How long do you think you would go?

[NCL]

I went for 18 years without killing one. To put that statement in context the first 8 years was only public land, I do not shoot Jake's, missed one, and made about every mistake there is to make and have stories about gobblers that would fill this page. The guy that I sometimes hunt with killed four during that same time period, hunting about half as much as me, including one last year with an 11 inch beard on a place I told him how to set up on. I guess I am not a lucky turkey hunter....LOL. As has been stated the gobble keeps me getting up every day and going out. As has been stated it is the hunt and not the kill. I probably could have bought enough turkey meat with just the money I spent on calls to last several years. So would I go 20 years, yes.

[MK M GOBL]

So this will be my 29th year turkey hunting, my first year I called a tom in for my buddy and I didn't get one, we were green and didn't have any actual experience with turkey hunting, my second year I did not draw a tag, but called a jake in for my dad, my 3rd year I killed a jake! Year number 4, I missed... but called another jake in for my dad and then year 5 happened, neither Dad or I had drawn a tag, our state lottery system and tags were pretty lean back then. Through a friend at work I learned about a turkey hunt on a military base I could apply for if I did not receive a tag. Dad and I did this and we both received tags! We were set for a 3 day hunt Wed-Fri (couldn't hunt weekends on base) and we both killed our first gobblers!! And have been ever since.

Guess to say I have been lucky with turkey hunting, 28 years and birds every year, anymore most of my hunting is getting others out and their bird, whether a Learn to Hunt, Youth Hunt, Newbie or Friends, and filming I am usually the backup plan, don't get me wrong I like to pull the trigger and I do get some solo hunts in but not often, but I enjoy "My" hunts this way and that's why I do them.

If you told me 20 years and not another bird for me, ok a little tough to swallow but if I am still out turkey hunting and helping others I'm all good!


MK M GOBL

[High plains drifter]

I hunted for 4 years, be for I got a gobbler.It took me several years to get good at turkey hunting.I was self taught, but an old guy used to give me advise, then I got real good at it.These days, I take a bow, because I usually tag out with my 20 guage, and I want the season to last
I have a few places, where a gobbler is guaranteed,  pretty much,as long as the weather is right
Look for those clear days, when the wind is down, and warm.Also, when they are in a thick hole, don't go in there, wait out in the field, because they will be out there eventually. They like to get out in that grain, and strut.Anyway, don't take a long shot with a gun, or a bow.Dont wound birds!! When you get good, you will be able to bring them into that 10- 15 yard range, or closer.You have to know the ground. Once you hunt a place a few times, you will know where to be, when daylight arrives.

[Plush]

I just like being out in the woods and in nature. If I am finding birds and hearing them I will keep going out there. I enjoy all the preparation and planning that goes into a hunt of any animal. Whether a week of hard work or 20 years...it's just going to feel that much better to know it all paid off.

The failure would keep me going. I don't think I could just give up. If you do, that was part of your problem. Hunting is mostly failure a lot of times. You have to have the ability to see where things went wrong and put in the time to fix it.

[G squared 23]

It would really depend on if I'm actually seeing any birds which most folks responding are taking for granted during their response.  My answer would depend on that.  If I'm going out there and maybe hearing a few gobble, but I'm not even SEEING  so much as a hen, then I'm done after year 3.  If I'm on a place where I'm having close calls, having them respond and I feel like I'm actually in the game, then I'm gonna keep going every year at least twice.  But unfortunately my time is extremely limited, so if I'm not actually bringing home any turkey bacon, I'm not going to commit much time to hunting turkeys that aren't around.  I'll spend more time planting apple trees or scouting for deer before it gets too hot and summer ruins everything again.

[Gooserbat]

I honestly don't know.  In the beginning I went from age 7 until age 15 before I killed one. 

[Fullfan]

Well not sure I'm on a roll of 33-35 years of killing every spring, even with having a total knee done on April 30th last year I managed to kill two long beards. I could not imagine going a spring without killing a gobbler.

[fmf]

I'm not sure about 20 years, but I could go quite a long time.  I would rather have several seasons of close calls and good hunts with lots of gobbling but not killing a bird, than overall poor seasons where I killed birds with very little gobbling and no other close calls and didn't get to see and interact with many birds.  That is one of the things that makes turkey hunting so great, some of the most enjoyable and memorable hunts that I've ever had I walked out without a bird over my shoulder.

[dejake]

As lomg as I heard gobbling, forever.