Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
Never done it. Don't know anything about it. But does anyone still do it or is it essentially extinct?
Pure curiosity.
Pure curiosity.
Turkey dogs?
- Thread starter Boll Weevil
- Start date
Saw some guys on OldGobbler forum got together for a fall turkey hunt this way. With a dog bred for the purpose. So people do it, but they tend to be the eccentric types who read classic turkey hunting authors who considered it unsporting to hunt a tom outside of the fall.
Two of my good friends have been turkey dogging for years. I've never experienced it but they consider it to be the ultimate challenge, calling a flock of turkeys back together that your dog just broke up while said dog lays motionless beside you.
Remington700
Well-Known Member
Have always heard the tales but never known or seen anyone that does it.
Willysman
Well-Known Member
Sounds like fun. Probably can't do it in TN.
TiminTN
Well-Known Member
Yes, it has been done in TN, I think the limit was way up there a few years back and hens were legal. Not what we want as conservationist for the large flocks we dream of.
I remember reading stories in Field & Stream YEARS ago about it.
One in particular the author said something to the effect of "I would just as soon throw my hat at a gobbler than kill him in the Spring."
Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
As a kid had a field spaniel that if I found fresh scratching, Crockett would tear off through the woods, find the flock and scatter'em like crazy. It was the sitting still in a burlap sack he'd never be able to master!
woodsman04
Well-Known Member
Still a thing up in NY and PA I believe. As an old school turkey hunter I would love to go up there and do it in the Appalachians.
Seems like they do shoot hens though, which I want no part of. Gobbler only for me no matter the season.
People say gobblers are hard to hunt in the fall so they shoot hens and youngsters instead. Ain't that the point of hunting????
Seems like they do shoot hens though, which I want no part of. Gobbler only for me no matter the season.
People say gobblers are hard to hunt in the fall so they shoot hens and youngsters instead. Ain't that the point of hunting????
Willysman
Well-Known Member
I think, not sure, that Virginia is a big turkey dogging state.
My uncle used to do it years ago with a setter trained specifically for it and a lot guys use Boykins. My uncle would go to Virginia to do it. He didn't care who killed the turkey as long as he could use his dog. Hard for some to comprehend seeing as it seems this state has a lot hunters who have never hunted with dogs for anything and experienced the joy of it but the turkey, be it gobbler or hen is the result of years of training the dog to do a specific task. The reward is whatever is flopping after the trigger is pulled signifying the dog performed his job as trained.
woodsman04
Well-Known Member
Good point. I'm anti hen shooting, but I understand. With me having hunting dogs, I understand how a guy would want to shoot any turkey for his dogs.
Never thought of it that way.
Lots of satisfaction in doing your end of the deal for your dogs. Whether it's turkey dogs, bird dogs, tree dogs, or whatever.
