killing silent birds

[SouthEastNC]

Wondering if anybody else has this same "problem"

For me, there's nothing better than harvesting a bird that gobbled well and you had to keep working till he finally couldn't resist (I hunt hardwoods, so I can't see a bird till he's about in gun range). Or you work an angry hen over to you and she brings a tom with her. Or he's henned-up with some gals that are taking him away from you, you figure out where they're headed, circle around and get in front of them. You know... when there is gamesmanship involved.

Some years, though, they just aren't gobbling well, so you don't really have the opportunity to "chase" or "dance with" them. So you get desperate.... you're walking around and you spot one off in the distance walking your way but his head is down pecking and he hasn't seen you. So you drop down and crawl over a few feet to some tall grass and wait for him... you call a little hoping he'll gobble or strut or just do anything to show he's somewhat dominant, but he just passively makes his way to you... and as soon as you shoot him you almost regret it.

Or you put out a decoy or two in a foodplot and call occasionally. Finally one appears and slowly makes his way to your dekes but never struts or gobbles.... you kill him, and immediately wish you had that tag back.

I'm not talking about a smart old Tom that has learned not to gobble. I'm talking about where you killed a bird that didn't require using any skill.... and in my experience, those birds have not usually turned out to be monsters.

Am I alone on this?

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update:
Well.... I have to say that I have officially changed my tune.

I turkey hunted with a friend a few times in 2006 and killed my first bird that year. In 2007 I started hunting hard on my family's land here in southeast NC (less than an hour out of town, so am able to hunt a lot of weekdays before work) and have always at least filled my 2 tags, and usually helped some friends kill birds too.

This year, I goose-egged. My wife and I had our first child back in January, so I didn't get to hunt as hard as I normally do (went 2-3 days a week instead of 4-5)... but I still went MORE than enough times that it's no excuse. Unfortunately, only 5 mornings did I actually find gobbling birds, and each time things just didn't work out (henned-up, water between us {happens pretty often in the swampy river-woods I hunt}, coyote came in and ran them off, and the last one hung up at 50 yards and finally walked away). Every season till now - even if the birds aren't gobbling, I'll have found good strut zones or dusting areas that I can go to.... but this year, they weren't using the areas that they used to, and I wasn't able to find the new spots. The only bird I was able to spot without bumping it while walking the roads mid-morning, it was a hen. Luck just wasn't on my side this season.

SO.... from now on, I'm just going to be happy each time I get one. If I got to work him for a while, I guess that's just icing on the cake.

[guesswho]

I have more I wished I had killed than ones I wished I hadn't killed. 

I'm not much on taking a free one or shooting them over decoy's.  But if I worked for him and he get's in range I hate it for him, even if he didn't gobble coming in.   

[Duke0002]

I don't hunt silent birds any different than loud mouth birds.  If they're interested in my calling/decoy, they'll advance.  If they're not interested, they'll go about whatever it is they're doing.

[Arra]

Fried wild turkey that came in silent tastes just like the ones that come in gobbling....

[redleg06]

If I get in a position and he walks down my gun barrel, gobbling or not, I'm not feeling bad for him...

[CntrlPA]

No mercy.

Which scenario would you take? A longbeard that runs right to your decoys or a jake that you have to work for 2 hours? One of my favorite hunts ever was a jake I shot before work one morning.

[TrackeySauresRex]

Theres nothing like a gobbling,strutting Tom coming across a field 100 yards long to your setup. Sometimes, I feel cheated on a bird who wont gobble for me. However,.... I get over it real quick   

[strut2]

I agree with you for the most part. That's what it all about when they are gobbling their heads off and all puffed up strutting their way in. That's what gets my blood pumping. But when I kill one that isn't fired up it is alittle of a let down but I don't get too upset because I think of the birds that were hotter than a firecracker that I didn't get.. It equals out in my opinion. I won't shoot one if I am walking and just happen to cross paths with a gobbler. I've had it happen more than once and I personally wouldnt get any enjoyment out of it.

[SouthEastNC]

I think if we were allowed more than 2 a year here in NC, I wouldn't mind it. I just hate losing a tag on a non-epic hunt.

[dirt road ninja]

The only ones I pass are the birds I cross paths with in range while walking to the truck not actively hunting. We see each other at the same time and I can shoot, but I chose not to. If that same bird is 60 yards out and I can hide behind a tree and he wanders in range, he's going to turkey heaven.

[wvcurlytop]

Your alone on this..

I've had enough get away and I regret ALL of those.  So anytime I can give one a dirt nap, I'm happy..

[Spring_Woods]

It's the same luck used when you reverse nature and have one coming in gobbling his brains out.

It's not the ideal way, but you didn't buy a tag to pass birds.

[El Pavo Grande]

 I'm not passing one up in that situation.  As others said, it all equals out.

[birdyhunter]

Most of my big longbeards have been silent birds. A lot of times I will scout areas and watch the same birds for several days in a row before the season so I know where they are and what they do. I have killed several birds by setting up on their travel routes and softly calling and they never made a peep. Spurs on the wall are better than birds in my memory imo.

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[Garrett Trentham]

If you feel restricted by the number of tags you get, start taking other people. I easily fill my tags each year here in NC, plenty of opportunities for me to get two birds. Since I realized this and wanted to extend my hunting time beyond my two birds, I started taking other people. For the past few seasons I have called in and helped other people kill their birds. Taking another person, especially one that may not be as experienced, has been a highly rewarding experience and is something I look forward to every season. Plus, with the youth season, I get to hit the woods a week earlier than I would have otherwise. NC is full of hunters that would love to try turkey hunting, but don't know where to start.