Wondering if anybody else has this same "problem"
For me, there's nothing better than harvesting a bird that gobbled well and you had to keep working till he finally couldn't resist (I hunt hardwoods, so I can't see a bird till he's about in gun range). Or you work an angry hen over to you and she brings a tom with her. Or he's henned-up with some gals that are taking him away from you, you figure out where they're headed, circle around and get in front of them. You know... when there is gamesmanship involved.
Some years, though, they just aren't gobbling well, so you don't really have the opportunity to "chase" or "dance with" them. So you get desperate.... you're walking around and you spot one off in the distance walking your way but his head is down pecking and he hasn't seen you. So you drop down and crawl over a few feet to some tall grass and wait for him... you call a little hoping he'll gobble or strut or just do anything to show he's somewhat dominant, but he just passively makes his way to you... and as soon as you shoot him you almost regret it.
Or you put out a decoy or two in a foodplot and call occasionally. Finally one appears and slowly makes his way to your dekes but never struts or gobbles.... you kill him, and immediately wish you had that tag back.
I'm not talking about a smart old Tom that has learned not to gobble. I'm talking about where you killed a bird that didn't require using any skill.... and in my experience, those birds have not usually turned out to be monsters.
Am I alone on this?
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update:
Well.... I have to say that I have officially changed my tune.
I turkey hunted with a friend a few times in 2006 and killed my first bird that year. In 2007 I started hunting hard on my family's land here in southeast NC (less than an hour out of town, so am able to hunt a lot of weekdays before work) and have always at least filled my 2 tags, and usually helped some friends kill birds too.
This year, I goose-egged. My wife and I had our first child back in January, so I didn't get to hunt as hard as I normally do (went 2-3 days a week instead of 4-5)... but I still went MORE than enough times that it's no excuse. Unfortunately, only 5 mornings did I actually find gobbling birds, and each time things just didn't work out (henned-up, water between us {happens pretty often in the swampy river-woods I hunt}, coyote came in and ran them off, and the last one hung up at 50 yards and finally walked away). Every season till now - even if the birds aren't gobbling, I'll have found good strut zones or dusting areas that I can go to.... but this year, they weren't using the areas that they used to, and I wasn't able to find the new spots. The only bird I was able to spot without bumping it while walking the roads mid-morning, it was a hen. Luck just wasn't on my side this season.
SO.... from now on, I'm just going to be happy each time I get one. If I got to work him for a while, I guess that's just icing on the cake.
I have more I wished I had killed than ones I wished I hadn't killed.
I'm not much on taking a free one or shooting them over decoy's. But if I worked for him and he get's in range I hate it for him, even if he didn't gobble coming in.
I don't hunt silent birds any different than loud mouth birds. If they're interested in my calling/decoy, they'll advance. If they're not interested, they'll go about whatever it is they're doing.
Fried wild turkey that came in silent tastes just like the ones that come in gobbling.... :turkey2:
If I get in a position and he walks down my gun barrel, gobbling or not, I'm not feeling bad for him...
No mercy.
Which scenario would you take? A longbeard that runs right to your decoys or a jake that you have to work for 2 hours? One of my favorite hunts ever was a jake I shot before work one morning.
Theres nothing like a gobbling,strutting Tom coming across a field 100 yards long to your setup. Sometimes, I feel cheated on a bird who wont gobble for me. However,.... I get over it real quick ;D
I agree with you for the most part. That's what it all about when they are gobbling their heads off and all puffed up strutting their way in. That's what gets my blood pumping. But when I kill one that isn't fired up it is alittle of a let down but I don't get too upset because I think of the birds that were hotter than a firecracker that I didn't get.. It equals out in my opinion. I won't shoot one if I am walking and just happen to cross paths with a gobbler. I've had it happen more than once and I personally wouldnt get any enjoyment out of it.
I think if we were allowed more than 2 a year here in NC, I wouldn't mind it. I just hate losing a tag on a non-epic hunt.
The only ones I pass are the birds I cross paths with in range while walking to the truck not actively hunting. We see each other at the same time and I can shoot, but I chose not to. If that same bird is 60 yards out and I can hide behind a tree and he wanders in range, he's going to turkey heaven.
Your alone on this..
I've had enough get away and I regret ALL of those. So anytime I can give one a dirt nap, I'm happy..
It's the same luck used when you reverse nature and have one coming in gobbling his brains out.
It's not the ideal way, but you didn't buy a tag to pass birds.
I'm not passing one up in that situation. As others said, it all equals out.
Most of my big longbeards have been silent birds. A lot of times I will scout areas and watch the same birds for several days in a row before the season so I know where they are and what they do. I have killed several birds by setting up on their travel routes and softly calling and they never made a peep. Spurs on the wall are better than birds in my memory imo.
