Turkey Hunting boom!

[Izzyjoe]

I was just curious, but when did turkey get real popular? I know years ago a lot of hunters just used what they had, but when did companies start making turkey hunting gear, guns ,ammo ,and other stuff?

[jwhunter]

In 80's you started seeing interest in turkey hunting. There were not many turkeys in the area before then in North Alabama.

[dirt road ninja]

Seems like in the last 10 years it's taken off.

[Gooserbat]

Past 2o to 25 years.  As popularity increased so did the market for turkey themed products.

[Gamblinman]

I can remember back in the mid 70's there were very few turkey hunters. I met the late Dick Kirby in Western OK on the ranch next to ours. He gave me a few diaphragm calls...those were the first I had seen of them...we always just used box calls. Sure has come a long way since.

Gman

[mgm1955]

Last 10-15 years

[Roost 1]

Lots of turkey "killers", few hunters..

[CT Spur Collector]

Kirby, Gulvis, Butski, Salter and many more have been chasing birds when most of us have been a glimmer in our old man's eye.

[guesswho]

I think it can be traced back to the N"WTF"

[budtripp]

I don't know,  but I wish it would stop being so popular.   Too many people out in the woods that have no business being there.  Same thing is happening with predator calling.

[trkehunr93]

I would say the 80's, my mentor started hunting them in the early 70's and he said back then he would be the only person on thousands of acres of public land hunting them.  I too wish it would quit being so popular, maybe I'm selfish but I just dread the thought of another hunter hearing a turkey I'm hunting gobble.  Just me!

[jakesdad]

Seems like in got popular here when TV "hunting" became popular,then every wanna be TV host was chasin turkeys.Seems like the popular wears off after a couple days especially if the weathers bad or gobblers "arent acting right".You know call shy and that whole line of crap.Dont see near the turkey hunters as I do deer hunters tho and hope I never do.

[silvestris]

I tend to think that the marketers created the demand, rather than the other way around.

[BowBendr]

I never saw another turkey hunter in western NC until about 1985.
Now every Tom, Dick and Harry that watches TV is out there screwing stuff up....

[willy8457]

When I started hunting in the late 60's to early 70's everybody hunted  rabbits and ring neck''s. I hunted fall turkey's long before I hunted in the spring.in central pa at that time there was lots of turkeys and no one hunting them.   My dad and I would be turkey hunting and all we could hear was the beagle's down in the bottoms. It sure isn't that way any way anymore, all thou there is not the fall hunters as spring hunters . Ther is not as many turkeys either.