How Individual is the Individual?

This is in reference to my entry the other day : Is Turkey Hunting Really All That?

Scott aka ProTurkeyhntr From Quaker Boy Forums

Had a response to what I said, and I thought I’d pass it along. It gave me something to think about. It’s always dangerous when I get to thinking.

03-14-2008 08:10 PM
proturkeyhntr

Well said Shaman, the only thing I will challenge is your statement below…

“Last, the bird you hunt today is nearly identical to the bird you hunted yesterday, last year, a decade ago. The first bird you hunt is basically the same as the last bird you hunt, and not much has changed in that bird’s head since the dinosaurs walked the Earth.”

Undoubtedly a turkey’s brain is the size of a pea but, somehow mother nature has a way of giving each turkey their own type of personality. Almost every one is at least a little different, some complete opposites. Loudmouths that run to the call, shutmouth’s that slip in quiet and all the birds in between. That’s what makes it fun for more. You never know what type of bird your going to encounter.

Just my two cents..

scott

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To which I respond:

You know Scott, you have something there. In fact, I threw it out on my weblog with proper attribution.

I have this vision of two tigers, sitting around picking bits of villager out of their teeth having this same sort of conversation about humans.

Exactly how individual are individuals?

On the one hand, after over 20 years, I can truthfully say I have met with the same bird in the same place in the same conditions, even though the first meeting ended with me sending a load of #4’s through his head. It is as though the time of season, the weather, the terrain, and the age of the bird dictate the behavior for that day. A two-year-old bird who has had a hard time finding loose hens is going to be randy and ready after the first really warm night when he hears hens calling from such-and-so-pasture. Jakes seem to be even more predictable. If I put a decoy out in certain places on my farm and sit back and call, if there are jakes around, I’ll see them. If this predictability were not so, outdoor writers would not be able to make any money writing copy: “10 Surefire Tips to Get your Late Season Gobbler!” Of course, they could just be making this all up.

On the other hand, I fully acknowledge what you’re saying. Let’s say that two year old lives through season– maybe has a load of #4’s go over his head one day. Next year, he is not going to be so predictable. By the time he gets out to his fifth spring, it is a fluke that he is going to be fooled on a regular basis. Or let’s back up and say he got a good flogging in his second March from a dominant tom, and he learned his lesson. Now when he hears hens he slips through the back door and hides until he is sure there are no males anywhere close to those hens before he come in.

” So what you’re saying,” said the tiger. “Is a villager is a villager is a villager, and they’ve not really changed since they lost their tails and left the trees?”

“Exactly,” said the other tiger. “I’ve got this spot with a limb overhanging one of their paths. I bet you a bush grouse that 3 out of 5 days, I can be up there in the late fore-noon and have one of those villagers walk right underneath. I lay a deuce right there in the path, so they see it and stop. You should see the look on their faces when they spot it. I have to keep myself from laughing, or I miss my target when I leap. Not a one has ever looked up. Now I’m sure one of the older ones would, but not the younger ones. The older ones are tough– tough to kill, tough to eat. No thanks.”

“You’re right. ” said the other tiger. ” I can’t help it though. The old ones are so much more of a challenge, I just got to try. Still . . .”

“What?” said the companion.

“Oh, it’s just that I must be getting old.” said the other tiger. “Those older ones really wreck my digestion. I eat one now, and I’m feeling bad for days.”

“Eat some clay.” said his buddy. “Drink out of really muddy puddle and get some clay in your belly. It will clean it right up.”

“I’ll have to give that a try.” said the tiger.

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