True Meaning of Turkey Hunting!

[ticklishtompro]

As my first season came and went here in Wisconsin it made me do some thinking. I passed on shooting some jakes and some small 2 year old birds. Why pass a 2 year old gobbler??? am I nuts??? I don't think so but I will let you be the judge. I have 2 more seasons and 2 more tags to go so I really didn't need to shoot a bird that bad. The smaller 2 year olds were on my first day out, in the first hour of my hunt and I really wanted to keep hunting. Also the birds are huge this year and I knew every time out I could possibly get the biggest bird I have ever shot, so why settle for less. But who really cares about the trophy aspect, I just want to keep hunting.

I saw several neat things that I wouldn't have seen had I killed one in that first hour. A jake trying to breed my decoy, another jake looking under my decoy like a little kid looking up a woman's skirt, and one of the most intensive fights I have ever seen in the woods. 2 toms grabbing each others heads with their beaks and pushing each other back. This lasted for a good 20 minutes, but neither pesented me with a shot. I saw at least 20 different gobblers as I hunt several different properites through the season. Plus I found my first shed ever!!

So what is this true meaning? I think everything I just said and so much more. I have gotten 4 kids their first birds ever this year, and 4 other newbies had birds in front of them and either missed or something else happened and we didn't get it done, but they had the opportunity to harvest a bird and had great experiences. That to me is what it is all about!!! Now this weekend I get to go hunting with 2 of my daughters and hopefully they score. One has killed several birds, the other one has missed a couple, but that time with them is priceless, and I don't know how much longer that will continue as they are 19 and 17 years old. That too is what the true meaning is.

Time to go stir my tag soup now, they aren't to bad with enough seasoning added!!!

Randy

[retranger]

Sounds like a real good season to me

[Duke0002]

Great post, Randy. We all love turkey hunting for various reasons.

[msbadger]

Well thats it...you nailed the reasons to hunt...or at least why we should hunt ...the pure enjoyment of being out there....

[Limb Hanger]

I had the chance to hunt with my oldest son yesterday, we passed on 3 jakes(My son doesn't get the chance to hunt much, and has only taken 1 bird in his life). I never said a word, my son's gun sat on his knees. Made me proud. We did have some fun with those birds though. They'd start wander off, I'd call'em back (happened 4 or 5 times); we had some good laughs, and after that a great breakfast.

If it was about bagging a bird... I'd save the gas money, sleep in, and go to the supermarket!