Where is this ship headed?

[Happy]

Here's a question to ponder? 

Who's the "better" sportsman? ...The guy who uses all the latest gadgets, kills a gobbler or two each spring, and leaves the rest in the name of conservation or not being a "game hog"?  ...Or the "traditional" guy who uses nothing but a call, but has the attitude that he is going to kill every single gobbler that he calls in every spring,...limits, conservation, and concern for fellow sportsmen (or the well-being of the turkey population) be damned?

I will answer hunter A is the better sportsman. But I will up the ante by putting forth the notion that hunter B will be more likely to pass on birds that they could legally kill.

[LaLongbeard]

Here's a question to ponder? 

Who's the "better" sportsman? ...The guy who uses all the latest gadgets, kills a gobbler or two each spring, and leaves the rest in the name of conservation or not being a "game hog"?  ...Or the "traditional" guy who uses nothing but a call, but has the attitude that he is going to kill every single gobbler that he calls in every spring,...limits, conservation, and concern for fellow sportsmen (or the well-being of the turkey population) be damned?

Just because someone has learned to hunt and is able to kill his limit that doesn't make him a game hog. Sounds like something a jealous person would say. Aren't y'all the same ones preaching if it's legal it's ok. So if some goofball needs a wheel barrel full of decoys and blinds to go sit over a chuffa  patch or tote a fan and lurk  along field edges and struggles to kill one every other year he's a better sportsman than someone that killed there limit in 4 states( limits set by that state) and hunts according to the same rules that have been in place since the 1900's?
Those gadgeteers aren't leaving gobblers in the name of conservation there doing it because they can't hunt without the crutches and the crutches don't always work

[guesswho]

I went back and read the original question.

A: Are we loosing the skills and effort required to become good hunters by substituting technology, as well as new practices such as food plots and feeders.

A simple test would answer that, and probably won't ever be conducted, at least on a large scale.  I know results would vary from participant to participant.  But take a guy like myself who has done this a while and is somewhat of a minimalist, call, gun, camo and a rangefinder.  The rangefinder is more to keep me entertained because my mind tends to wander.  Then take a guy who prefers to use all the latest gadgets.  Blind, flock of high dollar decoys, cell phone, $$$$ shotgun, $10 shells, food plot, feeder, etc.  Then make the two hunters swap tools.  Who on average would have the skills to be more successful using the other guys tools and methods?    Like I mentioned, I know there are exceptions.  I may be wrong in my thinking, but I have a feeling I know which group would use his acquired skills to adapt to the other hunters methods quicker.   

P.S.  I never try to degrade anyone, in anything.  I do my thing and don't give a rat's A fifty five how anyone else hunts.  And if someone wants to label me an elitist, I can live with that!

[Bucktale]

Like a lot of you, I've been hunting for a long time, about 50 yrs.  I hunt all different ways-bow, crossbow, gun, with and without blinds and decoys.
I look at this like the bow vs crossbow debate. When someone says they shot a deer during archery, I ask "with Bow or crossbow". I don't say anything else, because they're happy with their results. It means something different to me which they used. I'm not going to tell them they should have used a bow because it's more it takes more skill but I certainly know it does. 
If I shoot a gobbler from a blind with decoys it's a different experience than slipping around through the woods. Both are fun and both are legal. I get more satisfaction with the latter just like I get more satisfaction with bow, but both are fun.
There's not right or wrong as long as it's legal and you're having fun.

[LaLongbeard]

I went back and read the original question.

A: Are we loosing the skills and effort required to become good hunters by substituting technology, as well as new practices such as food plots and feeders.

A simple test would answer that, and probably won't ever be conducted, at least on a large scale.  I know results would vary from participant to participant.  But take a guy like myself who has done this a while and is somewhat of a minimalist, call, gun, camo and a rangefinder.  The rangefinder is more to keep me entertained because my mind tends to wander.  Then take a guy who prefers to use all the latest gadgets.  Blind, flock of high dollar decoys, cell phone, $$$$ shotgun, $10 shells, food plot, feeder, etc.  Then make the two hunters swap tools.  Who on average would have the skills to be more successful using the other guys tools and methods?    Like I mentioned, I know there are exceptions.  I may be wrong in my thinking, but I have a feeling I know which group would use his acquired skills to adapt to the other hunters methods quicker.   

