I have been blessed to spend many spring mornings in my life chasing turkeys. I have seen some of the most amazing things while hunting them and I’ve learned more lessons in respect from a wary ole tom than I care to count. The respect I have for the wild turkey I one that I share with many other hunters however I feel like there is far less respect today for them than there was when I was a kid.
Don’t get me wrong, I love innovations that make life easier. The outdoor industry is slam full of products that are supposed to turn the odds in your favor as a hunter and I don’t hide the fact that I use many “innovative” products myself. But a lot of hunters today feel like they have to stretch the limits just so they can post a cool picture or story to social media and it sickens me to hear many of the stories. There is no question that shotguns, choke tubes and certain shotgun shells of today can give a hunter more confidence in killing a turkey than there was twenty years ago. It is impressive to say the least at just how many pellets you can put in the kill zone of a turkey as far out as fifty yards. But right there is where the line has become incredibly blurred and the line of disrespect for the animal is often crossed. Too many hunters use the dense pattern technology of certain chokes and loads as an excuse to try and kill every turkey they can at distances that leave many people shaking their head. Yes, I agree that some loads allow a lot of shot to be put in the “kill” zone. But how much energy does it really have and will it actually kill the turkey? The answer is sometimes, I don’t care what the paper target says! Just last year I saw a video of a hunter that had shot a turkey at 70 yards, on purpose, because he felt like he could reach out and kill the gobbler. After 3 shots from that distance he had only blinded the bird and was left holding the bird in the dirt until he had successfully strangled him. Needless to say I was furious and had to walk away from the individual. And there isn’t enough room in this article or time in a podcast for me to state all my frustrations with that situation.
Look guys, innovation is awesome and turkey hunting is too. I understand that things happen and sometimes a shot is taken farther than the hunter intends to take. I just want to urge everyone to show some restraint when the bird is obviously too far to shoot regardless of what choke and shot you are shooting. Yes social media pictures are cool and the stories may make you want to stick your chest out a little, but remember that is only the case when it works out successfully. Let the bird work and show him the respect he deserves. I am getting off my box now!
