Calling vs Bush whacking

[FloppinTom]

For me the calling is the hook. The fun stops when you squeeze the trigger. If I didnt call him in he walks. Im gonna start paint ballin em so I can call them in again next week. LOL

If I just wanted one to eat I'd get a butterball that way I wont chip a tooth on the shot. Cheaper too!
FloppinTom

[catman529]

Butterball! I'd rather eat a turkey that I killed. It's healthier too... But that's just me.

[Gobblehead30]

I dont have a problem with bushwhacking but I don't prefer it because I don't get the satisfaction of calling him into range.   Its the same with ducks,  we have a lot of ducks that land wide in the corn,  one of our guys always wants to stalk them and try and shoot them as they fly away, just doesn't feel right... 

[WyoHunter]

I would much rather call a bird into range but if I can't I'll try to position myself for a shot by stalking or ambushing. It's called TURKEY HUNTING for a reason.

[Triplgobble]

If you kill a deer by still hunting you are quite the hunter, if you kill a turkey by cutting him off you are a outlaw? I would rather kill a bird by calling, but if I can use my knowledge of his habits to kill him I will.

[leogunner]

If its legal and safe its all good in my eyes.  Regardless of the tactics you use, the animal usually still has the upper hand.  If they didn't it would be killing instead of hunting.

[tactikel]

The last 2 years I've had Toms hang up out of gun range. I decided I needed to work on my calling, and have spent many enjoyable hours making, buying, and working calls!  It's a challenge that sets Turkey hunting apart from any other upland hunting.

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

I repeat it is ILLEGAL to stalk a gobbler during the spring hunt in Pennsylvania. I will quote the regulation from Pa.'s 2012-13 Hunting and Trapping digest. On page 35 under turkey seasons, bag limits and regulations it says "Statewide. Only turkeys with visible beards are legal. Hunting by CALLING ONLY-NO STALKING- one-half hour before sunrise until noon from April 27 through May 11, and then from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset from May 13 through May 31. Hunters are asked to be out of the woods by 1pm when closing hours are noon". So you can see if you choose to stalk or try to sneak up on a turkey in Pa. without calling you are breaking the law and subject to arrest. With the high hunting pressure that we have here it is a safety issue plain and simple. In Pa. like I said before the sport is in the calling.

After what I witnessed on Saturday, PA dnr has a lot more to worry about than how you're killing a turkey.

Furthermore, the quality of the calling displayed by your fellow PA hunters left me wondering if most of them should give up calling and adapt another tactic. 

[catman529]

I see this topic is still coming to the surface. Let me say that I tagged out early this year and 3 birds were called to the gun, and one was henned up and I stalked and ambushed him. That was by far the toughest one to kill this year. The three that I called in took anywhere from a few minutes to an hour to call in. The last one I even called in twice - he came in the wrong way and I repositioned ahead of him and called him in again.  The tom I stalked and ambushed with a hen took hours and I almost got busted by three jakes in the process, and the woods were full of hens too. So the stalk was much more difficult and more rewarding than calling in those lonely 2 year olds. oh and it was on public land and nobody else was around, not a worry about sneaking. Also I will say I still prefer to call one in to the gun, but stalking or ambushing is never out of the question for me.

[Michigander]

You know, the more birds I kill, the less important it becomes to kill a bird. I have found that I have had great hunts that I didn't kill on. However, it is called turkey hunting season not turkey calling season. Don't get me wrong, I still love to shoot them when they run in gobbling and strutting. But anybody can drop a box call and have a two year old come running to it, shooting a six year old bird in the back of the head as he looks the other direction is much more challenging. I like a challenge, and I think the old Native Americans would be proud of me for doing it.

To each his own though.

[Jet]

Some of y'all sure are elitists. I'll bushwhack a turkey and water-swat a duck. Get rid of your corn piles, trailcams, and scouting rubs and scrapes-you should only be able to call deer, not ambush them.

If I've snuck up close enough to a bird that I can see him on the limb and it's legal shooting hours, it would give me great pleasure to roll him out of the tree.

Bwahahahahaha!!! My Man!!

X2 

X3 y'all can hunt with me any day

[Punisher]

I have not tagged on longbeards for the last 15 years in KY, killed multiple turkeys at Ft. Campbell Military Base, and tagged out the years I hunted Missouri, because I have waited for the "movie star" turkey hunts where the turkey comes in strutting and gobbling every step.  I like turkey hunting, but I enjoy turkey hunting a whole lot more when I kill turkeys.  Where I hunt, turkeys can get tightlipped quick and sometimes a good "bushwack" or "ambush" does the trick to fill another tag.  To each their own, but I have I personal vendetta against turkeys.  I enjoy shooting them in the face.

[Onpoint]

Would I use the terrain to get in front of them if they wont come to calling? Yep.  Did just that twice in the last week while everyone else is leaving the woods without turkey that arent responding much to calling.

I dont get the mindset that a better turkey hunter would rather watch one walk away then use the terrain to get in front of one and "bushwhack" him when he walks in to gun range.

As opposed to watching him walk away from you while you sit there and call at his tail feathers....   

I hate it for ya if you're going to bang your head against that wall but I got no problem using the terrain and making a move to get in front of one if calling isnt getting it done....I'll be toting that non-responsive turkey out while yall boys get on and talk about "call shy" and "henned up".   

X2

[beardwacker]

I use whatever work's!!  Calling is number one.  If I am going to "bushwack" him, I have to stalk him and know the lay of the land and use woodsmanship.

[snapper1982]

if you can't call em, crawl em! I have lived by this moto and killed many birds doing so. it takes a lot to get one close enough to shoot without calling to him.