Turkey hunter Vs Turkey Killer?

[jhoward11]

Gotta be a Hunter before your a killer. Much rather be called a Hunter than a killer. If I don't kill something, it doesn't mean I wasn't successful. I may have learned a lot while in the woods. I may have just enjoyed the experience of being able to be there. I'm a Hunter!!!

[ScottTaulbee]

" I don't want to offend anyone, but why are we finding one more way to vilianize our fellow hunters?"

. this is Egg shells quote




Because the green monster is raising his ugly head 

Agree ... We have enough people in Washington wanting to take what little rights away that we have left... So my suggestion is you better start supporting each other ... In fighting the resistance ... IMO ...
[/quote]
I didn't mean for this to take the turn it did. In my neck of the woods calling someone a turkey killer would be similar to comparing them to, say, Dick Kirby, Knight and Hale, Brad Harris, Ray Eye, etc. It's a compliment and I didn't realize so many people consider it a bad thing. We're all in the same boat here and if you're hunting legally and up to the standards you consider ethical, then by god have fun. I don't care if y'all use TSS, Scopes, red dots, decoys, 10 gauges or slingshots. What y'all do is between your conscience and the good lord. That's what makes turkey hunting different than anything else, there's hundreds of ways to do it and none of them are wrong. As long as you respect the birds and hunt legally, we have a lot in common. One thing that I'll never agree with is fanning and the use of words like "thunder chicken". If y'all think those are fine practices, then we have nothing more in common other than the fact we like to shoot turkeys.


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[Burtwill]

It really surprised me reading through SC DNR's turkey harvest reports. Starting a few years ago every turkey harvest has to be reported through the app or telecheck, so they should have pretty good data. It shows that only 2% of hunters get their bag limit of 3 birds.

2%!!!! I would have guessed closer to 25%. Makes me feel good to know I'm usually a 2%'r.

Good read even if you're not from SC. Lot's of good info.

https://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/turkey/2022TurkeyHarvest.html

I am from SC and was surprised with this number too. but man our numbers were awful on harvest we are definitely in a significant decline makes you wonder if you should even be trying to shoot your limit.

[wyetterp]

It really surprised me reading through SC DNR's turkey harvest reports. Starting a few years ago every turkey harvest has to be reported through the app or telecheck, so they should have pretty good data. It shows that only 2% of hunters get their bag limit of 3 birds.

2%!!!! I would have guessed closer to 25%. Makes me feel good to know I'm usually a 2%'r.

Good read even if you're not from SC. Lot's of good info.

https://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/turkey/2022TurkeyHarvest.html

I am from SC and was surprised with this number too. but man our numbers were awful on harvest we are definitely in a significant decline makes you wonder if you should even be trying to shoot your limit.

My understanding is our numbers have a well balanced ratio, which is very important. At least according to SCDNR. If you can get your 3 tag limit, do it. I wouldn't hesitate with that because it's also helpful in keep our ratio where it's better for the turkeys. I don't think it's the hunters putting a dent in the population. It is more the habitats & critters doing more damage than us. We are only a small part of it & actually helping. I personally wasn't happy when we went down to a 3 bird limit. Their numbers show we, as a whole, aren't killing anywhere near what it could be with the number of tags issued.  Get your 3 birds! Your not hurting but actually helping. And for the love of god, please don't let dnr know you think 3 birds may be too much. Those dang bureaucrats are already making all kinds of stupid decisions for us. A lot of their recent proposals & surveys are more geared to just more restrictions (which really just means more money for them) & more regulations, which we don't need. They already screwed us with the deer tag restrictions.

[Gobbler428]

This is all semantics, but my personal differentiation would be that one operates within a framework of ethics and fair chase while the other operates from a belief of by any means necessary. I won't roost shoot. I won't fire at birds on the wing. I won't fire at birds on the run. I want to win the game, and plenty of days they just flat beat you. If that means not killing, so be it. I'll be back tomorrow.


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X2

[El Pavo Grande]

It's a tricky question, but there are killers that aren't really "turkey hunters" in my opinion, based on how those turkeys are killed.  Killing turkeys don't necessarily mean one is what I would consider a true turkey hunter.  Some are more successful than others, but #s are often relative to how often one hunts and / or where one hunts.  I think many lose sight of that.  A guy that kills 2 per year may be a better hunter than the guy that kills 10 per year.  I don't much care for or respect self proclaimed killers. 

[Cowboy]

It's not about the numbers , it's how you play the game to me. Rather be known as a HUNTER than as a KILLER any day.