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If you feel restricted by the number of tags you get, start taking other people. I easily fill my tags each year here in NC, plenty of opportunities for me to get two birds. Since I realized this and wanted to extend my hunting time beyond my two birds, I started taking other people. For the past few seasons I have called in and helped other people kill their birds. Taking another person, especially one that may not be as experienced, has been a highly rewarding experience and is something I look forward to every season. Plus, with the youth season, I get to hit the woods a week earlier than I would have otherwise. NC is full of hunters that would love to try turkey hunting, but don't know where to start.
If you don't want to shoot birds that don't gobble, look for one that will. I know around here birds seem to gobble way less too, but with some leg work running and gunning, I've gotten quite a few birds to respond late morning. Some died, some didn't, as with any type of turkey hunting.
I like to run and gun and cover some area, and even when birds aren't talking that much, I'd say I get a response 4 out 5 days. And this is all on pressured Gamelands, you just have to find the right bird that will play. And over the years running and gunning I notice birds responding, as you are closing in on them. I believe a lot of times they might not gobble at your call in the distant, but if your lucky enough to be moving towards them, it gets them excited as they think a hen is coming. Just something I noticed, and have good luck with.
Ha, that's exactly why some years I'll get desperate and take one in a way I mentioned - I'd wait till I'd gotten one for myself before taking other people. Starting this year, I think I'll focus more on taking other people regardless of how I've done.
Loud mouthed or lockjawed, if I work him and he walks in front of the end of my barrel, he's dead. ;D I'll just assume he wanted what I was offering :turkey:
Head banger - that's what I mean, shooting one I didn't really "work"
Anyway, was just curious. Thanks for the replies
I won't kill one I walk up on, startle and have a chance to kill in the seconds before he flees the scene.
However, if I spot a bird walking in or out, devise a plan to kill him, and it works, that bird is in trouble.
If there is no "sport" or challenge in the kill, I don't want it.
I know a person who only likes to stalk turkeys by sneaking on them like an Indian. I took him with me and called a long beard up for him that was hotter than a firecracker and he passed on it. He told me it just didn't have the thrill like the way he had been hunting. So I guess it is what ever trips your trigger. For me, I have called in silent birds, and over the past few years we have had alot less gobbling than before because of dogs and coyotes. If I have worked the bird gobbling or not and he commits to my area in shotgun range, he better watch out. I will not shoot one that I "happen upon" but I know people who do.
I really like the comments you've gotten on this one. Silent or gobbling, if you put yourself in a position to harvest a nice bird, it is your choice. I'm not sure why you are feeling bad; I can tell you've hunted enough to know that there were lots of birds that you thought were going to be easy kills that got a way, so taking one that isn't text book once in a while is just evens some of that out. I'm a self proclaimed proffessional ;D caller and I can tell you that come the last days of season and I'm able to put my self in a position to kill a nice gobbler he's getting and arrow stuck in him or a bad case of jelly head.
Well... I mean, it's not that I feel "bad"... more "underwhelmed".... I like hunts where I can't wait to write about them because they were so much fun.
Honestly, my heart goes nuts whenever I see or hear a turkey. That stands true for me whether he's strutting in a field to my setup/calling or slipping in silently through the woods. I usually shoot every mature bird that I work in. Having said that, I would not shoot at a bird that I walk up on within range.
One of my favorite hunts was on TN public land. I had two birds that I couldn't see in the timber gobbling at me at about 100 yards. This went on for about two hours. I tried everything to get them to come in. Finally, a tom slipped in quietly from a different direction. I shot him and the other two gobbled at the load that took him out. The bird I killed was very nice and ate great! his beard is on the wall with the others and I loved that hunt.
I can't say I feel cheated by a silent bird...Some of them have been called to and shot at and seem to wise up and come in silently. I feel as much of a sense of accomplishment with a silent one as with a loud one. Actually, the silent one may be the more difficult one to kill. You don't know he's coming and, like I said, he may be the more educated one...
I kill the silent ones the same way I kill the loud mouthed ones. By pulling the trigger :TooFunny:
Well.... I have to say that I have officially changed my tune.
I turkey hunted with a friend a few times in 2006 and killed my first bird that year. In 2007 I started hunting hard on my family's land here in southeast NC (less than an hour out of town, so am able to hunt a lot of weekdays before work) and have always at least filled my 2 tags, and usually helped some friends kill birds too.
This year, I goose-egged. My wife and I had our first child back in January, so I didn't get to hunt as hard as I normally do (went 2-3 days a week instead of 4-5)... but I still went MORE than enough times that it's no excuse. Unfortunately, only 5 mornings did I actually find gobbling birds, and each time things just didn't work out (henned-up, water between us {happens pretty often in the swampy river-woods I hunt}, coyote came in and ran them off, and the last one hung up at 50 yards and finally walked away). Every season till now - even if the birds aren't gobbling, I'll have found good strut zones or dusting areas that I can go to.... but this year, they weren't using the areas that they used to, and I wasn't able to find the new spots. The only bird I was able to spot without bumping it while walking the roads mid-morning, it was a hen. Luck just wasn't on my side this season.
