero actually helped me out and put me in contact with another slammer who gave me some great info for my upcoming trip that spring!

And here I am today a few springs out from finishing, well before my goal age.

Moving on to the questions:

KILL ONE, MOVE ON:I'm not always the "kill one and move on" type. Before I got serious about the slam, I'd normally stay in the goal state(s) and keep hunting. This year I hunted a new state, loved it, and stayed a couple more days. I still cut my trip short to save on vacation days. There are A LOT of places I look forward to returning too because I did fill a tag there really early on.

ONE STATE A YEAR: There is nothing wrong with knocking off one state a year. That is pretty much how I started out. In fact, I'd argue that person is doing way less damage than some of the 'fast-trackers'. The one-stater isn't going to be on as hard of a timeline. They will be able to relax and enjoy their trip more. The one-stater may not have the vacation time, funds, or gasp THEY MAY EVEN HAVE A FAMILY! This person likely isn't going to spam their journey all over social media and cause unwanted attention to a locale. They just like to travel and turkey hunt!


RELATIONSHIPS:Building relationships is never a problem. I nearly always return from a trip with a local's number in my phone. They may or may not be a turkey hunter. Often times it leads to invites to private land if I ever return to their area. Meeting the locals is one of the great things about traveling!

Back when traveling turkey hunter wasn't mainstream, it was like a cult. MANY relationships with other traveling turkey hunters were built on these very forums. I still remain in contact to this day with traveling turkey hunters I met on forums nearly a decade ago. One thing we all have in common, we don't share our hunts on forums/social media like we used to! We know the damage that can be AND IS BEING DONE as the social media age has taken over.

GIVING MORE THAN TAKING: In most instances, especially if you only kill 1 bird, you very likely give as much as you take. And this is because of the way state game and fish agencies are funded. Say a turkey tag costs $100. The state receives additional funding to match that $100 from the Pittman-Robertson Act. The PR match money is 3:1. So you give $100 to the state, the state is eligible to get an additional $300 from the Feds. So $400 already for one turkey. Then throw in the money you pumped in to the local economy through fuel, lodging, food, etc. That one turkey can easy end up generating $600 in revenue. I dang sure hate putting a price tag on a turkey, but there is the math.

And it is just going to get harder to kill a bird out of state on public land as hunting pressure continues to increase. So a lot of hunters will be contributing hundreds without taking a thing!

THE "FAD": The Super Slam was A LOT more fun before it became a fad. Now every 20-year old out there with a few bucks in his pocket is a "Super Slammer!" with an instagram account listing his state tally and hashtagging #chasing49. It really takes away the novelty of the whole deal and a lot of us who are really deep in absolutely cannot wait to finish! All the glamorization of it in recent years has made my speed my own journey up. You want to know how someone is a US Slammer? They will tell you! Just four years ago 95% of turkey hunters didn't even know what a Super Slam was. Crazy how times have changed.

I hunted late-season CT this year. Couldn't find a gobbling turkey on public land so ended up knocking on a farmer's door. She called us out pretty quick "Must be turkey hunters!" (camo gave it away) and asked where we from. Told her and she mentioned we were probably the 15th vehicle to stop and ask this spring for turkey permission. And all had been non-residents!!!! She said a few years ago, she never had a non-resident stop by. Amazingly, she had even had another vehicle from Mississippi stop and ask this spring..As well as Arkansas, a Carolina....She goes on to say "Ya'll must be trying to kill one in every state like the others."  WHAT THE HECK? A farmer in Connecticut now knows about the Super Slam?!

Then the CT game warden... Super nice guy.. Mentions how before 2020, they never had non-residents running around the public woods in CT and now they are everywhere. He also references the super slam. Within a matter of hours, we basically hear the same thing about non-residents and the Super Slam from a wildlife professional and farmer in CT. Blew my mind!
 
THE BAD: There's also plenty of bad that has came with the popularity of the US Slam. Certain "destination spots" are getting absolutely HAMMERED now days thanks to social media. These spots are now seeing pressure unlike anything that they have ever seen before.

I hunted Rhode Island this year, a state with few turkey and very limited public lands. Ran into 1 YouTuber there. Get back home, see where that 1 YouTuber handed a turkey off to ANOTHER YouTuber. So baam, 2 YouTubers filming on Rhode Island public lands. Yes, I know Rhode Island isn't a destination state. But thanks to YouTube, it will be in people's minds now. That person could be a local in a neighboring state, or actually a Rhode Island resident who didn't realize their was public land opportunity. It doesn't take many additional hunters to really have an impact on areas with very little public land and limited birds.

There is money to be made from the Super Slam journey. And if there is one thing I absolutely cannot stand, it is the commercialization of turkey hunting. Instagram accounts, YouTube channels, merchandise, etc. Someone always has $$ in their eyes. Truth is, very few will ever even end up in the green. But they want their 5 seconds of social media fame. On the other end of the spectrum, a few are now making a living hunting turkey across the U.S. and their following proves the influence they now have. Although not directly related to the Super Slam, it helps fuel it. And I REALLY have an issue with making money at the expense of our public land resources.

You brought up one good point about modern times and technology. "Killing a turkey is easier than its ever been." All the chest pumping and boasting now days about killing a turkey amazes me. Social media, chasing the slam, etc. has  shown us just how easy it can be to kill a turkey for an experienced hunter. I cringe when I see posts or even get texts from people on the road whining/complaining when they ain't killed one in 2 days. Like really? You are upset that you haven't killed a turkey in 2 days? Even though it's easier than its ever been, it ain't always supposed to be easy. If you kill a turkey everywhere you go in 2 days or less, its just showing it isn't as much of an accomplishment as folks make it out to be. And I honestly believe it takes away from the turkey's "worth", you are just showing they are a disposable animal that can be really easy to kill. When I see someone make posts or send me texts like the above, I secretly wish them a horrible dry spell.


TOUGH ON ANOTHER LEVEL:You are 100% right about "tough on another level" when most of the gobbling birds are dead by mid-season. This is also a relatively new phenomena caused by social media. There were a pile of states in the late 2000s, first half of 2010s that you could always go to late in the season and have great hunts. Plenty of gobbling birds left, a few hunters. But thanks to the spotlight these areas have now received, you have to go earlier and earlier to even have a decent chance at success. On this very forum there were a bunch of posts this spring about some of these spots and people complaining about lack of birds, the hunting pressure etc. Truth is, the birds WERE there in most cases. The hunters just got there too late and most were dead or pushed on private by the time they arrived. For this reason, I always try to hit opening week or the second week of a state's season.

