The turkey course did what it was supposed to do... reduce the number of hunters to let the birds get reestablished... they are now reasonably self sustaining, so the course was cancelled. The problem for dedicated and experienced turkey hunters is the influx of noobs just out to "give it a try." What I witnessed last year would have been laughable, if it hadn't cost me a couple nice toms.
If you can't be tolerant of new people entering the game, then you should hang up your skates and move on. You were new once. Other people had to tolerate you. Here is my new guy story from last year.
Last year was my first year of hunting turkey. I had wanted to get into it for years, but could never get on a turkey course in anywhere near a 3 hour drive to me. With the course gone, I was good to go. As luck would have it I made a friend whose dad has a great patch of woods backing on corn fields loaded with birds. Me and a hunter friend of mine met with the dad, who gave us permission, and introduced us to the neighbors, some who also gave permission, others who did not. We have a printed shaded map and overlay on GPS so we know where we can and can't go.
Last year, first time ever, we went turkey hunting. We weren't completely new to hunting, had some some small game hunts, and had read and studied a ton, but were really pretty green. Half the equipment we needed we didn't even have a week before. Face masks, proper camo shirts, turkey ammo for the shotguns, decoys etc. I actually found two turkey decoys that were buried in my shed left by the previous owner. Not exceptional decoys, but good enough and in good shape. A day at the range patterning the guns, googling how to properly pattern a gun for turkey right there on the range. No blinds or anything comfortable. Our plan is to simply find a good spot and sit against a tree. Night before our first hunt we were re-watching videos on how to turkey call, doing a pretty rough job and pissing off the roommates.
First day out, we misjudged our drive and set up time by over an hour, and didn't get into position until an hour after sun up. We heard turkey all day long, but they had already moved from the roost which was on our huntable property down to the cornfields, which was off limits. I am certain our calls were terrible. After an hour soft calls and long waits, we figured we were done for, and just started trying to make more noise with the calls, and really just practice. We were just trying to mimic what we were hearing, but never heard anything that sounded like it was closer than 200 meters down in the fields. By noon, we were ready to pack it in. We stand up to stretch, break cover to go pick up the decoys, and hear the massive whoosh of 3 birds jumping for cover. Both of us had our guns up on them trying to get a bead, but without talking about it neither one of us shot, figuring an ugly shot on the wing with ruined meat isn't what we really wanted. After both of us let out or own long FAWWWK... we realized they were not more than 25 yards from our decoys in some low ground. Another 5 minutes of waiting and they would have popped right up in front of us. Another thing we learned was that our set up was terrible for trying to catch birds moving from the roosty woods to the corn fields.
Day two we left two hours earlier, so we could take our time moving through the dark. We flushed a bird as we were moving into a better position we had found the day before. We couldn't tell if we were being too noisy, or if we were again too late and the bird was awake, or if its just because we walked right underneath it and it got spooked. In any event we pressed on, got set up, about 45 minutes before first light, and just waited. After 15 minutes we heard the birds start to put and organize. We did one call, one, just a little cluck, and waiting. Within minutes we could hear the rustling of leaves and what sounded like a stampede of birds moving down the hill towards us, on their way to the fields. We saw 27 turkey that days, more than half of which were jakes, with three big toms. The Jakes were all over our decoys and we could have had our pick, but we were focused on the toms, who never came anywhere near our decoys, and no where near shotgun range. Something about our set up, the decoy, our tone deaf and incoherent calls, the location, something was just keeping those old Toms hung up, but the young Jakes were loving it. Eventually they all got spooked or hungry and moved off. After 30 minutes of no more life, and again nearing lunch, we decided to pack it in. Again we stand up to stretch, break cover to get the decoys, and about 70 yards out we say a pack of three BIG Jakes/maybe Toms turn tail and run. Another 5 minutes and they would have been in the dead zone. Le sigh.
Day three. We had both discussed that looking at Toms is great and all, and having a tremendous story about bagging a trophy Tom our first go out would be epic, but then remember all the practical experience and old sayings, "a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush", etc, we decided that we would bother rather shoot the first legal bird we see so that we can come home with something, rather be too choosy and come home again with nothing. IN position without an issue. Same set up as before. Waiting for first light and the first light we see is lightning. And then it rained. For two hours. Soaked to the bone without proper rain gear or shelter and not hearing a peep from anything, we packed it in. We both agreed whole heartedly that this was natures revenge for us decision to simply take the first bird we see, rather than challenging ourselves and waiting for the trophy Tom...
Day four. More rain. We said fvck it, hit the snooze, slept in, woke up late and went shopping. Rain had stopped by lunch. Off to the range to pattern the guns again for shiggles.
