I went to the garage and opened the back closet and looked around and thought, "I got a lot of hunting stuff"! Don't get me wrong....I didn't get rid of anything. I just put up another shelf to make it look more organized. LOL. I asked myself, "do you really need more stuff"? I then went up to the man cave, looking at the mounts. I said to myself, "you have a lot of mounts"! Only need 1 more...Osceola for Grand slam. But do I really need it. Will it make my life better, or just something to brag about? Anyway, when I'm gone, the wife will take them down and sell or trash them. Talk me out of more stuff!!!! $2000-$4000 to shoot 1 bird. I'm not knocking anyone who does, I'm just on the fence. So I'm giving you permission to push me off the fence...But which side?
You choose which side of the fence. I always tell myself I'd be spending money on something else if it wasn't hunting.
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It's pretty basic. All you need is weapon of choice and ammo for said weapon and probably most importantly game to hunt and a place to hunt it. Bubba
I would do the Osceola for sure. It will make for a great memory and make every penny spent worth it. In my opinion it is money well spent. It is a much cheaper option than say golf, bass fishing, etc. I personally have never bought something new even if I didn't need it and thought "that was a mistake."
Life is way to short, if it gives you pleasure go for it... I would go on the hunt myself .. pictures are worth 1000 words not counting the great memories.. I will take hunting turkeys any day over just having one mounted.
I think we derive almost as much pleasure from the gear, equipment and hunt for that stuff almost as the hunt for the turkey. The preparation is fun, so is buying new calls, practicing and remembering past hunts.
100% agree with Tail Feathers. The process and preparation is just as intoxicating as the actual hunting.
I don't need to kill another turkey, but guess what?
Do I need more stuff? Heck NO!!! The gear I have is enough for the rest of my time on this planet.
Do I need more hunts? Absolutely!!! Hunting the Northeast, Westerner states or Southern Lowcountry are all different and unique.
I am biased but I would not pass on a Osceola.
Wives always need another NEW pair of shoes for that NEW outfit they bought so... We always need another gun or call or the latest and GREATEST ammo but DO WE REALLY??? Each of us have to evaluate our Wants with our Needs and decide to spend the money or not. Is it Important or just a Check in the Box??
I'll leave you with this saying that my Mother and Father taught me as a kid, "Don't let your WANTS hurt you."
It's Your Decision and Your Decision Alone.
I have enough equipment to last a lifetime. If I'm gonna pay $2k-$4k for a hunt it's gonna be for a Saskatchewan whitetail and not a 20 pound gobbler, but that's just me.
I like deer hunting but I'm not sure I would travel to do it. I can do that right here at home, at lease enough to satisfy me.
I am considering a pronghorn trip and maybe a pheasant trip. I've never hunted either.
Never seen a uhaul followering a Hearst to the cemetery.
E joy it while you can .
I finished my slam 2 years ago and very proud I did.
When I am gone , it is what it is
Do it!!!
You've gone this far, finish it up........
I've always had a hard time with "enough" of something I like.
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You can go to turkey hunting rehab, but we all know rehab is for quitters. Don't be a quitter! :jackson:
Do what you want. We only get one go at this thing called LIFE. But remember to thank GOD and savor every bit of it.
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While your adding a shelve go ahead and add two more for more gear and go on the hunt and enjoy.
Asking that question here is like asking should I drink bourbon at a distillery ;D
I'd hunt a local gobbler and take that 2-4K and get a nice eastern European mail order bride
You're talking about two different things, "stuff" and experiences. Most have enough stuff not experiences.
Quote from: Zobo on August 18, 2021, 10:06:45 PM
You're talking about two different things, "stuff" and experiences. Most have enough stuff not experiences.
This is the right answer. Lol ???? I have a hunting buddy that always says "Trust in your equipment and use it often" Most of us have way too much stuff. I'm still on my quest to kill a turkey with every gauge shotgun. So of course I have more guns then I know what to do with. ???? Bubba
I'm a bit of a gear junkies myself, so I'm always buying new stuff. I do enjoy it and it is fun, as for the mounts I say enjoy those things, it's a good way to remember the glorious gobbler.