SO.... from now on, I'm just going to be happy each time I get one. If I got to work him for a while, I guess that's just icing on the cake.
Quote from: sixbird on March 13, 2013, 11:17:40 PM
I can't say I feel cheated by a silent bird...Some of them have been called to and shot at and seem to wise up and come in silently. I feel as much of a sense of accomplishment with a silent one as with a loud one. Actually, the silent one may be the more difficult one to kill. You don't know he's coming and, like I said, he may be the more educated one...
More often than not birds that come in to your setup silent are long spurred gobblers . A silent bird is not as exciting to kill as a loudmouth 2 year old but every bit as rewarding, actually a little more in my opinion.
^^^ I can definitely see that, especially on land that receives pressure.
I'm about the only person turkey hunting 3 different 1,000 acre tracts, and I play it pretty conservatively - trying not to educate the birds. I'd say that half the time, the silent birds I kill are 2 year olds that I think have gotten beaten-up when they gobble.
When I leave the truck to hit the woods--I am turkey hunting---not turkey calling, not turkey listening, not turkey watching. A gobbler in range has a good chance of getting himself "kilt".
It takes more skill and knowledge of behavior to get the silent ones. Most of the ones I've taken were 3+ year olds that you couldn't get by calling because they had been conditioned to avoid hunters.
Amen to Warrent423...finally someone on here tells it like it is. When you get to the point in your turkey hunting that you are after the older,smarter, hard to get toms and doing what it takes to harvest this bird...whether it is calling in this bird or being in right place at right time and he comes marching in silent and on your blind side and you get him...well if that isn't satisfaction I don't know what it would take to make me more thrilled. And to do it without a decoy or a "house with windows and doors, heat and who knows what else" and you swing him over your shoulder having to be careful for those extra long hooks can do some serious damage and "man, this thing is getting heavy, got to change sides for a while" ....well you will one happy camper tonight. Then the thought comes to you that you have one more tag and you got an idea of where this big boys partner lives, well that is a turkey hunters dream season. Hope you get him.
Quote from: catdaddy on May 13, 2013, 02:50:10 PM
When I leave the truck to hit the woods--I am turkey hunting---not turkey calling, not turkey listening, not turkey watching. A gobbler in range has a good chance of getting himself "kilt".
X2. If I walk up on one, sneak in on one, call one in gobbling, or call one in silent; I still enjoy shooting them. The thrill to me is getting my hands around his legs and knowing that I have just killed one of nature's most wary animals. The first turkey I killed this year was one of my best birds in twenty years of hunting. I put the slip on him after I had already spooked him, and ended up lowering the boom on him. If I had decided to leave and wait to I had a chance to "work" him he would not be at the taxidermist right now. I see know shame in killing a silent mouth bird. Most of the turkeys that gobbled their fool heads off I have killed were 2 yr. old turkeys.
As I have stated before, if it is legal and ethical, then I see no problem with how the game is harvested if it makes the hunter happy. I also see no reason for someone to tell some anyone else other wise. JMO
Last year the 1 1/2" spurred bird in my avatar came silently to my calling and was killed by a 9 y.o. boy after thrashing my jake strutter decoy. I missed a bird earlier this year that I called 300 yards down a hill, gobbling the whole way. I figured he was a 2 y.o. bird that hadn't wised up yet. He'll be harder to kill next year. Each kill was equally satisfying.
Had one this year gobbling his head off but wouldn't leave the field edge. Moved on him a bunch of times, and he finally went silent. I snuck around the edge if the field near quitting time, spotted him, used some vegetation to get in range and killed him. Probably the best bird I've killed. I've learned that you need to adapt to have consistent success, and so you can bet I had no regrets.
I hate hunting silent birds. You can have them,...regardless if they are long-bearded, dagger-spurred ancient gobblers. Do I like to kill those gobblers? Sure, I do. But my passion for spring gobbler hunting came about because of one thing. That is, I like to call turkeys, have them answer my calling, and then come to me. ...And if they come gobbling and strutting,...all the better.
Wherever I am hunting, I will exhaust all possibilities of finding a responsive, gobbling bird before I resort to hunting for the silent ones. There have been occasions where I have had to do that, but those instances have been rare,...and they have never been as satisfying to me as those times when I have put in miles of hiking to finally locate a gobbler that wanted to play the game the way I like to play it.
Yep, I'll take those strutting and gobbling two or three-year-olds that will respond to my calls all day long.
If you don't like calling in the silent ones, keep at it. When one walks up behind you and pirts in your ear, then walks by so close you think of just reaching over and grabbing him, your ideas on how exciting it can be might change.