ETHICS: They've also been on the downslope in recent years but definitely can't place the blame on the Slam there. I contribute the lack of ethics due to the hunter's drive for success and "Likes". There are also so many new turkey hunters out there, some just really don't understand what it means to be an ethical turkey hunter. These can legitimately claim ignorance. And then some public lands are becoming so crowded with this 'pub land craze', folks are going to that gobbling bird be danged if someone else is on it because "PUBLIC LAND, BRO!"

There is another subset of hunters I've witnessed throw ethics out the window in recent years.. Locals! While traveling, i've had as many locals ruin my hunts as anyone. In areas where they always used to show me respect. And a few have even told me why they do it. They are tired of the non-resident pressure! I somewhat sympathize with them. They grow up hunting these woods their entire life, then suddenly are inundated by non-residents and can hardly find a place to park. Dang right I'd be pissed too if I was in their shoes!



THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES. With this new traveling hunter/public land trend and a decline in turkey numbers, you will see more states start limiting opportunity on public lands, and in some instances non-residents could be restricted more. South Carolina was the first state. They reduced the non-resident bag limit. Alabama took a big step and eliminated a ton of opportunity on their public lands for spring 2022. Bama's reductions will definitely hit non-residents hard. Georgia has a proposal that would also be a big whammy for public land hunters.

And it is going to be a chain reaction. As non-resident hunters lose opportunity in one state, they will be pushed to another. Well, once this new state gets overwhelmed, guess what? That state will start looking for ways to appease their residents' complaining about non-resident pressure. Next thing you know, another state has reduced non-resident opportunity or even public land opportunity for ALL!




CONCLUSION:Didn't mean for this to be so long but there are plenty of points that needed addressing. I've did a lot of contemplating this spring about whether to even continue on with my slam as its really lost its allure. I just love to hunt turkeys in new places, meet new people, experience local cultures.....


The main culprit and damaging factor can really be tied back to social media in general rather the Super Slam itself. Without modern social media, very few people would even know about the Slam.

deerhunt1988, I believe this is the single greatest comment I have read on this forum. I was screaming "YES" throughout the whole post. Being one of the younger guys you are talking about, I'm seeing the whole social media garbage in some of my own friends and have the same feelings as you about not traveling as much anymore because it has became the cool thing to do. I can't stand it and hope we see a change in the near future. With a young child and one on the way, I keep hoping this whole thing fades away by the time they're old enough for me to start spending more time away and not feeling guilty.

Great post, Nathan.  What it really comes down to is the words of the fine gentleman who got me started "Keep your mouth shut, there aren't enough turkeys for everyone."  Well, it is too late for that now.  Hope everything is well with you.

I don't have much interest in Slams except as an excuse to travel to hunt in new parts of this continent that I would never see otherwise. In the same vein that I would like to fish salmon in the River Nith or beyond the Arctic Circle in Norway, hunting a Rio Grande turkey might as well be going to Mars to hunt. I'd love to see how different they are and watch how they interact with their landscape in ways that are foreign to the birds I know, but at the same time I will be much more contented when I finally get across the country to help my old friends (and new hunters) try to take their first turkeys while I get a chance at a Merriams in British Columbia. That's the only reason I'm making a point of trying for a Canadian Slam. Anything else involving different turkey subspecies isn't very high on my agenda, compared to other sporting ventures. Deerhunt got all the rest of it right in a very eloquent way, though.

Quote from: warrent423 on June 05, 2021, 11:32:51 PM

Quote from: Dtrkyman on June 05, 2021, 11:39:53 AM
I have no idea the success rates of the traveling hunter, for me it is rare I do not kill a bird, so some of us traveling idiots do quite well!

It is the same as any locals, some put in the effort and have the knowledge to get it done and many do not, not any different.

Obviously you are not hunting public ground in the South Eastern States then. ;) Must be one of them Midwest or Western "pet" killers

You kill me with how great you think you are. This Mn boy came down to Georgia this spring and brought back 3 of your prize unkillable to anybody but you public land birds.

Somehow this has turned into a " who's the best killer " thread ?
Good reading Deerhunt88 , wise beyond your years for sure . Some interesting post on this subject.
I haven't the time to chase slams , I'm lucky to slip in a out of state hunt every other year or so .
Having young kids and a family business keeps me around home , but killing a gobbler and seeing all the new country in all the states would be cool I reckon . Good luck to those chasing it .

Zero, absolutely zero desire to obtain a US slam. My buddy talked me into doing a grand slam in 2010-2012. We done it and it was fun but not as fun as most of my other traveling hunts. We basically done hit and run hunts and used outfitters for our rios and Osceolas. I have traveled a fair amount and started traveling in the 70s. In the 70s you could sit in a local coffee shop and shoot the bull and some farmer would say, "those stupid turkeys are all over my place, come kill em". Now I think that would be an absolute rarity. I made some life long friends and saw a lot of new places and experiences. Killing the turkey is probably only 50% of the joy of going new places. I have a lot more photos of the landscape and places I hunted than the turkeys I've killed. In my old age I still like to see new places, but I mostly just return to one other state each year. My traveling buddy and I acquired a new farm in anther state through my new tenant this year. We went down and scouted it and met the landowner. We hunted there 3 days and made 4 trips. we never came close to killing a turkey, but we had a great time sitting on his proch and telling tall tales. The last time we were there he told us we were the nicest guys he had ever let hunt and next year he'd show us more land to hunt. Of course we made sure we fed him and his wife well. I took them a supply of my Maple Syrup and enough Walleye fillets for a feast and anything else we could share, but most importantly respect and friendship. All this is just as important as killing a gobbler to me.

If pursuing a slam inspires you, then go for it, but at my stage in the game....I'm just fine setting on a porch and visiting for a while.

A side note: we have hunted areas for 30 years with no intrusion from travelers. The last two years we have gotten pushed out of two places and in each case it was millennial travelers. In one case they actually set up camp right in the turkey woods. Also, they don't come in ones or twos, there are usually 3-5 in every camp. I am in the, "this is becoming a problem" group. We talked to one camp of 4 guys and they admitted they had been inspired by the youtubers. They were nice kids and they truly had never been told what was right or wrong. One even said something about some guy getting pissed because he set up on the same bird as the other hunter and spooked it. We had a long talk about giving others their space as a courtesy and he seemed to understand. He even said, I just thought it was public ,land so I could do whatever I wanted. 

