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Seems to me the better approach would be opening the season later. Then judge the impact of that step before changing anything else, like eliminating decoys.
Alabama leading the way
- Thread starter Setterman
- Start date
I mean an easy test for current decoy hunters. Spend an entire season hunting field turkeys with no decoys (if thats what you currently hunt mainly) and see how your success rate is impacted.
I personally was just never a fan of carrying those things around. I like to move to much and they always got in the way. At one time the simple foam folding ones were ok to just throw in my vest but man carrying around those new giant ones would SUCK if you covered a lot of ground each day.
at the end of the day I want the population to rise and maintain. As a hunter if that means opening later, changing limits etc then so be it. Id rather be able to have a good hunting population over the next 20 years then have a few good seasons here and there.
I personally was just never a fan of carrying those things around. I like to move to much and they always got in the way. At one time the simple foam folding ones were ok to just throw in my vest but man carrying around those new giant ones would SUCK if you covered a lot of ground each day.
at the end of the day I want the population to rise and maintain. As a hunter if that means opening later, changing limits etc then so be it. Id rather be able to have a good hunting population over the next 20 years then have a few good seasons here and there.
bowhunterfanatic
Well-Known Member
You can thank most all forms of social media for this. I'm quite certain that many new, young hunters don't even realize there is a "tradtional" way of doing things because they are self taught through social media. I'm very thankful for this site because without it I'd be one of the many hunters that didn't realize there was another way. Think about it though, where do all kids these days go to learn??? FB, youtube, etc etc etc. As much as I love watching THP, Pinhoti, Catman, etc, I never see these guys really push the old school, traditional method even though that is the way they are all hunting...my guess is for fear of offending someone.
EFB 270
Member
Maybe while we are at it we could put down the automatic and pump shotguns, with $100 chokes, topped with the latest red dots, slinging $11 TSS loads. Seems like that would provide some protection for the birds from this dreaded new generation of license purchasing hunters.
I am with you EFB 270! I will just carry my single shot 410 and 20 gauge single shot that are equipped with red dot , factory choke and TSS! I don't see how wanting the best pattern for your gun and a clean ethical kill compares to staking out or crawling behind a gobbler decoy?
Setterman
Well-Known Member
If a reg was passed where I could only hunt with a recurve then I would have no issue and would learn to kill with that.
your example is the most worn out tired talking point used by the decoy lovers. And it still like before makes no sense
EFB 270
Member
I kill birds just fine without a decoy, however I don't see how y'all bashing folks that use decoys is helping.
Let's kill them with willow branches and whittling knives... I personally don't care if kill them with a claw hammer.
Maybe we can get in on the cancel culture and cancel season every other year.
the other side of that is if you go to lead or steel only the crippled bird deaths would skyrocket.
I see the point you are trying to make but personally do not see how it applies to this topic as obviously as decoys and season start date do. Maybe I am wrong though
EFB 270
Member
REN- I'm probably wrong. But we all shot lead until hevi shot rolled along. Now everyone has some sort of wicked blend in their guns. I've been boiling for months over cancel culture. Until I read this thread nothing had been close to home. I felt like I should lash.
yeah like I said I get what point you were trying to make. Yes I shot lead for years and for a good while didnt care what shell or choke was in my gun. Yes I killed some birds but I also wounded a lot to taking shots I thought were good. I cannot speak for the whole TSS crowd now that its more mainstream but the tier of people I know in that area started to use TSS not to shoot 60+ yds but to carry a lighter gun and get much more ethical kills at normal ranges. Spent a ton of time testing combos to make sure they had the one that shot the pattern the best for said kill. Red dots being added to me are a positive, means you actually spent time making sure where your gun was shooting where you were aim.
Anything that helps drive up the % of a good kill vs wounding an animal im all for. No Im not for seeing how far I can shoot one, but thats a different type of hunter then I am or who I associate with. If you are going to pull the trigger on a turkey I would rather it be a 100% kill or a clean miss. HOW I GOT THE TURKEY TO THAT RANGE is more the conversation here.
Setterman
Well-Known Member
The issue with your entire premise is that you think this is "cancel" culture. It's not, and making that comparison is laughably foolish.
This entire discussion is about doing what is easily controlled to maybe improve the entire turkey flock without taking severe measures.
would you rather decoys go away, and keep a 2-3 bird limit? or hunt for 6 weeks rather than 1-2 weeks?
with the trajectory the way it is currently, things have to change. There is no way to deny the numbers of birds killed by decoys.
i absolutely loathe the long range gun crowd no different than the reapers or decoy hunters. Their priorities and mine are completely different.
If there was evidence that the method I use is detrimental unfairly, and the state changed the regs to where I had to strangle one with my bare hands. I'd adjust and learn how. The decoy crowd is so unwilling to learn to hunt they just can't even fathom not hunting with them, as they're lazy and don't care to learn or put forth any significant effort
Using decoys fundamentally changes the game, totally unlike sights or shells. It is not good for the resource or increasing the skill and sportsmanship of the hunter. They give a totally unfair advantage to the hunter because of the nature of turkeys.