Day five. Game day. Flushed another bird on our way into the spot, but didn't care, just kept on going. Nothing to do about it anyways. After listening to the birds all week, and seeing where they move and their routes, we set up on what we figured was a four way intersection on their travel patterns. We decided to ditch the Jake decoy, and go with just the lone hen. Bit of a rookie move to make a last minute change like that without really having a good reason, but wondered if the Jake decoy was keeping the toms away. 15 minutes of silence until legal hunting time. We didn't make another 15 afterwards, until we heard movement. One little cluck, was all it took. A train of birds came at us from every direction. We counted 25 at one point, with half a dozen hens, the rest all Jakes/Toms, all hovering about 50 yards out. Not quite too far to take a shot, but too many birds to be certain we would only get one. We saw one tom start to strut and it was magnificent to watch, as we had never seen it live before. Then there were a couple competing and we started to hear a raucous of gobbles, something we hadn't really heard before. It was like for the first time the entire forest opened up to us to reveal something that was not meant for outsiders. We were under no illusion that we were complete hacks, making up for our lack of skill, experience and good kit with unbridled enthusiasm that had finally been rewarded with a glimpse into the secret affairs of North American Wild Turkeys. That awe didn't last long as we realized it was crunch time. Do or die time. Game on time.
We were certain these birds could see our decoy, but with all that live action who would bother with a decoy? Well right then Fortuna must have conspired Aeolus to smile on us that day because just then the wind picked up and actually spun our decoy around, moving just enough to catch some notice. We figured this was our chance to get in the game and let out one more cluck. 3 Jakes picked their heads up right away and broke off from the pack and started making their way over. They got within 15 yards of us, when we made the decision to close the deal. I had the better line of sight and position, so I shot first, picking the bird that was furthest away from my partner, and what I guessed would be least likely to be available to him if something weird happened. Shot fired and my bird drops like a stone. The other two birds flew off in different directions, and one of them, actually stopped and turned around mid air in a moment of indecision to change direction to follow the other, but ended up basically landing and then running past our decoy and downed bird to go the other way. That indecision cost him his life as my partner made the ~20 yard shot with ease. The two shots weren't more than 4 seconds apart. Both of us were alive with adrenaline, blood pumping, ears hot, eyes darting around, not really sure what to next. All the other birds had long since disappeared, both of us having shot our bird for the day, we figured it was high time for hive fives and bourbon as we went out to collect our quarry. Both excellent head shots. We dressed and plugged our birds in the field, something I will never do again. We wanted that picture perfect image of the whole turkey in the pot to commemorate our first birds, and could never really figure out that whole business of putting them in a pot of boiling water to defeather them, as if I would haul a pot of water down to the hunt site. In any event next time the bird is just going to get quartered and skinned.
So there we were, quintessential hero shots of puffed chests, fanned tail feathers and shotguns on the knee were taken, birds cleaned and in the cooler, headed home before 10 am. We were hooked. Turkey hunters for life. Never trespassed on anything. Never had our hunt ruined by other noobs, and never even saw sign of other hunters, nor should we have. No maimed animals left in the woods to rot. Sure we could have done lots of things better. We have learned somethings that we will do better this year, although I am also sure we will make all new mistakes as well. Some people could read this as a great story about a new hunter getting hooked. Others could read this and point out all of our flaws and mistakes, and call us all kinds of names or somehow tell us how a turkey course could have saved us. To each their own. Regardless, Good luck and if in doubt, wait just five more minutes...
Well one thing is for sure... the turkeys are going to get a university degree on how to avoid hunters.
Two scenarios from last year;
1. Opening morning,...... did I mention they were trespassing... they did not have permission for that property or either of the adjacent properties... we had a "chat."
2. I get set-up ... all of a sudden I notice a rumbling sound, over the hill comes a guy on a quad... and oh, he was also trespassing. The birds were gone, so I packed up and moved locations.
The guys in these two scenarios clearly had zero knowledge of hunting turkeys, they also had no respect for private property or the rights of fellow sportsmen... say what you want about the turkey course, but it did instill an enthusiasm for the pursuit of the birds, techniques for pursuing them and reinforced basic safety practices specifically related to turkey hunting.
Last year was the first time I had experienced anything like those two scenarios... I wonder why that is?
And as you wonder why that is, what conclusions do you want to draw? The people in the two scenarios you mention, weren't hunters: they were poachers. Believing that a turkey course will do any good to affect poaching is like believing the PAL course will reduce murder. Without or without the course, these folks were clearly enthusiastic about pursuing the birds, and asides from the trespassing I don't really see what part of their actions were patently unsafe?
Yes they certainly lacked a lot of things in terms of attitude, knowledge, and even a basic understanding life outside the urban jungle, but an 8 hour course isn't going to fix that. Either those guys are going to get serious and meet with success, or they won't, and they will quickly give up on turkey and move on to some other endeavor.
Sidenote, you mentioned "rights of their fellow sportsman"Land rights, property rights, that I get, and clearly these guys didn't. What are these sportsman's rights you speak of? ... Just curious, either way I f think we would agree that its a bit of a stretch to call those folks, especially the guy on the ATV, a sportsman.
