Most seasons, are done or wrapped up. Most are probably already looking forward to next year. What the one area of turkey hunting you find is your weakest, Something you know you need to refine or improve.
Maybe your finishing your 1st season or your 50th but we all have something we are always trying to get better at. Whenever I get stumped by a bird I always remind myself that the day I stop learning is the day stop hunting.
When it comes to turkey hunting I know my weakness is patience, I just struggle to slow down when the hunting gets slow. I'm sure there are times that the best move is the patient move of set up in a good area and wait but I just can never bring myself to spend a day deer hunting them. I rather get blanked on the run and gun trying to force a bird into a verbal conversation. I'm not sure the last time I killed a totally silent Tom.
Hunting the small parcels of land I'm on here have taught me patience. However, when on the club with miles of property to roam, I can't hold back either. Gotta go. Having said that, my biggest weakness is probably aggression. I want to hear a bird gobble and I'll over call many of them. If I'd tone it down a bit I'm sure I'd do better.
I would say that mine at this time is lack of concentration and a feeling of guilt. Sound funny I know, I hunt before work a lot so I am watching the clock and thinking of all of the things waiting on me. Or if I have time off from work I find myself feeling guiltly for being out hunting or fishing rather than working at home. I still enjoy hunting and look forward to Spring and Fall turkey seasons. I just think I need to find a way to put all of that stuff aside and enjoy my time in the woods or on the water that other stuff can wait and life is too short not too.
That feeling of guilt is awful. You need to work hard to get over that. You will only live once and you don't know which hunt will be your last. Every hunt is a gift. If the season is open and I'm not in the woods, I am pissed!
I lack time and places close to home to hunt. Used to not be an issue at all; had more places than I could hunt, and time wasn't too much of a problem either. The last few years have been the opposite.
over calling im always trying for that story book loud mouth bird but sometimes I just need to lay back
I would say that my single largest weakness is not seeing the setup in my mind. I have had numerous birds almost finish. I am talking probably 7-8 birds over the years that got to 75 ish yards and did not come the rest of the way in. At first, it probably had to do with over calling, but lately, I think I am not seeing my setup from the bird's eyes. Some of the guys talk about having the bird where he is looking for the hen and not where he is looking at where a hen should be, but isn't. I would really love to look at 100 successful setups and see where I may be doing it wrong, cause it ain't sinking in for some reason.
hmmm...this is a very good question...my first thought was that my biggest weakness was buying another turkey call! ;D But you can never have too many of those IMO. But on a more Zen note, I guess my biggest weakness is balance....I don't have any....when turkey season starts all other life factors stop. Hunt Eat Sleep Repeat becomes more than just a byword it manifests itself into reality. I can function (work, family etc.), but it is constantly rolling around in the ole braincase. There are other things happening outside of turkey season (baseball, fishing etc.). I see people doing those things, but silly enough I am looking at them thinking..."Wake up people, don't you know there are turkeys to be hunted and your wasting your time with all this fluff!" :TooFunny:
Would say my biggest weakness is patience. I can't sit and call for long periods of time with nothing happening. I am still refining my aproach to things and tweeking if you will. Getting better at some stuff but will always be learning.
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I'm with most of you guys. Patience. Hunting "western turkeys" I'm usually on bigger chunks of public land. Or I see a spot on the map I can drive to and "maybe they'll be there". Gotta go, gotta find 'em, gotta get em! That's my mentality most of the time.
Having been at this for fifty-plus years now, I think my biggest weakness in getting turkeys killed is that I have a tendency to want to enjoy "the show" more nowadays, so I sometimes hold off on pulling the trigger when I should. More turkeys get away from me because I don't shoot at the first opportunity as much anymore.
Along the same line, I also tend to not pay as much attention to the small details that are instrumental in getting a turkey killed when he decides to come. Things like little adjustments in positioning when a gobbler is coming in, adjusting my gun at the right time, overlooking small but sometimes critical details in my set-ups,...all things that I used to do when the killing was more important than the experience,...I seem to not worry about as much anymore.
With 350 acres or less, it doesn't take too long to burn it up on the move. I've forced myself to learn patience in the past 5 years or so. I agree with TauntoHawk - I do not like to deer hunt turkeys. BUT, I will sit longer in areas I KNOW birds are using.
