Do you usually kill a bird when you hunt?

[Marc]

A topic on another thread got me to wondering...

Generally when I go out, even with some bird activity, I am not generally successful.  I almost always have some sort of close-call, but I would say I kill a bird about every third trip out if I have access to an area that birds are using...

Granted, I am hunting in areas with pretty thin bird populations to what some of you are hunting (one ranch is about 500 acres, and I would guess there are 3-5 huntable birds, and the other ranch is about 700 acres with about 5-7 huntable birds).

I have had access to better ranches in the past, and of course that lends towards more opportunities...  But, overall, how often do you all get the bird you are chasing?

[turkey_slayer]

1 every 3 days is pretty good and much better than the average guy. You also have to consider not only the number of huntable birds but also the number of days you hunt. Lot easier to kill 3 in 9 days than 10 in 30 and so on.

[jblackburn]

Last year was the closest I have came to killing one each time I hunted.  I was able to take 3 birds in 5 outings, which was a lot fewer days hunted than normal.  I attribute it to the shear number of turkeys in eastern WA and northern ID where I was last year.

[Dtrkyman]

I killed 4 last season, Hunted 7 days, was a hell of a year... Took a youth 2 days and nothing! Went and called for a friend and killed a bird first day.

I am lucky to have access to some great property and usually get a chance in a couple days, but also killed on public land I had never seen before on the third day.

Again was a hell of a year!!!

[Mike Honcho]

In 2013 my kill ratio was nearly 50%.  In 2014 the area I hunt had increased hunting pressure and it just seemed like the birds were extremely skittish, wary.  2014 was probably more like 20%.

[Timmer]

I hunt in the upper Midwest where you are drawn for, or pick, a 5 day season and are allowed 1 bird.  I generally hunt 2-4 days in a season.  I do get a bird most years, maybe 2/3 of the time or better.  However, that includes the fact that I generally hunt 2 states.  Only once have I brought a bird home from both states.  If I get one in the first state I don't usually hunt as long in the other, or might skip the 2nd state altogether.  Aside from last year, where I had the worst run of weather and other bad luck, I always see something.  I usually have close calls, pass on jake's, etc.  Do I get to count youth mentoring or helping another new hunter get his bird?  That is nearly as satisfying for me and would definitely help my counts.

[SinGin]

In 2010 I killed 2 birds with 2 trips, feel like I kind of shorted myself. I felt blessed to kill them but it was a short season none the less. God's making me pay for it now though.

[cphill]

Last year I killed 2 and the wife killed 3 so it was a great year and had several more almost kills...we hunted probly15 days so for us it was a better than normal year...hoping to have another good year

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[Hersh]

Interesting year for me last year. Took my nephew for indiana youth season. 1 morning one bird.  Public land. Opening day Michigan for me killed my bird in 1 hour. Public land. Took my son to michigan the next Saturday  he killed his the first afternoon. Public land. Went to nebraska for 5 days on private land got my butt handed to me  came home and had one day left in Indiana to hunt. Killed a bird in 45 min on public. Weird but awesome year. Will say that helping my nephew and son kill their first birds ever was the most rewarding of the whole year. Now I will probably get skunked this year. Lol'

[30_06]

Probably more like one killed for every 6 or 7 days afield for me.

[catman529]

I'm doing good if I kill a bird every 3rd hunt. I don't really know any numbers, but I'd guess an average of killing one every 4th hunt. I usually have killed one by the 3rd hunt of the season. 2013 I hunted Saturday, Sunday, Friday and Saturday in the first week of season, and tagged out (4 birds, 1 on each hunt). I don't want that to happen again, I though I was going to enjoy fishing but the woods kept calling me and I wanted to keep hunting. I did call for 3 different people and had the first guy kill a jake.


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[born2hunt]

I don't know about an actual average but an opening day bird is pretty common.  Now I am at two trips with nothing already this year and I aint liking it. Gonna try and change that Fri though.

[zelmo1]

  Best year ever last year. 3 in 5 days, 2 in Maine and one in NH. Called 4 in for friends, got 2/4. My buddies daughter got the biggest one in our group. 21+ and her 1st bird. What a day. Good luck this year. I am ready to go, just have to wait 5 weeks. UGH

[porcupine]

Some years are better than others 

[Vaughnrp2]

Hell No! Any body that does should write how to books.