"At last, a Tennessee Kill"

[snareman]

Got on a bird 2nd day of Tennessee season at 5:30 a.m. Set up flock of decoys and commenced calling. Bird wasn't extremely vocal and when he flew down it was obvious he had at least one hen with him. I eventually called in the hen which was just over the other side of a ridgetop. I was on one side of the ridge and the birds were on the other. They were only about 60 yards away but out of site. I called for about 2 hours before deciding to back off and slip around the ridge and come in from behind the bird for a classic bushwhack. Well, after making my way around the ridge and setting up I discovered the gobbler was now alone and in full strutt right in the middle of my decoys and about 20 yards from where I had just been sitting!!! Back to the drawing board. Slipped back to the other side of the ridge and once again he moved to the side I'd just come from. After 4 hours I'd had enough and rushed him from behind while in strutt and got off a body shot while he flushed. No bird!! Left the ridge, got in truck, started down road only to have a gobbler fly across the road in front of us and he landed in my buddies pasture. He pulled off the road I jumped out, ran up to his gate while loading gun and killed a gobbler in what was about a 10 minute hunt. Once again, you never know how a turkey hunt is going to end.

[ril7572]

Congrats. glad ya got him, I'm out the door to try again.

[tnRick]

Is that really hunting? The first experience sounds much more rewarding that the actual kill.
Just my opinion.



Hunt hard, Hunt often, Hunt Safe

[LoneRanger]

First bird probably died too????

[Blevins Gap Outdoors]

Kind of sounds like a what not to do topic!

Take Me To Blevins Gap Outdoors (http://www.huntbgo.com)

[snareman]

TnRick,

Is it really hunting? It's up to the hunter. Months ago we had a discussion on the forum where one hunter believed it "unethical" to bushwhack a turkey. My reply to him was that no matter how good a turkey hunter you are, there will be seasons that myself and many others would otherwise go without a kill if not for a bushwhack. A good bushwhack can sometimes require more skill, patience and knowledge of a bird habits than sitting at the base of a tree and calling to a bird in the roost which could easily fly into your lap. Thanks for the reply.[:)]

[snareman]

LoneRanger,

I'm sure the 1st bird died. Too much blood and feathers for him not to. I shot him on a razorback ridge so when he pitched off he could have flown half a mile before hitting the ground dead. I'd rather not even shoot a bird than to have that happen.

[snareman]

Blevins,

Don't know whether you've hunted turkey before or not but sometimes you don't know what to do to harvest an uncooperative bird.[:)]

[snareman]

Ril,

Keep us up to date on how your TN hunts are going.

[HappyHunter]

I have no problems with bushwacking, I've done it several times my self.

As hunters we have a responsibility to limit ourselves and our shot selections to insure clean kills. A flushing bird is a very low percentage shot. Hopefully the experience of this wounded gobbler will make us all think twice before taking ill advised shots.

[buckfever]

Hmm. . . Let's review the "patience, skill and knowledge" employed here. 1) Moved b/c no response from a henned up bird - patience?. 2) Left your decoys standing - skill and knowledge? 3) Bullrushed the bird out of frustration - patience, skill and knowledge? 4) Took a very low percentage shot - skill and knowledge? 5) Spent "4 hours" hunting but no mention of even bothering to look for wounded bird b/c it could have "flown a half mile" - patience, skill and knowledge (not to mention suspect ethics involved)? 6) Jumped out of truck and shot roadside bird - patience, skill and knowledge? If that's your idea of hunting, I'm sure that for a nominal charge Mr. Butterball would allow you to "hunt" a turkey from one of his turkey farms. I agree with the critics here. I certainly hope no one else follows your example. And yes, I've done a lot of turkey hunting and shot a lot of turkeys before. And yes, I've missed some turkeys, but those misses were not due to poor ethical decisions. Reminds me of hunters who site in their guns at 100 yards, but are not afraid to give a 350 yard shot a "try" if a big buck is involved. Bad decisions any way you look at it.

[hardwoods hunter]

I believe snareman made some poor decisions. I agree with Blevins. Next season I'll drive around looking for deer in fields. When I see one snareman sounds like he would have no problem with me stopping jumping out and shooting. Stories like that are what give us all a poor name in the view of the public.

A bad day hunting is better than a good day at work.

[Blevins Gap Outdoors]

You could say I have turkey hunted before, about 20 seasons now. I even killed one once [;)]

Take Me To Blevins Gap Outdoors (http://www.huntbgo.com)

[KYhunter79]

At first, I thought snareman's post was a joke....Hmm...He can't think what he did was at all sportsmanlike.

[BOBCAT]

Snareman,
Too much blood and feathers?????? IF you'd rather not shoot than have that happen, I have to ask, why DID you shoot??

