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Just wondering for the ones who do not agree with hunting hens in the fall, what are your feeling on shooting does...Seems to me for the reasons stated in this thread you would not do that either for fear of killing off your future trophy bucks that havent been born yet. Now, I understand some people in w.tenn dont have a thriving turkey pop but prolly have plenty of deer but surely that hasnt always beent the case.
 
Roost 1 said:
Just wondering for the ones who do not agree with hunting hens in the fall, what are your feeling on shooting does...Seems to me for the reasons stated in this thread you would not do that either for fear of killing off your future trophy bucks that havent been born yet. Now, I understand some people in w.tenn dont have a thriving turkey pop but prolly have plenty of deer but surely that hasnt always beent the case.
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I was wondering the same thing....
 
Roost 1 said:
Just wondering for the ones who do not agree with hunting hens in the fall, what are your feeling on shooting does...Seems to me for the reasons stated in this thread you would not do that either for fear of killing off your future trophy bucks that havent been born yet. Now, I understand some people in w.tenn dont have a thriving turkey pop but prolly have plenty of deer but surely that hasnt always beent the case.
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I don't do it, not for any biological reasons anymore, since deer are now everywhere in West Tennessee in very good numbers. But for tradition's sake. When I started deer hunting, the only deer in West Tennessee were in Shelby Forest where we got to hunt two days a year, if we were lucky enough to get drawn. Does were legal and I shot at several, unsuccessfully, shotguns only with a bead sight, etc. However, the only deer I ever killed out there was a 7 pointer, after I started using glass with a breneke slug. So, when the herds started becoming established statewide, it was taboo to kill a doe for the obvious reason of trying to establish populations. Got in the habit of not shooting females. I still wont do it. My son does.He likes to eat venison, and I don't have a problem with anyone shooting does, particularly since our place is overrun with deer. Not me, though.
 
Grizz, I think that statement depends on what part of the state you hunt in. You've seen first hand the population of turkeys we have where I live. Just this past week I counted 250+ turkeys in one flock and that was just on one farm. We thin a few hens out every year and it hasn't hurt the turkey population in our area. Now if we didn't have the birds we do and they were hard to come by then NO WAY would I be killing hens.
 
knightrider said:
the fall hunt only opens up the legality to flock shoot longbeards,or any birds for that matter. there is truly no sound biological reason for a fall hunt.just my opinion
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I agree. However, in counties such as Dickson, Williamson, etc. the biologists apparently think that the population is such that the fall season does no harm since SIX! turkeys are allowed. I enjoy going just for the sake of going, even though we are allowed one turkey in the fall. For me, it will never be a hen, but I would shoot a gobbler if the right opportunity came along. For me, it is strictly an ambush opportunity. Simply a matter of knowing where the turkeys use, getting in a blind, and having the patience to stay there for extended periods. Not for some people, but I appreciate the opportunity to hunt, if that's what I decide to do on that particular day.
 
Fall hunting just aint my thing (as i have posted on here during fall time period). The places i hunt you can literally set you watch to them and they will be there just about every day. I am fortunate to hunt in some areas covered with turkeys, i just prefer to hunt them when the game is working.
 
WingNut said:
Grizz, I think that statement depends on what part of the state you hunt in. You've seen first hand the population of turkeys we have where I live. Just this past week I counted 250+ turkeys in one flock and that was just on one farm. We thin a few hens out every year and it hasn't hurt the turkey population in our area. Now if we didn't have the birds we do and they were hard to come by then NO WAY would I be killing hens.
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True that WN, but in general I would say.... in comparing West Tn.

But don't be telling all our secrets about our birds man..... everyone will know then.... be someone behind every bush :D :grin:
 
Catman that is exactly what got me into hunting anything, for the meat. I was raised a vegetarian, early in life I knew I wanted some meat on the table. Store bought meat with all the crap pumped in them was not an option for me, didn't want to start introducing that stuff to my system. At a young age my folks agreed to taking me to my uncles house to let him introduce me to hunting. I was told if I was gonna eat meat I would have to hunt, clean and cook it myself, & that's just what I did. It has been a few moon's since then and yes I have changed a lot. I still hunt for meat, as well as buy it in the store now too. Hunting has evolved to sport. It wasn't always like that. Like me when I was in a vegetarian run house if I wanted meat I had to go kill it, that is how hunting started in the first place. For one hunter to look down on another for legally shooting an animal then I would say that that hunter doesn't know the true meaning of hunting, or has gotten cought up in the johnson measering contest I see so much.
 