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[squeaky]

Oh boy, you are looking for trouble asking this group what the difference is.   
We'll see where this ends up...   

To me, personally, there are multiple connotations that apply to each term,...and I will be willing to bet that there are folks here that will adamantly disagree with my definitions.  In the end, it is all a matter of personal perspective on what the terms mean to each of us.

First and foremost, I view anybody that goes afield, regardless of their experience or abilities, as a "turkey hunter" if they are fundamentally hunting with the best interest of the resource in mind as their first priority.  In addition, a "turkey hunter" has an ethical and moral foundation that is based on respect for the resource, the regulations established in pursuing it, the hunting public that he shares the pursuit of that resource with, and also the non-hunting public which forms it opinions on hunters based on how they behave and present themselves. 

On the other hand, a "turkey killer" may or may not fit into my definition of a "turkey hunter". To me, he may be acknowledged as a "turkey killer" only in the sense that he has enough experience, knowledge, and abilities that he is likely to kill more turkeys in any given situation than the average turkey hunter.  ...But unless he fits the definition outlined above as a "turkey hunter", that individual will receive, nor is deserving of, any respect or recognition in my mind. 

Unfortunately, again in my mind, a "turkey killer" also sometimes connotates a hunter with any level of experience whose attitude is centered around killing a turkey, possibly by whatever means is necessary, in order to satisfy their ego and meet the approval of their perceived audience.  Numbers of kills are often of paramount importance, regardless of the impacts on the resource, the methodology used to achieve those numbers, or how they impact other hunters.  They have little or no concerns about the elements listed in my definition of a "turkey hunter" outlined above. There will be those who praise these kinds of people based on the numbers of kills they have, but to me, these types,...often referred to by some as "turkey killers"...are the embarrassment and scourge of the hunting community.

In summary, nobody is a "turkey killer" unless they are a "turkey hunter" first.   

This break down is spot on in my personal opinion. Being from the South I have ran across several that fall into the last category.

[bowbird87]

It goes both ways! I know guys that kill one bird a year that are incredible turkey hunters. They hunt highly pressured public land birds that are extremely hard to hunt. I also know a few that have excellent ground with little to no pressure. They have no problem filling a limit every year decoying birds in food plots. From the outside looking in hunter B looks like the killer, but in reality hunter A is the guy you don't want to see parked at your gate.

[HillclimberWV]

Growing up in West Virginia where rifles are legal during spring turkey season I knew several turkey "killers". One gentleman was particularly hard on the local turkey population. He would kill his limit plus some every year and never owned a turkey call. He would kill most of the birds he got out of a truck window with a .223. One time I was talking to my dad about it and how I thought people like him gave hunters a bad name, and my dad's response was he's no hunter he is just a killer. To him the success was having a dead bird and not about enjoying the experience.

As an avid bear hunter we used this same nomenclature for people that filled their bear tag every year but never owned a dog. They were just in it for the kill. All training season they were nowhere to be found but the day kill season started they were right there.

This to me has always been the difference between a hunter and a killer. If your happiness with your hunt is based only the kill and not the journey then you are a killer.

Like everybody else prior to me has said this is all semantics and if you are comfortable with how you hunt and you are doing it legally don't worry about titles or labels that other people might put on you.

[Prospector]

I kinda have to agree with later posts. Turkey Hunter is kinda where I personally want to end up. We all probably in a way start out as 'killers'; meaning our vision of success is based on limits and numbers. In the last 30+ seasons I place a lot more emphasis on how a hunt unfolds rather than the end result. Don't get me wrong; I like to kill a gobbler BUT how I get there means a lot more. I have my own 'rules' that go beyond what the fish and game Dept term as legal means....
Also I view a real turkey hunter as a person who thinks turkey all year long. For example, if you plant a food plot there's something there for the bird. You trap or you might sacrifice a deer hunt to take out a coyote/bobcat ( when legal ...). Maybe you prescribe burn when u can or you leave nesting cover around fields etc.
Occasionally, I get pulled in to our local FB Turkey hunter pages.... Lotta ' killers' there. Armchair athletes that show up opening day and never think about turkey again til Thanksgiving... just my opinion.

[Turkeybutt]

This is all semantics, but my personal differentiation would be that one operates within a framework of ethics and fair chase while the other operates from a belief of by any means necessary. I won't roost shoot. I won't fire at birds on the wing. I won't fire at birds on the run. I want to win the game, and plenty of days they just flat beat you. If that means not killing, so be it. I'll be back tomorrow.

Agree wholeheartedly