Are we overthinking ourselves??

[turkey_slayer]

I like to tinker. Always have just like my grandfather did whether it's hunting stuff, car stuff or whatever. Nothing I buy helps me be more successful. I don't need tss, Hevi, decoys, blinds or any other crap. I could carry a shotgun with plain lead loads and 1 call (carry 2 now and a mouth call after breaking one in the field one time) like I did for the other 20 years and kill just as many.  Pretty much what I do now except I do shoot tss and have a red dot but neither helps me kill em any deader or bring em closer in range.

It's a hobby to me that I truly love. I don't go out bar hopping or waste money. My extra money goes to the stuff I enjoy. I really don't understand the bickering on here lately over stupid stuff but as the forum grows you will see more of it. Just the nature of the beast.

Turkeys are stupid. People over thinking is what costs em birds. You can buy all the gadgets but none will help you kill more birds except for decoys

[guesswho]

People over thinking is what costs em birds.

I agree.  A lot of people think way to much trying to out think an opponent who doesn't think.  Think about that!

[RemingtonRules]

I kill more turkeys by being in the woods as much as possible.  No amount of equipment or stuff can make up for this.

[SouthernStrut]

I would have love to been around to watch how the Indians hunted turkeys.

That's exactly what I was thinking.  I was reading a post on another forum about Russell turkey hunting boots......$477.  I couldn't help but give my 2 cents about it and remind them that the Native American Indian hunted turkeys with either NO Boots or thin leather moccasins. 

I posted on another thread about 870 loads regarding my recent trial of the new long beard XR shells.  I'm not looking to shoot past 40 yards, I just like shooting new shells and was curious as to how much tighter these might be than other standard lead loads between 20 and 40 yards......which they convinced me enough to carry a few with me this season.  But I commented on how I would hate to know my success in the turkey woods depended on my shells' performance at 50+ yards........and 70 yards is just ridiculous.  If you can't get him closer than that you really need to rethink your whole approach to turkey hunting. 

Like a few of you have already said, get in the woods more and let the turkeys show you the ropes..........they've been showing me how it's done for years and I just can't get enough of it.

[ferocious calls]

Like has been said, learn to get them close and just hunt. Knowing the land and woodsmanship kill plenty of turkey. Getten them close is what it's all about for me. Just grab even a .410 and get him close. He does have a big old head to aim at. That said, Im all for the big gun/super duper choke for those that can't wait,let them walk away or don't understand lesser guns limitations. Bow hunting them is a real hoot.

[redleg06]

I didnt read all the replies but thought its an interesting question.....


I've been hunting for a little over 20years now and when I first started I didnt have a gun with a choke, my research for picking shells was as extensive as picking the ones that had a turkey picture on the box OR best available. My camo was green army fatigues or some of the really old school stuff. The only call I owned or really even knew existed was a push button call...

I really didnt know anyone that turkey hunted to tell me any different and I still had success... More experience meant picking up more tools (different calls, better shells, a gun with a choke, etc. etc)... but the main thing that helped me kill more turkey was the experience itself. I dont think that changes... You get better at most anything, the more you do it.


To some extent, we DO get carried away with things that really dont matter all that much...guns that put an extra 25 pellets inside a 10" circle (99% of my shots will never need it and I'd probably be better off with a gun that has an awesome pattern at 25yds),  or custom calls that cost 100$ when I could call them in just as well with a cheap primos call ( nothing wrong with custom calls, they are nice and I own quite a few myself), or camo that matches like a fashion show.... the turkey dont care. Really, they dont....just sit still and do a decent job blending in.   The list could go on and on. 

BUT, there's nothing wrong with getting a little carried away with some of this stuff if it's legal and thats what you're in to.  I'm all about someone learning their gun at the range and spending time patterning it. I legitimately enjoy it in the off season. I enjoy having nice calls, even though the cheap ones are just as effective/practical  (diaphram calls being the exception IMO)... I do draw the line when I see someone start to use technology and the "easy way" at the expense of taking away some of the true challenge of "hunting" the turkey.  Just my opinion.

[WildTigerTrout]

I hate to say this because it makes me feel old, but technology has taken the place of woodsmanship. I started hunting turkeys in 1978, boy have things changed.

I agree. I started hunting turkeys in the early 1970's. I still hunt old school without the aid of blinds or decoys. To me it's just more fun and challenging.

[J Hook Max]

I have to respect what Trax said. Lucky for me , I did have a "turkey assassin Pappy" to show me the ropes. He's been gone for twenty three years now. He started showing me in 1969. I only wish I could now show him just how much he really taught me. I hope my Grandkids will be saying the same thing about me someday.There's no substitute for experience.

[Gooserbat]

Hunters have been looking for ways to get the game closer and their weapons to reach farther since the first caveman tied a string to the two ends of a stick and made a bow and the atlatl went out the window.  Yes I believe there is a line that makes it to easy but that line is more gray for some than others. 

[Xcal1ber]

Me and my buddy was talking about this other day. I was saying how we have complicated things so much, worrying about how many pellets we can put in a circle at 40 yards, and 20 different calls, and decoys that walk around themselves and blah blah blah. Boys I remember back when I would go out with a Tight Wad choke, and Remington Nitro #4's and smoke turkeys every year. The main reason was that I focused more on my woodsmanship, and calling, and learning how to be a better turkey hunter. Now we are so caught up with this other stuff, that we've pronounced the turkey dead before season gets here. Tha'ts one reason why I bought a dedicated turkey gun. That way I could pattern it and throw it in the safe, and once a year bring it out, shoot it once to make sure she still shoots good, and go hunting. Not worrying about nothing but killing turkeys.

