By calls alone

[Cut N Run]

I'm no "purest". When I leave the truck I am turkey hunting with a primary goal of killing a turkey. There is a reason why I lug around that 9 Lb piece of steel and wood. Of course, there are limits--baiting, roost shooting at daylight that are universally recognized as unsporting. But-- if I watch turkeys leave the roost the same way for two days in a row and pass though a gap in the woods--you can bet on the third day I'll be positioned there in hopes of killing one. Why wouldn't I? Do purests expect me to stand back and call in hopes of making them change direction?

You only gotta call once to get him to pick his head up.

Jim

[Happy]

I know I am old enough to know what Iike and what i dont like and judging by the average age thread most of you guys aught to as well. Here is my take, I want to call him in and kill him. Now I dont care if I call him five feet or 500 yards just so long as he reacted to the call. I have killed several that were just out of site and just couldn't help themselves. I have to be honest and say I flat out stalked one and killed him. He was headed my way gobbling and in love shortly after daylight and then a hen intercepted him. It was the only turkey that ever made me mad and to this day I still don't know why. Anyhow after 5 hours on my stomach in about 8" tall grass I killed him in front of about 8-10 of his hens and about 200 yards from where we started. I am still proud of that turkey. I will probably never do it again and I am fine with that too. Slipping up to within shotgun range of a gobbler during daylight hours at least takes some good stalking skills. I still would rate it far more difficult than food plots, blinds and decoys.

[mtns2hunt]

Purist that is almost a dirty word. Almost like traditionalist and it seems like these individuals cause nothing but arguments and turmoil. If it is legal in your state "then" okay as each and every person develops their own style of pursuing Turkeys. In New Mexico we called a bird but for some reason he spooked and went over the mountain. We hoped in the truck and circled around in front of him to call him in "basically ambushing" I guess. In the mean time another turkey responded and I killed him. Back to the original runner I called him in to 25 yards but he stayed behind a tree and I could only see his tail end. He is still living  on that New Mexico ranch I guess. Point is we were trying to ambush him.

I do the same in Va. I see a turkey heading up the field I will circle ahead of him and ambush him. I may or may not call to him. In my mind that is the same as running and gunning.  Perceptions differ but as long as it is legal I am okay  with it. 

[Marc]

I waterfowl hunt on one of the same properties I turkey hunt from...

He had a bunch of geese on one of his ponds, and told me how I should sneak up on them and get a bunch...  I told him that it would not be that much fun for me to kill birds that way, and I could tell by the look he gave me, he though I was a doof...

I also know that he golfs...  I asked him "If you could go golf at Pebble Beach, would you enjoy taking the ball in hand and dropping it in every hole for a perfect score?"  He laughed, but he got it...

I have enough turkeys that I still have to kill the birds on "my terms."  I understand that "my terms" differ from others...  I enjoy tricking a bird to come to me.  I especially enjoy the vocal interaction of calling and gobbling (although I have no issues with taking a bird that comes in silently to my calling).

I have (and will) kill birds over decoys...  It can be a different interaction for sure, and there is a big difference from a bird slowly coming your direction looking for that hen he cannot see, and a bird coming to your calling, seeing those decoys and come running in to address that jake decoy (when he first sees it).

I enjoy the anticipation, and that bird slowly coming in almost shatters my nerves sometimes...  I Love IT!