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Diluting accomplishments: Archery Turkeys
03-24-2008 | 11:50 AM
#44
Giant Nontypical
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,367
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RE: Diluting accomplishments: Archery Turkeys
ORIGINAL: GR8atta2d
So does it not beg the question..
Which is a bigger accomplishment??
Shotgun turkey with no blind ??
or
Bow Turkey with blind??
So does it not beg the question..
Which is a bigger accomplishment??
Shotgun turkey with no blind ??
or
Bow Turkey with blind??
Bow Turkey with No Blind
I've done all 3. Turkey hunting as with most things can be easy, or it can be hard. The main thing is it's Fun!! If I want something Real Hard I'll start Grizzly hunting here in Southern IL.
Deer hunting in the late 60's and early 70's was a real challenge. Today I could kill a deer at least 80% of the times I go. Everybody has to set their own goals and challenges, but too many forget, it's all about the Fun!
I personally think hunting with a Shotgun is easier than any method of Bowhunting them, but what do I know I've never considered myself a Turkey hunter. I just kill them!
It would be the mobility factor for me. When I get close on time I run and gun. I like hunting agressive but you can't do so with a blind. High winds and lots of rain forced me to run and gun this Turkey in MO. last year. No way I could have got him with a Bow.
Dan
03-24-2008 | 11:57 AM
#45
Typical Buck
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 596
Likes: 0
From: Panhandle of Texas
RE: Diluting accomplishments: Archery Turkeys
Shotgunning a turkey is bar far easier than killing one out of a blind with a bow.
Main reason being movement. In my country, rarely do we catch a tom by himself.
In the early season, it is not uncommon for them to still be in flocks of other toms and hens even though they have already started the gobbling/strutting routine. They tend to stay behind the hens and follow them.
So I have to let a lot of turkeys pass before I can get the one I want within range, even shotgun range. In doing so, I have a lot of eyes around me, and very rarely can I make the shotgun shot without some type of readjusting or movement required.
Granted, with a bow/blind, my effective range is limited, and sometimes my ability to move quickly is compromised, but with the blind I can literally have turkeys within 5 yds all around the blind and not have to worry about suttle movements or even drawing my bow back. Not so while shotgunning.
The above situation is where for me, I'd just as soon be in the blind with a bow as up against a tree or backed into a bush with a shotgun.
Now later in the season when the hens are staying on the nest and I can catch a lone tom or even a group of 2-3 and can call them in, the shotgun does give me more mobility and range as compared to the bow/blind.
For arguements sake, I'll retract a little and agreethat shotgunning, as a whole is somewhat easier as compared to bow/blind. But to say shotgunning is WAY easier, well thats not been my experience.
Not wanting to be argumentative, just curious as to what experiences causes you to draw your conclusion.
03-24-2008 | 12:54 PM
#46
Site Buck Guru
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,922
Likes: 0
From: Racine, Wisconsin
RE: Diluting accomplishments: Archery Turkeys
ORIGINAL: quiksilver
Back in the day, killing a tom with a bow was a big deal. Seriously. It took a massive amount of skill, time and effort. This is an animal with eagle vision, superhuman hearing, and some of the wiriest nerves on the planet. Not anyone can go out with a bow and arrow and shoot one. It just didn't happen. Only the best of the best could do it consistently.
Nowadays - anyone with a few dollars to spare can do it.
Why? The advent of the Ground Blind.
Whydoes the King believe thata portable ground blind "devalues" taking an archery tom? Simple. By eliminating his top two lines of defense: Sight and Sound.
In the past, a would-be turkey bowhunter would have to hide behind a rose bush or a treetrunk and try to come to fulldraw on a spooky tom without getting busted. Good luck with that.
There were no decoys to distract him. It was a fair fight. Mano-a-mano.
Not so "fair" anymore.