Quote from: warrent423 on June 06, 2021, 09:52:09 AM

Quote from: Paulmyr on June 06, 2021, 02:52:02 AM

Quote from: warrent423 on June 05, 2021, 11:32:51 PM

Quote from: Dtrkyman on June 05, 2021, 11:39:53 AM
I have no idea the success rates of the traveling hunter, for me it is rare I do not kill a bird, so some of us traveling idiots do quite well!

It is the same as any locals, some put in the effort and have the knowledge to get it done and many do not, not any different.

Obviously you are not hunting public ground in the South Eastern States then. ;) Must be one of them Midwest or Western "pet" killers

You kill me with how great you think you are. This Mn boy came down to Georgia this spring and brought back 3 of your prize unkillable to anybody but you public land birds.

Never mention one time, in any post I have ever made, about how good I think I may be. Only emphasis that there is a MAJOR difference in hunting unpressured Gobblers vs. hard pressured Gobblers. I read all these posts about the traveling circus cruising into a state and quickly killin a Gobbler, or even a limit in just a few days. Horsesh#t.   I run into quite a few while hunting NF and WMA land across the SouthEast. Very few, and I mean very few that I meet, even kill one Gobbler. Most that do, are hunting states other than here in the South. Sound like you may have been one of the lucky few in Georgia. Do it consistantly each year in states like Al, Miss, or Fl and then you can brag to me ;)

So all the other post written here on OG about  coming in to public after all the "googans" have educated the birds by warrent423 and killing birds must have been posted by somebody who hacked your account.
You spend most of your time here patting yourself on the back and insulting others. At least be honest with yourself.

I once had a goal to try for a slam.
I talked to a guide on the phone down in Florida and in discussing tactics, he said Osceolas, at the end of the day are turkeys.
It dawned on me....why spend the $ to go there when I have turkeys 200 yards from the house. I still love turkey hunting but 4 different colored fans on the wall don't mean much to me.
My 2 cents

Liked your post deerhunt88. I personally have never had a desire for a slam. Doubt I will ever try it. I have always enjoyed hunting Appalachian Mt turkeys and always will. It just didn't seem that there was a huge boom in turkey hunting until social media and notoriety became involved. That makes me question the motives of most of the "new hunters".

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I knew this subject would generate a lot of responses, and they are good ones. I my self would have loved to have tryed to accomplished the US slam, if I would have known about it years ago. I do have a number of Grand Slams, and single year Public Grand slams. But for the one Slam I ended driveing eight hours one way four different time that spring to complete. I enjoyed myself when hunting but a lot of rushing and chaseing just to say I did it. In 2009 I shipped a tent down to florida to a UPS store for instore pickup, I got onto a plane and flew down there. I rentrd a car went to a Wildlife area threw the tent on the ground and started to hunt. Ended up going back the next year to get my first osceola, but the friends I made are for a life time. Been going back every two year because of them new friend ships I made. I always did feel bad for the locals in florida that had to put up with all the new (Yankees, me) coming down there. And now public land in every state is becoming like florida.
So the botton line is Turkey hunting has changed forever and will not go back, so cherish them hunts you had and try and make some good new ones. Because for my self I will be going to some more new states to try and hunt. I will be adding to the crowding that is maybe already happening in that area. Will feel sorry for the locals but to me it will all be part of hunting, because at my age I do not have to make a kill to enjoy my hunt.

I would say that every state becoming Florida is a big exaggeration to be honest. I do know and have seen that southern states have taken a beating from everything we've been talking about in this thread. There's a particular state in the north that does not have a rich turkey tradition and I've never really run into any turkey hunters up there. I've heard like 5 different YouTubers mention that they were ending the season there, so I really hope it doesn't start to turn into a zoo in 2022. The fad will die out within 5 years is my guess. It'll be on to the next thing

First and foremost - This is a great post with some very good and well thought out replies. 

My first out of state hunt occurred in 2008 my senior year in college and was to the mountains of East Tennessee with my best friend in college going to the first place we could get to that had an open season during our spring break.  From that point on - I chased season dates as to extend my turkey season as much as possible.  I hunted many states along the east coast and close to my own state just to make sure I could hunt as many days as possible.  I learned of Doc Weddle and his pursuits of the slam and thoroughly enjoyed the imagery he portrayed in his books, I followed along via social media watching the completion of a US Slam and was following a couple others also in pursuit at the more beginning stages.. I loved the idea of it, but it seemed so out of reach.   2018 I found my way to Florida. I was in love, with the environment that was so different than anything I had seen before yet there were still turkeys to be found, with the fact I was not having an easy time of it, with the idea that there were a bunch more places, so completely foreign to myself that also had gobbling turkeys to be found there.  It was after that season after a couple long conversations with my same best friend from that first trip, that we would officially wave the magical wand and dub ourselves "in pursuit of the US Slam".  To me that was a huge step, just to go from "one of these days" to actually putting it into action.

To me, this forum and a handful of others I still enjoy posting on today were my first forms of social media that I participated in.  At one point I was proud to share my turkeys on these boards, I went into great detail writing up stories from each bird.. was I doing it to brag?  Not even remotely.. there were plenty of people killing turkeys, mine weren't any more special.  I simply wanted to share the stories, with like minded people that would appreciate them.  When Bonce and I made the decision to pursue the slam, we also made the decision to film and put that footage on youtube as well as participate on FB and IG.   Was it to brag?  again, no.  We were about to embark on a journey through fresh eyes and wanted to document it.  Traveling across the country to unique places is an incredible experience, and we all take different things away from it.. there is beauty in so much out there and sometimes when I'm standing on the edge of a canyon, eye to eye with a moose or down face level trying to capture the perfect picture of a simple little flower, these are the things that stand out and make me appreciate every aspect that led to me beginning this journey.. these are the things that we wanted to portray.. the journey, not just the kill.  For those that have watched our videos, you know the camera is not our priority in the heat of things, but there is still a lot to see if you're interested in more than just a killshot. 

