killing silent birds

[Cutt]

If you don't want to shoot birds that don't gobble, look for one that will. I know around here birds seem to gobble way less too, but with some leg work running and gunning, I've gotten quite a few birds to respond late morning. Some died, some didn't, as with any type of turkey hunting.

I like to run and gun and cover some area, and even when birds aren't talking that much, I'd say I get a response 4 out 5 days. And this is all on pressured Gamelands, you just have to find the right bird that will play. And over the years running and gunning I notice birds responding, as you are closing in on them. I believe a lot of times they might not gobble at your call in the distant, but if your lucky enough to be moving towards them, it gets them excited as they think a hen is coming. Just something I noticed, and have good luck with.

[SouthEastNC]

Ha, that's exactly why some years I'll get desperate and take one in a way I mentioned - I'd wait till I'd gotten one for myself before taking other people. Starting this year, I think I'll focus more on taking other people regardless of how I've done.

[headbanger]

Loud mouthed or lockjawed, if I work him and he walks in front of the end of my barrel, he's dead. I'll just assume he wanted what I was offering

[SouthEastNC]

Head banger - that's what I mean, shooting one I didn't really "work"

Anyway, was just curious. Thanks for the replies

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

I won't kill one I walk up on, startle and have a chance to kill in the seconds before he flees the scene.

However, if I spot a bird walking in or out, devise a plan to kill him, and it works, that bird is in trouble.

If there is no "sport" or challenge in the kill, I don't want it.

[appalachianstruttstopper]

I know a person who only likes to stalk turkeys by sneaking on them like an Indian. I took him with me and called a long beard up for him that was hotter than a firecracker and he passed on it. He told me it just didn't have the thrill like the way he had been hunting. So I guess it is what ever trips your trigger. For me, I have called in silent birds, and over the past few years we have had alot less gobbling than before because of dogs and coyotes. If I have worked the bird gobbling or not and he commits to my area in shotgun range, he better watch out. I will not shoot one that I "happen upon" but I know people who do.

[bangflop]

I really like the comments you've gotten on this one.  Silent or gobbling, if you put yourself in a position to harvest a nice bird, it is your choice.  I'm not sure why you are feeling bad; I can tell you've hunted enough to know that there were lots of birds that you thought were going to be easy kills that got a way, so taking one that isn't text book once in a while is just evens some of that out.  I'm a self proclaimed proffessional  caller and I can tell you that come the last days of season and I'm able to put my self in a position to kill a nice gobbler he's getting and arrow stuck in him or a bad case of jelly head.

[SouthEastNC]

Well... I mean, it's not that I feel "bad"... more "underwhelmed".... I like hunts where I can't wait to write about them because they were so much fun.

[870FaceLift]

Honestly, my heart goes nuts whenever I see or hear a turkey.  That stands true for me whether he's strutting in a field to my setup/calling or slipping in silently through the woods.  I usually shoot every mature bird that I work in.  Having said that, I would not shoot at a bird that I walk up on within range.

One of my favorite hunts was on TN public land.  I had two birds that I couldn't see in the timber gobbling at me at about 100 yards.  This went on for about two hours.  I tried everything to get them to come in.  Finally, a tom slipped in quietly from a different direction.  I shot him and the other two gobbled at the load that took him out.  The bird I killed was very nice and ate great!  his beard is on the wall with the others and I loved that hunt.

[sixbird]

I can't say I feel cheated by a silent bird...Some of them have been called to and shot at and seem to wise up and come in silently. I feel as much of a sense of accomplishment with a silent one as with a loud one. Actually, the silent one may be the more difficult one to kill. You don't know he's coming and, like I said, he may be the more educated one...

[WildTigerTrout]

I kill the silent ones the same way I kill the loud mouthed ones. By pulling the trigger 

[SouthEastNC]

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.

[Onpoint]

I can't say I feel cheated by a silent bird...Some of them have been called to and shot at and seem to wise up and come in silently. I feel as much of a sense of accomplishment with a silent one as with a loud one. Actually, the silent one may be the more difficult one to kill. You don't know he's coming and, like I said, he may be the more educated one...

More often than not birds that come in to your setup silent are long spurred gobblers . A silent bird is not as exciting to kill as a loudmouth 2 year old but every bit as rewarding, actually a little more in my opinion.

[SouthEastNC]

^^^ I can definitely see that, especially on land that receives pressure.

I'm about the only person turkey hunting 3 different 1,000 acre tracts, and I play it pretty conservatively - trying not to educate the birds. I'd say that half the time, the silent birds I kill are 2 year olds that I think have gotten beaten-up when they gobble.

[catdaddy]

When I leave the truck to hit the woods--I am turkey hunting---not turkey calling, not turkey listening, not turkey watching. A gobbler in range has a good chance of getting himself "kilt".