I have hunted Turkey since the early 80's. In the beginning, no one in my hunting circle had an interest in Turkey hunting. I learned to hunt them by myself, and over the years, I mostly hunt alone. To this day, I am a "solo" Turkey hunter. I have over the years hunted with friends and my brother whenever he's in town. I just enjoy the one-on-one pursuit. Wanted to get the forums feel on how each of you hunt.....
I started out in 2001 at 6 years old, I done my own calling and hunting and my dad or brother hauled me and sat with me, I still prefer to hunt solo. Through the years I have taken a lot of friends and called in birds for them, but they were the hunter, I didn't carry a gun. I still take my best friend, my dad when he's able, and my kids with me a few times during the season. But to me, it's always a one on one game.
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I grew up hunting with friends for many years, and it worked to our advantage many times with tag team calling and setups. But over the years between moving and friends being limited on time, I've been mostly solo. My private spot landowners are not overly receptive to guests so I don't push it. It's been many years like that now and I honestly don't mind one bit and honestly prefer it. My mistakes and decisions are mine and mine alone. And the same goes for my success.
My only hang up is I do not hear distant gobbles very well. Even though I'm in my 40's my hearing has gotten bad over the years for a lot of reasons. So when I do hunt with a friend, it's always quite surprising the distant birds that I otherwise would not have heard.
started turkey hunting about 50 years ago. I've hunted with others over the years mostly calling for someone and even had an old friend call in a few for me but, now-a-days, I mostly go it alone. I do have a hunting buddy and every now and then we'll team up on a bird but for the most part I'm solo.
Like you Tom I hunted solo for years and enjoyed my alone time. The last two years I hunted turkeys with my son and those were memorable!
Would enjoy hunting 3 or 4 states but since the boy has to work I either do it alone or not at all. It just isn't the same if you don't have somebody to share it with.
Started in the 60's with my parents. Today, if I have one I really feel the need to kill, I hunt solo. But most of the time I'm up for partnering up. One other person is fine, any more that that and I'm usually out unless the third person is a kid.
If I go with friends we split up and head out out solo. I'd personally rather turkey hunt solo.
I really enjoy the one on one challenge of solo hunting but enjoy hunting with my children and other family members even more. However, it's usually just two of us hunting at a time though due to safety.
As usual, Tom, you bring up another great topic for discussion... :icon_thumright:
Over the decades, I have done a lot of both,...hunting by myself and hunting with others. Honestly, I prefer to hunt alone. As others have said, success or failure is entirely on me,...and that is the way I prefer it to be.
Now, here are some comments about hunting with others. When doing that, I have never been an "I'll do all the calling" guy. If I hunt with someone, I expect them to call, too, because calling is an essential part of turkey hunting to me, and I want everybody to participate in that part of the experience. Granted, there are times when I am sitting there thinking,..."I wish you wouldn't have made that sound at this particular moment",...but that, too, is part of the experience. Admittedly, sometimes after a failed hunt I have to do a little "coaching" as to what we should have done differently, but that whole process is part of the learning experience, not only for a new guy I might take out, but also for me, at times.
What do I mean by that? I can't tell you how many times over the years I have gone hunting with someone else, had them call, and had gobblers come in that I would NEVER have thought would have come to their calling,...either because I thought they were "saying" the wrong thing, or because I thought their calling was too unrealistic. Conversely, I have also seen gobblers that were well on their way to becoming turkey nuggets get saved by a friend (and sometimes me, although I hate to admit it), who made the wrong call at the wrong time and turned those birds away at the last minute.
The point here being that, although many of us prefer to hunt alone, you can learn a lot about such things as what really matters in calling to turkeys by hunting with others, letting them call, and seeing first-hand what works and what doesn't. It can definitely be a learning experience for all involved! :D
I'm very, very, very picky about who I'll go in the woods with, but with the one or two people who fit that bill I absolutely LOVE turkey hunting with a partner. Don't get me wrong, I get equal enjoyment out of being by myself, but strategizing and match calling on an old ridge runner gobbler late season trying to get him killed, not caring which one of you gets the shot, just hoping one of you will, I LOVE it. I killed my best gobbler last year on a really memorable hunt, but the hunt that stands out most to me from last season was me and a buddy getting our asses handed to us on a bird for two days. That gobbler still haunts me—what I could've done, would it have worked, etc. Was just such a fun hunt to share and the pinnacle of the type of bird I want to chase.
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Quote from: GobbleNut on February 05, 2023, 09:09:01 AM
The point here being that, although many of us prefer to hunt alone, you can learn a lot about such things as what really matters in calling to turkeys by hunting with others, letting them call, and seeing first-hand what works and what doesn't. It can definitely be a learning experience for all involved!
True! There is always room for improvement no matter how good you are or think you are. We can always learn something from others if we keep an open mind and maybe be willing to try new tactics.
Alone. Unless I take one of my kids.
Being a guide, when I get to hunt it is generally alone. Prior to guiding I typically hunted with a friend but we usually split up while actually hunting, so basically just shared camp and traveled together.
I prefer solo but have had some great times hunting with friends and particularly my cousin, him and I did our first out of state hunt together in Missouri in the 90s, that was an amazing trip and we hunted that area for several years until I started guiding and could no longer make the trip.
Another friend of mine runs a guide service and him and I generally get to hunt with one another a couple times a year, we have taught each other a lot over the years, one spring we each guided a one on one client for 21 straight days, the next day we went out and hunted together and both killed birds!
Quote from: Chordeiles on February 05, 2023, 09:24:27 AM
Alone. Unless I take one of my kids.
Same here, for the most part.
I don't have too many friends that I'd hunt with. Now, these are FRIENDS, friends. Not he friends that text, call or whatever a few weeks before season every year wondering how you've been for the last year. I have PLENTY of those. ::)
My hunting style confounds most guys that I actually HAVE hunted with. If you aren't prepared to bail off one ridge and do about a 10-minute mile to the next ridge where a bird is gobbling hot....... hunting with me probably ain't for you. ;D
I have, on occasion, road-tripped with my brother. But, we generally hunt on our own when we do.
Back in the early years i hunted with some friends, because we were trying to find turkeys to hunt. So we did a lot of traveling and camping together. Those were some of the best times tent camping especially in Mo. As the turkey population increased we all started finding our own places to hunt and occasionally we still got together to chase a few turkeys over the years. As we all got older and our needs and family life changed we all went pretty much our separate ways. We still talk and see each other around town and keep up with each other best we can. So i have pretty much been a solo hunter for many years. So now with my Old Gobbler family I really don't feel like a sole hunter because with these cell Phones i can chat with any of you pretty much anytime. So i just bring you along on these so-called solo hunts with how my hunt is going that day and i can share pictures and video out in the field in a matter of seconds. SO Now My Family Is OLD GOBBLER FRIENDS AND FAMILY...
I typically try to get a hunt or two in with my dad every year but our work schedules dont always line up. So im usually solo. Once my boys get older im sure my turkey days will be with them, I sure hope so anyways.
When the gun is in my hands I'm gonna be alone. I enjoy calling for others but it's gotta be one on one for me.
Over 90% of the time alone. I have a few I'll go with from time to time but we usually split up.
I'm self taught. I started on my own as no one in my family hunted. I learned a lot, mostly by making some big mistakes.
I travel a lot turkey hunting. Usually alone. I actually enjoy it. It's just me and the road. No one to tell me when they need to stop, where they want to eat and I can do my own thing. I guess I haven't found the right traveling partner but I just thoroughly enjoy doing it on my own.
As I'm older...I do like showing others. So if someone wants me to tag along with their child and help, I always will. And there's the occasional person who asks me to take them because they've never been..and I'm always happy to do that.
But when it comes down to it. Most of the time, it's just me.
Wow, great comments from all of you. It seems like a lot of us hunt solo, but others enjoy family and friends. Hey, this is what it's all about, whether solo or with friends; we all love the memories that we share together in person, or by photos. These are what will last forever......
Been guiding for 6 years, so I really enjoy my solo hunts when I get the chance these days. If I'm out to fill my tags, I enjoy the 1-man game! I've begun to travel hunting neighboring states , I thoroughly enjoy that challenge hunting solo also.That said I have a few friends and my brother who I really enjoy hunting with every spring. I used to take just about anyone who wanted to go before I started guiding and i will say I'd rather take a client than 90% of the other guys... clients are always ready on time and willing to hunt there butts off, they generally listen better and argue less too. I've made some great memories and built some great bonds with clients, friends and family in the turkey woods! That and there's nothing better than being along for the ride when someone gets there first! From 12 year Olds to 70, that's something they'll never forget and is an awesome experience to be a part of!! This post really got my wheels spinning. As much as I love the one man game, my most rewarding and memorable hunts over the years have definitely been with other people. I guess at the end of the day I love turkey hunting in any shape or form. From turkey dogging in the fall with a bunch of clients to my solo trips out of state, I'm blessed to be able to do what I do!!
I prefer to be alone, I have always been more of the loaner in life. I have taken friends kids hunting, that is the one exception.
I typically hunt alone, but I'm hoping one day my son will show interest and want to get into it.
I feel a little guilty about it every year, but turkey hunting is just something that I like to do alone. I can go up on the mtn and just lose track of the whole world for most of a day and to me that is about as good as it gets. I am the same way on my deer hunting.
But I have for years made it a priority to take a person or two and call them a bird to the gun each spring, and I have a good time when I do, - but like Chester said, I am pretty picky about who I want to spend the day in the woods with. I make some calls, buy more calls, camo and a lot of other stuff and give it away to new and existing turkey hunters throughout the year, but my preference is to go it alone most times when chasing turkeys.
I prefer Solo
If I go hunting with my sons I'm a guide, if I go fishing with them I'm a first mate. If I personally want to hunt I need to go solo. I equally love both types of hunts. They're "adults" now and it's still that way.
Definitely a Friends, Family and More!
I have taken more people out on their birds over the years than I have ever been on the trigger with by 1/3 being "my" birds and 2/3rds being others birds. Just my drive to get others involved in hunting. I still go the solo route at times and enjoy that, but those Friends, Family, Learn to Hunts, Youth Hunts, Charity Hunts, and the Newbies always win the coin toss!
MK M GOBL
Goes in waves. For a few years, I'm hunting solo. Then for a few years rather take someone along or team with a buddy. Then back to hunting on my own again.
Nothing I enjoy more then a spring hunt with my sons . But when I'm on the gun , I go at em solo .
I'm about 75 - 25 solo hunts to friends hunts- most of my friends are not as dedicated to it as I am and get enough quickly while I'm still wanting to go- that being said I really enjoy calling a bird to the gun for a great friend or family member to taking it. Great memories there !
In the beginning i started with a friend that called pretty good,but had know technique or real turkey knowledge. We went 2yrs with nothing. On the 3rd year i hunted a early season with getting nothing again and then i decided to learn to call the best i could before the late season..
He laughed and said good luck since he had other things to do and didnt care for the late season. I read,practiced,and asked my brothers friend who knew what he was doing for some advice and on the last weekend of season and i believe last day i shot my first and probably one of the biggest turkeys ive ever gotten...
Since then on i loved hunting Solo until my son turned 6 then id take him for youth season. Id go mine without him since i hunted alot during the week. Now for years its been him and I and when hes unable to go it doesnt seem as much fun..
I enjoy seeing him out there and his love for the sport more than anything..Hes learned alot of valuable turkey hunting& life lessons chasing turkeys spring&fall with me..
Ive taken a few others to show them the ropes and to get me out there even tho we already bagged our birds.
That's a good question. I enjoy both. I've killed a lot of birds both on the gun and on the call when hunting as a team, but I've without a doubt killed more hunting solo. Personally I enjoy both, but remember when hunting as a team your level of enthusiasm can't push ahead of the other hunter to the point of making it unenjoyable for them.
I enjoy both. I absoloutely kill more birds solo, but I think I enjoy it a little more now with a partner. It is my wife now and it is awesome. She is no "Joe", he is one of a kind, but we have fun. I say enjoy every hunt no matter the circumstance. Not hard to sell hunt time to a turkey hunter. Good luck and god bless, Z
I enjoy hunting alone, with my son, or with certain friends. It's all fun to me. Some of my favorite hunts are ones where someone else pulled the trigger.
I just enjoy being there. Doesn't matter if I'm on the gun or not to me. I like sharing the hunt with other close family members. Really don't think I've taken anyone other than family though. Wife, kids, Dad or brother.
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If I am trying to kill a turkey I will almost always go solo. If someone else is with me then they are on the gun. Come to think of it I have never had someone else call up a bird that I have killed.
I'm a solo guy,but open to teaching anyone about turkey hunting.I think more about the people in my family I sure would like to have taken but never got the chance. I think it was Ben Lee who said "Turkey hunters and Old turkeys were meant to go one on one."
No one in my family was a hunter, everything hunting related has been self taught. I usually go alone however sometimes, when I can get him out of bed, I'll take my brother.
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My kneejerk response is "alone". But when I think about about my most memorable hunts, they're overwhelmingly with other people.
I've passed the phase of needing to kill a bird so perhaps that's why. Last year I called up a longbeard for a family member and they promptly missed him at about 25 yards. They were :angry9: It didn't bother me in the slightest. To me, that just meant we got to chase another one. Which we did BTW, later that day I called in the largest gobbler he's ever killed.