We have been guilty of hashtagging our way along, posting our states and state #s.. I personally really enjoy following the journey of others if they are willing to share, and I know some enjoy following along with ours.  It isn't to brag, show how fast we go through it and gain that social media glory everyone claims is the only reason people are killing turkeys anymore.. it's because we find it very interesting ourselves and are simply sharing.  It is not a necessary part of this in the least.. as Kyle said, if Social media disappeared.. I can say with confidence it would not change my ambitions and goals in relation to the slam and what happens after the slam.  Because I know I will continue traveling to new places chasing gobbling turkeys long after the 49th state is "checked". 

The slam is a very personal endeavor and one you must tackle individually.  Everyone has a different home life and work/vacation scenario, some will challenge their pace and go state to state as fast as they can, some will spend several days in that state taking in the sights after they kill, some have no problem paying outfitters and networking their way through the handouts where others rely on map scouting public land and door knocks.  Some will reap and fan their way through it all, use decoys, TSS and some will tackle it with a bow.  Some count fall hens, bearded hens in the spring, jakes or maybe longbeards only.  Is there a right or wrong with it?  It's all up to the individuals journey and what that journey means to them. 

I don't see how anyone that's "deep" into the pursuit of this slam can not recognize there's a whole lot more to it than just checking off states.. the slam is merely a catalyst to open your mind up enough to see it. 

I too cringe at the fad aspect of it.. sorta takes away from it some.  But I can't fault anyone for wanting to taste it and begin writing their own story.

Derek, I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said and genuinely think you mean it, but couldn't you do the same thing without trying to gain monetarily from it?

The Slam, US slam, Grand slam, US grand slam, prairie grad slam, public slam, public grad slam? When did this all come about? Don't even know what we're talking about anymore.

Think I'll pass on all of it. Hopefully it'll be like craft beer. They'll be some diehards but it fades away.

Some folks got wanderlust and some folks got taproots. I seem to be the taprooted kind. I'll be just fine hunting right where I am for the rest of my life. I really enjoy coming to know and understand a single place with that kind of intimacy.


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I'd like to give my backstory before posting my opinion. I am a 21 year old with 19 states successfully "checked off" under my belt I have hunted a few others without success. I am originally from Florida growing up hunting pressured public land gobblers and occasionally getting the opportunity to kill on private. I then moved to Mississippi, the state my dads family is from to go to school... well I tried that but now I'm mainly just working but I'd like to finish off school at some point. I hunt heavily pressured MS birds and have a knack for traveling to far away places.  After reading Doc Weddle's book I was gifted for Christmas at the age of 15 I knew that I had to do a US Slam, it just sounded so incredible, I couldn't imagine hunting in places such as Hawaii or Arizona! Unfortunately at 15 that goal would have to wait a few years as I couldn't afford to do that, my parents would have no such interest in paying their teenage sons way to travel the country. Also I didn't even have a drivers license at this point! Coming from a family of traveling hunters, dad and grandpa love to travel for deer and elk but don't have as much interest in turkey. I was introduced to the bird by a family friend who took me out for a youth season hunt about 10 years ago. From that moment on I was hooked, I was addicted and obsessed with the King of Spring. After that I started tugging my dad (years before I got a drivers license)to south Florida applying for quota hunts to start off my spring early. Sometimes we were met with success, sometimes not. Didn't matter to me, a day turkey hunting was always better than a day at school or doing other things. My first out of state trip was to Virginia in 2014 we traveled their for a traveling baseball tournament of mine and stayed a few days to hunt, we didn't come within a country mile of killing a bird but I left with my chin raised high and a new found passion for seeing the country. 7 years later I've seemed to gotten the hang of it and I'll dive into my opinions on the subjects posted by OP.

I'll start with social media and the new fad of turkey hunting: When I was growing up  in school I was made a mockery of for being a "turkey hunter", none of the other kids cared about turkey they were all about deer or duck and thought I was a fool for being such a turkey nut. I didn't really mind it one bit, I just had a love for the wild turkey like no other. Fast forward to now and those same kids are now interested in turkey and are messaging me about their plans to travel to XYZ state .. wait a minute? This guy didn't care about turkeys until 2 years ago and has 1 local bird under his belt and is now packing up to head out to Nebraska? . But now that turkey hunting is all the rage I guess I'm just ahead of the game for my age group.. hell i don't know. Also, the social media attention focused on the Super Slam has dampened my passion for the slam as it is now the cool thing to do.  When I first learned about it it was virtually unknown to 99% in the turkey community. Now, it's the thing to do. With accounts like Chasing 49 having thousands of followers and hundreds of much smaller accounts with lesser followings it seems almost everyone is just trying to make a name for themself or promote a brand or product. Something that saddens me, the greatest game bird reduced to just a social media picture with a "link in description". Most hunters are more concerned about the kill and instant gratification of likes and follows soon to follow rather than the experience of the hunt. Heck some guys have a picture on Instagram before the bird quits following.
A quote I stole from a movie "A camera is far more dangerous than a gun"


Easier than ever to kill a turkey? I'd say so. With the amount of resources available at your finger tips it's easier than ever to find turkey and places to hunt. I am guilty of it, but the satellite mapping apps such as OnX are a huge tool that are responsible for putting a lot more hunters in the woods. I still love to break out grandpas old USGS Topo maps and do things the old school way but, with the technology that is there today it's hard to go back to pen and paper. Also forums such as this one hold a wealth of information on them, folks who posted years ago about a general area they hunt have no idea a decade later some kid is lurking on them looking for crumbs.

Not staying put for long? This year I spent a week in one state leaving with no gobbler and my morale tattered, then had a few states in which I arrived close to nightfall and was already departing a few hours after sunrise the next morning with a gobbler in tow. I'll take the first day gobblers when I can get em, although some states I leave asking myself "why did you not stick around and see that national park or use the other tag in your pocket?"  I am typically a one and done hunter in each state and continue moving on, funds are always low in my bank account and days to travel are limited. I feel as if I am not doing a 1/4th the amount of damage as a guy who hits multiple states as the guy who camps out in Wisconsin killing 10 birds in an area and posts to YouTube or the group of 4 Arkies who travel out to Nebraska and camp out on a WMA for a week killing 12 birds in early season. As Deerhunter88 mentioned with federal funding matching my license purchase 3:1 as well as the money I spend in local diners, and family owned gas stations I believe I give more than I take. Although the resource may not benefit from the fruits of my money spent I sure would like to think it does.

