Massive Turkey Rework/Overhaul

[dusk storm]

So, at the current state, turkeys are one of the most unrealistic animals in the game in terms of how we hunt them. Irl a .22 could not drop a Turkey unless it was the absolute perfect headshot. Irl you don’t use birdshot on Turkeys either, you use Turkey loads. So here are some of my ideas as to how we can fix Turkey hunting and make it more enjoyable:

1. Bump Turkeys to class 2
I know this sounds kinda insane, but hear me out. Make Turkeys class 2, so you can hunt them with rifles like .223 & .22-250, but with a caveat: you can only shoot them in the head if you want the full score. Irl, Turkey hunters always aim for the head as it is the most vital spot where you will not ruin any edible meat. This would make Turkeys more realistic and fun to hunt for. This mechanic would only be put unto rifles, so you can still body shot a Turkey with a shotgun if you so please.

2. Add Turkey loads to the roster of ammo
Turkey loads are essential to any shotgun Turkey hunter. They often have more, smaller pellets that retain energy at further distances and hold their formation at longer distances. This allows for hunters to aim for the head of a Turkey accurately.

3. Make Turkeys more receptive to calls/decoys
Turkeys in game are not terribly receptive to the callers and decoys. Even when they first released on Silver Ridge Peaks, they would strut more often. If someone were to set up a Tom & Hen decoy and blow a Diaphragm call, a Tom should not only reply, but come in and posture up against the decoy, as if it was attempting to fight another Turkey.

Continued in comments

4. Add a TruBeard/TruSpur system
Irl, Turkeys are scored by their Weight, Beard, and Spurs. The beard is scored by the length of its longest whisker multiplied by 2, it’s spurs are scored by the total length of both spurs combined multiplied by 10, and the weight is its weight in pounds + ounces converted to decimals. This would not only give Turkeys a proper scoring system (as in game they’re currently scored by “combined” which somehow gives a score of 4.__), but would give far more variety in the scoring of Turkeys.

5. Add Double/Triple Beards & Bearded Hens
Not only is this something that can happen irl, it’s something that theHunter: Classic, COTWs predecessor, has. It’s something that could simply bring more variety in Turkey trophies. I’d imagine a lot of people would be excited if they killed a Triple Bearded Albino Turkey, or a Leucistic Bearded Hen.

[lyric elm]

Yes, the only way you can semi realistically hunt them is with the E caller and over under, or atleast that’s what I do

[vernal glen]

I’d prefer to see Class 1.5 tbh.

[opal hamlet]

I don't hunt IRL, but it is my understanding that turkey hunters don't shoot them while flying. Maybe their score would not count if they are. (Essentially the opposite of shooting a grounded pheasant.)

[opal hamlet]

that would be nice, but we know they will not do that.

[dusk storm]

I’ve heard of some people shooting at them while flying, but it’s not at all common. I guess you could also pull a risky rifle shot to the head, but irl nobody would ever try that.

[opal hamlet]

Whereas in game a lot of folks (including me) shoot them like shotgun clays

[dusk storm]

Same here lol

[analog mirage]

As per your 4th point we already have a post asking for true beard and true spur https://discord.com/channels/393040947006406657/1083391378920308858

[dusk storm]

Yes, I was simply trying to add more to this since a lot of people (myself included) want this.

[lyric elm]

Winner winner Turkey dinner

[sick vessel]

Be cool if they added special arrows for turkey since they don't have interchangeable broadheads

Maybe with like very low pen but crazy expansion and a bigger hit box to simulate those blades actually reaching out from the arrow. Seems fitting if they rework the bird as a whole.

[vernal glen]

They really need to be less flighty. Irl most of the time they just run.

Also just remembered that Turkey decoys exist in this game, why do the hen decoys have gobbler colors???

[placid edge]

This is all i ask for in the game

[tribal shore]

I'm fully in agreement here except the headshot only idea.

Most of the time, hunters use a relatively heavy kind of bird shot, let's say size 4, there aren't a ton of pellets as with smaller shot. Hunters generally aim for where the head and neck meet when they use a shotgun and for the body when they use a rifle or bow * there are arrowheads designed to cut off the turkey's head tho

Other than that, yeah. It's good

Oh and big thing in hunter's safety course? Do not shoot at flying turkeys, it risks other hunter's being injured or killed

[dusk storm]

The headshot thing would only account for rifles. Obviously when you’re shooting a shotgun you’re not always gonna hit just the head.

[tribal shore]

Aiming where the head and neck meet would apply to both pistol and rifle tho. Turkey trophies are judged by the beard and spurs so any vital hit should be fine. Restricting the rifle to head shots only kinda makes no sense

[dusk storm]

It’s to not ruin the meat. Irl hunters would shoot a turkey in the head with a rifle because 1. It’ll kill quicker and 2. It won’t ruin much meat.

[tribal shore]

Yes and if they are off by even a little it's doomed to a slow death. A .223 poly tip can punch thru the lungs without expanding and guarantee a fast and painless kill without damage to the meat.

[tribal shore]

You'd just aim at the base of the wing with a rifle, the bullet could go through the vitals without damaging the breast or thighs, which on a wild bird is pretty much all the meat

[dusk storm]

True, I guess that’s correct. Still, personally I’d rather shoot the head of a Turkey than the main body as it’s less likely to ruin any edible meat.

[tribal shore]

This is what my local game warden told me. I moved to Wyoming like a while back and asked because my old state didn't allow the use of any rifle. I keep thinking about a deer carcass I came across that was emaciated down to skin and bones because someone tried a headshot and took off the lower jaw

[dusk storm]

Right, on a deer I would never try a headshot. On a turkey, I would. Even if I didn’t hit the brain, the blunt force trauma of a skull hit with a powerful round (let’s say .223) would put a Turkey out of commission

[tribal shore]

How far? The range, movement, brush, it'll all affect a light bullet. So how far will you try for a moving target less than 2 inches in diameter

Never mind, this is a game, ethics aren't even a concern

[dusk storm]

About 50 yards max. I’d absolutely prefer to take a Turkey with a bow or a shotgun.

[tribal shore]

Had this argument with someone at a range when I first moved here tho, claimed to be an ex soldier and couldn't hit the broad side of a barn standing inside it

[vernal glen]

Need flop.

[lean grove]

We don't eat the meat in COTW though or that meat matters in the game unlike WOTH

[analog mirage]

They dont eat digital meat in WOTH either .... just like COTW its all simulated in the Harvest score and the ingame currency received for the kill ....

[lean grove]

What I'm trying to say is I don't want to have to shoot a turkey at 150m with a 22 in the head that's just not possible or it is but it's hard

[alpine vine]

yes

[tribal shore]

Either way class 2 turkeys would be welcome. .223 or .22-250 on them will save trouble and space in loadouts. They'd be more fun to nuke from a distance with rifles and more challenging to get with a bow or shotgun

[analog mirage]

I want true beard and true spur scoring so bad .... The we can have G1 turkeys .... Imagine the combinations of G1's they can make with those 2 scoring systems ....