Slams are ruining our sport

[Ctrize]

Whether we like it or not turkey hunting at one time had to be promoted and one way to do that was to create a challenge. Most hunters I know will take on a challenge in the form of hunting, it adds to the hunt. The SLAM is one way of challenging hunters and the NWTF promoted or at least keeps track it to create excitement in the sport. The SLAM was a challenge for me and the good thing about it is you can make it as though or easy as you like. Public land, bow, muzzleloader, single year or as I did what I called a slow slam. It's a great way to learn turkey habits, habitat, and see some great country. I don't profess to be a great hunter because of a slam but it has made me an efficient hunter by learning as I went. Not to mention the crazy number of encounters with wild animals not native to my home state of Michigan.

[guesswho]

Slam or no slam hunting Rio's is a real blast. Highly recommend!

I bet it is.   And I will probably find out at some point.   

[GobbleNut]

I suppose whether or not the sport of spring gobbler hunting is being "ruined", and the reason for that, is debatable.  There are no doubt places in this country where the quality of the hunting experience,...not to mention the quantity of birds available,...has suffered due to the ever-increasing interest by turkey hunters to expand their hunting horizons. 

For me, that interest is totally a result of the bird itself.  That is, of all the species of game I have hunted, spring gobbler hunting is the most enjoyable.  Wild turkeys are the ONLY species of game that I will gladly travel across the country to hunt, PERIOD.  I hunt other big game animals with a passion at other times of the year, but none of them have the "grip" on me that hunting gobblers in the spring of the year does.  If you really want to identify the bottom-line reason why spring gobbler hunting might be getting "ruined", look no further than the bird itself. 

Now, recognizing there are problem areas that have been "ruined",...and the likelihood that there will be more of that in the future,...the real question is how do we resolve it?  One of the most obvious solutions is to standardize hunting dates across the board.

Excluding Florida (and the Osceola) from this discussion, the state most often mentioned is Mississippi.  The ONLY reason Mississippi is being inundated with hunters each spring is simple because it opens up first. Spring gobbler hunters are anxious to get going each spring asap,...Mississippi (and Florida) open up first. Somebody connect the dots here, people!

The solution is so obviously simple as to make a wild turkey manager say "duuuhhhh"!  Just move the damn starting date back so that you are not the first and only state to be hunting at that time for gawds sake!! 

The fact that the entire tier of southern states have not all huddled up and said,..."hmmmm, we can solve this problem by just all of us agreeing to start our season on the same date every year",...just absolutely floors me. 

But enough for now.....   

[RutnNStrutn]

telling me how many slams you have or how many turkeys you've killed or seen die is about the least impressive thing you can tell me.

Ronnie my friend, I would never even attempt to try to impress you. You've killed more gobblers than most anyone I know, and the amount of multi-beards you've killed is ridiculous. Guys like you and Dave have "IT", whatever it is. You guys have the knack of walking in to the woods and tripping over turkeys.
Some guys have "it", but most guys don't, and likely never will.
When I talk about killing a bird, or getting a Slam, I'm not trying to brag or impress anyone. I just share my stories and hope that some of the guys on the forum will enjoy them, and laugh with me, or at me. Just like I enjoy and laugh at other guys' stories. Why be on a forum if you're not going to share?
I'd wish you luck the rest of the season, but unlike me and most guys I know,  you don't need luck. You've already got "it".

Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.

[Greg Massey]

In my opinion Covid this pass year has caused more problems with turkeys and hunters than slams. With the amount of people just going turkey hunting to get out of the house.. I think this has caused some states this pass year to change bag limited etc...