With the soaring popularity of the sport the quality of public land hunting will suffer, I'm confident in the ability of the bird to survive as it has faced so many perils in its history from market hunting, habitat loss, poor hatches, and so many other tribulations it has bared witness.

In all, I blame social media as the root cause of many of the sufferings of the turkey. The desperation for some to kill is higher than ever. I killed several birds on public in obscure locations and low pressure states with crawls full of corn this year. I bumped into a fellow hunter who had a speaker mimicking turkey sounds  and decoys in hand. Behaviors which all shallow the experience of the hunt but still meet their end goal of a social media picture with a witty caption. Strutter helmets, fanning, reaping, and so many other effective but not ethical strategies to kill a turkey have now become mainstream on one end of the spectrum, on the other hand you have masses of self proclaimed "old school turkey hunting purists" who were inspired by their favorite YouTube to travel to far reaches through out the country to travel and kill birds on foreign dirt. I often wonder what would Gabe and Gene think of all this nonsense? I couldn't have predicted some of the things I saw this season 5 years ago... couldn't imagine what they'd think of it all.

It's indisputable their are some tough decisions that will have to be made in the future regarding non residents and public lands, I'm just trying to soak it all in while I can.

I have enjoyed the friendships I have made along the way in this quest with several of the other commenters on this thread, local ranchers and fellow turkey hunters.. The slam to me is much more than just about killing turkeys or accomplishing such a prestigious feat. It is a passion of mine to travel the country and see the world, I've visited many places I never would've dreamed of going if it wasn't for the wild turkey. What other reason would a Florida boy have that would land him on a volcanic rock in the middle of the pacific or a red rock ridge in Utah... oh the  sights I've been able to see and the memories I've made I will cherish forever.

Pursuing a DIY public land / door knocking slam is something I prep for year round the countless hours of research, phone calls to biologists/forestry  service employees , hours staring at maps, and so many other tasks at hand to prepare for the upcoming spring are all worth it to me. As mentioned by the OP many are attempting it, but I promise few will succeed. It is not for the faint of heart.
The folks in it for the wrong reasons (social media, monetary gain, gratification) will give up, the ones with the passion and fire will continue on.

To those not interested in the slam, thank you. And to the rest out there pursuing it: Good luck.

If you want to achieve the slam, but only do 1 or 2 states a year then that's their choice. Sounds like you're knocking people for doing what they want.


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Agree with you deerhunt on your post..Used to enjoy reading your post on bullnettle.. I actually always wanted to kil one of each sub species and i was successful in that goal this year single season grand slam..Having done that im satisfied with slams.  I do enjoy hunting different places and states especially the mountains out west but if the turkeys wont gobble and act right its not much fun for me...

Quote from: TurkeyReaper69 on June 07, 2021, 02:05:06 PM


I'd like to give my backstory before posting my opinion. I am a 21 year old with 19 states successfully "checked off" under my belt I have hunted a few others without success. I am originally from Florida growing up hunting pressured public land gobblers and occasionally getting the opportunity to kill on private. I then moved to Mississippi, the state my dads family is from to go to school... well I tried that but now I'm mainly just working but I'd like to finish off school at some point. I hunt heavily pressured MS birds and have a knack for traveling to far away places.  After reading Doc Weddle's book I was gifted for Christmas at the age of 15 I knew that I had to do a US Slam, it just sounded so incredible, I couldn't imagine hunting in places such as Hawaii or Arizona! Unfortunately at 15 that goal would have to wait a few years as I couldn't afford to do that, my parents would have no such interest in paying their teenage sons way to travel the country. Also I didn't even have a drivers license at this point! Coming from a family of traveling hunters, dad and grandpa love to travel for deer and elk but don't have as much interest in turkey. I was introduced to the bird by a family friend who took me out for a youth season hunt about 10 years ago. From that moment on I was hooked, I was addicted and obsessed with the King of Spring. After that I started tugging my dad (years before I got a drivers license)to south Florida applying for quota hunts to start off my spring early. Sometimes we were met with success, sometimes not. Didn't matter to me, a day turkey hunting was always better than a day at school or doing other things. My first out of state trip was to Virginia in 2014 we traveled their for a traveling baseball tournament of mine and stayed a few days to hunt, we didn't come within a country mile of killing a bird but I left with my chin raised high and a new found passion for seeing the country. 7 years later I've seemed to gotten the hang of it and I'll dive into my opinions on the subjects posted by OP.

I'll start with social media and the new fad of turkey hunting: When I was growing up  in school I was made a mockery of for being a "turkey hunter", none of the other kids cared about turkey they were all about deer or duck and thought I was a fool for being such a turkey nut. I didn't really mind it one bit, I just had a love for the wild turkey like no other. Fast forward to now and those same kids are now interested in turkey and are messaging me about their plans to travel to XYZ state .. wait a minute? This guy didn't care about turkeys until 2 years ago and has 1 local bird under his belt and is now packing up to head out to Nebraska? . But now that turkey hunting is all the rage I guess I'm just ahead of the game for my age group.. hell i don't know. Also, the social media attention focused on the Super Slam has dampened my passion for the slam as it is now the cool thing to do.  When I first learned about it it was virtually unknown to 99% in the turkey community. Now, it's the thing to do. With accounts like Chasing 49 having thousands of followers and hundreds of much smaller accounts with lesser followings it seems almost everyone is just trying to make a name for themself or promote a brand or product. Something that saddens me, the greatest game bird reduced to just a social media picture with a "link in description". Most hunters are more concerned about the kill and instant gratification of likes and follows soon to follow rather than the experience of the hunt. Heck some guys have a picture on Instagram before the bird quits following.
A quote I stole from a movie "A camera is far more dangerous than a gun"


Easier than ever to kill a turkey? I'd say so. With the amount of resources available at your finger tips it's easier than ever to find turkey and places to hunt. I am guilty of it, but the satellite mapping apps such as OnX are a huge tool that are responsible for putting a lot more hunters in the woods. I still love to break out grandpas old USGS Topo maps and do things the old school way but, with the technology that is there today it's hard to go back to pen and paper. Also forums such as this one hold a wealth of information on them, folks who posted years ago about a general area they hunt have no idea a decade later some kid is lurking on them looking for crumbs.