P.S.  I never try to degrade anyone, in anything.  I do my thing and don't give a rat's A fifty five how anyone else hunts.  And if someone wants to label me an elitist, I can live with that!

That  about sums it up

[LaLongbeard]

Ttt

[GobbleNut]

Here's a question to ponder? 

Who's the "better" sportsman? ...The guy who uses all the latest gadgets, kills a gobbler or two each spring, and leaves the rest in the name of conservation or not being a "game hog"?  ...Or the "traditional" guy who uses nothing but a call, but has the attitude that he is going to kill every single gobbler that he calls in every spring,...limits, conservation, and concern for fellow sportsmen (or the well-being of the turkey population) be damned?

The point of my question is that being a "good" turkey hunter goes beyond traditional turkey hunting skills or the use of gadgetry.  There is also a such thing as "attitude".  Personally, I am more impressed with the guy who is conservation-minded, but perhaps less-skilled, than I am with the guy whose goal is to kill every turkey he can to raise himself to some fictional level of prowess. 

Hate to tell you this folks, but turkey huntin' ain't rocket science.  Anybody that wants to dedicate the time and effort to do so can become a good turkey hunter,...with or without the gadgetry.  Some folks just have other priorities in their lives that are more important to them.  As long as they have the right "attitude", I am fine with them killing turkeys the way they want to.   To me, the ingredients found in the "right attitude" are composed by a lot more than the way one chooses to hunt turkeys. 

[LaLongbeard]

I went back and read the original question.

A: Are we loosing the skills and effort required to become good hunters by substituting technology, as well as new practices such as food plots and feeders.

A simple test would answer that, and probably won't ever be conducted, at least on a large scale.  I know results would vary from participant to participant.  But take a guy like myself who has done this a while and is somewhat of a minimalist, call, gun, camo and a rangefinder.  The rangefinder is more to keep me entertained because my mind tends to wander.  Then take a guy who prefers to use all the latest gadgets.  Blind, flock of high dollar decoys, cell phone, $$$$ shotgun, $10 shells, food plot, feeder, etc.  Then make the two hunters swap tools.  Who on average would have the skills to be more successful using the other guys tools and methods?    Like I mentioned, I know there are exceptions.  I may be wrong in my thinking, but I have a feeling I know which group would use his acquired skills to adapt to the other hunters methods quicker.   

P.S.  I never try to degrade anyone, in anything.  I do my thing and don't give a rat's A fifty five how anyone else hunts.  And if someone wants to label me an elitist, I can live with that!

This should be required reading.
Always hearing about how dumb turkeys are and how small there brain is and how easy it is to hunt them. I've never known anyone that has killed a lot of gobblers say that. And I wonder why some people spend so much money on so many crutches to kill an easy dumb bird?

[longspur]

I don't know what you would consider a lot of gobblers. Some have killed hundreds, some have killed none. I've killed about 30 and I say they are dumb as a box of rocks. Put a fan in front of your face, crawl up to him and shoot him. Stick a close hanger in the ground, put a red sock on it and wait for him to come run off the other "turkey ". Turkeys do whatever they want whenever they want. I've hunted the same turkey for two weeks before. Tried everything in the book to get him to come. Then one day I go to the same place with the same call and he just comes right over in 2 minutes. Why was this smart turkey so stupid that day? Did I outsmart him? It had nothing to do with smart, it had to do with him doing whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. On the right day in the right place the "smartest" turkey on the planet will go to anything that sounds like it might be a turkey. Killing turkeys takes skill but not smarts. Otherwise I'd be shafted. So next time you call and he don't come, don't think you've been outsmarted and don't run to the store and buy a bunch of stuff. Find another one or try him another day. He ain't smarter than you.