The absolute greatest tool for that has been the Alps / Browning (or whatever your choice of) lounger chair. I can sit for hours in comfort, and that really helps.
Also, knowing birds are in the area really helps with patience. When I don't get that 0-dark-thirty roost gobbling, I still have confidence that I could work a bird at 7, 8, 9, etc.
WEAKNESS: I'm still searching for a cure for the "gobble-addiction". I remind myself every hunt - don't over do it. Inevitably, I'll end up wanting to hear that bird gobble and I'll call when I don't need to. I'm getting better, but I'm not there yet! lol...
I truly believe, for most of us, that response of a gobble, that interaction and conversation with the bird is what we truly strive for. The pulling of the trigger and killing him is secondary, but yet still the customary yardstick used to measure success.
And, as usual, at the end of a season, or near the end - I laugh at the irony of what we put ourselves through. We buy new calls and practice more, only to try not to call too much in the woods. We buy shells and chokes to achieve the very best pattern from our guns, and then shoot birds up close.
My biggest weakness now is pancakes and sausage, and the distance between me and them.
My hunting was pretty sound this season but my scouting was weak this year. Weather and work timing convened to keep me from scouting near as much as I should have. I will remedy that next spring.
I know my biggest weakness is calling too much to try to make something happen.If the bird is talking back I do ok, but when they aren't talking I call too much. I guess I want to be able to say that I called the bird in and that I didn't just wait for one to walk by. I guess I always just feel that if I call eventually the right turkey will find me. I also wish I was just a little more aggressive when they are on the roost not my calling ,but getting a little closer to the tree they are in . I have a tendency to stay back a little ways so I don't spook them and at times I feel it costs me the early kills which I think are the best ones or the ones I enjoy the most.
My biggest weakness/problem is patience
I can't stay in one place long if I haven't heard anything.
I probably over call when I'm trying to find one as well.
I've got one place to hunt and it 350 acres and I try and comb it when I go.
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The two best places I have to hunt are ~200 acres total, so run & gun isn't much of my specialty. I know both of those farms exceptionally well, but when I hunt the bigger public land I am constantly second guessing myself. Places I would expect to see a turkey might hold me in that spot for longer than I should stay. Even though I am very patient, when I don't have birds pinpointed it is hard for me to maintain confidence in my set up.
Jim
I have to echo a lot of the other replies. I generally don't sit down in the woods until I know I have one coming. I have no doubt I could have success at sitting in areas with good sign and do some soft calling. I get enough time sitting treestands in the fall so I'm covering ground and calling. Run and gun is not the most efficient way to kill turkeys and I realize that. I'm in the woods to hear gobbles more than killing gobblers. It's what I enjoy and I've been doing it for 30 years so killing isn't near as important as it used to be.
Yes it's a weakness but it's just what I prefer. One other weakness is hearing loss. I don't hear as good as I used to and that makes it difficult to judge the location when I do hear them. That's one reason I keep hunting some of the same old public spots. I have a pretty good idea where they are if I hear a faint gobble.
I'd say the biggest thing I would consider a weakness is physically shape. Every year I say I'm going to lose 40-50 pounds.
I'm to weak to turkey hunt March-May and September - January, so I go when I can
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Ihunted for years frist bird i heard i went to started hunting with a local on the land he had hunted for years an was lucky enogh to get invited to join there lease we would listen in the morning an have 5 or 6 gobbling an he would just take his time an i would be chopping at the bit i would go after one an he would say i going to stay till one tells me he wants to die sure enough I'd get back to the truck empty handed alot times but he was death on them it took me a couple of years to understand what he was talking aboutyou need to slow down an think a little sometimes, i would be chasing the frist bird I heard an he would wait till he found hot bird he always told me you know where they are why get in a hurry they going to be there all day
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man I'm having a good time reading these reply's
feel free to add you strength that you try and play to knowing where your weakness is
weakness: over calling when not getting a response. seem to get more aggressive instead of shutting up and letting them get curious.
