Are you a turkey counter ??

[Turkeyman]

Yes, I know. I have an older Garmin GPS and with my Mapsource software have a TurkeysKilled.gbd  file. I create a waypoint for each one in the spot they met their demise. Then in the comments section for the waypoint I have the date and vital statistics...weight, beard, spurs. Better than a written log. Kind of neat bringing it up in Google Earth. Just added this morning's PA bird.

Really wish I had done the same for deer but, alas, I didn't.

[Ozarks Hillbilly]

No not a clue. I remember the first and the last and a few in between.

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[Bay1985]

I have no idea how many ducks,squirrels,hogs or rabbits I've killed and don't care. But a Wild Turkey Gobbler is different. I know the date and details of everyone. I guess it depends on how much they mean to the individual. I also have every beard, fan and spurs. Like just mentioned I can't understand throwing away the beards and spurs or fans for that matter. Each Gobbler is special and I want to remember each one not treat it like a dumb hog or tree rat that are a dime a dozen. I think it has a lot to do with were and how you hunt. If you sit on a field edge in front of a flock of decoys and see 10 a day they may not mean as much to you as someone that hunts woods turkeys were a casual sighting is rare and you have to work for each one you see in shooting range

[MISSISSIPPI Double beard]

Yes. I keep my beards in the shell I shot them with along with a piece of paper describing the date, location and whether they strutted, gobbled or any other little facts.

[eggshell]

I know right away not to take someone very seriously if they tell me they do not keep the beards and spurs. Usually a warning sign to me what type of hunter I am listening to.

Let's be careful in offering opinions so this thread doesn't go off the rails like one recently did. I will admit I could think this comment was directed at me, but I know your making a general statement.

Just for the record, I worked 31 years for a state wildlife agency in Fisheries, I have a box of commendations from various state and private agencies for my service to sportsmen,  I was a long time member of NWTF, I supported trap and transplant efforts, as part of my job I ran a check station, I worked with the trapping crews in my off season, I managed 1,000 acres of private timber land for grouse and turkey. I have hunted 7 states over 48 years and killed a grand slam. I obey laws and hunt ethically. I have been shot and almost died in a turkey hunting accident. I only keep the meat from turkeys, I got tired of all the stuff. I did throw it all away after I was shot, because I felt trophy hunting added to accidents as the pressure to succeed made people take chances. Yet by your statement I am "one of those type hunters (whatever that is), because I only keep the meat. I consider myself a sportsman and lover of all the great outdoors that God has given us domain over.

You see how generalized statements can accidentally offend and start arguments.  I know what your trying to say, but it did make me write all this.....

[stinkpickle]

I lost count years ago.

[gary harris]

no I do not

[perrytrails]

Do I count how many I've put in front of someone else's barrel?

A rookie who became hooked for life?
A kid?

Or someone who flat gave up and you changed their mine when they all but quit turkey hunting altogether?

My good friend always said you usually gotta kill 3 or 4 before you get a chance to shoot one. I choose to do it that way sometimes.

I could show you a nice long rope of spurs, heck back in the day I even put hard as nails gloss finger nail polish on em. Made em purdy.

I could show you a wad of beards too.

I like to shoot turkeys. Have had more fun sharing with others.

[chcltlabz]

I do keep a record with details on every bird I kill, so yes, I do know how many.  To be honest, I usually fill out the record sometime at the end of the season, and most times, I'd have no idea what that number was until I go to my log book, but right now, I'm approaching what I consider a milestone, so I know the number.

I've had 4 family members suffer from dementia, some old, some not nearly old enough.  My hope is that someday if I'm in that situation I can go back to the log book and remember a few more of those days.

[goblr77]

I couldn't tell you without counting beards. I can only give an estimated guess that will probably be within 10 or so of the correct number.

[MK M GOBL]

I have kept a journal since day 1, and have notes in there on all kinds of "turkey" not just the kills, more the things I have done, guiding, some great birds, doubles, youth hunts and such. I could look it up and give you a number, in a given spring season I could give you that number for birds that year.


I started that journal as it was the one thing I got my dad in to hunting, never had turkeys to hunt as a kid, a buddy and I got started and then I got my dad hooked!


MK M GOBL

[idgobble]

I know right away not to take someone very seriously if they tell me they do not keep the beards and spurs. Usually a warning sign to me what type of hunter I am listening to.

Let's be careful in offering opinions so this thread doesn't go off the rails like one recently did. I will admit I could think this comment was directed at me, but I know your making a general statement.

Just for the record, I worked 31 years for a state wildlife agency in Fisheries, I have a box of commendations from various state and private agencies for my service to sportsmen,  I was a long time member of NWTF, I supported trap and transplant efforts, as part of my job I ran a check station, I worked with the trapping crews in my off season, I managed 1,000 acres of private timber land for grouse and turkey. I have hunted 7 states over 48 years and killed a grand slam. I obey laws and hunt ethically. I have been shot and almost died in a turkey hunting accident. I only keep the meat from turkeys, I got tired of all the stuff. I did throw it all away after I was shot, because I felt trophy hunting added to accidents as the pressure to succeed made people take chances. Yet by your statement I am "one of those type hunters (whatever that is), because I only keep the meat. I consider myself a sportsman and lover of all the great outdoors that God has given us domain over.

You see how generalized statements can accidentally offend and start arguments.  I know what your trying to say, but it did make me write all this.....

I agree. I don't know why I'd want to have hundreds of beards and twice as many spurs around, certainly not so somebody would take me seriously.  I guess I can understand why some guys would want to. It's probably fun to look at them. To each his own. I did keep the 4 beard one I got last year but don't know what to do with it.  I have a friend who takes my beards, legs, skulls, wings and tails and uses them in the native American type ornaments and doodads he makes to give to kids when he goes to schools all dressed up like a Jeremiah Johnson mountain man and gives nature talks and mountain man history talks.  He travels around to the Mountain Man rendezvous in the summer doing the same thing.  I started keeping a hunting journal about 20 years ago but have nothing on the 45 years before that except pictures and what I can remember about everything I've hunted.  Kinda wish I had started on the journal 65 years ago.

How about telling us the story of how you got shot. Maybe it will help somebody avoid the same fate.

[SteelerFan]

I'm a NO

Used to be sure to keep beards and fans, then lost a few with a move here or there. I could tell you the number from the last couple of years...until it gets to be a couple of years from now. Lol

[tha bugman]

Nope. I kept track when I first started but then I realized that it doesn't matter. I just try and play my best game on the next one.

+1

[oakraidia]

Yes, but I've only been at it for 6 years. Hopefully I'll wind up as a "no" in the future.

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