WingNut said:
Grizz, I think that statement depends on what part of the state you hunt in. You've seen first hand the population of turkeys we have where I live. Just this past week I counted 250+ turkeys in one flock and that was just on one farm. We thin a few hens out every year and it hasn't hurt the turkey population in our area. Now if we didn't have the birds we do and they were hard to come by then NO WAY would I be killing hens.
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Please keep sharing this valuable info......I am starting to like Chapel Hill more and more....
 
Roost 1 said:
WingNut said:
Grizz, I think that statement depends on what part of the state you hunt in. You've seen first hand the population of turkeys we have where I live. Just this past week I counted 250+ turkeys in one flock and that was just on one farm. We thin a few hens out every year and it hasn't hurt the turkey population in our area. Now if we didn't have the birds we do and they were hard to come by then NO WAY would I be killing hens.
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Please keep sharing this valuable info......I am starting to like Chapel Hill more and more....
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Just because I live there doesn't mean I hunt there. If you can find em and get permission good for you. It probably won't happen so don't waste your time or gas money. It would be a long ride from KY to where I saw them birds.
 
yea chapel hill is loaded

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unfortunately these are state park birds :D
 
Yep state park birds that come to the bird feeder everyday! i tell ya what though roost i here good things about the wma yanahalli ;)
 
Swamp, keep in mind that some of these boys are young, young guys just starting out, and I understand that the thrill of the hunt for them is the same regardless of the quarry. Been there done that, although not with hens. But if I were 19, just starting out, more or less on my own as a hunter, I would be thrilled at the accomplishment of a kill regardless. Things look different when seen by different eyes. And for my continuing education, what is a Johnson measuring contest?
 
4onaside said:
Swamp, keep in mind that some of these boys are young, young guys just starting out, and I understand that the thrill of the hunt for them is the same regardless of the quarry. Been there done that, although not with hens. But if I were 19, just starting out, more or less on my own as a hunter, I would be thrilled at the accomplishment of a kill regardless. Things look different when seen by different eyes. And for my continuing education, what is a Johnson measuring contest?
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thats pretty much my feelings 4 and as I said earlier your purpose tends to change over time.

as far as Johnson measuring contest, I wont say how i know but I will say that 4" wont win you anything but sympathy....:(
 
Swamphunter said:
4onaside, You are parobably right. They just don't know how it used to be. If they had any idea about how few turkeys there used to be, I think they would be more conservation minded and less kill minded. If you want to kill a jake, go ahead. I've killed them myself, but killing hens just does not register with me.

One more point: The guys that put tremendous faith in TWRA's turkey management should hunt West TN a season or two. Having the same bag limit in every part of the state just doesn't make sense. I'm not bashing TWRA. They do a good job overall. I just think their turkey management could be better.
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You may be old enough to be some of the youngest on here's daddy and I know that I am old enough to be yours. lol So each one of us has a different outlook. I have a little plastic box in front of me now containing spurs of four different age groups that I have killed on my place, 1,2,3&4, and as I have previously said, a gobbler is a gobbler to me and each one that I kill is a trophy which I enjoy regardless of beard length. And, I think that the area where we both hunt is coming on strong, judging from the number of birds that I have seen during the fall and winter. Look forward to good things in a month and a half(I hope)!
 
Well guys, again both sides have their points.... who is to judge a hunter by his ways as long as they are within the laws. Everyone was raised with their own beliefs.... yes some of us are older and more experienced than others... therefore have seen or been exposed to different times and means.

It's really no different than the all time argument of shooting a young buck with 3" spikes..... or let him walk to mature more. Some people are happy to have the meat so they shoot the deer.... others are looking for mature deer or big antlers.

We are all hunters, we ALL buy a license to contribute to the fund that helps to provide for the management of our states wildlife. Each one of us takes away from the hunt in one way or another.... ones persons failure is another persons lesson learned.

No need to turn all this into a measuring contest....
 
REN said:
4onaside said:
Swamp, keep in mind that some of these boys are young, young guys just starting out, and I understand that the thrill of the hunt for them is the same regardless of the quarry. Been there done that, although not with hens. But if I were 19, just starting out, more or less on my own as a hunter, I would be thrilled at the accomplishment of a kill regardless. Things look different when seen by different eyes. And for my continuing education, what is a Johnson measuring contest?
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thats pretty much my feelings 4 and as I said earlier your purpose tends to change over time.

as far as Johnson measuring contest, I wont say how i know but I will say that 4" wont win you anything but sympathy....:(
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ren you kill me :o :D
 

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