[LaLongbeard]

I don't consider 30 a lot.
I find it humorous there's guys on here with 50 years experience and no telling how many Gobblers and some maybe kill on every other year but feel they have the same level of abilities and give freely of there unlimited knowledge lol.

[eggshell]

Then one day I go to the same place with the same call and he just comes right over in 2 minutes.

uhhh that's the day he has no hens and probably hasn't seen a hen for a day or two, or he's just really horny that day. I think a lot of human males have got themselves in serious trouble just from being a little too horny! That's why you stay with them, that day will eventually come. I don't think they are particularly smart, but they have very keen senses and survival instincts.

Oh and if your still counting you ain't killed enough....I couldn't tell you a number because I don't know and frankly don't care anymore, I'm just thankful I can still go.

[Gobble!]

I went back and read the original question.

A: Are we loosing the skills and effort required to become good hunters by substituting technology, as well as new practices such as food plots and feeders.

A simple test would answer that, and probably won't ever be conducted, at least on a large scale.  I know results would vary from participant to participant.  But take a guy like myself who has done this a while and is somewhat of a minimalist, call, gun, camo and a rangefinder.  The rangefinder is more to keep me entertained because my mind tends to wander.  Then take a guy who prefers to use all the latest gadgets.  Blind, flock of high dollar decoys, cell phone, $$$$ shotgun, $10 shells, food plot, feeder, etc.  Then make the two hunters swap tools.  Who on average would have the skills to be more successful using the other guys tools and methods?    Like I mentioned, I know there are exceptions.  I may be wrong in my thinking, but I have a feeling I know which group would use his acquired skills to adapt to the other hunters methods quicker.   

P.S.  I never try to degrade anyone, in anything.  I do my thing and don't give a rat's A fifty five how anyone else hunts.  And if someone wants to label me an elitist, I can live with that!

Hard to argue that.

[g8rvet]

I've killed way more ducks than most serious duck hunters I know.  Actually had one of those .com film crews trying to get us to take them hunting when they saw how many birds we were bringing in over the course of a week.  Told us they would put us on TV, which made us howl with laughter, right in their face.  Like that was a reward or something. 

I am a pretty skilled duck hunter, there are plenty that have killed less that are more skilled callers or blind setter or scouters.  I have been blessed with opportunity, the means and more than a bit of luck to chase them in 4 states and 2 countries. 

I shoot an O/U because it is more traditional and I like it.  I follow game laws and anyone with me dang sure better or they will never hunt with me again.  My point is, in spite of the effort, all I have learned and all the hunts I have been on, I don't consider or care if others think I am elite. 

I came to turkey hunting late in life. I hunt the way I want, when I want and enjoy every day in the field.  Those that are worried about numbers and the way others are hunting are missing out on so much that this grand sport offers.  What they don't realize is that when they are bragging how many they have killed or how they do it this way or that way, most adult hunters are laughing at them.  We had one of those in a club we were in.  Nobody cared much for him.  But he beat his drum and preached the good word according to him.  We all just hunted.  I used to pizz him off and give the young bucks the skinny on where the birds were working.  Helped more than a few of them kill a bird. 

This is supposed to be fun.  I am not calling anyone out on any of my points, just finding a lot of the preaching to be funny. 

[LaLongbeard]

I've killed way more ducks than most serious duck hunters I know.  Actually had one of those .com film crews trying to get us to take them hunting when they saw how many birds we were bringing in over the course of a week
I am a pretty skilled duck hunter,
I shoot an O/U because it is more traditional and I like it.

What they don't realize is that when they are bragging how many they have killed or how they do it this way or that way, most adult hunters are laughing at them.   

Your right that is funny lol.
In this whole thread I've only seen one person say how many turkeys he's killed. I have found that you don't really need them to tell you how many or how long they have been hunting you can always tell the part timers and pseudo experts by the way there posts contradict themselves lol

[Spitten and drummen]

You wanna know where this ship is headed? Just take a look at the post " is my setup a overkill. Thats where its headed or may I say has already arrived.