Help with a dilemma

Brad

Senior Member
The other day my dad called me and asked me to do some research on some outfitters for he,my uncle,and myself to go on a family turkey hunt next year. He is 72 and my uncle is 70 and neither one is extremely mobile. My dilemma is I have a certain way that I hunt turkeys and have always vowed that I will not pay somebody to put me on turkeys. I also will not sit in a tent and watch a field full of decoys in order to kill a turkey. This is not to start an arguement but for me I would rather go a season without killing a gobbler(which I did this last season) than kill one like that. Thats just me. My dad and uncle both like hunting that way mostly because of the mobility thing. I want us all to go on a trip but I want to find something that maybe will accomodate us all. I suggested a public land hunt somewhere but dads not into that at all. My dad and uncle got me in to this sport and carried me around all over the place and did things different than they probably wanted to because they had a kid to take but they did it and were always happy to do it so if I have to Ill suck it up and not be sellfish because theres no telling how many more hunts they have in them but if anybody could give me some ideas or point me in a direction for an outfitter that might have fully guided and semi guided hunts I would appreciate it.
 

Brad

Senior Member
He doesnt want to go to Florida somewhere in the south. He was talking like Georgia,Alabama, or South Carolina.
 

rhbama3

Administrator
Staff member
With the description and parameters you have to work with, I would suggest looking at hunting Rio's on one of the private ranches or outfittters in Texas.
They can happily sit in a ground blind and kill birds, you can hunt by yourself, and the oppurtunities should be plentiful.
Your Dad and Uncle won't get any younger. Make it a trip of a lifetime.
 

Bucky T

GONetwork Member
Well..

Your old man and uncle won't be around forever.

You might want to find a hunt that caters to them, drop your standards, if need be, and enjoy your time with them on the hunt.

Good luck finding a place for y'all to go!
 

sea trout

2021 Turkey Challenge Winner 2022 biggest turkey ?
yeah i agree with bucky

just as you stated
yer dad and uncle accomodated you when you couldn't hang with them. if i were in your shoes i'd accomodate for your elders now because they can't hang with you.

it's y'alls hunt....but i think a hunt like this....... it's more about the togetherness in the feild with the seniors of your family than any superior hunting methods.

good luck to y'all!!!! we'd love to see the pictures of that!!!!!!!!
 

Brad

Senior Member
Im going to go there is no doubt about that and I dont think my way is superior at all and I hope it didnt come off that way. Turkey hunting is just very personal to me and when I kill them I like it to be done a certain way. My dad went to Virginia a couple of weeks ago and killed a pretty good bird but when he told me the story there was no excitement in his voice,it was just yea I was sitting there and the guide called and this bird came in and I shot it. When I kill one I hyperventilate thats why I go to get that feeling. I almost felt sorry for his lack of excitement. I will go and do everything I can to help both of them and maybe run video or something but Im not going to drop my standards for how I kill my turkeys. I hope I can find some local birds close to where he lives so I can put his back to a tree again and call one in for him so he can feel the rush again.
 

Big Ras

Senior Member
Id bet if you replaced "guide" with "son" that excitment would come right back no matter what style hunt you went with.
 

sea trout

2021 Turkey Challenge Winner 2022 biggest turkey ?
oh no brad you didn't come off that way!
i'm sorry if i did.
you and i are similar in the passion and hyperventilating over turkey hunting!
i'm just saying i bet that missing exitement in your dads voice will be replaced by crayzyness if your on the hunt. regardless of methods used.

my son is 4 and i started taking him with me last year when he was 3.
he's crazy about goin, he loves to hear them, and if all goes well see them.
but i can't run all over the woods like a wildman with him.
as much as i love takin him, and i'm so happy he wants to go!
but he does inhibit me.

so i keep takin him and tellin him not to forget to take dadda to the turkey woods when dadda's old!!!!!!

good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

returntoarchery

Senior Member
Id bet if you replaced "guide" with "son" that excitment would come right back no matter what style hunt you went with.

ditto.

