Turkey Obituaries, Ode Of Respect

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Turkey Obituaries, Ode Of Respect

 

As a dyed in the wool New Yorker of the upstate variety, May is a favored month since my first turkey hunt over a quarter century ago. With the explosion of social media, despite some of the pitfalls, and overblown strife, for us turkey chasers it is a blessing in disguise, even for those that take the sport of arguing to Olympic world-class levels. From the start of the early season in Florida up until the final days in June for Maine’s late season, we get a continual stream of stories of successes and fails along with every conceivable successful hunter pose that can be had. It’s all good in my opinion. From the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, endless valleys and vistas, and especially the smiling faces, I more than enjoy seeing these in my daily news feeds.

As the turkey obituaries are posted daily and will continue the current pace up until the last few weeks, there will be many tidbits to learn, secrets of the trade and maybe a new tactic to add in our bags of earned humility. Although I may have very specific methods I find most agreeable and not amiable to some trends that are legal in different states I enjoy each of the successes of my fellow turkey hunting brethren. We all see it from different views and perspectives, and the hunting terrain and associated tactics are greatly varied across the continent. As the majority of my posse of friends on Facebook, Instagram are verifiable turkey hunters, there are long listings of postings to like. The ones with many pics of the epic excursions and attached stories are the ones I find the most interesting.  We glean and learn so much from them.

The long spurs and rope for beards are certainly impressive, and some of the birds taken push the weight scales to make one wonder how they ever got hefted over sore shoulders and hauled back to camp. With some experience, you can tell when it is a first time taking a gobbler, or a very special time with family and friends. The smiles are wider, and the faces are beaming with the experience of a grand day. Those are my favorites.

As I can recall favorite stories from battling birds with smaller proportions, tattered warriors, jakes with bigger than life attitudes, I can enjoy just as well the many shapes and sizes of gobblers that are encountered. The quality of the experience or epic nature of it is seldom indicated by trophy parts. If one hunts enough seasons you come to realize that the crazy antics, the more memorable events may come from the most unlikely of quarry. As one might relish an old buck a very old hermit gobbler may succumb to your charms underweight, with broken spurs and a beard long past its prime. As a hunter only you would know from many seasons in pursuit as to how old and crafty the old warrior may be. Those become treasured memories and a collection of stories destined for turkey camp.

There is never a shortage of keyboard warriors, the shot one bird instant pro’s and other detractors that are quick to rain on another’s parade. There are far more of us that enjoy and encourage the newly successful hunters, especially women and kids who join our ranks. Admittedly they are far more pleasing to the eye posing with a long beard than us old grumpy turkey slayers, not remotely debatable in the slightest.

As I think back over the many turkeys taken back home in the truck each of those stories or for purposes here “turkey obituaries,” are ingrained into memory in ode to respect and to moments well lived in a grand pursuit. It is why we pause when retrieving them after the shot, it is also why we give praise when we give thanks for a meal we anticipate. We might be cavalier in pursuit, while being outsmarted, however as we reach a successful conclusion we come to grips with what transpires in the hunt and ultimately to our plates.

In Ode to the grand wily wild turkey, I would implore you to take the time to record your stories, take pictures throughout your adventure. I can without hesitation guarantee each of you that as you become an old turkey chaser such as myself and my brothers and sisters in camo you will be forever grateful to heed this advice and relish the memories you retrieve and relive from doing so…

With a lot of the season left to go in New York, I wish you a safe and most prosperous time afield with family and friends and look forward to reading your contributions to the turkey obituaries as the season progresses!

-MJ

© 2019 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media