Strength: When getting a response knowing when to cut it off to get them moving towards me quicker
My strength is easy. Persistence. It has paid off for me enough over the years in duck and goose hunting that I just took it with me to the spring. I love when I am in the woods with my brother, have not heard a bird by 9am and he says "I got stuff I need to do" and hauls tail. I always rub it in an hour or two later when I kill one. It has worked in his favor too. He was ready to leave one day, it was late in the season. We had both played with a bird at daylight and they had wandered off. I said, you don't have a bird yet, let's go find the bird that left me gobbling. His hens may be gone now and unless he flies over a creek, I know right where he is. He followed me and we called him in his only bird of the season an hour later, right where I thought the bird might be! Never said a word, but came in looking for the hen on hard hunted public ground. He told me afterwards with no response, he would have left.
My biggest strengths are my hearing and my paying attention to detail, even though I usually don't look like I am. A gobble isn't the only thing that gives a turkeys location away.
My strength is probably calling, not so much quality of sound, but probably knowing what to say, and by not to call too much. I've learned to call just enough to get their curiosity up and keep them engaged. I certainly have allowed some to drift away over the years, but I'm able to coax a lot in close. My best friend wants me to call for him as much as possible, because I can get results.
Jim
Weaknesses
1. The uncanny ability to hear a bird in the distance on the roost and the next morning walk in directly under him.
2. Sometimes I am too aggressive. Proud to say I did much better this year with that.
3. Not listening to my gut. This cost me a bird this year. That only happened once tho and I at least recognized it quickly.
Strengths
1. Extremely good looking.
2. Handsome.
3. Pretty good at the calling in of the turkeys. I grew up around turkeys and really spent time with them. Some may think I call a lot but seldom do I have a hung up bird.
4. Pretty good at storing away info for later. It may be the following year but I have good memory. At least at this stage of my life.
5. Tenacity. This is my strongest trait next to my looks. I don't quit till season is over or I am out of tags and that means a lot in turkey hunting.
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My job is always in the way. I've tried to convince my employer that I need paid leave April-May, then September, and November- December. I guess a reverse teacher's schedule at my full salary would work well, but I may need a substantial pay increase to cover all the traveling I'll have to do.
Also, as a couple other folks have said, small town diners are killing me.
Quote from: guesswho on May 18, 2017, 07:49:33 PM
My biggest weakness now is pancakes and sausage, and the distance between me and them.
:TooFunny: :TooFunny: :TooFunny: :TooFunny:
My biggest weakness is giving up on spots far to early. If I don't hear anything in an hour, I am off to another spot.
Another big weakness is moving on a moving gobbler, and getting busted.
I am good in textbook situations, but I overthink most situations, and stupid it it up in the last 5 minutes.
I realize how much I have to learn, even in a successful season like I had.
My biggest weakness is wanting to stay on this forum chatting with all my new friends about turkeys ...my wife want talk to me about turkeys anymore after 40 years of marriage ,,,,,,,,,,,
my biggest weakness by far is my hearing. shooting without protection and loud rock-n-roll has ruined mine. :you_rock: :you_rock: :you_rock:ive tried the game ears and while I can hear better I cant tell the direction the sound came from. I have started wearing protection but its to little to late.
Wild Turkey American Honey mixed with a little bit of Diet Dr. Pepper over ice. ;D
Come on Happy, we know some of your post is not correct.
Your memory can't be that good, you've forgotten you're not that good looking. :TooFunny: :TooFunny:
WE all make mistakes dealing with Ole Tom because no 2 every act alike its a never ending learning experenice> thats what makes it fun. Just remember your dealing with a creature that goes thru life scared to death every stump tree limb is a booger just waiting to eat him. The adage is if he evry answers your cal just be patence sometime that day he will check on where that hen is> I would rather have postion any time than the best calling he want come where he don,t feel safe
Quote from: Tail Feathers on May 20, 2017, 10:25:44 PM
Come on Happy, we know some of your post is not correct.
Your memory can't be that good, you've forgotten you're not that good looking. :TooFunny: :TooFunny:
:D nice to see someone can finally sling some humor back. But hey as I tell my kids. If you can't have confidence in yourself then why would you expect anyone else to?
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Quote from: GOOSESLAYER on May 19, 2017, 02:34:22 PM
weakness: over calling when not getting a response. seem to get more aggressive instead of shutting up and letting them get curious.