Not staying put for long? This year I spent a week in one state leaving with no gobbler and my morale tattered, then had a few states in which I arrived close to nightfall and was already departing a few hours after sunrise the next morning with a gobbler in tow. I'll take the first day gobblers when I can get em, although some states I leave asking myself "why did you not stick around and see that national park or use the other tag in your pocket?"  I am typically a one and done hunter in each state and continue moving on, funds are always low in my bank account and days to travel are limited. I feel as if I am not doing a 1/4th the amount of damage as a guy who hits multiple states as the guy who camps out in Wisconsin killing 10 birds in an area and posts to YouTube or the group of 4 Arkies who travel out to Nebraska and camp out on a WMA for a week killing 12 birds in early season. As Deerhunter88 mentioned with federal funding matching my license purchase 3:1 as well as the money I spend in local diners, and family owned gas stations I believe I give more than I take. Although the resource may not benefit from the fruits of my money spent I sure would like to think it does.

With the soaring popularity of the sport the quality of public land hunting will suffer, I'm confident in the ability of the bird to survive as it has faced so many perils in its history from market hunting, habitat loss, poor hatches, and so many other tribulations it has bared witness.

In all, I blame social media as the root cause of many of the sufferings of the turkey. The desperation for some to kill is higher than ever. I killed several birds on public in obscure locations and low pressure states with crawls full of corn this year. I bumped into a fellow hunter who had a speaker mimicking turkey sounds  and decoys in hand. Behaviors which all shallow the experience of the hunt but still meet their end goal of a social media picture with a witty caption. Strutter helmets, fanning, reaping, and so many other effective but not ethical strategies to kill a turkey have now become mainstream on one end of the spectrum, on the other hand you have masses of self proclaimed "old school turkey hunting purists" who were inspired by their favorite YouTube to travel to far reaches through out the country to travel and kill birds on foreign dirt. I often wonder what would Gabe and Gene think of all this nonsense? I couldn't have predicted some of the things I saw this season 5 years ago... couldn't imagine what they'd think of it all.

It's indisputable their are some tough decisions that will have to be made in the future regarding non residents and public lands, I'm just trying to soak it all in while I can.

I have enjoyed the friendships I have made along the way in this quest with several of the other commenters on this thread, local ranchers and fellow turkey hunters.. The slam to me is much more than just about killing turkeys or accomplishing such a prestigious feat. It is a passion of mine to travel the country and see the world, I've visited many places I never would've dreamed of going if it wasn't for the wild turkey. What other reason would a Florida boy have that would land him on a volcanic rock in the middle of the pacific or a red rock ridge in Utah... oh the  sights I've been able to see and the memories I've made I will cherish forever.

Pursuing a DIY public land / door knocking slam is something I prep for year round the countless hours of research, phone calls to biologists/forestry  service employees , hours staring at maps, and so many other tasks at hand to prepare for the upcoming spring are all worth it to me. As mentioned by the OP many are attempting it, but I promise few will succeed. It is not for the faint of heart.
The folks in it for the wrong reasons (social media, monetary gain, gratification) will give up, the ones with the passion and fire will continue on.

To those not interested in the slam, thank you. And to the rest out there pursuing it: Good luck.

Well articulated post for a young guy. Seems like you have a good head on your shoulders .

If you call yourself a "traveling turkey hunter" and don't know who Gene and Gabe are, I think you should hang your vest up for a few years.

Quote from: Fdept56 on June 08, 2021, 12:02:18 PM
If you call yourself a "traveling turkey hunter" and don't know who Gene and Gabe are, I think you should hang your vest up for a few years.

I know Gene was the guy who made "Star Trek",...and I think Gabe played a horn,...or something like that.... 
Am I close?....   ;D :toothy9:

Quote from: GobbleNut on June 08, 2021, 01:05:51 PM

Quote from: Fdept56 on June 08, 2021, 12:02:18 PM
If you call yourself a "traveling turkey hunter" and don't know who Gene and Gabe are, I think you should hang your vest up for a few years.

I know Gene was the guy who made "Star Trek",...and I think Gabe played a horn,...or something like that.... 
Am I close?....   ;D :toothy9:

You got it  ;)

Since Gene and Gabe were never on Fakebook - I'd bet that less than
5% of hunters under the age of 35 know who they are. Most of 'em
don't even know the names Davis, Jordan, Everitt, McIlhenny, etc.
Lovett who?

Quote from: Jimspur on June 08, 2021, 02:17:46 PM
Since Gene and Gabe were never on Fakebook - I'd bet that less than
5% of hunters under the age of 35 know who they are. Most of 'em
don't even know the names Davis, Jordan, Everitt, McIlhenny, etc.
Lovett who?

There are a few of us around who have first editions and an almost religious reverence for some of that literature. 

I have been turkey hunting almost 50 years and I never heard those names until I read this thread. Of course I have only  hunted 8 or 9 states. The only old timer I ever got a tip from was some old guy named Ben Rodgers Lee. I never took no book to the woods unless I intended to wipe my arse on the pages. I had a tough teacher, his name was Old Tom Hardwoods. He took me to school on a regular basis. His great grandchildren are now paying the price for his insults.

I ain't dead, so I ain't hangen up no vest

(before anyone get's their panties all bunched up....Sarcasm font is on)

Well, when I hear Gene the only one I've heard of is Gene Autry...don't know whether he was a turkey hunter or not. When I hear Gabe I can only think of Gabby Hayes...pretty sure he wasn't a turkey hunter. Just the way it is...who gives a rat's behind. If these folks are some kind of internet/Facebook/YouTubers I couldn't care less.

I learned to turkey hunt in the ozarks by trial and error. I didn't read books either

Quote from: Kyle_Ott on June 08, 2021, 05:18:04 PM

Quote from: Jimspur on June 08, 2021, 02:17:46 PM
Since Gene and Gabe were never on Fakebook - I'd bet that less than
5% of hunters under the age of 35 know who they are. Most of 'em
don't even know the names Davis, Jordan, Everitt, McIlhenny, etc.
Lovett who?

There are a few of us around who have first editions and an almost religious reverence for some of that literature.

It's good to know that some people are interested in the history of
turkey hunting.

I'm sorry that I didn't indicate my sarcasm was turned on also. I have family members that enjoy it as much as anyone and would have no idea who those guys are. I was mainly pointing a finger at those doing it because it's "cool.

