The philosophy/psychology of turkey hunting

[turkeygirl]

Ok, so I should be studying for that psych. test I have tomorrow but I thought I would post this out of thought. I see the posts on here about how we are obsessed basically with turkey hunting or any hunting for that matter. Well, my idea is that turkeys are as smart as if not smarter than a deer sometimes. Turkeys are more challenign to me than deer. So why do we keep hunting turkeys even when they gives us all the stops and we have no luck? Because we can't stand to be outsmarted by these birds and I think their being so challenging keeps us going. I know last spring was such a bummer turkey hunting ,especially missing that big gobbler. But I still went out there, probably because ofthe unknown, you never know when that big tom might just walk right in. Even now, weare all getting giddy over turkey season and it isn't even hear yet but it is the thoughts of getting back out there that surely pumps us up. I know I can't wait! Now does this make any sense,lol!

[redbeard]

For me it's the following:
1) The challenge
2) The woodsmanship it requires
3) The fact that not everyone is sucessful at it.
4) The wariness of the gobblers
5) The springtime
6) The fact they gobble and let you know where
they are at.
7) The different calls you can use or none at all.
8) The fact I can sling him over my shoulder and
don't have to rely on a 4000.00 four wheeler
to pull him out.
9) The fact it's a sport and it takes cunnery and
skill to bag one 99% of the time. You aren't
just sitting in a tree waiting for one to pass by.

I might add, those that get away have a special place in my memory and are always the first to be
remembered.

[ronin]

Turkey seem to be at their smartest during turkey season. Other times they seem to be dumb as dirt and a pain in the rear. Right now they are cruising through everyones backyards, tearing up turned flower beds, getting hit by cars, and, for lack of better words, being a general nuisance.

First day of the season this whole dumb bird bit comes to a screaching, (or I should say a kee- keeing), halt. Then they become ultra wary, elusive, and awe inspiring.

I still go out daily until I get my limit!

[Rhino]

[ QUOTE ]
For me it's the following:
1) The challenge
2) The woodsmanship it requires
3) The fact that not everyone is sucessful at it.
4) The wariness of the gobblers
5) The springtime
6) The fact they gobble and let you know where
they are at.
7) The different calls you can use or none at all.
8) The fact I can sling him over my shoulder and
don't have to rely on a 4000.00 four wheeler
to pull him out.
9) The fact it's a sport and it takes cunnery and
skill to bag one 99% of the time. You aren't
just sitting in a tree waiting for one to pass by.

I might add, those that get away have a special place in my memory and are always the first to be
remembered.

[/ QUOTE ]

All that redbeard and:

• The number of different hunting tactics you have the option to choose from which can make the difference between getting one close or not.
• There’s just something about the sound of a drumming gobbler that still makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
• Strutting gobblers are just a beautiful sight to behold.
• The turkeys will teach you something new about hunting them every year no mater how long you’ve been hunting them.

[buckbuster11]

Good points but I disagree somewhat. Yup, turkeys are tough to kill but they can be dumber then a sack of rocks and arent on a deer's level in terms of brain power. I dont see to many monster bucks standing out in the middle of a field for all to see in broad daylight day after day for example. I think what makes turkeys hard to kill is their eyesight for one, and the fact that 90% of the time you are trying to convince a gobbler to come to one hen (you) even though he has 3, 4 or 5 standing right beside him already.
Now with that said, lets stop with the turkey posts....I'm getting excited.

[buckbuster11]

[ QUOTE ]
If you were in heat, wouldn't you try for that extra hen?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, but thats just like being at a party with your girlfriend and having your ex girlfriend calling at you from across the room..unless you want two black eyes (or in this case, two busted tail feathers)....it aint gonna happen.

[Strut10]

[ QUOTE ]
Good points but I disagree somewhat. Yup, turkeys are tough to kill but they can be dumber then a sack of rocks and arent on a deer's level in terms of brain power.

[/ QUOTE ]

I gotta agree. Turkeys are dumb. They really are. But:

1. They have eyesight and hearing that will shame any deer, any day, anywhere.

2. Most turkey hunting methods involve the hunter trying to make the bird do something it really doesn't want to do.

3. Turkeys have no sense of curiosity.

4. Turkeys are scared of everything.

5. Turkey hunters are way too predisposed to assign "intelligence" to a bird when all it really amounts to is a simple misunderstanding between the two.

[MichiganHuntr1]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If you were in heat, wouldn't you try for that extra hen?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, but thats just like being at a party with your girlfriend and having your ex girlfriend calling at you from across the room..unless you want two black eyes (or in this case, two busted tail feathers)....it aint gonna happen.

[/ QUOTE ]

Happened to me a couple of weeks ago, except no black eyes, but there was some fightin words said.