WESTERN BOBCAT

[Multidigits]

Look guys, let's drop this. Snareman took what probably was an ill advised shot, I think he realizes that. It's something that will happen hundreds of times this season. He would probably like to have that situation reversed, but that's not possible. Hopefully, we've all learned from this and will try to take only sure kill shots the rest of the season.

[hardwoods hunter]

He seemed to be passing off this act as something to be proud of. If he felt his shot was going to be questionable he should have had the restraint to not do it. I'm sure he is an honorable man that made a mistake. However if you post on this sight, then what you do is subject to review by everyone on here.

A bad day hunting is better than a good day at work.

[ril7572]

I agree with multi[:0] emotions run high in a hunting situation, sometimes bad decisions are made. If snareman could take back the shot I'm sure he would. Remember, the only people who haven't missed or made a bad shot on a turkey, are the ones that haven't shot at many. It's a sick feeling when it happens, but it does happen.

[ceohunter]

Well said Multi and ril!

[snareman]

Ballard,

I have yet you see your reply on the "who are you" topic but it is now obvious to us all that you are a college professor and your specialty is turkey hunting 101. I did not post the Tenn. hunt story so know it alls like yourself could nit pick it all apart. I had a typical day in the turkey woods like anyone else could have and just because I made decisions that you would not is no reason to get up on a box and preach. Yes, I was wrong in making an ill advised shot on a bird attempting escape and yes I shot a bird that had just flown over a road onto the farm I was hunting and I killed it after getting out of the truck, loading my gun and running up a hill in its direction. Did I stick a gun out the window of the truck? Did I shoot the bird while standing in the road? Did I shot the bird on property I was not allowed to hunt on? Did I do anything illegal? The answer to all of these questions is NO! This kill may not have been as "sporting" or as "ethical" as some of you all would like and that is fine. To each his own. I consider myself to be as ethical and as much a sportsmen as anyone who posts on this forum. I would like to commend those on the site who replied in such fashions as to say that I took an ill advised shot and maybe others can learn from my mistake. However, for you to jump up on the "preaching" box is immature and there's no room for it on the forum. Maybe the forum is the only place you've found you can receive attention, I don't know. I appreciate constructive criticism which I welcome from you too Ballard but your reply to my story was silly.

[cobbhunts]

Man that's bad I can not believe you shot that bird like that. If you would have been patient that would have never happened. Patience will land you birds and would cut down on the 9% of adult Toms that die each year because of people that pull stunts like you did. Now that you feel bad I have done just as bad or worse not particulary on Turkey but deer. It happens sometimes don't take offense.

[cobbhunts]

Oh yea congrats on the bird you did bag.

[snareman]

Cobbhunts,

Thanks for the congrats. I don't take offense to opinions or to constructive criticism but I do get tired of those on the site, one or two in particular, who like to talk down to the rest of us with their "all knowing" attitude. Thanks again.

[LoneRanger]

Maybe because you came on here and bragged about having 18 turkeys to kill and how you could guaruntee another guy a turkey, that you put too much pressure on yourself to kill a turkey????? The result is a botched hunt, and a dead turkey that won't be recovered. Being an ethical hunter like yourself, I'm sure you added it to your bag as one of those 18 turkeys. Talk about a know it all attitude, that's like the pot calling the kettle black.

[snareman]

loneranger,

Let's get a few things straight. It was 16 and not 18 to begin with[:D]. Secondly, I was not bragging, only having joking conversation with a fellow turkey hunter who was as I, looking forward to the upcoming spring seasons. As for the guy I guaranteed kills in Tennessee, I was hoping to hear back from him. I do guarantee 3 birds in Tn. and would thoroughly enjoy taking a newcomer to the sport on an excellent hunt. You seem to think that I count my kills before I make them, thanks for judging me by a sentence or two you critiqued on this forum. If I kill 1 turkey a spring I'm happy, if more then I'm happier. I did take an ill advised shot and in case you did not read previous posts I admitted to my mistake. I don't know why you are such a disgruntle reader( I've seen your other posts) but now that I am aware that there are readers out there like yourself that gets up at 5:00am only to criticize a friendly post, I'll be more careful not to post anymore turkey hunting stories that we can all learn from.[:(]

[buckfever]

Snareman - When you originally posted this topic, you did admit to making any mistakes. When TnRick asked whether your experience was really hunting, you replied that bushwhacking a turkey can require more "skill, patience and knowledge" than calling one in. When I wrote my post, I did not intend to insult you, nor did I think my post was a "know it all" post. I only wanted to join in the other criticisms and point out that what happened did not show any skill, patience or knowledge. You later said you made a mistake, which should be the end of the discussion. Sorry if I offended. Signed, The "Professor"

[buckfever]

First sentence should have read: "did NOT admit to make any mistakes."

[buckfever]

Make that "did NOT admit to making any mistakes."

[snareman]

Fair enough Ballard, I expect opinions, some just come across the wrong way. Thanks for the reply.