Goal or Obsession?

[Clif Owen]

I see Mrs. Z killing a big turkey this spring...and Mr. Z..well..he's gonna whine about that costing his team the championship.

[Moore]

I would take the mature bird, but that is just me.

[ferocious calls]

Hunted 1 old boy for 19 mornings before everything came together.
Certainly one of the most memorable seasons.

Had that joker in range 4 times on day 2, but didn't feel good about the shot or he is 15 yds with no shot.

Potato patch was his name. 1.5" spurs on that devil.

Good luck!!

[Marc]

How many birds you gonna' harvest (yourself) off the property?

If it is one, I would probably pass a few times if birds are amenable to be called in...  If it is 3, I would probably take em' as they come at first.  If you are coming to the last third of the season, without opportunity, I would take what you get...

I have gone after specific birds for a season, and been successful...  Which is extremely gratifying.  I have also gone after specific birds and ended with an empty tag due to holding out...  Which is somewhat disappointing.

[deathfoot]

I assume you only have one tag or limited time.

If that's the case, take a mature tom. If you've got plenty of time, see what happens.

If you've got just one tag it'll be hard to pass up any mature gobbler.

I was told by a land owner once he had a huge beard on his farm. I got lucky and got him on my first trip there. But when I shot him I was calling in another bird and he just showed up drumming. And I didn't realize it was the farms big beard when I shot him. I saw a strutter with a full fan...but when I got to him I realized. Biggest bird I've ever killed to this day.

Main thing...have fun. And do what's best for you.

[Zobo]

Hold out for Grampus👍

[WV Flopper]

 Let your finger do the talking when the time is right.

Enjoy your hunts.

[Zobo]

Z, you shoot a regular turkey or two, and tag out. You've been there and done that many times. So now all you're thinking about all summer long is the big guy. 

[TrackeySauresRex]

Too many variables. But not a bad predicament to be in. However.. I'd have to ask myself, how big is the farm, how many tags do I have and how many days will I'll be able to get after them.

  Personally for my liking.. it really wouldn't matter. I would just love to be out on a great hunt. If they want to play on the day you two are out and he's a gobbling fool with a full fan... I'm happy, tickled pink for that matter. I'm filling the tag.
ORrrrrrr, I should say... My wife fills the tag. 

[nyturkeyduster]

I'll wait on the strutter sometimes. But I don't make a habit of passing long beards.

Same here!

[Gooserbat]

Id shoot a satellite tom and let him continue the breeding.

[YoungGobbler]

Let your finger do the talking when the time is right.

Enjoy your hunts.

Lot's of guys do a lot of talking with their fingers on the phone but then when season starts and mr tom comes in range their fingers tells another story  haha

[GobbleNut]

Here are my personal parameters:
Private property, lots of birds, single tag, and a long season...I am holding out for a good one.
Private property or limited permits, lots of birds, multiple tags...shoot the first mature gobbler and then hold out for a whopper (for a while).
Public property, few birds, lots of hunters...shoot whatever mature bird comes along.
Public property, lots of birds, multiple tags, long season...shoot first mature gobbler then maybe hold out for a whopper (or maybe not, depending on my attitude)

I usually hunt one (or more) of each type every spring. My attitude about pulling the trigger changes with each one. In addition, since I rarely hunt where I have any chance of evaluating spurs prior to pulling the trigger, my personal definition of a "whopper' gobbler is strictly a function of beard length, whether the bird is a strutter or not.

[WV Flopper]

@YoungGobbler: Not quite what I meant but I'd bet you are 100% correct!

[Hook hanger]

One of the best posts I've seen in a while. I first started on a farm like this and have my farms like this now. Seeing and watching distinctive toms over the years is fun in its self. I've had the opportunity to do what this topic asks many times. I've been rewarded over the years on these types of senerios but its the memories I've made on these type of farms that really stand out. One of my favorites was watching 18 long beards strutting in same 60ac field that hunt was one of the best father/son doubles in my memories. We weren't picky that morning but killed a couple decent birds 25lb 1.25" spur and a 23.5lb 1.125" spur bird. We both talked about which of the big ones we were going after next. And yes we both got picky both successful later in season picking out birds that had distinct features. Long spurs, heavy weight birds, extremely long beards, and multiple bearded birds were always targeted on that farm well before trail cameras were available. It was just perfectly set up to be close to watch these birds and see them regularly throughout the year. Some of the good ones over the years stats were 27lb bird 1.75" spurred bird 12.5" bearded bird numerous multi-beard birds multiple spurred bird  just to name a few most of these stats came from when birds had to be brought to a check-in station back in the day.