As was posted earlier, life's to short, just enjoy the ride.
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Quote from: jhoward11 on August 18, 2021, 08:36:51 AM
I went to the garage and opened the back closet and looked around and thought, "I got a lot of hunting stuff"! Don't get me wrong....I didn't get rid of anything. I just put up another shelf to make it look more organized. LOL. I asked myself, "do you really need more stuff"? I then went up to the man cave, looking at the mounts. I said to myself, "you have a lot of mounts"! Only need 1 more...
Osceola for Grand slam. But do I really need it. Will it make my life better, or just something to brag about? $2000-$4000 to shoot 1 bird. I'm not knocking anyone who does, I'm just on the fence. So I'm giving you permission to push me off the fence...But which side?
Regarding accumulating "stuff", I've had the same conversation with myself a few times. :D
As for spending money on that Osceola hunt,...been there, done that. My son needed an Osceola to complete his royal slam so I took him as a belated graduation present. All told, ended up spending roughly four thousand for the two of us (that included all expenses involved). Quite honestly, if was the worst $4,000 I have ever spent in my life,...not because the hunting was bad (we both killed gobblers within 24 hours of arriving), but because NONE of our stipulated agreements on the hunt were adhered to.
The one thing I would tell you is do your research, establish what you are willing to pay and what your expectations are on your hunt,...and then "stick to your guns" in dealing with your outfitter. Put EVERTHING in a written agreement as to what services will be provided,...and what services are not expected, or wanted,...and do that BEFORE you put up any money.
There are some folks that pay for turkey hunts that just want to kill a gobbler,....and then there are those of us that actually want to HUNT for a gobbler. To be certain, there are outfitters that do not understand the difference! Make sure you are clear with your outfitter as to which camp you fall into,...and again, get that in writing!
Really though, that applies everywhere a person is hunting where they are using an outfitter. I am sure there are turkey hunting outfitters everywhere that do not have a clue as to what serious turkey hunters are expecting in their hunts. One thing for sure, the outfitter we used in Florida for my son's Osceola was clueless.
My old lab is long gone and I don't have that many more hunts left in me ether and like him, sooner than later I won't be able to move off the front porch. So the older I've gotten the more valuable my life's memories have become. I don't think you'll regret having the memories of going for your grand slam, but later you might regret not having them.
Quote from: lacire on August 19, 2021, 12:18:03 PM
My old lab is long gone and I don't have that many more hunts left in me ether and like him, sooner than later I won't be able to move off the front porch. So the older I've gotten the more valuable my life's memories have become. I don't think you'll regret having the memories of going for your grand slam, but later you might regret not having them.
I thinks this a good point! Well said
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Quote from: Mossberg90MN on August 19, 2021, 12:23:52 PM
Quote from: lacire on August 19, 2021, 12:18:03 PM
My old lab is long gone and I don't have that many more hunts left in me ether and like him, sooner than later I won't be able to move off the front porch. So the older I've gotten the more valuable my life's memories have become. I don't think you'll regret having the memories of going for your grand slam, but later you might regret not having them.
I thinks this a good point! Well said
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Agreed: go for the memories and take plenty of pictures as memories fade too! Sounds to me like your having a bit of a midlife crisis. Too much stuff and a reluctance to go on a hunt. When I feel that way I simply force myself to go and once out I always feel refreshed and excited. Crow season just came in and guess where I'm going? Crow ain't a turkey but at least its got feathers.
Have gun will travel! Don't have to be far or it can be across the country. Don't matter.
Turkey hunting doesn't require much stuff to be successful. Duck hunting requires more stuff. I do both therefore not much turkey hunting stuff and lots off duck hunting stuff. Mostly decoys for duck hunting. The stuff don't make the memories. It's the places, the people, and the experiences that make the memories and not necessarily in that order.