Turkey's in The Tree

44fordy

44fordy

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So, in the course they advise us not to shoot turkey's out of their roost because it's "Unsportsmanlike".

Is it?

I've never shot one in a tree. I've shot them traditionally by calling them in. I've shot them by sneaking up on them, and I've shot them "Runnin & Gunnin", but I've never dumped one out of the tree.

Being the only method I haven't used, it's very tempting. But there's this whole chatter of being "Sportsmanlike".

Well, I am sportsmanlike, when I play hockey or baseball. Hunting to me is not defined as a "sport", it is a way of life that I choose.

I shoot grouse on the ground. Some would say that's not sporting. I don't really care. If I want to be sporting...I'll shoot clays. In the forest, my main objective is to "get the FOOD". So, whether a bird is flying, running or whatever, I'm going to get him.

What's the difference with a turkey? This morning I set up right under a big tom. It got light and he was gobbling away, and here I sit 20 meters from him. I could've punched a 3" mag right though his mellon and he wouldn't have felt a thing. Humane kill for sure, but not sportsmanlike to some.

I didn't turf his ass. He eventually jumped down on the other side of the fence and headed off to where his buddies were.

There was another hunter in the field, and of course that played a big role on my decisions. Especially to be fair to all playing the game.
Now, if I was the only one...what would I do? Do I smack him at legal light and head on home? At the very least, I would have gone after him after he jumped. Ya...they can run fast...but I could have gotten over there in enough time.

I'm starting to have mixed feelings on shooting them right out of the roost. Ya, I see the theory of fair chase...sure. But I'm a predator, plain and simple. Do foxes/wolves/fishers care about "fair chase"? No, they care about lunch.
Ya, we use high powered firearms and compound bows. BUT, these tools in any circumstance are only good if we are able to get ourselves into a position where we can use them, at which point we have to be proficient in using those tools or they mean nothing.

I figure this is a good topic to get you guys ranting on! Doug should join in!!

Anyway...what do YOU think?

Let's here from all you morally-flexible hunters!!:p
 
I wouldnt want to end my season early like that,so no id let it down for the first while,but in the last week still sitting on tags I will take it
 
If you are okay with shooting grouse on the ground, why would shooting turkey on the roost give you pause? Hunt legally and in a way that you are comfortable.

For the record, I don't shoot grouse on the ground, because to me, it's not about meat.
 
i was asked the same q the other day .we had set up right under a tom at 20 yards he was goobeling his fool head off .the guy had not shot a bird .do we or dont we ,i say if you can get close enough to a sleeping deer we have earned the shot .if the bird is awake and goobeling his head off why not hollar at him to let him kn ow his day just turned bad and bang sounds fair to me .i would shot a deer that i got close to i would let him know i was there then bang each there own .how may deer are shot each year that never see the hunter and never know someone has beenwatching them DUTCH
 
Good points Dutch.

The object is to get close to give us the opportunity! It's part of hunting.

Pickupman : Here in Ontario, we can take two in the spring and 1 in the fall. Being that I adore having one of these in my freezer (prefferably more), I like to get the first one in the bag. The second bird I'm generally more selective, and hunting with a compound. If I get it, great. If not, I still have the Thanksgiving turkey in the freezer.
 
around this area turkey fly down before legal light and roost well after legal time, while it may be easy to get close to a roosted bird in the dark I think you would be hard pressed to find one willing to be shot when the lights are on
 
I have never had one stay in the roost long enough for the sun to come up for a shot.

But the day one does I will shoot it.

I dont particularly feel the great rush others describe when turkey hunting, I could take it or leave it honestly. I dont see the 'Trophy' attraction some do. Spurs and beards dont do it for me.


But I LOVE wild turkey meat and thats my main goal. If I could safely and legally shoot one with a rifle to fill my tag thats how I would do it.
 
I read a story on Gray's sportsmen journal from the 1800's. They talk about shoot them with rifles off roost.

BTW - They also talked about turkey's were getting extinct, and you should shoot one while you can. People had very different views about games than we do.
 
i have seen turkeys sitting in treestill well after 9 am, some days must be laxy birds .the one we set up under the other day was in the tree well after the sun was up DUTCH
 
dutchhunter said:
i have seen turkeys sitting in treestill well after 9 am, some days must be laxy birds .the one we set up under the other day was in the tree well after the sun was up DUTCH
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Well it proves we were quiet enough Dutch. I don't know how i didn't wake him walking around that tree to set up, i recall i was crunching twigs with each step of my boots for a few steps, and he was roosting < 20 yrds. He musta been dreaming about some hen :p
 
Trotter said:
Well it proves we were quiet enough Dutch. I don't know how i didn't wake him walking around that tree to set up, i recall i was crunching twigs with each step of my boots for a few steps, and he was roosting < 20 yrds. He musta been dreaming about some hen :p
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I've definately seen them stay in the tree for a while. Wayyyy past legal shooting time.

They don't seem nearly as edgy when they're roosting. I've snapped sticks, and the one gent I ran into this am walked right by him with his flashlight on!

The bird didn't even twitch...and sat in the tree till about 5:30.
 
Would I shoot a turkey in a tree....probably not
Do I care if someone else shoots a turkey in a tree...No, we all have to live with our own choices...as long as it's legal. :)
 
gth said:
I have never had one stay in the roost long enough for the sun to come up for a shot.

But the day one does I will shoot it.

I dont particularly feel the great rush others describe when turkey hunting, I could take it or leave it honestly. I dont see the 'Trophy' attraction some do. Spurs and beards dont do it for me.


But I LOVE wild turkey meat and thats my main goal. If I could safely and legally shoot one with a rifle to fill my tag thats how I would do it.
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I'm with you, cant eat spurs or beards and dont care how long they are anyways. Shoot em out of the tree, why not? Its legal and who is anybody else to tell you what is "sportsmanlike" or not. I agree sportsmanship is saved for competitive shooting. Hunting for me is gathering some great tasting meat while enjoying my way of life. I have shot many grouse out of the trees and to be honest to see something 20X larger come falling out in a cloud of feathers would be as exciting as calling them in IMO.
 
"Fish in a barrel" comes to mind.. If you are incapable of actually hunting then a roosted bird is definitely for you. Turkey hunting is about beating the bird at what it excels at, if a treed bird is fair game to you then it speaks volumes about you ability to hunt.
They became extinct here because of the absolute ease of snapping a bird from a tree, it involves no talent or skill. It is the opposite of turkey hunting, it is simply "shooting". Any person with a gun can shoot a bird from a tree, only a hunter can get one off the ground.
This isn't just my opinion, it is the reason for their previous extinction in this area.
Pathetic at the very least.
 
Shooting it out of a tree does not make it go extinct. Over hunting it will. If you don't argee with shooting it out of a tree, fine.
It is not hard to shoot it off the ground either. It's turkey hunting FFS!
 
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What the hell is the difference? Hunting has a lot to do with the skill of timing & location. I'd say your hunting skills were spot on. If you want to work on your shooting skills, go to the range... I'll go along with the coyotes on this one, I'll never pass up a free meal. By the way I don't hunt turkeys as I get my annual fill at 'Thanks Giving'. Shooting bush chickens on the ground wrecks a lot less meat than on the wing overall I find...
 
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