Passing on Gobblers

[wkyhunter]

How many pass on birds to continue hunting?
Some of the best seasons for me have been killing a bird opening day. Being able hunt much of the rest of season and finally killing the last bird on close to the last day.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I personally don't. I try to line up another state or there's always pigs to shoot.

 

[REN]

illl never pass up an adult bird thats coming in to a call and playing the game along the way. Just never know when thats the last time you will ever see it

Now a bird I walk up on or "ambush" those Ill pass up for sure

 

[megalomaniac]

LOL, passed up 2 yesterday and 2 more today. Didn't even carry a gun either trip. I just love to beat them, don't care if I kill them.

Been in the woods from 5a till 5p the past 4 days, having the time of my life.

I found another candidate for tag #2 this morn.... sneaky SOB. gobbled 1 time on the limb before daybreak. I hauled ass 500y to 60y from him on the limb, and he stayed silent. His hen tree yelped 80y away and he just drummed on the limb. His hen flew down and left him alone on the limb, then he gobbled 7 or 8 times. I watched him on the limb and he's got decent spurs. Just as he was getting antsy on the limb, I clucked to him twice. He pitched down 50y away and drummed. Then walked up the hill silent away from me. Gobbled again 200y away. Hes in the middle of 1000ac, so I think he will still be alive for a rematch late May. He beat me twice last year, so I have some history with him... its not personal yet, but if he beats me my next trip up, 2025 will be all about that 1 bird.

 

[Bgoodman30]

Nah as much as I want to keep hunting I am not going to harass and educate them just to play the game. I have other guys on my leases. Sure as heck wouldn't want one of the others guys doing that before I hunted. I would be pissed…

 

[Setterman]

Never, if he answers my calls and comes to find me he's meeting his maker. Hunting the terrain I do is brutal and playing catch and release can wait until fishing

 

[Gravey]

I don't get to go as much as I'd like and typically only kill one but if #2 plays the game I'm not passing him just to keep hunting.

 

[PalsPal]

but if #2 plays the game I'm not passing him just to keep hunting.

That's the key for me.

I will not end my season on a bird that just shows up silent. I want to be able to remember the hunt in the months to come, and if I don't have the adrenaline rush during the hunt, then I'm sure not going to remember it.

 

[thirdwilliam]

I will not pass the right bird. If that means ending my season behind the gun, i will go with others or take a youth or new hunter to continue my season

 

[scn]

I passed on a little adult bird on Monday that only gobbled once before he came by. It wasn't a hunt I wanted to end my year with. I am perfectly content to end up with the one bird that did put on a show for me.

With a three bird limit, he might have been toted out. I think the agency fails to recognize just how much trigger restraint the two bird limit brings to ETHICAL and LEGAL turkey hunters.

 

[TheLBLman]

I think the agency fails to recognize just how much trigger restraint the two bird limit brings to ETHICAL and LEGAL turkey hunters.

For certain.
2 bird limit saves an untold number of birds, as many hunters will end their season with 1 instead of 2.

IMO, 2 is the perfect limit for turkeys now here in TN, all things considered.

 

[knightrider]

He comes to the call and crosses that magical 40 yard limit, he is going home with me as long as he has a full fan

 

[Gobble4me757]

Nope to passing on em. I don't have time to bird watch as I have plenty of tweety birds to watch Kill and move on to another state

 

[Iglow]

I've passed on 2 jakes with a gun already , but I won't shoot jakes....now with a bow....he might take a ride.

 

[deerhunter10]

Playing the game and gobbling I don't pass. Silent or an ambush I don't shoot in those situations. This starting later may change that in the future. But spring is super super busy for me so being tagged out early makes me stay responsible.

 

[poorhunter]

I don't get to hunt enough to pass any. Even when I did have more time I never passed one either. Back in Indiana, that has one bird limit, I killed my bird opening morning three years in a row and 7 out of 9 years at one point. A few of those years I got to stay hunting with my buddy from college, but mostly it was one and done.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I don't pass on a Tom. When it is dead silent and there is no action, I will certainly "deer hunt" them and shoot if given the opportunity

 

[cm1021]

I have become selective in the past few years. First bird falls. Second bird I try to hunt a specific bird. Got my first one down yesterday and he made me work for him.

There's a specific bird I'm gonna try to go after now. He's got a super long beard and good spurs. I've gotten a good look at him 3 times now. I REALLY hope he'll play the game and I don't just ambush him.

I've started letting birds that I either sneak up on or bump into walk. If they come in silent, it's still getting rolled. As long as I feel like I called the bird in, he's going home with me.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

I have passed three so far.

 

[CHRIS WILSON]

Haven't passed up on an adult bird yet. If they play the game and come into the call, it's on. Now Jakes will always get a pass.

 

[MidTennFisher]

I can't imagine ever passing up on an adult gobbler that I caused to make his way towards me.

The silent ones likely still probably "played the game", they just did it quietly. Out of all the acres of woods he could walk in, he didn't just randomly show up in front of you. He came to your calls, he just was educated from hunting pressure and did so quietly.

I do almost all of my hunting on public land. Public land gobblers are hard to come by. If they come by me, they get shot. Spring is a great time for fishing, too. So there's always that to do once you're tagged out.

Not to directly accuse anybody, but I think roughly 95% of the people who claim they won't kill a turkey that didn't gobble are full of crap.

 

[Huntaholic]

Yeah, I pass birds. I called up 2 last Saturday to 12 yards, gobbling and strutting the whole way in. I dont feel like there are enough birds on this property to spare one this year.

 

[redblood]

if you count not shooting them off my porch as passing, i have passed a dozen probably since it opened. i do take their picture and male them gobble

 

[Huntaholic]

if you count not shooting them off my porch as passing, i have passed a dozen probably since it opened. i do take their picture and male them gobble

LOL I wasnt counting those! Yard birds always get a pass.