Quote from: Jimspur on June 08, 2021, 07:13:04 PM

Quote from: Kyle_Ott on June 08, 2021, 05:18:04 PM

Quote from: Jimspur on June 08, 2021, 02:17:46 PM
Since Gene and Gabe were never on Fakebook - I'd bet that less than
5% of hunters under the age of 35 know who they are. Most of 'em
don't even know the names Davis, Jordan, Everitt, McIlhenny, etc.
Lovett who?

There are a few of us around who have first editions and an almost religious reverence for some of that literature.

It's good to know that some people are interested in the history of
turkey hunting.
[/quote


If you've got some classics you're looking to offload, let me know. I'm always looking to expand my collection. We can chat offline.

Quote from: Kyle_Ott on June 08, 2021, 09:02:05 PM

Quote from: Jimspur on June 08, 2021, 07:13:04 PM

Quote from: Kyle_Ott on June 08, 2021, 05:18:04 PM

Quote from: Jimspur on June 08, 2021, 02:17:46 PM
Since Gene and Gabe were never on Fakebook - I'd bet that less than
5% of hunters under the age of 35 know who they are. Most of 'em
don't even know the names Davis, Jordan, Everitt, McIlhenny, etc.
Lovett who?

There are a few of us around who have first editions and an almost religious reverence for some of that literature.

It's good to know that some people are interested in the history of
turkey hunting.
[/quote


If you've got some classics you're looking to offload, let me know and we'll chat offline!  I'm always looking to expand my collection.  Let me know and we can chat offline.

Not looking to get rid of any at this time. Might start reading back through them again.

Why read a book when you can just watch a hour of you tube and listen to a couple of podcast and become a instant gobbler guro !

Know a few hunters after the US slam. One of them knocked off my state with us. He even stayed an extra day to come along with us to observe our hunt. While I admire the effort, the daily grinding would i think get old after the first few states.

I prefer a tri county slam sort of speak. Calling for friends in our area or theirs I get the itch scratched very well. We all had a ball.

This young ladies first.

Quote from: Howie g on June 08, 2021, 10:37:06 PM
Why read a book when you can just watch a hour of you tube and listen to a couple of podcast and become a instant gobbler guro !

Yessir - That's the instant gratification society we live in. Gotta kill a
turkey by any means necessary and immediately post it on Fakebook
and Instagram for all my fake friends to see. They all need to know how
great I am. Look at me, look at me, look at me some more!

Sorry I went a little off-topic there. Rant over.

I have set a goal to TRY to complete the super slam and as of right now I have 13 states complete. My question is, what evidence or documentation do I need to make this official?

Quote from: schuylkillspur on June 09, 2021, 08:45:33 AM
I have set a goal to TRY to complete the super slam and as of right now I have 13 states complete. My question is, what evidence or documentation do I need to make this official?

I mean, if you really want, you can register each bird with the NWTF for $15

https://www.nwtf.org/hunt/records/register

Most of us could care less about registering our birds as we are not in it for the notoriety. I do keep all my licenses and tags and am sure to get good photos in every state I visit.

You have a point though, I'm sure folks will start falsifying their slams in hopes of getting more likes, ,followers, and views. Once again, just taking away the allure of it.

Quote from: schuylkillspur on June 09, 2021, 08:45:33 AM
I have set a goal to TRY to complete the super slam and as of right now I have 13 states complete. My question is, what evidence or documentation do I need to make this official?

It's not an "official" slam. It's a very personal goal, one that you know for yourself when you finish. By you seeking documentation to make it as such makes me think you're one of the folks the OP is discussing being a detriment to this "slam". You can capture your journey and post it to social media like many others, that's the only official "Super Slam" tracker there is; ones that are publicly tracking themselves and others watching through social media.

It would seem you're looking for your name to be added to a list of "great hunters" when complete not just trying to accomplish the most difficult of turkey hunting goals for yourself.

Quote from: HookedonHooks on June 09, 2021, 09:01:02 AM
It's not an "official" slam. It's a very personal goal, one that you know for yourself when you finish. By you seeking documentation to make it as such makes me think you're one of the folks the OP is discussing being a detriment to this "slam". You can capture your journey and post it to social media like many others, that's the only official "Super Slam" tracker there is; ones that are publicly tracking themselves and others watching through social media.

It would seem you're looking for your name to be added to a list of "great hunters" when complete not just trying to accomplish the most difficult of turkey hunting goals for yourself.

That's a pretty bold assessment on the motivation and heart of a complete stranger you have likely never met based upon one question. 

Righteousness is rampant in these hunting forums.  It's unfortunate

Quote from: HookedonHooks on June 09, 2021, 09:01:02 AM
It would seem you're looking for your name to be added to a list of "great hunters" when complete not just trying to accomplish the most difficult of turkey hunting goals for yourself.

As of now, I suppose this could be considered the "most difficult of turkey hunting goals".  Nevertheless, it is simply an artificially-created endeavor.  At some point, I am sure that there will be enough people that have done it that someone will then need to differentiate themselves from the rest by coming up with the next-level, turkey hunting goal.  I suspect that might be something along the lines of killing a bird of each subspecies in every state that they exist in. 

Now, I don't want to minimize the "Super Slam" goal in the eyes of those who want to do it.  If it's your "thang", go for it, but don't make it out to be more than what it really is.  I think all of us love to do it,  but it is still just "turkey hunting",...whether it be in one state or "fifty minus one".  :icon_thumright:

Yep. To each his own. The one person who I personally know who has completed the Super Slam does not post anything unless you ask him. I think he just wanted to see this entire country and see if he could do this. He has some interesting stories if you ask him. Not a braggart at all. Trust me, he is an excellent turkey hunter.

I've had friends of mine here in the South make light of me killing Merriams in AZ and NM on public ground. I get tired of hearing how easy Merriams are. They've never made the trek and don't know what it's like to locate these birds in really big country at serious elevation. Many of them hunt the same property year after year.

I have no desire to hunt in every state, but having been to every state, I will say it opens your eyes to what we all share in common and what makes us different too. There's a lot of beauty to be found in every state.

If a person is doing the Super Slam to brag, forget that, but I suspect to many it represents a challenge, much like a casual runner deciding to run a marathon. As long as the challenge is done ethically and legally--have at it.

