Chasing 49, where's it going

[2flyfish4]

Another member made a comment about chasing 49 in the Missouri thread. Figured I'd start a new thread instead of hijacking the Missouri thread.

But where do you think it will go? Continue being extremely popular,  hunters losing interest in it?

I can see more people losing interest in it over the next few years or so. Is there really a difference in shooting a meriams in new mexico compared to Colorado? Or an eastern in arkansas, Missouri or Tennessee? I don't think there is. I think most people chasing the 49 will realize that pretty soon, it's alot of money just to stoke your ego that your some great turkey hunter, not to mention the time commitment.

I get chasing the slams, but that's 6 birds and much more realistic.

Were do you see the 49 going?

[Dtrkyman]

No idea, I had considered it but I like the way I hunt now, travel to an area where I can visit family and hunt a few states within not too crazy distance from there.

I think I have 8 or 9 states and will definitely add to that but not interested in all of them at this point.

A friend of mine and his friend were after it pretty hard for the past few years but they were talking last season about it taking the fun out of it, they have 20 plus states.

I love hunting new places but I can do that in a more convenient way for sure!

Hell I haven't even went for an Osceola and might not ever at this point!

[Yoder409]

I have a friend who's done it.  He's poised to do it again.  His work and dedication in the pursuit are second to none.  I admire the heck outta him.

I couldn't do it.  Just not in yhe cards for several reasons.

But, with more and more states squeezing down on nonresidents...and some of the outright bullcrap some states put a guy through already.... I see the US Super Slam becoming a less popular goal as time goes on.

[GobbleNut]

I suspect there will always be a number of hunters that see the 49-state deal as a goal in turkey hunting. If that is their priority, have at it. My goal a few decades ago was to kill each of the five subspecies (the Ocellated turkey is an entirely different species), which I did several times and it took some time, effort, and dollars. I have no interest in doing it again, however.

I see the "chasing 49" as something along the same line. If that is what someone wants to do as a turkey hunter, I have no problem with it. It has never been on my personal radar because, quite honestly, it would take more time, effort, and dollars than I care to spend on that pursuit, and more importantly to me, it would misdirect my focus away from commitments, relationships, and other interests in my live that I feel are more important, deserve my attention, and which I am not willing to sacrifice.

Is it a worthy goal for a dedicated turkey hunter?  That is up to each of us to decide for ourselves. Does it lend a level of credibility to the guy that chooses to do it over another guy that chooses not to for whatever reason? Personally, I think not...but others can decide that for themselves, as well.

The question to me is what is the next step in the process of separating one turkey hunter's accomplishments from the next?  Killing a gobbler in all of the Canadian provinces, as well as New Zealand...or any other place they might now exist?  Or how about killing each of the different subspecies that exist in each state?  The dividing lines between one turkey hunter's accomplishments and the next can become endless...as well as serve no purpose of distinction among them.

To me, at some point, the goals become artificial. Each of us decides for ourselves where that point is...   

[BBR12]

I personally think there are a lot that are going to quite chasing it. That being said there may continue to be just as many new people chasing it each year as there are that quit.
I'm pretty sure a lot of folks are going to these "easy" states and finding it not so easy because now there are 4 trucks parked at every gate. I had a friend in a way out Midwest state last year and they didn't talk to a single hunter that had been successful and they weren't successful either. I know it doesn't take too many of those for it not to be fun anymore.

Myself and my buddy started it accidentally. We went to do a grand slam and while riding out west just decided to mostly go to new states every year instead of repeating states. That lead into having quite a few states before actually making it a goal and going at it pretty hard. I'm very close to completing it or I would have quit a couple years ago. I slowed way down and just made going fun again. I'll finish it whenever I do and I've killed 2x the number of states I have left in one season. I've got a few friends that are chasing it and if you asked I think every one would say "I'm. just ready to be done with it".

[Happy]

As long as there are people willing to support someone else running around doing it, then it will continue. To be honest, though,I still haven't figured out why any man would follow another man around online like an obsessed schoolgirl. It's just weird to me. The fact that people can make a living doing nothing but running around with a camera is sad. Looks worse for the people actually supporting it than the people smart enough to take advantage of it in my opinion.

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[zelmo1]

I'm chasing turkeys, but hunting memories at this point in my life. I probably wont even get to half the states but will get 100% of the memories of every hunt I do go on. To each his own, and I am definitely goal driven, its just my goals are different than anyone elses. I wish all of the 49ers good luck and I admire the effort and commitment, just not for me. Z

[appalachianassassin]

This will be my 2nd year into it. I have to say the 1st year was a blast. I suppose folks do it for different reasons, but for me its all about seeing places I've never seen and meeting all the interesting characters that come with those places. I don't have the resources(vacation time) that many seem to have but I think I can finish in 5 more years depending on success in drawing tags.

