Pressure, accidental hot-spotting, and technology

[DRBugman85]

I believe you know my thoughts on all that foolishment. As for the old days, I still hunt about like I did back in the early 1960s. No decoys, tent blinds, or any of that stuff, and no dancing, hollering, and carrying on on like a Saturday night drunk. After watching a couple of so called hunting shows back in the early 80s, I realized right quick that the only good one was The American Sportsman hosted by Curt Gowdy. Doubt many here ever heard of that one. I`m not old school, I`m Old Testament.

Here`s to how it`s supposed to be, and originally was.

That really brings back memories,Black & white TV, 3 channels The American Sportsman was our family show and now I don't watch TV but for the news and weather. The old way have past and the new generation of TV is a joke.I still keep it simple old camo and a few calls in a sack with a fat boy cushion all though I did hunt this year with a new A5 Browning,it reminds me of dad's old Belgium Browning that is retired now.Simple still works for my hunting. Back in the early 60s we watched the radio and listened to the Grand Ole Opry,The Superman series and news as a family now with computers,cell phones, tablets and videos it's not a family affair thing.Mabe I'm getting old (65)but I sill like it simple
I'm blessed every day just to be around to enjoy the outdoors,and had the pleasure of introducing a young man to turkey hunting this year again (he missed) but he's hooked for life.He got his first gobbler with his dad on a family farm the 2nd week of the season and called me and said I wish you could have seen this.I could picture it as he told the story.Looking for next year all ready .

 

[hrstille]

That really brings back memories,Black & white TV, 3 channels The American Sportsman was our family show and now I don't watch TV but for the news and weather. The old way have past and the new generation of TV is a joke.I still keep it simple old camo and a few calls in a sack with a fat boy cushion all though I did hunt this year with a new A5 Browning,it reminds me of dad's old Belgium Browning that is retired now.Simple still works for my hunting. Back in the early 60s we watched the radio and listened to the Grand Ole Opry,The Superman series and news as a family now with computers,cell phones, tablets and videos it's not a family affair thing.Mabe I'm getting old (65)but I sill like it simple
I'm blessed every day just to be around to enjoy the outdoors,and had the pleasure of introducing a young man to turkey hunting this year again (he missed) but he's hooked for life.He got his first gobbler with his dad on a family farm the 2nd week of the season and called me and said I wish you could have seen this.I could picture it as he told the story.Looking for next year all ready .

Tell me about the depression. How did y'all survive? How good were the good old days (60s)? In all seriousness, things have changed tremendously due to modern hunting shows and social media. Some good changes and many bad changes. People approach hunting all wrong these days, not just newbies, I see experienced hunters going about it all wrong. I don't mind more folks being in the woods as long as they do things the right way.

 

[doublebarrel]

I never watch hunting shows anymore,sickening! BB

 

[turk2di]

