Slams are ruining our sport

[SD_smith]

Everybody has an opinion so here's mine.  I disagree with your assessment.  Some may use it as BRAGGING rights but you are lumping everyone that has a SLAM into that assessment.  I have my Slam but for me, it was about the total experience, the travel, hunting different states and Most Important about the fellowship of my friends and people I met and traveled with along the way.  Florida (killed a bird in shorts and t-shirt VERY MEMORABLE HUNT), Kansas and hunting Merriam's in 6 inches of snow was Fantastic.  Every aspect of these hunts had Wonderful Memories, that I will hold on to for the rest of my life.  NO BRAGGING, Just FUN!

This is much like me.

Never was a slam chaser.   I just love travelling........ hunting different birds in different terrains.   Technically, I have taken 2 Royal Slams.    Officially, I have never registered a single bird nor will I.    At this point in my turkey hunting journey, I have exact NOTHING to prove to anyone but myself.   

YMMV

The journey is the reward.

I will say I was excited for the finish of my first slam. To me it was just the culmination of so much time, effort, and learning put together and that was the result. Now, I just go where it pleases me regardless of the subspecies.


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[Ross R]

I will hopefully get it eventually. I love being in South Florida and hunting the swamps but I would love to hunt them out west eventually in a total different terrain.

[CAPTJJ]

Sorry for being part of ruining the sport. Never registered any toms but sure have had fun travelling and hunting them in different areas. May have bragged a little but I am sure proud of the achievements.

[Howie g]

Dang ,,, and all this time I thought it was the Democratic Party and decoys ruining our sport !!
   

[Yoder409]

The journey is the reward.

^^^^^

This.

[J Lacey]

I did em for myself as a personal goal and accomplishment. Nothing more. Great way to explore the country we live in.  Made lifelong friendships because of it.  Plenty of stuff to complain about these days other than how another chooses to do his own little deal.
  My current goal is to kill a bird in every state featured in the movie lonesome dove. My lonesome dove slam.  I got most of em marked off.

[chow hound]

Let me say it a different way.  If there wasn't something called a grand slam being hyped in every corner of social media, Osceola turkey hunts wouldn't cost $2000 and kids growing up in FL would have more places to be introduced to the sport.  The concept is great, but the reality is that it is just commercializing turkey hunting which leads to less access.  You can't recruit new hunters if the cost of entry into the sport is high.  You see it in the popular Merriams areas where everything is leased up and not many years ago access was as simple as knocking on doors.  Because of more and more people pursuing the US slam, I bet you will see more and more land leased in states where no one would ever travel to for turkey hunting outside of the slam (like CT).

[Hobbes]

If someone can't find a Merriam's to hunt, they are looking in the wrong places.

[compton30]

Yeah you've just lost me with this one.

Do you have to work harder or pay more money to go kill an Osceola because of the Grand Slam? Sure, but whether the Grand Slam ever came to exist or not, once they were given their own subspecies designation, there was always going to be a supply and demand issue due to their scarcity vs the other subspecies. Is it RUINING the sport? Obviously not.

The cost of entry is too high? What? Just because I happen to have nice hunting gear doesn't mean it's an absolute necessity to go hunting. I could go buy a gun, shells, camo, boots, and a call for under $500. Would it be the best? Again, obviously not, but would I be equipped to kill a turkey? Absolutely.

This entire argument seems based in emotion, rather than facts, so I'd like to add some speculation of my own. I bet less than 1% of Turkey hunters even know what the US Super Slam is, let alone are pursuing it at a rate that would cause massive amounts of landowners to lock out hunters nagging for access.

You also can't blame people for realizing they have a desired commodity that they can make money off if they charge people to hunt their land. Sure it sucks to have to pay for something that used to be free. And if you don't wanna pay for it, you don't have to! But you're going to have to work harder than the people that can pay for it, as their are surely more who can't or won't.

There are things out there that could certainly ruin turkey hunting. The Grand Slam is not one of them.

[joey46]

Years ago, on a now defunct forum, this was discussed and turned into a real pissin' match when it was suggested that there is a BIG difference in types of "slams".  It was suggested a slam taken on public land may be worth bragging about while one taken while being led around by a guide on private land maybe not so much.  I get the point.  Given unlimited time and unlimited $$$ I think an annual slam is doable for just about anyone.  I've chased these big birds since the 1970s and crossed the Eastern and Osceola off my public land " slam list".   Two down and two to go. I know there is almost zero chance for a public land American Goulds so that's a write off for me.  I'll hope to keep at it and for those that pull it off more power to you.

[ChesterCopperpot]

What kind of slam is it if you kill a bird in every county of your home state?


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[eggshell]

Everybody has an opinion so here's mine.  I disagree with your assessment.  Some may use it as BRAGGING rights but you are lumping everyone that has a SLAM into that assessment.  I have my Slam but for me, it was about the total experience, the travel, hunting different states and Most Important about the fellowship of my friends and people I met and traveled with along the way.  Florida (killed a bird in shorts and t-shirt VERY MEMORABLE HUNT), Kansas and hunting Merriam's in 6 inches of snow was Fantastic.  Every aspect of these hunts had Wonderful Memories, that I will hold on to for the rest of my life.  NO BRAGGING, Just FUN!

This is much like me.

Never was a slam chaser.   I just love travelling........ hunting different birds in different terrains.   Technically, I have taken 2 Royal Slams.    Officially, I have never registered a single bird nor will I.    At this point in my turkey hunting journey, I have exact NOTHING to prove to anyone but myself.   

YMMV

I agree, I have one slam and I enjoyed all the experiences and places a lot. They are some of my favorite memories in 48 years of turkey hunting. I believe the NWTF started this when they started keeping records on scores. I am with you I have never registered a bird and don't intend to.  I think there are a lot of record birds out there that were never registered, I know of one. I like trying new places and birds, it's more hunting. I don't have any problem with the social media posters, they are the same ones that took their birds to local bait shops and gun stores to get pictures on the bulletin boards before the internet. If it makes you happy then good for you. I know some good guys that like to brag and post pics, and I know some idiots that couldn't kill a cricket and still brag. An idiot slob is who he is because of how he treats others and the sport, you can't lump everyone who likes to take on a challenge as an idiot, ruining the sport. Actually, my attitude towards the social media posters and videographers has tempered some after discussions here. I have determined I'd probably enjoy hunting with some of them. I used to think they were all slobs....sometimes we're just wrong

[RED NECK]

No,I don't believe ethical turkey hunters that have a goal is ruining turkey hunting but I do believe that trespassers,poachers and thieves are a  stain on all hunting and we need to weed that trash out and report them every time.

[mtns2hunt]

Everybody has an opinion so here's mine.  I disagree with your assessment.  Some may use it as BRAGGING rights but you are lumping everyone that has a SLAM into that assessment.  I have my Slam but for me, it was about the total experience, the travel, hunting different states and Most Important about the fellowship of my friends and people I met and traveled with along the way.  Florida (killed a bird in shorts and t-shirt VERY MEMORABLE HUNT), Kansas and hunting Merriam's in 6 inches of snow was Fantastic.  Every aspect of these hunts had Wonderful Memories, that I will hold on to for the rest of my life.  NO BRAGGING, Just FUN!

x2

[RutnNStrutn]

There's so much out there "ruining our sport" right now that most of you really should just quit.  I know I'd have a lot better time hunting if I didn't have to run into any of you while chasing my slam on Kodiak island while avoiding brown bear.

Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.