[bushwhacker]

Ok here is my spill on this. I have hunted turkeys for 14 years, I called up my first turkey and killed it when I was 14. My dad hunted everything except turkeys so I have never had a mentor but he took me that first year and sat with me on that first kill. He has since started hunting turkeys and we hunt together every spring. Anyway after that first year I was hooked. I started thinking that gun and  call wasn't good enough so I bought another gun, new calls, newest camo, and all the other trappings for turkey hunting. I needed a shopping cart to carry all my junk to the woods. Did I kill turkeys? Yes I did but not any better, farther, or quicker than without all the extra stuff. I'm not against anyone buyin toys because I have bought my share, and I enjoy trying new chokes, Loads and calls as much as anyone. Do I need it? No. I think we need to watch how we portay ourselves to new hunters to the sport and not get everyone thinking that you need a $1,500 shotgun and $150 choke and shells that are $50 dollars a box that puts 300 pellets in a ten inch circle at 40 yards. Because some people think that if you spend that you can kill turkeys at 70 yards. If turkeys were meant to be killed that far we wouldn't be using shotguns, we'd use rifles. The thrill of hunting turkeys is calling them close enough to smell their breath and you don't have to own a cabelas store or have all the fancy attire to do that.

[catdaddy]

I don't

•   worry about the light reflecting off my glasses  and spooking turkeys
•   use a special seat or chair—just the cushion that comes with the vest
•   worry about what kind or how many decoys to use or what kind of bag to put them in—I don't use them
•   pop up blinds—once in a blue moon I might make a natural blind
•   fret over my camo. I couldn't give you the band name of my camo if my life depended on it. Its all mis matched anyway
•   use leafy suits or guile suits
•   use special sights, red dots, glow sights etc..  just the two beads on the gun
•   polish my barrel any in special way—just give it a good cleaning after season
•   use heavy shot or Nitros—just Winchester lead 5's
•   use an after market choke—just the turkey choke that came with the Rem 870
•   count the number of pellets in a 10 inch circle at 40 yards
•   wear snake boots
•   spend all year running calls. I did a lot a practice in the early days of my career but now  just get tuned up a few weeks before season   
•   use game cams

Maybe if I got with the program I could kill 50% to 75% of the turkeys that I hear gobbling on the roost at least 4 times like many posted here a while back said they could.

[surehuntsalot]

I think anyone who would pay over 100.00 for a decoy needs their head checked. But that is just my .02

don't you know,you can't a turkey without a 100.00-200.00 REAL LIFE decoy

you're right,somebody does need their head looked at

[surehuntsalot]

I don't

•   worry about the light reflecting off my glasses  and spooking turkeys
•   use a special seat or chair—just the cushion that comes with the vest
•   worry about what kind or how many decoys to use or what kind of bag to put them in—I don't use them
•   pop up blinds—once in a blue moon I might make a natural blind
•   fret over my camo. I couldn't give you the band name of my camo if my life depended on it. Its all mis matched anyway
•   use leafy suits or guile suits
•   use special sights, red dots, glow sights etc..  just the two beads on the gun
•   polish my barrel any in special way—just give it a good cleaning after season
•   use heavy shot or Nitros—just Winchester lead 5's
•   use an after market choke—just the turkey choke that came with the Rem 870
•   count the number of pellets in a 10 inch circle at 40 yards
•   wear snake boots
•   spend all year running calls. I did a lot a practice in the early days of my career but now  just get tuned up a few weeks before season   
•   use game cams

Maybe if I got with the program I could kill 50% to 75% of the turkeys that I hear gobbling on the roost at least 4 times like many posted here a while back said they could.

possibly the best post I've seen on here in a long time,this here gentlmen is a Turkey Hunter

[CASH]

I don't

•   worry about the light reflecting off my glasses  and spooking turkeys
•   use a special seat or chair—just the cushion that comes with the vest
•   worry about what kind or how many decoys to use or what kind of bag to put them in—I don't use them
•   pop up blinds—once in a blue moon I might make a natural blind
•   fret over my camo. I couldn't give you the band name of my camo if my life depended on it. Its all mis matched anyway
•   use leafy suits or guile suits
•   use special sights, red dots, glow sights etc..  just the two beads on the gun
•   polish my barrel any in special way—just give it a good cleaning after season
•   use heavy shot or Nitros—just Winchester lead 5's
•   use an after market choke—just the turkey choke that came with the Rem 870
•   count the number of pellets in a 10 inch circle at 40 yards
•   wear snake boots
•   spend all year running calls. I did a lot a practice in the early days of my career but now  just get tuned up a few weeks before season   
•   use game cams

Maybe if I got with the program I could kill 50% to 75% of the turkeys that I hear gobbling on the roost at least 4 times like many posted here a while back said they could.

possibly the best post I've seen on here in a long time,this here gentlmen is a Turkey Hunter

Catdaddy is the man. Speaking of, it's about time for another one of his awesome stories