Strength: When getting a response knowing when to cut it off to get them moving towards me quicker
Same here. When nary a gobble and the hours are going by slowly I tend to get louder and the "15 minute rule" goes down the drain. The longer the day progresses the louder I seem to get. I should know better but it seems to be a routine.
Another weakness is when he sounds like he's on his way that I probably call too much. Not for wanting him to gobble more but more in fear I'll lose his interest. Again, I know better
weakness #3 My calling is probably average on the slate call at best I've killed a decent amount of birds so I guess I can't be that bad. Perhaps my cadence and knowing what to say and when is a strength then .And I've heard far worse sounding hens than me ,lol
Strengths: Never have an issue with getting up at 3 am to listen to the woods wake up. Having my 14 year old daughter interested without ever shoving it down her throat. She saw my passion and wanted to share it with me many years ago. Heck, we hunted yesterday and then had her at ballet by noon Sort of funny. Resisting the urge to move on birds when they are far off. Tried that twice and you guessed it, more birds really close that came in quiet , busted !
Quote from: wvmntnhick on May 18, 2017, 01:40:13 PM
Hunting the small parcels of land I'm on here have taught me patience. However, when on the club with miles of property to roam, I can't hold back either. Gotta go. Having said that, my biggest weakness is probably aggression. I want to hear a bird gobble and I'll over call many of them. If I'd tone it down a bit I'm sure I'd do better.
. Good point, I think I over called, a few days ago. I get impatient , and I call too much, which sort of spooks them I think.
Quote from: appalachianassassin on May 20, 2017, 04:01:21 PM
my biggest weakness by far is my hearing. shooting without protection and loud rock-n-roll has ruined mine. :you_rock: :you_rock: :you_rock:ive tried the game ears and while I can hear better I cant tell the direction the sound came from. I have started wearing protection but its to little to late.
Same here (hear?)! Too many metal concerts over the years. :D
Quote from: turkeyfeathers on May 21, 2017, 01:12:02 PM
Quote from: GOOSESLAYER on May 19, 2017, 02:34:22 PM
weakness: over calling when not getting a response. seem to get more aggressive instead of shutting up and letting them get curious.
Strength: When getting a response knowing when to cut it off to get them moving towards me quicker
. Heck, we hunted yesterday and then had her at ballet by noon Sort of funny.
My daughter took ballet and dance for 15 years and then taught it while in college. She is as girly as can be but loves fishing for reds and now turkey hunting with her daddy. I am just not allowed to engage her in conversation until the sun has come up!
My biggest weakness is that I THINK WAY TOO MUCH and I put pressure on myself to get out and hunt. I do the same with fishing and deer hunting. If I'm not out there, I feel like I am wasting an opportunity and letting my wife or others down because a good hunter would be out there giving it 100% everyday and I don't want to look weak. From there, I get mad at myself and then I loose the drive because I sometimes make it work.
It is hard to explain but I need to sometimes relax and slow down, remember that just being out in the woods is the real reason I do this. Getting a bird is a bonus. I also have to remember that there are days where I just need to do something else and clear my mind from hunting. This "reset" has helped me build a stronger fire and makes me hunt smarter/harder.
I have also learned that when I stop putting pressure on myself, I have a lot more success. As a kid, I had to fill deer tags and was getting mad because I hadn't shot a deer. That afternoon my dad said, "just go and watch nature and relax, we don't need a deer to survive". You guessed it, 1 hour later, deer all around me and I got a nice doe.
My biggest strength is that I can spend money on hunting like none other!!!!
Lack of birds to work is my problem/weakness and being a guest to someone who has birds, but I am usually hunting with him, and his mistakes are numerous.
I started out teaching him but he now gets out ahead of me, walks on gravel roads because they are cleaner I guess, and for some reason thinks he should be out in front or exactly in line with the muzzle of my shotgun. Need I say any more?
This year was my 44th year of turkey hunting. Turkey population is dwindling in a hurry in my area.
Another scratch season for me.
Get more sleep. All day hunting rules lead to hunting all day, or late night roosting means getting to bed late.
Burn out ruins turkey hunts. :morning: