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Would You Eat That Tag?
Okay, Strut Zoners, decision time . . .
You're fall turkey hunting, with an unused tag in your pocket. A brood hen with just two late-hatch birds-of-the-year walk by early in the season. It's a small group for sure, obviously the result of either predation, cold wet weather, or both.
Either-sex turkeys are legal . . . do you:
(A) Shoot the adult hen and let the two young birds fend for themselves?
(B) Shoot one of the young birds, and let the adult hen and survivor go their way?
(C) Pass on the opportunity, savor the experience, hold out for a gobbler, or bigger family flock, and possibly eat that tag?
All options are legal. What do you choose to do? Fill the tag fast? Hold out for a brag bird? Possibly go skunked for the season?—Steve Hickoff
Pass.
That's why they call it hunting boys, and not shooting.
Posted by: Boomer | August 15, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Every fall season I seem to run into a small "flock" like this . . .
Once in the Catskills, my English setter Midge found and flushed October turkeys--just one adult hen and a bird-of-the-year. Call back was fun, but I didn't pull the trigger. I failed to fill a tag on that particular road trip. Still considered it a notch on the belt of experience.
Several times in Vermont, I've moved a brood hen, and just one, two or three young birds.
Ditto for New Hampshire, where I go afield with a bow.
I prefer my fall hunts to involve lots of calling as birds work their way back to the flush site, or in to my calls while regrouping after flying off the roost . . .
I will definitely take a poke at a single adult fall hen or gobbler, no problem.
What about you guys?
Steve
Posted by: Steve Hickoff | August 15, 2008 at 01:14 PM
I will shoot hens, but not if there are young ones watching.
Posted by: Justin | August 15, 2008 at 01:35 PM
I'd let 'em go. Have done the same with a single doe with yearlings. Great to sit back and just watch and learn. Got caught on an archery range in a downpour this past weekend. Three fawns came out into a field to play in the pouring rain. They didn't know what to make of me so I just stood there getting soaked. Wondered where the grownups were but it was worth the soaked clothes to just watch them so close.
Posted by: Mike | August 15, 2008 at 02:34 PM
Pass on a hen with yong, probably pass on a lone hen. Want to killa bearded hen with my bow, bad, want to killa fall gobler, WORSE.
Dirty
Posted by: Dirty | August 15, 2008 at 05:29 PM
Good analogy, for sure . . .
Steve
Posted by: Steve Hickoff | August 15, 2008 at 05:32 PM
Dirty,
Your Texas fall archery season for turkeys opens late September in the north, I think. Are you seeing any birds? Got 'em patterned?
Saw two gobblers out in the northern New England rain showers the other day, feeding in a grassy field, bugging in the nearby tall grass (we've had a damp August). The longbeard had a serious (and wet) 10-inch rope. About wrecked the truck . . .
Had a jake running with him. Funny thing is, the shortbeard wasn't that much shy in size or weight by the looks of it.
Got me fired up I know that much . . . love that early bow action that's coming.
Steve
Posted by: Steve Hickoff | August 15, 2008 at 05:39 PM
But not if there are young ones watching. LOL! Good one!
Posted by: Boomer | August 15, 2008 at 05:40 PM
Steve,
In the process of moving back to Ak, only 3 1/2 hrs from here(DFW metro). Tired of being confined to the city. My cousin and lease partner saw two group's yesterday on the new lease, one group of twelve and one group of fourteen, needless to say, I think we'll stab one this fall, but we'll see.
Dirty
Posted by: Dirty | August 15, 2008 at 06:16 PM
Good size flocks. You'll have some fun . . .
Keep us posted on the SZ.
Steve
Posted by: Steve Hickoff | August 15, 2008 at 11:12 PM
In this case three in the bush is better than one in the hand. Some of my most memorable hunts were ones that I didn't fill my tag. It is the experience of the hunt not the kill that drives me, the kill is just a bonus.
Posted by: Chris | August 16, 2008 at 07:10 AM
Definitely true, Chris. Good post.
It's often the turkeys I don't bring home that stick with me too.
Where do you do your fall and spring turkey hunting?
Just curious . . .
Steve
Posted by: Steve Hickoff | August 16, 2008 at 07:27 AM
i would take a lone hen, but pass on one with young little turks.
