# So what did everyone think of the general season hunt?



## birdman (Nov 21, 2007)

I personally had a great time and wish they would make it a 6-7 week general tag without any limited entry hunts, but that's just my opinion. I killed my bird in the first hour and a half of the second morning of the general season. Didn't hunt the opening day to avoid the craziness. I then tried to get my son his bird after not having success during the youth hunt despite a fair bit of action. Weather was mostly bad for the youth hunt were I was. He really only had one serious opportunity but we got busted trying to get turned around when a bird came in behind us while we were working another. Oh well. He did have 4 shooting opportunities during our Wyoming hunt but didn't get a bird due to having developed a serious flinching problem. 
I also helped a guy get his first turkey on the last Saturday. It's always fun to help someone get their first. I also was trying to help another friend but because of circumstances out of our control we never got that tag filled. We did have several close encounters and he did have a shooting opportunity on the last day he could hunt but just didn't feel completely comfortable with the shot and I can't fault him for that. 
The good news is that my marriage survived another turkey season, although there were times it was in doubt. She kept saying, "but you already got your turkey" when I would tell her I was taking someone else out. I probably hunted more days this year then any other although I never made it to Colorado and really didn't put any effort into hunting South Dakota while I was in the Black Hills. My only real disappointment is my son not getting one this year after getting his first last year during his first season. We have some shooting practice to work on before the next season rolls around.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

birdman said:


> I personally had a great time and wish they would make it a 6-7 week general tag without any limited entry hunts, but that's just my opinion.


Me too, I had another fun year. And as far as the LE hunt goes, I agree with you 100%. I find the whole idea of limited entry hunts repulsive, but when applied to turkeys or for that matter any bird hunting, doubly so. Limiting the time available to hunt only does one thing, it creates more crowding and more crowding is the single biggest complaint about OTC seasons. Can you imagine the outrage if they suggested a limited entry Chukar hunt. OK, I'll get off that box and just say hooray for turkey hunting.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

BPturkeys said:


> birdman said:
> 
> 
> > I personally had a great time and wish they would make it a 6-7 week general tag without any limited entry hunts, but that's just my opinion.
> ...


Amen! I couldn't agree more! LE turkey hunting is *GAY!*

So, I guess the hoards of hunters didn't run out and wipe them all off the face of the earth after all. :roll: Just hide and watch, there will be just as many, if not more birds around next year. :wink:


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## tigerpincer (Dec 5, 2009)

I absolutely fell in love with Turkey hunting this year. Growing up I allways wanted to add turkey hunting to the repetoir. This year I was able to do just that in thanks to Utah's general season. I dont have an opinion either way about the LE hunt yet. I just know that this is the best month of May I have ever had. I didnt think I would ever find a bird that got me as excited to chase as the Chukar but I was wrong. Turkeys rock!!!!


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## cfarnwide (Sep 10, 2007)

Loved it! We chased a couple very well known and hard hunted flocks. No problem getting them in gun range and bagging two birds on separate occasions.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

I too loved the general hunt. I don't really see anything wrong with the LE portions, but if they did away with them, I'd be out earlier in the season than the general hunt allowed us this year. My success was not with killing a bird, but with hunting with my son on several occations and both of my sons on the last day we had available. Gobbling birds around us was a bonus to the beautiful sunrises and the crisp morning air. It was a hunt I plan on doing as long as my old legs can climb the hills.
In my opinion, this season opened up a few turkey eyes to the fact that not all humans have grain in their hands.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I had a blast, walked my butt off and saw a few birds. For me this hunt was just getting out after a long winter and enjoying the sights and sounds of nature. I never pulled the trigger this year. These birds are like an oversized chukar but smarter, You really do work hard at a chance to get them. I agree, get rid of the limited entry and just have a general season.


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## captain (Nov 18, 2007)

I was skeptical about the over the counter tag, but it really did turn out to be fun. We never saw big groups of people in the area we hunted, and were always in the birds. I did end up getting a good 9 1/2" tom, and know that there were lots that survived the hunt. I thought for sure that it was going to be complete carnage, and no birds were going to make it through it alive. Apparently I was wrong. I talked to several guys that were still hearing gobbles all over the place on public land the last day of the hunt.


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## Shockgobble (Apr 22, 2010)

Absolutely great!!!! Great chance to hunt more! I think alot of Utards started to realize you can't run and gun from the road like other animals. BY FAR one of the toughest yet most fun things to hunt in my book!!!! Turkey are very elusive and smart, and I think A LOT of people got turned on and more actually got turned off b/c of the challenge it proposes to the hunter!!! Get rid of this LE crap and let's hunt some birds!!! Welcome to the turkey hunting Utah!!!!!!!! Only 340 some days to go!!!!!!!


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

I hunted probably a total of 7 or 8 days and saw two other hunters during that time period. The hunt was enjoyable in all aspects. I even tried a strategy, new to me, that had birds sprinting at me in late May in an area that was heavily hunted, probably every single day of the hunt. 
I also introduced a good friend to hunting turkeys and he had a ball. I quote him after our first hunt, "To heck with hunting elk! This has all the excitement of an elk hunt and I don't have to butcher and haul out a huge animal!" He told me today he's already looking forward to next year.


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## Elkoholic8 (Jan 15, 2008)

I thought it was pretty fun. I have never hunted turkeys before, and I didn't hunt this year, I just took my son out to get him one. He had a blast, and finally got to shoot on the second to last day of the season. 
I too would like to see the LE season gone, but I think they should give the youth a couple more days, like maybe a 5 day season. The kids are tstill in school at that time, and it kinda sucks they only get one Saturday, but we'll take what evere we can get. The weather sucked this year for the youth hunt, but we still saw birds each time we were out. The opening day of the GS was pretty crazy but after a week everything settled down. 
They are definately a hard bird to hunt when you have other hunters pushing them around.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

The Wyoming season was OK. Wish it wouldn't end so soon (May 20). I had a hard time getting off work but still got out a couple times. 

Seen lots of birds....all on the road or places I didn't have permission.

What little time I spend turkey hunting is always great; nice to be out and about with old friends


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## fishnate (Sep 11, 2007)

Had a great time and learned a ton about turkey hunting. Last year was too easy and this year was more difficult than I thought it should have been. My boys and I hiked about 26 miles before I finally got my bird and we never got one for my son. We hunted public land exclusively and never saw another hunter, never heard another shot. We saw plenty of turkeys every time out and learned more each time we got snookered by the birds. Only thing I have against the turkey hunt is the time it cuts into my spring fishing.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

I agree with you fishnate, even though I only got out 7 times to chase the turkeys, my other days were spent making up for those days afield and never once got any fishing in. Weather was a big issue there as well. But, I will be doing the turkey thing again, guaranteed!!! Way much fun! There was one day I even ****ed my muzz shotgun, cuz I knew that bird was going to poke his head up just over the rise in front of me. He was gobblin like crazy and he was close...but.....


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