Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

The scenario. You have planned a 3 or 4 day hunt in another state. For this exercise, let's assume you aren't well heeled, and this trip is funded by overtime at the job, or a side job. Limit is one gobbler.

Hunt A, you luck out the first morning and a gobbler sounds off on the roost less than a quarter mile from your truck. You set up, he flies down when it is still half dark, walks in and you shoot him.

Hunt B, you don't see or hear a gobbler until the second afternoon. The next two days you come close to pulling it off a couple of times, calling him into gun range once, but can't get a clear shot because of one bush between you and him, and go home empty handed.

Would you be, personally, more satisfied with hunt A or B? I hope people will answer honestly because there's no wrong answer.

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I've done both.  "B"  is fun. "B" will be remembered. "B" will always be like that fish that got away. "A"  however short is my choice because in that scenario I will drive to a neighboring state, buy a tag and continue my hunt.

I'm going to be more satisfied with a hunt that winds up with a bird in my truck. 
But part of me would feel a bit shorted by the brief experience.  Even so, I'd be smiling on my way home.
I do enjoy seeing new woods and experiencing new places.  But I can do that for two more days with a camera after I clean my bird.  :happy0167:

I would say B. I like seeing new sites and learning new things. I will kill some turkeys every year, and since I have no goals of any slams or whatever other fad comes up, I will enjoy the experiences and playing the game.

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Having experienced both scenarios numerous times over the years, I will take "A" every time.  For the types of trips in your scenario...that is, going to a place I have never been...I do a lot of research, map scouting, and overall evaluation of the area I will be hunting.  By the time I arrive there, I have already spent a good deal of time putting a hunting plan together.

Having early success as presented in "A", to me just means all the time spent in my "deliberations" prior to the hunt were validated.  By the time I arrive for the physical hunt, I have already "hunted" the area "mentally" many times over.

On the other hand, scenario "B" just makes me feel like those pre-hunt preparations were flawed...or, at a minimum, not thorough enough...or, in some cases, the circumstances and conditions were just not favorable. Then again, some of those "B" type hunts are the best learning experiences as to what to do better the next time.  :icon_thumright:  :D 

I would do just as Gooserbat. It's ok if I let him walk on my terms but if I call him in and he gets away then that will always haunt me.

For out of state hunts, especially if somewhere hadn't been before I'll take B. Those kinds on trips it's about the experience more than the kill.

I'd go Hunt B every time. I just really get enjoyment out of watching them play the game well and beat me. Now, don't get me wrong, I love killing them. But it's like George Mayfield said, "You know, I've gotten about where if I don't know a turkey, now don't misunderstand me, but I want to hunt a turkey I know. If I had my choice, I'd take one that way rather than a hundred the other way, just shooting them when they run up there. It's just something about the experience and having a relationship with a turkey over time and getting beat makes it so sweet when you kill one like that. It's a sad gladness, relief kind of, but it's not all high-fiving and rolling in the straw when you kill one like that that you know so good, I promise you."

For some folks it's a numbers game, stack up the two year olds. And for some it's something else entirely.


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Quote from: Gooserbat on May 30, 2024, 08:48:17 AMI've done both.  "B"  is fun. "B" will be remembered. "B" will always be like that fish that got away. "A"  however short is my choice because in that scenario I will drive to a neighboring state, buy a tag and continue my hunt.

^^^^^^

This.

HOWEVER....... I've also done "C".

I drove nearly 1400 miles to see and hunt my first Merriam's birds.  On Day 2 of a 5 day hunt.....40+ mph sustained winds and heavy snow..... I passed a longbeard at 33 steps because there were 2 better ones just 30-35 yards out of range.  I had 2 tags in my pocket.  That thin 7"-8" beard just wasn't what I had come there for.  So I let the bird walk.  Couldn't seal the deal on the other two that day.

We ended up basically running for our lives at 4:00 AM the next morning to get ahead of a 15" forecasted snowstorm that was moving in.  Cut the last 3 days out of the hunt.  But we got out.  To this day, what I did does not haunt or bother me a BIT. 

I LOVE SHOOTING THEM !!!!!  But I don't hafta.

I would never give up a "gifted bird" so A would be my choice.

AS I have gotten older, I would be satisfied with either one. First just hearing a gobbler is an accomplishment. After that it's all up to you and your skill levels. Just remember you're on his turf.
Regardless of the outcome just enjoy your time outdoors.

I'd have to go with Sam on this one. Both will be remembered, but A gets me to another state/ adventure. Z

Quote from: Greg Massey on May 30, 2024, 11:01:46 AMAS I have gotten older, I would be satisfied with either one. First just hearing a gobbler is an accomplishment. After that it's all up to you and your skill levels. Just remember you're on his turf.
Regardless of the outcome just enjoy your time outdoors.

This would be my answer also

I experience zero rush, thrill or excitement when turkey hunting. I do it to get High quality meat so, I would choose "A". I enjoy hunting, but enjoy eating so much more. But then, I only hunt locally, so I don't know how I would feel if I was out of state. Still, I think I probably would go with "A".

im going A. :icon_thumright:

A.

Then I am in route to "State/Tag" B.

I have planned for this trip, I have planned for this scenario.

I will not be site seeing, unless it's down my gun barrel.

