There is a lot of buzz amongst you yankee types about good old gobblers,  and I just can't understand it.  Over here,  you get populations of turkeys roaming the odd valley in decent numbers,  and if you want a feed you go fairly quietly up to one of these groups,  find the one that looks the part,  and wait until it's in a position where you can shoot it.  Very similar to shooting fish in a barrel.
 
Do the turkeys over there provide a bit more of a challenge?  And if so.....
 
a)  Are our birds dumbed down by the lack of hunting pressure,  so don't provide the challenge of your ones?  
 
b)  Do we have a completely different species here?  
 
c)  Has there been too much "nothin' spells lovin' like marryin' yer cousin" amongst our turkeys and they all have the dumb gene now?
 
And what consitutes a "trophy" anyhow?
 
 
 
 
.....and before anyone rips into me,  it's not that I don't think it's a worthwhile pursuit,  it's just I don't know any better,  and seek enlightenment on the subject.

Not much to understand........New Zealand would be a turkey hunting "Yankee's" dream....... Also Australia has a large turkey populaon.
No Season(365 days of turkey hunting).
No limits on LongBeards.
Your turkeys have no natural enemies, like the ones in America
I recall A show on ESPN....were a hunter went on a safari down new zealand way..........and he want'ed to take part in a turkey hunt.........he had not taken a turkey call of anykind.........and could not find one.....it looks like they are not taken by calling one in.......the ones that were taken were from behind a thicket....."Ambushed", In past hunts on large farms were turkeys have not been hunted much at all.....I've done this, because they well not come in to calling.......well see how things change after a lot of hunting..........Ron

I imagine it is a combination of all those things gecko.  The turkey population here was nearly wiped out at one time, so by natural selection the only ones left were the most wary and wily of the bunch.  On top of that they are hunted very heavily in most places.  The old toms are very reclusive, and they are the trophies.  Long beards, big spurs and of course big and heavy constitutes a trophy.

So the old turkey is quite a worthy adversary over there then?  It's quite difficult to imagine when you've spent time amongst them over here.

Quote from: buckshot roberts;93963Also Australia has a large turkey populaon.
.Ron

We do?
I'll have to look that one up and find out where they are.
Actually NZ is the place to hunt in this part of the world, unless you want a buff.

:undecided: how much are they hunted.........down your away..........next time out try for the "Boss" (gobbler) turkey.....thts one kind of trophy bird.....Ron

Quotea) Are our birds dumbed down by the lack of hunting pressure, so don't provide the challenge of your ones?

Do they not hunt them over there?

Quoteb) Do we have a completely different species here?

My state has eastern wild turkeys, what are yours?

QuoteAnd what consitutes a "trophy" anyhow?

large beard, long spurs, and good'n heavy!
 
As far as dumb birds, we have our share here! I heard tell of guys this year almost having turkeys step on their feet. I have seen big toms walk right in while other big toms will not come within a mile of ya! Personally, I believe it is the experience of the bird itself. I have no doubt they learn form experience also. If your birds are not hunted, then maybe they are not so weary. I do know it is fun to hunt one that is "tough" to bring in. I have seen guys call the same Tom for over two hours before getting a shot. Just when you almost think he is in range, he goes back out and struts! That is fun. God Bless.

I know of absolutely no one who actively hunts them.  They are just one of those novelty birds that people let roam their paddocks,  and one may occasionally get taken for food.

In answer to your comments,  David,  as far as I am aware no one actively hunts them.  Our species is Meleagris gallopavo,  which looks like it may be your Eastern wild turkey after a brief bit of googling.
 
So it looks very much like it's just straight lack of interest from the hunting fraternity that has dumbed our birds down.
 
Best you guys come over and get an easy trophy!!!

If I understand it correctly, your turkey is not even remotely related to our turkey.
 
Our turkeys are
 
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Meleagris
Species: gallopavo
 
Yours is not even of the Phasianidae family, non-the-less the species gallopavo.
 
From Wikipedia: Several other birds which are sometimes called turkeys are not particularly closely related: the Australian BUsh turkey Australian Brush-turkey is a megapode  megapode, and the bird sometimes known as the "Australian Turkey" is in fact the Australian Bustard Australian Bustard, a gruifrom gruiform.
 
God bless,
 
T.R.

Getting Australia and New Zealand mixed up there I'm afraid.  Neither of those critters are found here due to a rather large amount of water between the two countries.  Our ones are definitely Meleagris gallopavo.