So I'm hunting a 20,000+ acre military base with about 45 other hunters this morning. Plenty of room for everyone to spread out find a bird and do your own thing, right?
Nope, wrong.
I'm set up on a hot gobbler about 100 yards from a dirt road/path. The bird is about 50 yards beyond the road in a small opening.
So I'm about 150 away and he's coming at me, gobbling away. Just as he crosses the road a truck pulls up fast, guy gets out loads his pump before shuting his door and is ready to sluice the thing. So I yell "don't shoot" to the idiot. And he answers me back "oh, ok".
So that's embarrassing for him because he probably didn't see me and shooting on the road is against base rules and it's unethical and lazy and it's not turkey hunting.
And, I'd be almost ok with this disgrace if the guy got back in his truck and drove off, BUT he didnt!!!
He crouched down and walked surreptitiously off into the woods to my left. I couldn't believe what I was seeing through my binoculars. This guy did not leave even though I was set up and working a bird right in front of him!
So now I lose sight of him for a bit and believe it of not I've still got the bird coming up toward me. So, the bird gets to 30 yards with several boulders in back of him and I yell at the top of my voice, " I'm shooting now!!! And I wait 5 seconds and pull the trigger.
When I caught up with this loser I couldn't believe he was with a boy, probably his son! Needless to say I had to read him the riot act. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220503/2347ad62f00ab8d7eccccf649e837b8c.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220503/7d5cddc0865a91921943337386608ddf.jpg)
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I can't believe the turkey hung around after all that. Our turkeys take off flying if you tap the brakes when we see them.
Some just can't play fair. Congrats and good for you.
Quote from: Cottonmouth on May 02, 2022, 09:44:54 PM
I can't believe the turkey hung around after all that. Our turkeys take off flying if you tap the brakes when we see them.
It was very, very surprising the bird didn't bolt. But he was super hot and the birds aren't ultra pressured yet. But still it was unusual behavior because I was yelling at the top of my voice!
Quote from: Zobo on May 02, 2022, 10:07:41 PM
Quote from: Cottonmouth on May 02, 2022, 09:44:54 PM
I can't believe the turkey hung around after all that. Our turkeys take off flying if you tap the brakes when we see them.
It was very, very surprising the bird didn't bolt. But he was super hot and the birds aren't ultra pressured yet. But still it was unusual behavior because I was yelling at the top of my voice!
Probably thought you were a drill sergeant yelling at the troops!
Well that was very unethical of that guy..nut you won and congrats on a nice gobbler
I'm sad you had to read him the riot act, but happy you did! A great teaching point and a great way to hopefully steer this kind of behavior in the future!
Congrats! The World is full of ppl like that. Unfortunately. Hopefully it is a lesson for him and the boy.
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Quote from: Paulmyr on May 02, 2022, 10:18:18 PM
Quote from: Zobo on May 02, 2022, 10:07:41 PM
Quote from: Cottonmouth on May 02, 2022, 09:44:54 PM
I can't believe the turkey hung around after all that. Our turkeys take off flying if you tap the brakes when we see them.
It was very, very surprising the bird didn't bolt. But he was super hot and the birds aren't ultra pressured yet. But still it was unusual behavior because I was yelling at the top of my voice!
Probably thought you were a drill sergeant yelling at the troops!
That's funny, you might be right, made him feel right at home!
Congrats Zobo, glad it worked out for you, thats funny Paulmyr , birds probably hear a lot of human noises and gun shots.
Quote from: Cowboy on May 03, 2022, 05:22:20 AM
Congrats! The World is full of ppl like that. Unfortunately. Hopefully it is a lesson for him and the boy.
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When I saw the kid with him, I toned it down to a respectable riot act. But I had to say something because I have three children myself and I can't imagine that kind of behavior he's teaching going unchecked. On the positive side he did not argue with me and hopefully he or his son will get the message most of us on this forum know : When you see or hear another hunter is working an area, you leave that area, period, that's called mutual consideration for fellow hunters and respect for safety. Basically it's the golden rule.
...Great pictures, by the way... :icon_thumright:
Awesome pics. Glad you won! Are all hunters on the base in the military? Just curious.
Congrats! You handled the situation well. You gave him a lesson in hunter safety. Nice bird!
Quote from: g8rvet on May 03, 2022, 01:23:21 PM
Awesome pics. Glad you won! Are all hunters on the base in the military? Just curious.
There's a lot of military folks, yes, not all.
It's a shame you had an experience like that. No mater where you go in this world or what you might be engaged in you will run into people like that.
Congratulations on a fine bird and for calmly giving the guy a dressing down in front of his son.
"I'm shooting now!" :TooFunny:
Quote from: tha bugman on May 03, 2022, 07:56:22 PM
"I'm shooting now!" :TooFunny:
"Fire in the hole!" Hahaha
Glad you got him, a beauty. Congrats...
I hunted on military bases for years....you'd be surprised at the kind of folks that you run across. The ones that you think would have more sense make you wonder how they even function day to day.