doetrain

Do you find hunting Wild Turkey as challenging as say Deer hunting or some other game? Or do you think it's over rated as far as the difficulty level is concerned?

kdsberman

In my opinion, I find turkey hunting more challenging than deer hunting.

I love deer hunting, but when im looking down at that big tom I shot just, I get more of a sense of accomplishment than anything else.

What bothers me is when people call turkeys "dumb birds" and that it cant be hard to hunt them.

I've shot many good birds since I started turkey hunting, but it still remains a HUGE challenge, which makes it SOOOOO fun (and frustrating!!).

OntElk

it depends on the day. Some days it's as easy as pie!...... You walk in, trip over a stump and crash into the brush pile making tons of noise. After getting up you stand in a clearing and proceed to call. A gawdawful sound comes out of your box call 'cause you got it wet when you fell. Things is a bird gobbles back and comes running over the hill. Startled you realize you forgot to load your gun but the bird just starts strutting instead of running away so you load and shoot it..........

okay it maybe is never THAT easy but it does come together nicley some days. Things is other days it is a ball busting chore trying to hear a bird, find a bird, work a bird, see a bird and defintiley kill a bird.

That is what makes it so awesome. You never know what day you're going to get but each one has it's own magic that makes the final moment of standing over a bird so much fun for me.

It terms of "how hard" verus other game like deer I think it depends on what you're talking about. I would say it is "harder" to consistently kill a mature whitetail buck for sure. Kill a deer not so much but killing mature bucks on a regular basis is not something that is done without a high level of hunting skill and woodmanship. Consistently killing turkeys, regardless of conditions and/or location, is something not easily done as well. Guys who drive around the country on self-guided adventures and only give themselves a few days in new loactions and yet still kill birds show a level of skill and woodmanship. Even when faced with those tough days you have guys who will find and kill turkeys (even on public land lol). Ask a guy who hunts a season in his home hunting grounds and gets stumped about guys like this......It's all about consistently having success at it in any hunting. Even a newbie deer hunter can walk into his stand and find a 170 class standing there and shoot it but to kill one year after year is a different story.

doetrain

Well said OntElk,well said indeed on the Turkey and the Deer. I agree 100% with what you say about mature Whitetail Deer,guys who get one every year most surely have great skills that make that happen.I also understand what you said about some Turkey hunts verses others,even though a novice I have had both extreems already in my hunts. Thanks for the input.

doetrain

Maybe when it comes to Turkey hunting RR,size does'nt matter.LOL!

Phil from Maine

I find in my area where deer numbers are way down that deer are the hardest.. That is only because of our low numbers and perdator kills each year. Do I have hard days where it appears like nothing you can do can bring a turkey out? You betcha I do.. Maybe this season will be one like 2 years ago in which I shot not a ting then. They had already bred and would not show up for the welcoming party.. So at times they can be very hard to get. But the deer here are very hard to get every year. That is being pretty consistant at that. So while turkey hunting can prove to be hard. My vote goes for the whitetails when I reffer to here anyhow..

ColoStateHunter

Not sure why it matters. If you still get enjoyment out of the chase and enjoy chasing turkeys then who cares about difficulty level.

As for their intelligence I will quote my dad on this:

"They are the dumbest weariest birds you'll ever chase!"

Sheridan

If turkeys had a good sense of smell: you'd NEVER kill'em (with a shotgun or a bow anyway).

Digi

I find that using a full strut decoy with hen'd up toms first thing off the roost is almost too easy. If they see that deke they make a bee line right to it. These days I will let them beat up on my deke, stand on top of it, peck it, flog it whatever before I shoot him just because it is more entertaining that way. But if you can't get that early bird first thing it is pretty darn challenging.

Supermag43

I think it depends on species. And the territory your hunting. Making comparisons is difficult between two different animals. Hunting in hilly or mountainous terrain for either is, or can be tough. Hunting deer where I hunt can be very tough. Mountains or hills, the wind swirls bad. On the properties I hunt, the wind or thermals are never consistent. Unless its dead calm, the thermals kill ya. That's why you seldom see too many deer huntin videos made in this type of terrain. It can be real tough for mature deer, doe or bucks. Turkeys pretty much the terrain and their travels dictate success or not. Somedays I have called birds across deep ravines, or from an opposite hill's or mountain's. Then somedays they wont cross a puddle on a logging road. And had several marathon hunts for longhooked old gobblers. Comparison wise where I hunt both definitely have their place. But either way both are a challenge in their own right. That's why I hunt. Lol!!