I could not agree more with this. I once enjoyed this forum and participated in turkey hunting discussion to the point of being one of the more active and recognized members. I made some amazing connections through the turkey forum and even more amazing friendships which grow stronger each spring. It was several years ago when a noticeable change began to evolve. A new generation of turkey "hunters" became present on the scene.... A generation of various age classes, all of which had been spawned by mother internet and father media. Along with this new generation came an explosion of absurd products and pathetic methods for a new and pathetic generation to kill turkeys. Pop up blinds and gobbler decoys, some of which are run via remote controls, had all of a sudden taken over the outdoor channels and all other internet/media sources. It was this way of "hunting" that enabled those who can't kill turkeys like turkeys should be killed, to actually achieve success after 100% failure as a true turkey hunter.
The forum went from a bunch of turkey hunters sharing knowledge and helping newbies become efficient woodsman and turkey killers, to a bunch of fools discussing foolish stuff and less and less true turkey hunters talking true turkey talk. The new generation of techno turkey clowns managed to make me and many others completely lose interest and respect for this forum and everything hunting media related. If I want to watch a turkey hunting show, I go to youtube where I can find respectable material, not anything on outdoor television channels. If I want to talk turkey, I do so with my like minded buddies rather than forums. If I have a hard time killing a particular turkey, I don't reach out to the general public for advice.... I figure him out myself and kill him with the help of my own knowledge and experience. That is what turkey hunting is all about but this new techno generation is taking the hunt out of hunting while overcrowding the spring woods and ultimately being a major factor in a major decline in the turkey population.
There is way more value placed on kill photos for social media recognition than there is on what matters more than anything... The techno gen as a whole has no knowledge or interest in turkey habitat, enhancing that habitat, managing numbers based on isolated turkey population per property, year to year variations in numbers based on hatches and other factors, how to be respectful of fellow hunters, the land, the privilege to hunt, and the methods of fair pursuit. If you claim to be a good hunter but can't kill turkeys with 1 call, cheap camo clothes, and a shotgun with a effective killing range of 35 yards, ... You aren't even close to a respectable turkey. That is just a fact. Our numbers are on the decline as a result of the increasing popularity and pathetic ways for terrible woodsman to be successful in the turkey woods. Generation techno is taking away more and contributing far less to the conservation of wild turkeys. It is snowballing every year, getting worse and worse. The future is not bright if things continue to spiral in this current direction.
Im all about doing what is necessary to ensure that future generations of turkey hunters will be able to enjoy what all of us passionate and respectful hunters have been blessed with in the spring woods. Turkeys are not like deer in that turkeys are a fragile species and do not adapt well to habitat loss and/or changes such as deer. Turkey populations can be easily destroyed by a number of factors including over harvest by hunters. Turkeys are very comparable to wild bobwhite quail... They require much more specifics to establish, maintain, and/or exceed prior population per general area. Turkeys depend on their incredible eyesight to protect them from natural predators...pop up blinds enable people to wear orange, use flashlights, play on computers or cell phones, move around carelessly, use bows and film with a camera on a tripod and feel like the bow kill was more of an accomplishment than the guy actually hunting whose toting a 12 gauge...... Pop up blinds are great for many situations but not for the physically capable person that wants to become a more successful and respected turkey hunter.
I could go on and on about recent developments negatively impacting every aspect of GA turkey hunting but its too frustrating.

Amen amen!!! Havent read any post yet after this one, but im bettin that it butt hurt the ego's of posters following this post. Turkey hunting is an art, keeping turkey numbers safe is a way of life for many of us!

 

[cumberland]