Good Lord I just wanted to know if there was some kind of official process of keeping tabs on this.

:TrainWreck1:

Quote from: schuylkillspur on June 09, 2021, 05:37:02 PM
I just wanted to know if there was some kind of official process of keeping tabs on this.

As deerhunt1988 pointed out, the only possible record-keeping service for this would probably be the NWTF. Not sure what documentation you would need to provide as proof of accomplishing the feat, but if you have to submit documentation for each state and have it "officially" registered, it will likely cost a pretty penny to do so.   :icon_thumright:

Quote from: PalmettoRon on June 09, 2021, 10:18:26 AM
Yep. To each his own. The one person who I personally know who has completed the Super Slam does not post anything unless you ask him. I think he just wanted to see this entire country and see if he could do this. He has some interesting stories if you ask him. Not a braggart at all. Trust me, he is an excellent turkey hunter.

I've had friends of mine here in the South make light of me killing Merriams in AZ and NM on public ground. I get tired of hearing how easy Merriams are. They've never made the trek and don't know what it's like to locate these birds in really big country at serious elevation. Many of them hunt the same property year after year.

I have no desire to hunt in every state, but having been to every state, I will say it opens your eyes to what we all share in common and what makes us different too. There's a lot of beauty to be found in every state.

If a person is doing the Super Slam to brag, forget that, but I suspect to many it represents a challenge, much like a casual runner deciding to run a marathon. As long as the challenge is done ethically and legally--have at it.

An Arizona Merriams is on my bucket list! A US Slam is not. I keep going back to good states for a good hunt. Added one new state this year because I was close. But reading about Arizona many years ago put it on my bucket list. I've got em in NM and CO but only touristed in Arizona. I'm getting old but I a'int dead yet so maybe I'll make it.

Quote from: HookedonHooks on June 09, 2021, 09:01:02 AM

Quote from: schuylkillspur on June 09, 2021, 08:45:33 AM
I have set a goal to TRY to complete the super slam and as of right now I have 13 states complete. My question is, what evidence or documentation do I need to make this official?

It's not an "official" slam. It's a very personal goal, one that you know for yourself when you finish. By you seeking documentation to make it as such makes me think you're one of the folks the OP is discussing being a detriment to this "slam". You can capture your journey and post it to social media like many others, that's the only official "Super Slam" tracker there is; ones that are publicly tracking themselves and others watching through social media.

It would seem you're looking for your name to be added to a list of "great hunters" when complete not just trying to accomplish the most difficult of turkey hunting goals for yourself.

So solely based on his post, you feel like he's degrading the accomplishment by documenting it BUT it's an admirable conquest if he doesn't document it? Give me a break...

If someone is pursuing any of the slams for PERSONAL reasons, not to brag or look cool to others, then good for them and more power to them.

This thread is ridiculous and the responses aren't far behind. Reading books on turkey hunting does not make you any better of a hunter or a person nor does it qualify you to be a traveling turkey hunter. What are you guys even talking about anymore?


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Quote from: Shiloh on June 09, 2021, 09:49:05 AM
Righteousness is rampant in these hunting forums.  It's unfortunate

You ain't joking.


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I am righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ, so yup I am guilty from that perspective. However, my own righteousness is but filthy rags....

Quote from: eggshell on June 11, 2021, 07:10:14 AM
I am righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ, so yup I am guilty from that perspective. However, my own righteousness is but filthy rags....

I am generally not one to moralize, but here goes anyway...
All of us are self-righteous in our own peculiar ways.  It is just one of the many flaws of humanity.  It is when one cannot recognize his own flaws and adjust himself accordingly that it becomes an issue. Realizing that how we personally behave,...and that WE might be the problem,...tends to be impossible, or at least supremely difficult, for some folks.  It is always best to look in the mirror on a regular basis....  ;) :)

Quote from: Jbird22 on June 10, 2021, 08:04:58 PM
So solely based on his post, you feel like he's degrading the accomplishment by documenting it BUT it's an admirable conquest if he doesn't document it? Give me a break...

Here you go buddy.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210611/1f9f1d5304c299d31dd84675e0a5c536.jpg)


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Quote from: HookedonHooks on June 11, 2021, 09:03:54 AM

Quote from: Jbird22 on June 10, 2021, 08:04:58 PM
So solely based on his post, you feel like he's degrading the accomplishment by documenting it BUT it's an admirable conquest if he doesn't document it? Give me a break...

Here you go buddy.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210611/1f9f1d5304c299d31dd84675e0a5c536.jpg)


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Darnit Hooks - I almost lost my coffee on my computer!

Quote from: GobbleNut on June 11, 2021, 08:36:16 AM

Quote from: eggshell on June 11, 2021, 07:10:14 AM
I am righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ, so yup I am guilty from that perspective. However, my own righteousness is but filthy rags....

I am generally not one to moralize, but here goes anyway...
All of us are self-righteous in our own peculiar ways.  It is just one of the many flaws of humanity.  It is when one cannot recognize his own flaws and adjust himself accordingly that it becomes an issue. Realizing that how we personally behave,...and that WE might be the problem,...tends to be impossible, or at least supremely difficult, for some folks.  It is always best to look in the mirror on a regular basis....  ;) :)

I looked in the mirror and it's not working....some old bald guy is always in it and he won't move so I can see.

Oh I have plenty of flaws, they are what makes life exciting. I tried being perfect and it was boring.

So yes this thread has ran it's course and resorted to silliness

Hookedonhooks, I don't blame you for avoiding the main point of my post. It's obvious that I'm not the only one who thought your reply was ridiculous.

BTW, your attempt at humor would've been more effective if it was a pic of a KitKat.

IMO the true essence of a grand slam was best captured in the writings of Dwayne Bland... traveling horseback in quest for Merriams...truly roughing it , all the way to crawling thru remote mosquito infested swamps for the elusive true  Osceola ...and everywhere between ..savor the moment they pass quickly

Being 51 years old and seeing the population of florida nearly quadruple in my hunting lifetime to 21 million resource sapping individuals, most of those live in the southern portion in apartment buildings where once deer ducks and turkeys roamed.--- I believe the best days of public florida turkey hunting all LONG GONE.....when I was a young one I would sit by the campfire and listen to old ..old. ...turkey hunters who hunted the depression era , OLD FLORIDA .....

The world changes everyday oftentimes not for the best in some eyes