Posted by: Mike Longnecker | August 16, 2008 at 07:52 AM
Hey Mike,
Thanks for the post.
Yeah, I think the decision is an in-the-moment thing for some of guys. A brood hen with just a couple late-hatch birds with her makes that choice easier.
Can't remember if we heard from you on the SZ after the spring turkey season closed. How'd you do?
Steve
Posted by: Steve Hickoff | August 16, 2008 at 08:07 AM
Steve, what would you do?
Posted by: Boomer | August 16, 2008 at 07:19 PM
I'd like to think I'd opt for (C) Pass on the opportunity . . .
Now 'xcuse me while I watch our huntin' bud Favre continue his Jets debut.
Steve
P.S. I say this as a lifelong Steelers fan!
Posted by: Steve Hickoff | August 16, 2008 at 07:24 PM
Dirty,
Do you see a lot of bearded hens down your way?
Definitely see some here in the northeast where I hunt turkeys (New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine).
That's a pretty cool bowhunting goal, for sure: solo bearded fall hen.
Steve
Posted by: Steve Hickoff | August 18, 2008 at 07:34 AM
I'd let her pass, too. It's always nice to just be out there to see things like that, and there always seems to be other opportunities. If not, oh well. Wouldn't be the first time I had unused tags in my pocket at seasons end.
Tony
Posted by: Tony Williams | August 18, 2008 at 08:38 AM
Hey Tony,
Good to hear from ya.
How's the hatch looking out your way?
Steve
Posted by: Steve Hickoff | August 18, 2008 at 08:52 AM
Okay, Guys....my turn to chime in (sorry, but I was on vacation and doing a little scouting last week in upstate New York)...Anyway, when I first got my turkey dog from John Byrne, Mr. Byrne stressed the importance of "getting feathers in that pup's mouth as early and often as you can." Well, it was opening day in New York--10 or so years ago--when I took Jake on his first for-real hunt of the fall. Also on her first for-real turkey hunt was 12-year-old Tarryn Petrillo. Well, long story short, Tarryn put the hammer to an adult gobbler mid-afternoon of her first hunt!
About an hour later, we spotted a couple of birds (a family group of 3 or so) right nearby. I let Jake out of the truck and he busted them like a champ. It wasn't long before I heard to soft kee-kees of a juvenile bird. I brought my gun to my knee and searched and searched for a look at the bird which I just knew had to be right in front of me. For several frustrating minutes and peered through the brush. Then I saw it. Reason I was having a difficult time was because the grass was taller than the turkey!
I contemplated the shot for about a second when Mr. Byrne's words echoed through my head: Get some feathers in that dog's mouth. Although I won't count it as one of my finest hunting trophies, I shot the poult. It was 'for the dog' is what I told everyone.' Beside, it was about the size of a grouse and guys grouse hunt all the time, right? Anyway, I'll never forget that day or the great photograph I've got of Tarryn's big old longbeard, gutted and skinned, lying next to my little old poult.
Posted by: Gerry Bethge | August 18, 2008 at 11:16 AM
Speaking on behalf of all Strut Zoners, that's a picture we need to see!
Steve
Posted by: Steve Hickoff | August 18, 2008 at 02:09 PM
Thanks, Steve.....I'm working on it--promise.
Gerry
Posted by: Gerry Bethge | August 18, 2008 at 05:47 PM
BTW----Couldn't you find a better damn photo than the one that appears with the original post? That hen looks more like a fossil than a turkey! :-)
Posted by: Gerry Bethge | August 18, 2008 at 05:48 PM
Steve,
Never came across one in Arkansas, seen a few here in Texas. One I can remember very well. I had just downed a BOSS spring rio, he was over my shoulder, topped the hill, a hen was running away from us when we topped it, she stopped at about 30 yards and turned sideway's, ROPE scraping the grond, largest I've ever seen, at least 13 inches. I would've traded that 10 inch beard and those 3/4 inch spur's for a spring hen tag on the spot.
Dirty
Posted by: Dirty | August 18, 2008 at 06:42 PM
Gerry,
Want to see the poult pic........
Dirty
Posted by: Dirty | August 18, 2008 at 06:44 PM