Brad I'm going to give you a piece of advice. You need an attitude adjustment. You have no idea how much your Dad and Uncle made accomodations in their hunting style and time to take you hunting as a kid. If you can't greatfully and respectiful make such accomodations for them to thank them for what they gave of themselves for you, you might want to consider not going at all. They will see right through it and will hurt them more with you going through the motions. Think about that. You should consider it an honor and priviledge to return the favor. There is really no dilemma at all. Either do the right thing gladly or not do it at all.
 

Pneumothorax

Senior Member
Hey Brad, I just sent you a PM.

I feel your dilemma. I've been a bow only whitetail hunter since birth (I'm 50). But my son wants to hunt with a rifle.

I imagine my feelings about hunting deer with a rifle are about the same as yours about hunting turkeys from a blind or with decoys. But I bought my boy a deer rifle for Christmas.

This fall I intend to spend as much time with him as I can helping him get a deer with that rifle.

It's different from your situation for sure. But similar in some ways. I intend to hunt hard on those days with him. I'll teach him and be his camera man. But the rewards from those hunts will be from his kills, not mine.

I'm not preaching. I can tell from what you wrote that you get it. I hope you and your dad and uncle make some awesome new memories next season. If you're like me, that may mean learning how to be a camera man. :fine:
 

Curtis-UGA

Senior Member
With the description and parameters you have to work with, I would suggest looking at hunting Rio's on one of the private ranches or outfittters in Texas.
They can happily sit in a ground blind and kill birds, you can hunt by yourself, and the oppurtunities should be plentiful.
Your Dad and Uncle won't get any younger. Make it a trip of a lifetime.

This!

Everyone can be happy!
 

MKW

Senior Member
Brad,
I understand completely where you are coming from. The "cameraman" idea is a good one, but there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to find an outfit that can deal with both hunting styles. You could film for your father and uncle and then hunt yourself, in your style. Everyone can be happy with a little leg-work.
If it is any comfort, at all, I would be having the same thoughts as you are about giving up my own personal ethics in this situation. I hope you figure it out and have a great, unforgettable time with your family.

Mike
 

Brad

Senior Member
Thank you for all the replies. Good input from some guys who's opinion I value. I do take issue with the attitude adjustment statement though. I do know the sacrifices they made as I have a son that is grown now that I took when he was young and I take kids every year so I know its not easy. I was taught to set standards for myself and not to compromise them. We will find what we are looking for and have a great time and make great memories I'm confident in that.
 

Gaswamp

Senior Member
Brad, pm Gobblinglawyer he might have what you are looking for.
 

returntoarchery

Senior Member
Thank you for all the replies. Good input from some guys who's opinion I value. I do take issue with the attitude adjustment statement though. I do know the sacrifices they made as I have a son that is grown now that I took when he was young and I take kids every year so I know its not easy. I was taught to set standards for myself and not to compromise them. We will find what we are looking for and have a great time and make great memories I'm confident in that.

In that case I stand corrected. I may have misread some of your post.

High standards are a good thing and what I set for myself as well. Many / most times when working with others with limitations our standards need to be adjusted a bit. Been there done that.

Enjoy your time with them.
 
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Headsortails

Senior Member
Brad, I'm 60 years old. My father is 85. If he called me up and wanting to shoot a turkey with a .30-06 from the back of a truck, I'd try to make it happen. We have hunted together for over 50 years and I owe him that. But, it's your decision and your loss.
 

Brad

Senior Member
Brad, I'm 60 years old. My father is 85. If he called me up and wanting to shoot a turkey with a .30-06 from the back of a truck, I'd try to make it happen. We have hunted together for over 50 years and I owe him that. But, it's your decision and your loss.

I read this this morning and was going to just let it go but I can't. First of all I hope I never get to the point where my standards can be compromised so easily. You need to go back and reread my posts. I have set certain standards for MYSELF nobody else. I hunt with my family every year. Up until a couple of years ago I joined leases and took my dad and set blinds up for him to hunt out of. I will sit with him the whole time and enjoy every minute of my time with him. I just won't shoot a turkey out of one,that's just me. My dilemma was not whether I was going to hunt with my family or not. That was never the question. The question was if I was going to have to change MY standards in order to do it. Upon further research it looks like there are quite a few places that will accomodate all if our styles. I appreciate the comments and truly believe you were joking about the 30.06 and truck thing but I take my family and ethics very seriously.
 
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