My Life as a Turkey Film

[Jester87]

Found this to be insightful and interesting.   

https://youtu.be/F4LrW52NIeY

Have a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and great '22 season.

[GobbleGitr]

Joe is a truly amazing individual.  I talked to him recently and he was enjoying handling his local FL water moccasins, commenting that they were docile.  He is an all-animal-whisperer!  The book 'Illumination In The Flatwoods' about his wild turkey imprinting is insightful into turkey biology and touching as well.

[eggshell]

This is indeed a wonderful presentation. You can truly learn to respect the eco-system we enjoy and respect the animals we hunt. It may move you sympathetically, but in the end we are part of the great creation and we play our part.

[Muzzy61]

Wow, thanks for sharing. That was a fascinating video.

[THattaway]

Saw it on tv some years ago. Interesting to see how turkeys respond but he lost me the instant he applied emotions to their behavior. Ive raised plenty of turkeys from eggs and IMO they are driven by two things: food and procreation. They'll peck your eyeballs out over either.

[eggshell]

I saw it before as well, but It's still a great program. I agree he does over humanize them, but that's ok. What I found fascinating is the vocalizations. I have studied these before and if you can learn them they will greatly enhance your calling succcess

[THattaway]

The snake part was most interesting.

[eggshell]

The snake part was most interesting.

Yeah, my wife wants turkeys for the farm now, she is super paranoid about snakes. We don't have many rattlers, but some copperheads. I have killed two at the house in 30+ years. We see dozens of milk and rat snakes, but they get a free pass.

[eddie234]

It was on Netflix. It's been several years ago so I don't know if it's still on there or not.


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[mcw3734]

The film is good. The book is better. But of course, it usually is.

[MK M GOBL]

Saw it on tv some years ago. Interesting to see how turkeys respond but he lost me the instant he applied emotions to their behavior. Ive raised plenty of turkeys from eggs and IMO they are driven by two things: food and procreation. They'll peck your eyeballs out over either.

Truth

Have raised a number of turkeys and I've had them fight at me just like any other brood mate for dominance. I do think it brought a lot to the table for me learning about what turkeys are doing on a daily cycle while we raised them. Learned so much in calling and the dominance factor of how a flock/bird responds.

MK M GOBL

[eggshell]

MK M GOB,  my wife's uncle raised a lot of pheasants and various fowl. A farmer brought him a clutch of eggs once and he incubated them. Most were gobblers, but a few hens. He had them around his place all the time  and they kind of imprinted to him. He was a black smith and well known knife maker. I used to go over and sit inn his shop and shoot the bull while he made knives. The turkey pen was just outside or he'd let them run loose. If the big overhead door was open they'd come right in the shop until they seen a stranger. Then they'd start chattering and postering , it was fun. The hens were every bit as cranky as any of the gobblers and they developed a pecking order fast. Seemed like every other day a different gobbler was in charge, but the hens had one boss. I think almost all the real talk by the hens was with purrring or subtle chirps. I used to sit with a call in the shop and make a challenge purr and here would come the boss hen and maybe another or two. I wasn't surprised when the one gobbler flogged him in the movie. Come spring Joe's gobblers got aggressive. He let them out one day and they all took off with a wild flock that was calling up on the hill and they never came back. That made him happy as he felt he done his job.

I have used what I learned from those birds to kill a lot of their kind. It's not just calling turkeys it's about talking turkey. Someone posted a piece about hung up gobblers. I can tell you many times a hung up gobbler is just listening for that one tone in a call before he commits to coming. You hit the right note and he's there. Not always, but it works in many instances. THen there's the henned up gobbler. Your probably never calling him in just calling to him. I have posted this before and got a few chuckles, but it's an ace in the hold. That is when you pull out the, Hey you skanky bitch, I am taking your man and kicking your skanky arse, what you gonna do about it? Call. It's a fast gutteral sharp purr that is really hard to make. If you can pick that fight he'll come along to watch.

[EZ]

Found this to be insightful and interesting.   

https://youtu.be/F4LrW52NIeY

Have a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and great '22 season.

I read the book first "Illumination in the Flatwoods" and years late saw the film you posted.
Probably one of the most worthwhile reads and films I've ever seen or read on wild turkeys.

[MK M GOBL]

MK M GOB,  my wife's uncle raised a lot of pheasants and various fowl. A farmer brought him a clutch of eggs once and he incubated them. Most were gobblers, but a few hens. He had them around his place all the time  and they kind of imprinted to him. He was a black smith and well known knife maker. I used to go over and sit inn his shop and shoot the bull while he made knives. The turkey pen was just outside or he'd let them run loose. If the big overhead door was open they'd come right in the shop until they seen a stranger. Then they'd start chattering and postering , it was fun. The hens were every bit as cranky as any of the gobblers and they developed a pecking order fast. Seemed like every other day a different gobbler was in charge, but the hens had one boss. I think almost all the real talk by the hens was with purrring or subtle chirps. I used to sit with a call in the shop and make a challenge purr and here would come the boss hen and maybe another or two. I wasn't surprised when the one gobbler flogged him in the movie. Come spring Joe's gobblers got aggressive. He let them out one day and they all took off with a wild flock that was calling up on the hill and they never came back. That made him happy as he felt he done his job.

I have used what I learned from those birds to kill a lot of their kind. It's not just calling turkeys it's about talking turkey. Someone posted a piece about hung up gobblers. I can tell you many times a hung up gobbler is just listening for that one tone in a call before he commits to coming. You hit the right note and he's there. Not always, but it works in many instances. THen there's the henned up gobbler. Your probably never calling him in just calling to him. I have posted this before and got a few chuckles, but it's an ace in the hold. That is when you pull out the, Hey you skanky bitch, I am taking your man and kicking your skanky arse, what you gonna do about it? Call. It's a fast gutteral sharp purr that is really hard to make. If you can pick that fight he'll come along to watch.

Yes sir! Those birds taught me a lot and I use those lessons when hunting. Learning the "Biology" of both toms and hens is key. I still always chuckle when I see the latest "fad" call. decoy, and such come out. The Screaming Hen hits the high bar, I have heard hens make the sound but if you were more than 15-20yards you would have never heard it. I still use my "Woo Woo" call and even had a guy once tell me he knew that call when I was doing in a seminar. I now keep some of that stuff to myself, figure a guy needs to learn some things on their own. And I was suckered into the old MAD Dead Silence Whistle deal when I was young, learned that lesson I did.

MK M GOBL