Gas, motel, food is the biggest expense. Tag are 100-200$ bucks.

Move on to the next.

The dilemma some of us have with the "move on to a different state" theory is that some of us are hunting with other friends on the types of trips we are talking about here.  Seems to me that a good way to lose a hunting buddy that is still trying to kill a bird is to say,..."Uhhh,...sorry, dude, but I got mine, so we are moving on to the next state."

In addition, if there is only one vehicle involved with multiple hunters using it to get around, the logistics of its use also becomes an issue.

The solution for me, since I almost always am hunting with one or more other friends, is to do any or all of the following:  I will become the videographer on their hunts. and/or I will be a secondary caller (if they want), and/or I will be a "turkey locator" at other potential hunting locations for them.

Now, I suppose multiple-person, out-of-state hunts could be planned such that those outings are set-up to hunt locations that would allow close-by state hopping. Seems to me that could become complicated very quickly, though.  :D   

Quote from: GobbleNut on May 31, 2024, 08:38:10 AMThe dilemma some of us have with the "move on to a different state" theory is that some of us are hunting with other friends on the types of trips we are talking about here.  Seems to me that a good way to lose a hunting buddy that is still trying to kill a bird is to say,..."Uhhh,...sorry, dude, but I got mine, so we are moving on to the next state."

In addition, if there is only one vehicle involved with multiple hunters using it to get around, the logistics of its use also becomes an issue.

The solution for me, since I almost always am hunting with one or more other friends, is to do any or all of the following:  I will become the videographer on their hunts. and/or I will be a secondary caller (if they want), and/or I will be a "turkey locator" at other potential hunting locations for them.

Now, I suppose multiple-person, out-of-state hunts could be planned such that those outings are set-up to hunt locations that would allow close-by state hopping. Seems to be that could become complicated very quickly, though.  :D   

I would never do this nor do I feel like anyone else on here would either. It would take a pretty selfish person to do this to a hunting buddy.

B I would rather experience it all and hunt then just show up and kill. With all my body problems I have gotten to where it is more the experience than the kill, that is one of the reasons I shoot them with the camera instead of my gun the last 2 or 3 seasons.

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Good replies. My fault, my intention was to convey that this hunt was it for the year except in your home state, but failed to do so. That's a scenario which will possibly become more and more likely as states seem to be targeting the nonresident hunter with quotas or draws. In a few years, it's quite possible that deciding to go hunting somewhere else in the middle of the season won't be an option.

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A healthy combo of both; oftentimes "B" or some variation of keep's occurring and you need "A" every now and then to show that sometimes you do everything right to no avail, but then you do really nothing (right) and you score.

Quote from: Prospector on June 02, 2024, 09:02:49 AMA healthy combo of both; oftentimes "B" or some variation of keep's occurring and you need "A" every now and then to show that sometimes you do everything right to no avail, but then you do really nothing (right) and you score.

Yep. At the end of the day it's both. I love the grind of B, I live for B, I wouldn't trade those a$$ whoopings for the world. They make that hard earned kill on a hard earned bird the greatest feeling in the world. But that's also what makes those A days so fun/funny. Sometimes seems like those birds done written a suicide letter sitting on the limb. A handful of those A birds are what make the novice feel like King Kong


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A - leaves time to scout for future years.  Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

A is fun, but is like eating a rich dessert. B is like a really awesome steak. You want to go back for more.

I went out to western Nebraska early this week on a friend's ranch by myself. The first morning I killed a very nice 2 year old at 0740 in a different spot after getting the slip from another gobbler.

The next morning I killed the gobbler that flew across the river, by getting on the side he flew to the previous morning.That hunt was over at 0535. Legal shooting time was around 0445.


While that was fun, I had way more fun with 2 other birds this Spring. One I danced with for 4 hours off and on and another for around 2 hours. I tried it all, but those birds just whipped me.

I hope they make it to next Spring because I want to dance again.

By far, the most memorable birds are the ones that I didn't carry to the truck.

However, I do love to jellyhead them for sure.

Both scenarios are rewarding in their own way.

Honestly speaking I'll take A. I invest a lot of time before the hunt and I have a couple of other options. A lot of the time on my trips I am with someone else. We usually hunt together anyway to experience more hunts and spend time together. So just because I have killed a bird doesn't mean the hunt is over. If I'm alone and I kill a bird that early I will be headed somewhere else. Again, this is just for me personally. I know everyone's situation is different and I'm very blessed and grateful for a job that allows a good hunting schedule and enough money that I don't feel bad buying that next tag. I understand scenario B being the choice for many, as that's kind of how I play my season at home. If I shoot a turkey early in the season, I won't even consider pulling the trigger until season is running short. Season only lasts so long no matter who you are, and has to be cherished in the way that makes it the most enjoyable for you. I love these theoretical questions as they get me thinking and reflecting. Thanks for the post!


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For me, A gets me a turkey in the freezer and B gives me life experiences that I can learn from and makes me better. B happens more than A for me, so I get plenty of Bs, so, I will never pass up on an A.
This was my first year out of twelve that I had all As and no Bs. I had to work the birds I got this year, but every one went like clock work and the birds did exactly according to plan except my smoke gray one this year was full of close to B action, but in the end it was an A.

Hunt A, leaves more time to pick up hippie chicks