What makes someone a “good” turkey hunter?

[JMalin]

Just curious.  I would think the best guys are those that have extensively hunted all the sub species in several different states on public land and find ways to be successful, even under less than ideal conditions.

[Sixes]

I consider a "good" turkey hunter to be the hunter that can consistently call in and kill turkeys, they seem to know how a turkey thinks and what he wants to hear and how to best go about killing them.

In my Dad's prime, he was a terror to the turkeys, he could kill them in the swamps of south GA and the next week kill them in the mountains of North GA and everywhere in between.

A hunter that travels to hunt all the species might be a good hunter but they might also have the money to hunt the best places. Money can kill all the turkeys a man wants to kill as long as he goes to the best areas. Not saying that out of jealousy, just stating my opinion.

[merriamsman]

The best turkey hunters are those who consistently kill birds on public land.

[tha bugman]

I wouldn't know...I am still trying to get the hunter part down first....

[mullet dredge]

Patience.....

[daddyduke]

Amen!

[surehuntsalot]

having a whole lot of patience

[Divenut2]

One that understands a great hunt does not always result in a killed bird.

[tha bugman]

One that understands a great hunt does not always result in a killed bird.

I agree if it were all about killing a bird I would have quit a long time ago!  It is an unexplained sickness like no other.

[Rapscallion Vermilion]

Along the lines of the two preceding posts, my impression of the truly great turkey hunters is that they let a fair number of legal killable birds walk.

[Marc]

A good hunter is a combination of multiple aspects that involve turkey hunting...

*A good understanding of the biology of turkeys and breeding to better understand the behavior of
the game being sought. 

*Ability to learn and adapt.  Understanding that from place to place, bird to bird, and year to year
  can change, and being able to learn and adapt to changing situations, birds, and locations.  Also
  being able to implement what is learned to multiple situations with success.

*Woodsmanship, and the ability to read sign and to understand what the woods are telling us.  The
  ability to utilize the woods to our advantage.

*Calling ability.  The ability to use calls and sound like a turkey.  The ability to read birds &
  knowing when to call, and  when  not to call (and being able to utilize self-control when we
  should not call).

*Tenacity...  Sticking with it.  Not only as far as staying in the field, but continuing to learn and
  adapt.  Never give up...

*Patience...  Not only to stay in one spot long enough to kill a bird, but to remain quiet and still
  while waiting.

*Proficiency with the means of take.  Being proficient with the weapon of choice, and being able to 
  judge range, and make the easy, as well as more challenging (but still ethical) shots.

[Ranger]

Marc has it dead on, especially in my opinion on woodsmanship.  Woodsmanship kills turkeys, and what he calls tenacity I call persistence.  I say persistence where most say patience, because sometimes you need to be persistently patient.  But persistence can describe all types of actions in the turkey woods.  I would say some of the deadliest men out there have only killed one sub species, just never went elsewhere to hunt them.  Lonnie Mabry told me any man that can kill Easterns regularly can kill the others with ease, I believe him though I've only tested the Osceola.  I always think this...can a man be dropped out of a truck and kill in places he's never been?  I know many that can, and many that have killed all sub species that couldn't.

[deerpoo22]

The best turkey hunters are those who consistently kill birds on public land.

this x1000

[MK M GOBL]

I guess you would need to describe by what you mean by "good" are you just talking success?

The ability to adapt to Hunting Conditions + Understanding Biology and Social Structure of the Wild Turkey + Calling Skills = SUCCESS!!

MK M GOBL

[turkeyfoot]

A good turkey hunter is more than someone who kills tons birds in tons places. Its a person who has respect for the bird takes ethical shots won't break the law or compromise ethics to kill a bird has good woodsmanship and takes time to understand each part of changing season and has no problem sharing his abundant knowledge passing on to next generation. There is way more to good  hunter than just killing.