[ScottTaulbee]

It was my goal as a young hunter, something unattainable that not many had the gumption or drive to do. Now that I'm older, it's the popular thing to do, and I see the pressure they all are putting on public lands and the turkeys, I have no intention of doing it anymore. I'll get my grand slam and call it good.


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[Tom007]

The only chase I am concerned with is the chase I look forward to every season. Some people are obsessed with numbers and recognition. I thank God everyday for all the bounties he has given me in my life. I'll reverse the chasing 49 to 94, I hope that I will be blessed to still be chasing these beautiful creatures on my 94th birthday. Amen...

[ScottTaulbee]

The only chase I am concerned with is the chase I look forward to every season. Some people are obsessed with numbers and recognition. I thank God everyday for all the bounties he has given me in my life. I'll reverse the chasing 49 to 94, I hope that I will be blessed to still be chasing these beautiful creatures on my 94th birthday. Amen...

Couldn't have said it better myself. I used to be numbers driven and because my head was swollen because I was the "turkey guy" in my county and surrounding counties, I was tagging out the first two days of season and then taking half a dozen more people to tag out a season as well. That started at age 12. Then one day, when I was about 25 or so, it hit me that no one cares how many turkeys I kill, or how good at it I am, other than me. Since then, I feel like a huge weight is off me and I just enjoy the hunt and the memories. I'd rather hunt 20 days and not kill one now than hunt 2 days and kill 2. I have no interest in even trying for the grand slam until I can take the boys with me, I want to see them see new places and kill turkeys more than I do myself. I feel like I've been there and done that at this point.


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[Zach.Hannigan]

This will be my 4th season turkey hunting. I really got obsessed with turkey hunting during my 2nd season, so my whole introduction and learning about turkey hunting has been nothing but the chasing 49, instagram and youtube hunters. As a newish hunter the idea sounded cool as heck and something to brag about and you see everyone online doing it. I'll admit that I use to support and watch all of those fellas but the hunt quietly podcast has really made alot of sense to me and this year I won't be watching or supporting any of that. Won't be posting any pictures online either. This will be my first year doing alot of traveling and it's not really influenced by a goal, but instead just trying to make my season as long as possible. They shortened our season in sc so I just want to hunt somewhere a week before and couple weeks after ours close. Heck last year I had a draw hunt in Tennessee, but I hadn't killed a bird at home yet so I couldn't make myself leave home without a tag filled to go to some other state and try to kill. Home comes first for me and if I can hunt a bird here I ain't going no where. I haven't had alot of time in the space but it just makes sense that as more and more states clamp down on regs for out of staters, getting more expensive I see alot of people that are chasing 49 just to be able to post and get likes those people will fall off. But with the nwtf recruiting 1.5 million new hunters in the past decade I agree with what was said above. The ones that have been chasing 49 and quit, will be replaced by new hunters chasing 49.

[arkrem870]

The motivation for 90% of 49ers is recognition and attention.  Social media has given them a platform and they need to be celebrated. I've been asked no less than 20 times if I'm chasing the states while on the road. When I say no they look at me confused. They are always trying to swap pins/spots in other states (which I dont participate in).
I hunt and travel because I love to hunt turkeys and specifically eastern turkeys in the woods. That's my motivation. I just want to hunt

[kytrkyhntr]

Has this forum not beat this dead horse enough? 


 

[eggshell]

I like hunting turkeys and when I travel it's to extend my opportunities and has nothing to do with any special quest. I can think of several places I would like to hunt, but because they are interesting places to be as much as hunting turkeys. If it was just about killing turkeys, I would stay as close to home as possible. For example, I have never hunted MIchigan which is a neighboring state, but have traveled as far as Montana, South Dakota and Oklahoma. Those western destinations were just more appealing to me, I have seen most of MIchigan multiple times and I understand they have decent turkey hunting, but I like traveling to new places. Perhaps I will try MI. some day, but I'll probably be as interested in morel mushrooms as turkeys. Just how many turkeys does a hunter need to kill before it's just another dead turkey? I think I passed that number a few years back and now I enjoy the hunt, once I pick up a dead gobbler it's over. Kudos to those on the quest, but it's a young man's game for the most part, and I am just an old Goat (pun intended). My photo album is full, now I'm filling my soul.

KY....We're even better at beating dead horses then we are at killing turkeys, isn't this fun?