EFB 270
Member
Wow setterman. Here's something that is laughably foolish you loathe a member of the hunting community that does something different than you do? They purchase a license where 100 percent of the license fees go towards conservation. Take away their ability to harvest turkeys by their chosen method, there goes that funding.
I get it this conversation is about turkey protection, I 100% support that cause. Maybe we could privatize turkeys in Tennessee while we are at it, maybe limit license sales, raise some money to pay farmers to not cut hay til July, some education and outreach to the hens that fencerows are safer nesting locations. only let people wearing bottomland camo hunt. Or go with a dreaded reaper on a hunt where no decoys are used.
it makes no difference to me
I get it this conversation is about turkey protection, I 100% support that cause. Maybe we could privatize turkeys in Tennessee while we are at it, maybe limit license sales, raise some money to pay farmers to not cut hay til July, some education and outreach to the hens that fencerows are safer nesting locations. only let people wearing bottomland camo hunt. Or go with a dreaded reaper on a hunt where no decoys are used.
it makes no difference to me
EFB 270
Member
I thought of something else that would really help my personal flock numbers. If we could convince the poachers that purple means no or the posted signs the blow by when I'm not on the farm means unwelcome. That would genuinely help.
do those people "choose" to hunt that way or do it cause its the easiest way to do it? would they just not turkey hunt at all if they are no longer allowed to use decoys. It seems you are implying that hunting with decoys or that method is some sort of lifestyle or a "right". Would some quit because they outlawed decoys so now their success rate dropped? maybe. Would you get more hunters in the long term that learn the actual sport of hunting and drive up license sales because the resource is better because of that removal? A higher chance maybe.
i see this argument against setterman all the time that because its not "his" way, but I dont see it as that. I see "his" way puts more respect into the resource and its future vs how many can I kill the easiest way. WE ALL should be more about the resource then our own personal harvest numbers. "his" way is shared view point but A LOT of people and groups. I just have never understood the push back on removing decoys IF is the greater good of the game, like why would more people not get on board with it for the long term success of a sport they loved.
to be CLEAR - im not implying that using decoys is the main reason why turkey numbers are down, but you cant argue that they are not a part of if not a big part of that % loss. There are plenty of other facts that should be discussed and taken into consideration.
i see this argument against setterman all the time that because its not "his" way, but I dont see it as that. I see "his" way puts more respect into the resource and its future vs how many can I kill the easiest way. WE ALL should be more about the resource then our own personal harvest numbers. "his" way is shared view point but A LOT of people and groups. I just have never understood the push back on removing decoys IF is the greater good of the game, like why would more people not get on board with it for the long term success of a sport they loved.
to be CLEAR - im not implying that using decoys is the main reason why turkey numbers are down, but you cant argue that they are not a part of if not a big part of that % loss. There are plenty of other facts that should be discussed and taken into consideration.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
I think the problem is going to fix itself. The current record number of turkey hunters lagged behind the record number of turkeys by about a decade.
Once the record number of hunters have depleted the resource and birds are crazy scarce, the number of hunters will fall.
Either that or we will end up going to a draw for tags system like big game out West. I hope that doesn't happen, as I'd rather hunt every year with fewer hunter and turkey numbers than only get to hunt once every 3 or 4 years drawing a tag.
Once the record number of hunters have depleted the resource and birds are crazy scarce, the number of hunters will fall.
Either that or we will end up going to a draw for tags system like big game out West. I hope that doesn't happen, as I'd rather hunt every year with fewer hunter and turkey numbers than only get to hunt once every 3 or 4 years drawing a tag.
Hymie3
Well-Known Member
Amen
Setterman
Well-Known Member
Loathe is a strong word, I agree. But their values and mine do not align even a little bit. I see their view as taking the easiest way possible, and diluting what is a pure form of hunting and molding it into a kill as quick and easily as possible shooting sport.
I see their tactics as not just detrimental, but degrading the roots of turkey hunting and more importantly doing serious damage to the future of the sport by teaching young hunters the wrong way and negatively impacting the flock that we all enjoy hunting.
I ask again, if you knew that removing a single tactic would save thousands and thousands of turkeys to breed and carry over why wouldn't you be in favor? Answer that....
I'm with you. I think
This is what I've been thinking. TWRA will drag its feet just long enough for some areas to hunt the birds to nearly unhuntable numbers I hope that I'm wrong but man where I hunt we're gonna be there in another year or 2
EFB 270
Member
I am in agreement with you setterman. I really am. I was playing devil's advocate on this. I see everything being diluted as a money making racket, Just like bass fishing. You can't compete if you don't have 50 inches of screen and a live picture underwater. Hunting in general is the same way. Old school gets left behind. Truly twra should do a review of all seasons and make corrections. I agree that season should be regulated more. Muzzleloading isn't even remotely fair. My muzzleloader shoots better than my rifle. more 2 cents I wouldn't mind a 2 weeks season lol I wouldn't be as tired come mid may!!! I have killed birds all different ways, the one that sticks out most I spent 2 days after a bird and finally was there when he broke from his harem. Couldn't handle a purr and lead scratching
