Turkeys are one of the most plentiful game bird species native to PA. In the past five years their numbers have skyrocketed as a result of successful species management. Here is proof that some of the elected officials who have a say over laws that effect our environment and natural resources don't completely have their heads up their asses.
Anyway, that was just a remark if you feel that you will have some sort of mental problem killing a living thing. I am not gonna lie, it does have an emotional impact. On one hand you redevelop a connection to the primal roots of what is necessary to be a survivor but you also recognize on a higher level what it means to be human and capable of inflicting death. For me, it establishes a sense of mortality and boundaries with the natural world.
If you decide to go and you are successful you would most definitely get a high five from my direction but, don't think that the respect for the end of a life is not also present in my celebration.
So turkey hunting requires a very early morning. You would need to be in the woods around 5 am to ensure the best chance of going undetected. Turkeys are generally the first animal to wake. I say generally because with wildlife there are so many variables. They roost in trees and sleep there all night. When they enter and leave roost it sounds like God is dropping bowling balls through the limbs of the trees. If they are close, you will go through two movements. The bowel movement and then the physical movement. It will probably scare the shit out of you.
Turkeys have fantastic eyesight. They are one of few animals that are able to process light so that they see practically all colors...hence my favorite color, CAMO. I always have enough to go around. I suggest hunting as a group that way you experience success or lack thereof together. Although turkeys have great eyesight, their sense of smell is nearly non-existent and they do not hear the best. They cover up the lack of hearing by traveling in groups and often times in close proximity to deer. (deer have a great sense of hearing, sight, and smell. They are pretty much the Oracle of the woods) This all means you could end up seeing ANYTHING!
Based on the lack of good hearing, in windy and rainy weather turkey enter fields so that they can use their strong sense of sight to their advantage. As weather changes, so does the hunters approach. Be game for anything. Hunting in the rain is generally a pain in the ass but sometimes it offers an opportunity for improved success because targeting your species becomes easier. So you have to decide how dedicated you are willing to be.
Now onto BOOMSTICKS! Turkey's are like the drunken uncle of the woods. When you see them they are usually trying to start a fight with the other birds in their "family" or they are scratching up leaves making a ton of noise and just acting like assholes. Subsequently, your feelings of sympathy when gunning one down may be comparable to your drunken uncle choking on a bone at Thanksgiving, getting burnt by birthday candles, or even cutting himself with his own pocket knife when trying to open a Christmas gift; you will laugh at first but you always kinda feel bad. That being said they are some tough S.O.B.'s. Their feathers and bone structure are like armor. I have witnessed birds getting shot and walking away. For this purpose you must pack a punch. A twelve gauge shotgun is the weapon of choice. My turkey gun is cocked, locked, and ready to rock! It is just as possible to kill a turkey with a twenty gauge shotgun of which I have used. It has less gunpowder per shell and less BB's, but it also kicks less. This basically equates to needing to be a better shot which, women usually are. I have killed turkey with a bow so any gun has the potential. If you wanna shoot the 12, more power to you. I have seen ten year olds shoot them. I just always think it’s good to start with something that you know you will be comfortable with and that won't dislocate your shoulder.
The truth is, this is only one side of the story. This is the practical information. The skill based; learned knowledge. Anyone can get this information from any source or enough time in pursuit. Millions of magazine articles, books, websites, and TV shows all address the “How To.” This is important and deserves the attention it gets because it leads to the “Why.” The time when the hunter enters the other realm. This happens for every hunter on the planet, for if it did not, we would not pursue our sport. There are no road signs, signals, or overall indicators of when you will enter, but anticipate it when the smoke clears. When the arrow passes through. When you approach the harvest. Even when you have to dispatch it by hand. Maybe when the picture is snapped. Possibly if you shed a tear and wonder “what have I done?” Could even be when you are on your knees with nature’s gift and the grass looks greener than ever, the dew soaks through the knees of your pants, when the wind cuts at your already stinging ears, and your breath hangs…as you say a prayer. When the hammer on the gun of reality pounds down and you are hit. The emotional journey begins. The philosophical questioning takes place. The purpose of the day is retooled and rediscovered. You are now a hunter. You will be married to the sport for you cannot have only a piece of it, or get it when you want it, or not always work towards it; you must take it all. The dedication, the disappointment, the small victories, the missed opportunities, the trophy performances, the rainy days, the new equipment, or old faithful, the stories to share, the conservation of nature, the awareness of our senses, the thankfulness for life, the bittersweet sting of death, and the change it will inspire.
My words should echo as I first heard them…“He said that sometimes hunting, ain’t all about the kill”
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