My trials and tribulations in the turkey woods and fields have led me to the conclusion that the lack of "success" stories (if bagging game is your barometer of 'success') has very little to do with the amount of effort exerted in "some" cases.

I may be alone......but I relate my turkey hunting to my deer hunting in a LOT of ways. I go after each with a lot of preparation and effort. To date.....that hasn't paid off in turkey hunting.

What I've also realized is.....I have chosen a route in which to pursue these animals that isn't exactly condusive to tagging out in record time (i.e. the pursuit of them via stick and string). That's what makes EACH encounter special, though. THAT is what is going to make the day I DO harvest a bird with archery tackle something special.

I think about the stories I hear, now, of a lot of you guys deer hunting. I'm SO FORTUNATE .....in that I have deer woods that are FULL of game. I hear the stories of how hard some of you go at your deer herds.....and I can't for the life of me relate.......until now.

I hunted 10 separate hunts in the first week of my turkey season......had some encounters that were AWESOME......but have ZERO birds in the freezer to show for my efforts. If I'd chosen to take a smokepole.......I'd be tagged out, right now. If I relate those same efforts to MY deer hunting........I'd have had the opportunity to "likely" fill several tags in that same effort.

Iguess what I'm trying to say is........we ALL have our own, INDIVIDUAL goals and definitions of what "success" is. I know some of you go after whitetails with more effort than I do in ANY of the pursuits I choose....and I'd like to commend you on your efforts, as well.

If it was easy.......it wouldn't be NEARLY the fun it is. If it was THAT easy......they'd call it "shooting" in lieu of "Hunting". I'm having a BLAST............."Hunting". I've been humbled in the opening days of turkey hunting......like I haven't experienced in deer hunting. That's a GOOD thing. It'll make "that day" SO MUCH more special.

Good luck, guys (and gals).