See, the game has changed, and it's now kosher to camp out inside a giant blacked-out groundblind - where the hunter lies in wait wearing a black sweatshirt, with his silhouette eliminated by closing all the windows (except for the shooting hole). His movements are shrouded in darkness. His sounds are muffled by the interior lining. As if that's not enough, we're using flocks of highly-detaileddecoys to divert their attention away from the big camouflage cube sitting at the edge of the woods.
Hell, it's gotten to the point where a first-timer 12-year-oldcan go out with a guide and shoot a turkey with his bow - while carrying on a conversation with the caller inside the blind.
The King says: this stinks.
I just feel like the whole accomplishment of killing a turkey from the ground with the bow is being diluted by these blind-hunting schmucks who obviously can't git-r-dun without using the blind as a crutch.
Gone are the days whentaking a spring tom with archery tacklewas a big deal.
So what say you? Is the King 2 jewels short of a karat, or is he preaching the gospel?
Back in the day, killing a tom with a bow was a big deal. Seriously. It took a massive amount of skill, time and effort. This is an animal with eagle vision, superhuman hearing, and some of the wiriest nerves on the planet. Not anyone can go out with a bow and arrow and shoot one. It just didn't happen. Only the best of the best could do it consistently.
Nowadays - anyone with a few dollars to spare can do it.
Why? The advent of the Ground Blind.
Whydoes the King believe thata portable ground blind "devalues" taking an archery tom? Simple. By eliminating his top two lines of defense: Sight and Sound.
In the past, a would-be turkey bowhunter would have to hide behind a rose bush or a treetrunk and try to come to fulldraw on a spooky tom without getting busted. Good luck with that.
There were no decoys to distract him. It was a fair fight. Mano-a-mano.
Not so "fair" anymore.
See, the game has changed, and it's now kosher to camp out inside a giant blacked-out groundblind - where the hunter lies in wait wearing a black sweatshirt, with his silhouette eliminated by closing all the windows (except for the shooting hole). His movements are shrouded in darkness. His sounds are muffled by the interior lining. As if that's not enough, we're using flocks of highly-detaileddecoys to divert their attention away from the big camouflage cube sitting at the edge of the woods.
Hell, it's gotten to the point where a first-timer 12-year-oldcan go out with a guide and shoot a turkey with his bow - while carrying on a conversation with the caller inside the blind.
The King says: this stinks.
I just feel like the whole accomplishment of killing a turkey from the ground with the bow is being diluted by these blind-hunting schmucks who obviously can't git-r-dun without using the blind as a crutch.
Gone are the days whentaking a spring tom with archery tacklewas a big deal.
So what say you? Is the King 2 jewels short of a karat, or is he preaching the gospel?
03-24-2008 | 01:01 PM
#48
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,763
Likes: 0
From: Missouri
RE: Diluting accomplishments: Archery Turkeys
Fran, this is EXACTLY why we decided to make it even more challenging and try and shoot them with our bows WITHOUT a double bull. Not only is it more challenging, but also makes for better video. I have nothing against using a blind, but perfer to do it all naturally...
Try hiding a camera, camera man and a hunter without a double bull
Its tough, but it can be done...
Try hiding a camera, camera man and a hunter without a double bull
Its tough, but it can be done...
03-24-2008 | 01:09 PM
#49
Giant Nontypical
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 5,541
Likes: 0
From: Phoenixville, PA USA
RE: Diluting accomplishments: Archery Turkeys
ORIGINAL: GregH
Dude, is that drool running down your chin?
Dude, is that drool running down your chin?
As far as the blind diluting the kill, sure it makes it easier. On the other hand it just shows that we are that much smarter than the turkey for taking away it's main defenses in a legal manner. If I bowhunt for a turkey I will be doing it out of a blind being that I've never taken one with a bow. Maybe if I get a few under my belt that way I'll try it au natural'. Until then, call me a diluter!
03-24-2008 | 01:25 PM
#50
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,127
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
RE: Diluting accomplishments: Archery Turkeys
I tried the ground blind thing last spring. Went out 14 times. Shot at six birds. Finally got one on the last day of the season. The ground blind took this activity from the "nearly impossible" category and moved it into the "very difficult" box.