[redbeard]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree with you guys a 100% there is no better way to describe it. Nothin better than the turkeys in the spring, maybe a buglin elk.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd like to try my hand at those elk, that call is a thrill, ain't it.

[redbeard]

[ QUOTE ]
Good points but I disagree somewhat. Yup, turkeys are tough to kill but they can be dumber then a sack of rocks and arent on a deer's level in terms of brain power. I dont see to many monster bucks standing out in the middle of a field for all to see in broad daylight day after day for example. I think what makes turkeys hard to kill is their eyesight for one, and the fact that 90% of the time you are trying to convince a gobbler to come to one hen (you) even though he has 3, 4 or 5 standing right beside him already.


What cho talkin' about. I've seen big bucks followin' does in heat walk right out into broad open many times. Let's face it boys, it's the women that get us all "dumber than dirt" at times. But any bird that starts out the size smaller than a peach, survives the weather, the predators and other forces of nature out to get him to grow into a full fledged struttin tom is one smart bird. The reason they seem dumb in non-mating times is they feel comfortable in a flock. However, with all that said, I do think it's harder to fool a buck's keen nose than that ole gobbler's wary eyes. If I were a big ole tom, I'd find me a big racked buck and be buddies with him, followin' him everywhere. Ya'll never get me then!

[muggs]

I think I have a different philosophy than most people I know. It seems that everyone puts pressure and themselves over getting a turkey, buck, etc... This pressure is so strong, that it often takes the fun out of hunting. The idea of the "Great hunter", the person who always fills their tag or shoots the biggest buck makes us all feel like a day without a kill has been a failure. I think the key to hunting is not always making a kill, but learning something new everytime you head out. After all, the best hunters are always the best woodsman. The way you become a great woodsman, can only be accomplished through awareness and experience.

We spend hundreds of dollars to buy anything we think will give us an edge, if you see the Primos staff using it, you buy it. I've seen my buddies go nuts on a crow locator when just listening to the birds fly up to roost would have located the gobblers.

I just try to keep things simply, be patient and enjoy being out in the woods, I do always strive to learn all that I can, and do it the best that I can, but I also keep in mind that this is what I do for fun. My stress comes from work and school, the outdoors is my hobby, how I get away from the stress of the daily grind. If hunting ever started to feel like work, I'd hang up the bow.

The challenge keeps us coming back, if you shot a turkey or deer every time you went into the woods, it would get old in a few weeks, and we wouldn't call it hunting, we'd call it shooting.

I think this philosophy has helped me keep my sanity and has actually led to more success in the woods. I say relax, have fun and if you come home empty handed, tomorrow's another day.

[Rhino]

muggs, you'd be surprised how many hunters share your philosophy. It usually comes with time especially for those of us that know there are fewer days left for us to enjoy our hunting adventures than the memories of the days that are behind us.

I know what you're talking about with some hunter's emphsis being too much on the kill. Most of my hunting friends went through stages maturing as a hunter and ended up focusing on the enjoyment of the of the outdoors and chase more than anything else. Some take longer than others to get there and some never seem to get past the emphasis on the kill stage but many do. At least that's the case with the vast majority of the hunters that I know well. With the exception of the young hunters I've worked with virtually all of my close hunting buddies are over 45 now. We've had time to go through the stages of maturing as a hunter. Just have a little patience with some of the people that haven't gotten there yet. The majority of them will in time.

I totally agree, especially hunting turkeys, that the chase is the fun part. That's one of the reasons why I spend almost as much time taking other people turkey hunting as I do going out on my own. Regardless if I'm set up to pull the trigger or taking on the role of guide, when I go turkey hunting I'm looking to enjoy a battle with a gobbler every time I go. It's simply thrilling to get gobblers to respond and hopefully come show off their stuff whether or not they ever offer a shot opportunity. Seasoned turkey hunters understand that the majority of their battles with gobblers are won by the birds and know that's the way it should be. Anytime I'm out in the field hunting, scouting, or preparing to hunt I relax, put the day to day worries and the rat race out of my mind and just enjoy the whole experience of being out there.

[muggs]

Excellent thoughts Rhino, I guess I didn't take into the maturity factor into consideration.

I'm a younger guy and all my hunting buddies are my age. I was referring to them more than hunters in general. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't assuming that this philosophy makes me special or anything like that. It's just that lately I find myself wanting to go hunting alone, the company is nice, but my buddies all get stress over the kill and then get impatient becasue they want to force the issue. As you know, that's not a successful strategy.

As a matter of fact, this philosophy is new to me. I spent a lot of time focusing on the kill in my early years of hunting. But I guess I'm just maturing now, never really looked at it like that before.

[Rhino]

Well some hunters just mature faster than others muggs. Glad to see that you can relax and enjoy the big picture of hunting for what it is. Your other buddies will get there sooner or later.

[muggs]

hopefully