Question

[Daryl]

If you knew your place only had one gobbler on it.....would you hunt him and try to harvest him or find another place to hunt. I guess what I am getting at is, would taking the only tom hurt anything? Think new ones would move in? Next year? Just curious as to what your thoughts are.

Daryl

[ronmexico]

how big of an area are we talking and do the surrounding properties have birds on them?  are you certain this is the only bird on the property, or just a hypothetical question? 

if i knew it was the only bird and was uncertain about the surrounding properties, i'd let him go.

[Harrison]

I'm with ronmexico, not only would I not hunt him, I'd "Protect" him!

[letinmfly]

Lot of variables here Daryl...

If I had control of the surrounding properties I would let him live. 
If I didn't have control and my neighbors shot whatever walked by than I'd kill him before they did.   

[Bulldogmikey]

Daryl, from a similar experience. When I was a lot younger and there weren't as many turkeys, we had a fair size piece of property about 120 acres. We keep seeing only one Tom for a couple of years. my uncle (my dad did not hunt) would not let me take him. Said he was The (seed) bird. It paid off. In about 5 years we had quite a few nice birds. I still believe it was because we let him walk. Now the old home place is covered up with turkey. Back then though it was different. We didn't have near as many turkey as there is today!

Mike

[callmaker69]

I have birds on my land that I don't hunt, just cause the family likes to watch them. I don't think I would hunt him if I knew he was the only gobbler on that land, Just my thoughts, Jeff

[AlanKrow]

Let him go...

[Daryl]

Thanks guys. There have not been any birds around this place for years. Now there is one gobbler and a few hens. No one around this place hunts turkeys. So....I am going to let him go and just watch him.

[letinmfly]

Thanks guys. There have not been any birds around this place for years. Now there is one gobbler and a few hens. No one around this place hunts turkeys. So....I am going to let him go and just watch him.

That would be the right thing to do Daryl!!  Could be the start of something big for future years.

[wiltznucs]

If you knew your place only had one gobbler on it.....would you hunt him and try to harvest him or find another place to hunt. I guess what I am getting at is, would taking the only tom hurt anything? Think new ones would move in? Next year? Just curious as to what your thoughts are.

Daryl

If he's a longbeard I'd whack him without giving it a second thought, by the time you got him he may have already bred with some hens so your next years population is set.  Theres no assurance he'd live through to the following year anyway.  Mother nature is a cruel taskmaster and he could die of any number of causes including predation or disease; or simply move off...

Lots of things happen from one year to the next, I believe that if there is a resident hen population then local gobblers will find them before the next season.

Even if he does make it, lets face it those older gobblers dont get huge being stupid.  He'll be that much tougher next year.

[Porter]

Boy my gut feeling would be to let him go, but wiltznucs posted my exact other thought.  You may let him go and Mr. Coyote get him or the harsh winter could.  No assurance he'll be around at all...

[SS Custom Calls]

You could do a catch and release on him.    Sorry buddy, Porter told me to say that! 

[B-Ready]

Good Topic.... Valid points for both sides of the issue...... My gut tells me to let him go and hope the other side doesn't happen.... Save your seeds

                Brent

[turkey stew]

You could do a catch and release on him.    Sorry buddy, Porter told me to say that! 

Whoops!

[Zumer]

If you knew your place only had one gobbler on it.....would you hunt him and try to harvest him or find another place to hunt. I guess what I am getting at is, would taking the only tom hurt anything? Think new ones would move in? Next year? Just curious as to what your thoughts are.

Daryl

Very Seldom is there, Just One Gobbler.

If he is there, you can bet yer sweet Patootie, there is another...

You may not have seen him, but he is there...

You shoot the One you are talking about, go back 5 days later, Bet them Ole Gals, are not alone....

You betcha

       Where there is one redhead, there is two that you don't know about nor have seen....

        GOOD CALL, Spur.......