Why do you turkey hunt?

[ScottTaulbee]

The other day, my 5 year old and myself were out doing some coon calling and I could tell that she wasn't having a good time, she has been with me turkey, deer, squirrel hunting etc, she's killed squirrels and a nice buck herself, and what was once excitement from her is now asking to go home in a hour after arriving to where we're gonna hunt. We sat on a ridge on the walk out and had a fairly deep conversation and I explained to her that it's ok if she doesn't like to hunt. She said she does like to hunt sometimes but she basically goes to spend time with me. I work a lot and we don't get a lot of free time together. And she said she's more comfortable and "cozy" spending time at our house. I told her I understand that, but for me I'm most comfortable outdoors, that it feels more like home than any house ever has. She said she understands and we went on to eat at a restaurant of her choice and spend her type of time together. But it had me thinking, I've turkey hunted for 22 years this year, I started at 6 years old. Our statewide season here in KY opened in 96 and I started in 01. Nobody knew how to hunt turkey and if you got one then you were gonna be in the paper. I got my first one in 2006 and since then I've called in and killed or helped others kill over 110 birds by my records. I don't turkey hunt for the mystique as much as I did as a kid, and I've certainly gotten myself to the point of knowing that if I sit to a bird there is high chances it's riding home with me, but I have the same excitement as I did the first time I ever made one gobble. I've thought about it for a few days as to why I turkey hunt, I don't need the meat, I've proven to myself that I can routinely call in and kill the mysterious gobbler, so why do I do it?. Because it's home. For a few weeks a year I get to put on my camo and vest that feels like your favorite pajamas, I get to go to my favorite places I've ever been on earth, and I get to use my calls that I've put in so many thousands of hours with over the years and talk the language I've studied my whole life to learn. And when it comes to it, that's why I turkey hunt now. It's being in my favorite places, with my favorite things and feeling that peace like I'm finally where I was supposed to be.

So, why do you turkey hunt?


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[Tom007]

Simply put for me, spring is my favorite season, the weather changes, winter leaves, flowers bloom. Everything comes back to life. Then, "The Gobble". My adrenaline starts pumping when I hear that Gobble. The anticipation of an adversarial duel that takes place in the beautiful spring woods gets me out of bed in the middle of the night for 2 months every year. This pursuit has become an obsession, not a dangerous one, but a healthy one. I look forward to the several mile hikes up the mountains and through the ridges and ravines hoping to strike up such a duel. I hunt all types of game, but there is nothing that rivals hunting these guys. It's like an intense chess game between two fine players where the best move wins. Lord knows we both have our share of victories, as well as defeats. This sums it up for me I guess....great post.

[Yoder409]

I could type paragraphs............chapters........about why.  But the bottom line is simple.........

I can't NOT.

[Tail Feathers]

Keep hunts with your daughter short.  The attention span at 5 isn't very long.  Keep those hunts light, fun and short. 

As for why I turkey hunt, that could be a long post.  The gobble, the sunrises, the chase, the thrill of a gobbler closing in, the spring woods, the travels I've had the the people I've met...and did I mention the gobble?!?!   

[Greg Massey]

It's all about getting to play the game whether your successful or not. It's all about the chase and hearing that gobbler fire off on the roost. After his feet hit the ground then it's all about you trying to lure him in your direction with your calling. Regardless if he has hens with him or not and using what you have learned in hunting and calling these gobblers. I agree with Tom it's an adrenaline rush  ... The Excitement, and the rush of adrenaline is just hard to describe until you call up your first gobbler and have him flopping on the ground. If you don't kill him today, hopefully you will get another chance in the future. Practice, patience and learning to hunt these gobblers so one day you will have the experience of a lifetime in killing a gobbler. After that your hooked for life in hunting these birds. That's why I turkey hunt. I will also add because of turkey hunting I've gotten to meet a huge following of call builders and friends on this forum and beyond over the years. So in my opinion, it's all been a great experience and priceless in why I turkey hunt.

[ScottTaulbee]

All great answers, I like seeing what motivates different people and the varying answers. I definitely like the gobble too. And I couldn't imagine not getting to play the game. My absolute favorite part of turkey hunting is the calls and calling. How, no matter how much you practice, you'll never beat a real hen. Yet I constantly practice on multiple callers to get better but most importantly because it's fun!.