I could not agree more with this. I once enjoyed this forum and participated in turkey hunting discussion to the point of being one of the more active and recognized members. I made some amazing connections through the turkey forum and even more amazing friendships which grow stronger each spring. It was several years ago when a noticeable change began to evolve. A new generation of turkey "hunters" became present on the scene.... A generation of various age classes, all of which had been spawned by mother internet and father media. Along with this new generation came an explosion of absurd products and pathetic methods for a new and pathetic generation to kill turkeys. Pop up blinds and gobbler decoys, some of which are run via remote controls, had all of a sudden taken over the outdoor channels and all other internet/media sources. It was this way of "hunting" that enabled those who can't kill turkeys like turkeys should be killed, to actually achieve success after 100% failure as a true turkey hunter.
The forum went from a bunch of turkey hunters sharing knowledge and helping newbies become efficient woodsman and turkey killers, to a bunch of fools discussing foolish stuff and less and less true turkey hunters talking true turkey talk. The new generation of techno turkey clowns managed to make me and many others completely lose interest and respect for this forum and everything hunting media related. If I want to watch a turkey hunting show, I go to youtube where I can find respectable material, not anything on outdoor television channels. If I want to talk turkey, I do so with my like minded buddies rather than forums. If I have a hard time killing a particular turkey, I don't reach out to the general public for advice.... I figure him out myself and kill him with the help of my own knowledge and experience. That is what turkey hunting is all about but this new techno generation is taking the hunt out of hunting while overcrowding the spring woods and ultimately being a major factor in a major decline in the turkey population.
There is way more value placed on kill photos for social media recognition than there is on what matters more than anything... The techno gen as a whole has no knowledge or interest in turkey habitat, enhancing that habitat, managing numbers based on isolated turkey population per property, year to year variations in numbers based on hatches and other factors, how to be respectful of fellow hunters, the land, the privilege to hunt, and the methods of fair pursuit. If you claim to be a good hunter but can't kill turkeys with 1 call, cheap camo clothes, and a shotgun with a effective killing range of 35 yards, ... You aren't even close to a respectable turkey. That is just a fact. Our numbers are on the decline as a result of the increasing popularity and pathetic ways for terrible woodsman to be successful in the turkey woods. Generation techno is taking away more and contributing far less to the conservation of wild turkeys. It is snowballing every year, getting worse and worse. The future is not bright if things continue to spiral in this current direction.
Im all about doing what is necessary to ensure that future generations of turkey hunters will be able to enjoy what all of us passionate and respectful hunters have been blessed with in the spring woods. Turkeys are not like deer in that turkeys are a fragile species and do not adapt well to habitat loss and/or changes such as deer. Turkey populations can be easily destroyed by a number of factors including over harvest by hunters. Turkeys are very comparable to wild bobwhite quail... They require much more specifics to establish, maintain, and/or exceed prior population per general area. Turkeys depend on their incredible eyesight to protect them from natural predators...pop up blinds enable people to wear orange, use flashlights, play on computers or cell phones, move around carelessly, use bows and film with a camera on a tripod and feel like the bow kill was more of an accomplishment than the guy actually hunting whose toting a 12 gauge...... Pop up blinds are great for many situations but not for the physically capable person that wants to become a more successful and respected turkey hunter.
I could go on and on about recent developments negatively impacting every aspect of GA turkey hunting but its too frustrating.

I totally agree with you on the opinion of people bowhunting and filming in blinds and thinking it is such a great accomplishment. I have killed quite a few Gobblers in pop up blinds bowhunting, and it is very easy compared to getting on a gobbler and calling him up next to a tree with a shotgun. That is why i got away from that and back to chasing them with one call and a single shot shotgun.

 

[XIronheadX]

I know a lot of people like Drury Outdoors, but i lost all respect for them about 8 years ago in a video where Mark pickup a turkey they shot and the turkey was still alert, and holding it's head up, and Mark and the crew were laughing their heads off at it. No more Drury Outdoors for me after that.

I met him in Washington Co. in the mid 90's. I lost all respect for them yesterday when they blocked me from their page for questioning their hunting practices. 15 ft up on a deer tower over a decoy.

 

[turkeykirk]

I met him in Washington Co. in the mid 90's. I lost all respect for them yesterday when they blocked me from their page for questioning their hunting practices. 15 ft up on a deer tower over a decoy.

Maybe they needed the elevation to pull of those 60 yard shots they advocate.

 

[GLS]

Nic, thanks for bringing back memories of The American Sportsman. Remember Phil Harris bird hunting with Bing Crosby? I believe Harris was on more than once. I recall him standing around a camp fire and singing. These new age snuff videos drive me nuts with the musical accompaniment. For the life of me I don't know how they hide the musicians and why the birds don't spook because of the loud music. Gil

 

[Klondike]

So I moved to Colorado a year ago and I want to let everyone know that i miss the heck out of GA turkey hunting. Is it getting worse? Maybe / sure but hunting Turkey in GA is still pretty great. Lost access in GA and killed one hard to kill gobbler in Alabama and that made my season.

Now to the ultimate cure to internet hunters everywhere. Come hunt Merriams on public land at 8K elevation. 3 miles back, usually up 3K feet. 10 miles on the boots by 10AM. You see awesome things you only get to see in the woods (mountain lions - bring your 45), yotes, fox, mulees, moose and bears but the turkey to land ratio is ridiculous. Went 6 times on public land, so big saw no one, blew one awesome gobbler being careless and other than that the gift was 5 fabulous days of solitude in the mountains

The members on the board would be up for this every time, internet hunters, not so much.