Off Season Topic: Easy, Hard,...or In-Between?

[GobbleNut]

So, how do you like your turkey hunts?

When you go turkey hunting are you looking for a place with "guaranteed success"?  ....Or are you looking for a hunt that will challenge your turkey hunting skills?

Anybody that has turkey hunted much around the country knows that there are places to go hunting where you are, in essence, just paying for a turkey.  I know because I have hunted a couple of those places,...not by choice, but because they were the only route to take under the circumstances that existed. Quite honestly, I hate those kinds of hunts,..with a passion.  There is nothing that bothers me more than paying my good money to hunt a turkey that I did no more than pull the trigger on what I refer to as "barnyard birds". 

On the other hand, I have also hunted places where the realistic possibility of killing a gobbler was almost nil.  I will say that I am also not really too enamored with hunting those places either.

What I want is something in-between.  I want to hunt a place that has a reasonable number of turkeys,...but also where those turkeys will actually test my turkey hunting skills, my woods skills, and to some extent, my physical ability. 

How about you guys? 

[tal]

 Yes is my answer... LOL.  I love a challenging bird. But I'm not too proud to accept a 'gift' bird occasionally when so many things have gone wrong beyond your control on other hunts. It's a special satisfaction though when your bring a bird to bag you've hunted multiple seasons. They don't grow old by being stupid.

[Spurs]

It depends with me.  I can tell you that I would have taken an "easy" bird on May 29 in PA.

In general though, I wouldn't still be a turkey hunter if it was easy.  The challenge is what makes it what it is.  That's why sparrow hunting isn't a thing.

[guesswho]

Not sure how to answer.  But on a difficulty scale of 1 to 10, I like at least a 7.  Anything less than that at this point in the game and its like just going through the motions. 

[Yoteduster]

Hard or easy it really makes no difference to me if I have a easy one it's greatly appreciated if I come across an old seasoned vetran i'm up to that challenge too so either-or it makes no difference I just enjoy each and every hunt for what it is

[Bowguy]

I think I'm prob in line w where you are. If it was guaranteed I'd not go

[Gobble!]

Give me a easy bird because I don't remember the last time I hunted an area like that.

[fallhnt]

I only hunt public in 4 states and mainly archery equipment. It's difficult but I enjoy it with good success. I shoot any legal bird,including hens.

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[LaLongbeard]

Interesting question. The public land I started on in Louisiana was never really loaded with turkeys and the population has slowly dwindled to actually less than when I was a kid. Until I started traveling to other states it was all I knew. After I started hunting the other subspecies I noticed how much more common and easier some of them are. And even Easterns are very different and easier to find and kill in some areas. I've never hunted one of the sure bet places. Before my first trip to Florida I looked into some outfitters and the two I talked with basically said the same thing bring the family and go to Disney land you'll be done the first morning by 9 o'clock. I had no interest in such a place if it's that easy I could just save the 16 hour drive and say I killed one. I went the public land route and it was tough but when I got one it meant a lot more.
I think people that hunt low population areas like Arkansas or Louisiana seem to appreciate each one a little more than the people that can drive by a  field and see 50 turkeys any day of the week. It's like squirrels or deer I have no idea how many squirrels I've killed and I see deer pretty much every day from my back porch there so common I rarely give them a second look or care to hunt them. Turkeys are rarely seen from the road. I have to hunt harder in La than any other state to kill a Gobbler I cannot remember the last one that was easy here. It can be frustrating sometimes when a week or more goes by with only one gobble heard maybe one time.I know experienced turkey hunters that have gone a season without killing one here in the last 10 years or so of the decline.  It be real easy to drive to Texas or book a hunt at some hunting lodge up north  and go kill a couple in 3 days,but  it wouldn't mean anything to buy a turkey.
There has to be a chance of failure to make it a challenge, which is the whole thing that makes me love turkey  hunting ,the challenge. Take away the chance of failure and I may as well stay home and shoot deer sitting on the porch swing.

[Happy]

Good question. For me I have to feel there is a challenge and effort involved. I dont mind not killing a bird but I like to at least know that they are around. The only days that seem to get to me are the days when it doesn't seem like you are within 50 miles of a gobbler. As long as I hear a gobble or two i am good and can stay concentrated. Those 2-3 day stretches where I dont hear a peep is what makes me consider sleeping in an extra hour. So to sum it up as long as it requires some skill and effort and there are some gobblers to hunt I am happy. Paying money to kill a high odds of success bird would not. I think for me I get out of it what I put into it. I am ok with winning as long as I feel I did something that requires skill or effort. I am not ok with minimal effort and simply pulling the trigger.

[Chordeiles]

I've never experienced an easy turkey hunt.... I do dream about it sometimes.
I can shoot deer in my backyard but choose to chase them on public land instead.
I'm sure it would be the same with turkeys.(If I actually had turkeys in my backyard)


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[RutnNStrutn]

What I want is something in-between.  I want to hunt a place that has a reasonable number of turkeys,...but also where those turkeys will actually test my turkey hunting skills, my woods skills, and to some extent, my physical ability.

Exactly. I don't want a barnyard bird, nor do I want a hunt with a bird around every corner where success is pretty much a given. I also don't want to have it so challenging that you begin to wonder if there are even gobblers on the property. Nor do I want to be attached at the hip to a guide.
I want to feel like I did the hunting, I figured out the birds, I called them in, and I sealed the deal. That's a satisfying hunt.

[Spitten and drummen]

I like a hunt where the bird does everything he is suppose to do. Those are far and few between. It keeps me going back.

[Ctrize]

I go where the gobble lead me. Took me six days to kill a gobbler in MO on private land. Four hours on public land in Michigan. I'll take an easy one but the hard ones make for a better story.

[TRG3]

After not filling my first two tags during the Southern Illinois seasons after 9 days of hunting, I was pleasantly surprised on my 10th day to have unknowingly set up within 50 yards of some gobblers which flew down right into my decoys. Sometimes luck trumps skill.