So on days when I don't get to go hunting, during down times, whatever...I really enjoy watching the Hunting Public, Catman, the Pinhoti Project, Bartlett Kimbrough, etc. All of these videos in the woods are great and I obviously really enjoy them. However, I often am curious about one thing in particular. Especially as it pertains to the Hunting Public (just watched them ruin a layup in Missouri) with some of the rookie/Midwestern guys they have on the gun on their hunts, it blows my MIND how many of them screw up an otherwise perfect hunt by not having a clue how to kill (and not run him off and shoot at him running or flying) the turkey when he finally shows himself. This part is absolutely the first thing I give instruction on when I take rookies. Even my 13 year old, rookie turkey hunting son quasi pulled it off last year on his first ever turkey in the woods.

I know a lot of people wait until a turkey goes behind a tree to make a quick, final move with the gun and I'm not saying I haven't successfully done that. Most of these goobers on these videos don't even try that and will jerk the gun around when the turkey is in plain sight, I'm assuming out of sheer panic and nerves because the turkey didn't walk straight down their barrel? I say all of that to say, I'm curious if any of you guys DON'T know about the smooth swing while yelping trick when you get eyes on a turkey, he is in a clear lane, you want him to crane his neck, and you need to make an adjustment with your gun to get on him and make the shot? I feel like it is absolutely the best trick that BrentM ever taught me about turkey hunting. I have had turkeys show nearly 90 degrees off of my gun barrel and been able to get them killed using this trick. It is like the turkey is absolutely expecting to see and hear a hen and it short circuits his brain when yelping starts followed by some smooth, calm motion. Knock on wood, I cannot remember a single turkey that spooked when I did it. They just seem to stand straight up and pose for getting shot, like they have been hypnotized. I honestly don't remember ever seeing/hearing anybody on a video do exactly what I am talking about (of course you often can't see the shooter though) and it makes me wonder if there are other folks out there who don't know that little trick?

Never tried it before, but I’ll keep it in mind if I get caught out of position. Thanks for the tip.

Great tip!

LOL if I had know that and it worked like you said, I wouldn't have as many misses under the belt the past couple of years lol Great tip!

I just swing my gun around and shoot them. Just like a deer, a turkey will pause when they see movement. Never tried yelping while I did it, but that could very well make them pause longer.

But, going back to these YouTube shows, I think it’s a combination of things. One being that they are trying to get it on film, the second being that they aren’t necessarily good turkey killers. The hunting public specifically, doesn’t really impress me with their tactics or the amount of dead turkeys they produce, for having so many people in the woods all season long. Catman is a better woodsman, but kind of the same thing. He’s self taught, and we both know that his primary place isn’t exactly tough to kill birds on.

I rarely put my gun up on my knee, usually just lay it across my lap. Smooth draw and shoot has worked for years for me, sometimes with the yelping, usually not.

A variation I have used for 30 years when guiding some who is taking too long to shoot a ready-to-kill gobbler.....I yelp a couple a three times and say "kill him" in a normal voice. Never had a bird run on my spoken word. I had a fella I was guiding for the Wilcox Academy hunt one year take too long, bird was 20 yards away in the wide open. I yelped and said "kill him" and the damn fool tried to stand up to shoot. WTH?????? Time he got to his feet the bird was 100 yards out and going up like a rocket.

Thanks for that tip. Never heard it before either.

What I can't figure out are grown men jacking their rods over these youtube channels. I guess I hunt for purely personal reasons, and don't care to broadcast it all over social media.

I like watching people kill turkeys in the woods without commercials.

I don't disagree with you about that. I just cannot get in my mind broadcasting all over social media your business.

Heck you can practically trace the foot steps of the Hunting Public. I recognized most all the turn ins and half the roads they were getting on turkeys at in Alabama. And I don't even live there.

Pimping out public land doesn't help anybody. The social media hunters will show up and start pushing regulars out of areas by sleeping in there trucks and other shenanigans. They will all meet up in the campgrounds and post about it and more will come further complicating the problem. Don't believe me - you should. I'm from Arkansas and have watched it happen to my local duck hunting wmas/nwrs. Its like de ja vu

The hunting public just posted a pretty awesome video of a MO hunt tonight on a banded gobbler for ol Ted. I figured you haters would like to know

Don’t forget to jack your rod 😂😂😂

Jug, I know the trick. I yelped and tried to swing my gun on one this year and the stupid sling hung on my knee. After I spastically jerked at it for 5 seconds the gobbler left 🤦🏼‍♂️

I take the sling off when I sit down.....

Just a slow swing works best for me. Calling during the swing has caused more to spook than without calling for me, so I just slow swing on them.

It’s just personal preference bud. I enjoy the shows because I might get to hunt once a week and live “vicariously” through people that get to do it more than me and capture it on film.
Honestly, it sounds like you’re jacking your rod saying you know it all and can’t learn anything else, could do it better, and don’t want to share any of your “super duper” boar Tom killin secrets. But that’s just my opinion.

You could not be further off base. I’m far from knowing it all. And don’t have any “super duper” secrets.
I’m simply a guy who loves to turkey hunt and can’t stand the effects of social media on hunting.

Not every time...had a biggun at 35 yards last year I had to swing on and as soon as I swung, joker went a runnin and a couple of saplings got blasted lol

That makes more sense to me. I don’t like the way most hunting has gone either. Some of the guys mentioned above just do things like I do, so I enjoy watching it. I don’t watch anyone sitting on a field with decoy out and texting on their phone. I don’t do that, and don’t enjoy seeing it. I also don’t want my kids growing up hunting that way. It’s just not the same as back when....