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[bbcoach]

Turkey hunting is an interactive sport.  It allows you to match your wits with your quarry.  You scout, setup, call and hopefully harvest a bird using YOUR knowledge of, calling prowess and luck (right place at the right time) of a longbeard looking for Love.  When everything falls into place and that bird comes in to 20 yards or less, spitting and drumming and with earth shaking gobbles, Nothing and I mean NOTHING, gets your heart and adrenaline pumping more.  Whether you pull the trigger or not, it is a VERY exciting time being in the Spring woods.

[Cowboy]

Love the Spring woods. Love hearing the first gobble of the year. Love working gobblers and them working me. It's like a natural thing. Like breathing air. I am sometimes astonished when I ask someone if they turkey hunt and the say NO or say they only hunt deer. I still remember the first one I killed like it was yesterday and even the first trip out with my Dad, Grandpa  and Uncle Joe and I didn't even carry a gun. Several seasons ago and still remember that ride to the woods in my Uncle Joe's 1976 black Chevy 4x4. It was fairly new at the time too. Remember hearing that first gobble EVER! Good times. Good times....

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[guesswho]

I was born into it, raised up in it, and hope to go out doing it.   Both my parents were phenomenal turkey hunters, so it's just life for me.   

[eggshell]

I do as a service to mankind,  they are tools of the devil that cause men to lose their religion and should die...ok,  in all seriousness, I wold just say ditto to all the previous responses. The spring, the strategy, the interaction and it's spring

[deathfoot]

To me, turkey hunting is what it's about to be alive. Sitting in the woods at dark, listening to the woods come alive in the spring. Waiting to hear that first gobble. Patiently waiting to make that first tree yelp and listening to him or them respond.

It's about talking to the gobbler and dancing with him. It gets your blood boiling. It's not about the kill it's about the experience.

And as a fall hunter as well, it's still about the interaction. The busting up the flock and calling them back in. Listening to all the turkeys talk trying to regroup. I've all but given up on any other type of hunting. Yea, I'll deer hunt but that's just to pass time and go for some peace and quit. But turkey hunting...man, that's where it's at. Coming alive. And happy to be alive to listen to this wonderful animal talk and the anticipation of the dance.

Even on a quiet day when nothing is gobbling. It's the anticipation that the next time I call, a gobble might erupt. It gives me goose bumps just thinking about it. We are so blessed the good Lord created such a bird!

[Happy]

It's hard to keep this short and sweet. For me, it's always been an infatuation with these birds from birth. No one in my family hunted them. They were a target of opportunity. Being able to go out with just a turkey call and a shotgun and somewhat consistently call up and kill a gobbler is the epitome of hunting skill in my mind. I love the chess match. Reading the situation and reacting accordingly. That and the gobble. I will never get over the gobble.

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[Hook hanger]

Doesn't matter to me spring or fall it has always been the interaction of calling these birds in. Was born into it and was taken on turkey hunts at a very young age. Has always seemed like a way of life to me. The ultimate chess match with nature. Just waiting for the next time I can put a quarter in the machine and play again.

[Tom007]

It's all about getting to play the game whether your successful or not. It's all about the chase and hearing that gobbler fire off on the roost. After his feet hit the ground then it's all about you trying to lure him in your direction with your calling. Regardless if he has hens with him or not and using what you have learned in hunting and calling these gobblers. I agree with Tom it's an adrenaline rush  ... The Excitement, and the rush of adrenaline is just hard to describe until you call up your first gobbler and have him flopping on the ground. If you don't kill him today, hopefully you will get another chance in the future. Practice, patience and learning to hunt these gobblers so one day you will have the experience of a lifetime in killing a gobbler. After that your hooked for life in hunting these birds. That's why I turkey hunt. I will also add because of turkey hunting I've gotten to meet a huge following of call builders and friends on this forum and beyond over the years. So in my opinion, it's all been a great experience and priceless in why I turkey hunt.

Your right here Greg. Turkey hunting brought this forum family together, for that I am sure we are all grateful.....

[TauntoHawk]

I'm going to over simplify things but I've been asked this before...



It's pure, there isn't much left in hunting that still feels as pure 1 v 1 in nature as tangling with a lone gobbler on a hardwoods ridge.

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