This weekend I took my son on a youth hunt in NW Florida. After working some gobblers for more than an hour, he shoots a nice bird at 35 yards ( using an 870 Turkey Mag with Longbeard XR 6 Shot). As we are admiring the bird, I noticed another gobbler at the edge of the swamp. This bird had a couple of pellets in his head but that is all it took. He was 15 yards further away than the bird he was aiming for. Crazy hunt that we may never see again. Am trying to post a pic but it is apparently too large to attach.
Congrats!
This would have been illegal for us and would have had to be turned over to the state agency, hope this was not the case for the young man...
Every State rules are different, for us only one bird can be legally taken during the youth hunt weekend, It would have been a call to the DNR with the second bird.
I know mistakes happen but one of the rules of hunter safety is... Be sure of your target and beyond.
MK M GOBL
Ya saw it two years ago happen PA. Illegal in our state of course. A fellow member of our cabin was walking through the woods slowly and somehow walked up unto a gobbler roughly 35 yards away. Whipped the gun off his back and sent one downrange. Next thing he knows he sees two birds flopping. Always be sure of your target and beyond.
Agreed. Our youth spring hunt limit is 2 so we are good.
Illegal in MO too. Sometimes I wished it wasn't as I've had some opportunities to double with one shot. I've also know of it happening. Seems like it was more common in the fall on young birds in a flock.
Never done that myself, but have been with two other people who have and they got an ear full as they were guest on my land and I really did not have intentions of losing two longbeards to someone not being careful. It is illegal here in Ohio too, the law is one per day. Both of the incidents I sited were fall hunts, I would not have been as irritated if it had been spring, but I lost 4 long beards that would have been there in the spring to hunt and breed.
Now I killed a double myself in Oklahoma, both came into the set up and i killed one and turned on the other and killed him. It was one of my fondest hunt memories. Oh yeah, I asked the landowners permission before I did it. When we went out I asked him if he minded me killing a double if I got the chance.
Illegal here in NC as well. One bird per day limit, 2 per season. I've hunted states that allow 2 birds per day but have never had all the stars or HEADS line up.
We can kill two per day here in SC but our hunt club rule says one per hunt unit, thus , no doubles or you are fined. Last year I had a real "paint brush" walking toward me with four other long beards lined up behind him, all in full strut. Long story short, I finally got one of the others out by himself but the big boy is still in there for this year! I look forward to hunting him again next week!
Congrats...Thats awesome
Became legal in FL a couple years back, but only on private land. Not on WMA.
In Georgia you can kill your season limit of three in one shot if the opportunity presents itself and you want to end your season. I'm a one bird one hunt guy and avoid shots that may result in more than one being hit or killed. But where legal I see no problem if that's what someone wants to do. But in your sons case it sounds like it was an accident. Either way, congrats to you and your son. That's a lifetime memory. I hope y'all get to share many more in the future.
I know a guy here in WV that did that like 3 yrs. ago. I call tell you that he was scared s***less because the conservation officer takes no excuses. He'll certainly be a lot more careful from now on.
Congrats to the youngster. It's illegal in KY. I did it once by accident when I was maybe 20? Called the CO and he checked both birds and gave me a lecture on taking better shots. I've been much more careful about my shots since.
Awesome story! Congrats! Twice the turkey nuggets is a good thing!
Legal in Oklahoma. I've done it a couple times. Once by accident and once on purpose. Now I had rather not because it's just a shorter season once that second tag is gone.
Here's the intentional pair.
Legal here in WI too as long as you have a 2nd tag for the season you are hunting!! I/we have killed "Doubles" with buddies hunting with me, took a double with my dad and killed quite a few solo Doubles as well!
Our Youth Season is only allowed one tag for each hunter so the opportunity for a "Solo" Double then does not exist for this season... I have had some Youth Doubles, but two kids doing the shooting!!
MK M GOBL
Although I don't care if someone else does it, I enjoy turkey hunting too much to use up two tags with one shot. I am pretty much a one-bird-per-day guy. :newmascot:
Quote from: guesswho on March 14, 2018, 08:36:58 PM
In Georgia you can kill your season limit of three in one shot if the opportunity presents itself and you want to end your season. I'm a one bird one hunt guy and avoid shots that may result in more than one being hit or killed. But where legal I see no problem if that's what someone wants to do. But in your sons case it sounds like it was an accident. Either way, congrats to you and your son. That's a lifetime memory. I hope y'all get to share many more in the future.
we agree on a lot of things and this topic is no exception. even where legal, ill let a pair of gobblers walk if they don't separate. two in a single shot knocks me out of a hunt and I don't like that for myself. however, again where legal, if I call in a pair for someone else I would encourage them to line em up.
Congratulations to them.
I did it once legally, wont do it again. Ends the season too quickly. Don't have to worry about season ending early anymore. My wife and daughter are hunting both NH and Maine with me this year. If we fill all 9 tags. I will retire from turkey hunting. NOT!!!, lol
I've had the opportunity in states where it wasn't legal and never tried to kill 2 with one shot but always thought it would be a cool experience. 2 years ago I was in Kansas for work and had one weekend to hunt while I was there. With only 2 days to hunt, I was more than happy to tag out when I had 3 gobblers come in. They came up over a rise into range and two birds heads lined up perfectly. Stoned them both and ended my hunt. Would I do it again? I guess I won't know until I'm presented with the opportunity again.
This whole thread though reminds me of the saying "Don't pass up an animal the first day that you'd shoot on the last day"
It is not legal in either state I hunt so I have been careful not to. I don't think I would even if legal. I am not opposed to killing on one state and heading to another to try my luck. But I want one bird per hunt if that makes sense. When helping others I typically don't even have my gun ready even if more than one bird is coming. Though I have killed birds meant for others just because they couldn't get on them. That sucks though and I feel bad even though they tell me to kill it. Some days I hate the frustration of trying to get new hunters birds. It's no fault of their own but it's kinda like trying to walk when your legs asleep.
Congrats to the little man and glad no laws were broken. :happy0064:
Post up pics when you can.
For those that don't want to shoot a double because of cutting your season short, would your opinion change if you hadn't shot one yet and it was the last hunt or two of the season or the trip (if you were out of state or area or something)? When legal of course.....
I don't think it would change for me. In all honesty I was never a numbers guy. If I leave one for next year that's fine. I love to eat them but I look forward to the hunts as much as the success. I have had a year or two since I started killing birds that I never pulled the trigger. I had opportunities but they were jakes and I am not interested in killing them as a general rule. Those years were still fun and I would still hunt an entire spring season even if told before hand I wouldn't kill a bird. I would rather hunt and not kill one on my terms than kill 20 not on my terms if that makes sense.
Have done it once and on purpose. First tom stepped into the clear at 25 yards and as I started to squeeze the trigger the second tom stepped into line at 35 so I cheated the bead between their heads. Have had other opportunities where I didn't shoot for a double but have killed two in a day plenty of times. When SC had 5 tags I used them as the opportunity arose. With 3 tags now I'm a bit more conservative. I have killed a tom and left others still gobbling on occasion because I wanted to continue to hunt a different area or some other day. I guess it depends on how much time you have to hunt and the opportunities. Beyond that I don't care what anyone else thinks about how you choose to fill your tags as long as it is legal.
Quote from: kjnengr on March 15, 2018, 09:22:27 AM
Congrats to the little man and glad no laws were broken. :happy0064:
Post up pics when you can.
For those that don't want to shoot a double because of cutting your season short, would your opinion change if you hadn't shot one yet and it was the last hunt or two of the season or the trip (if you were out of state or area or something)? When legal of course.....
Your point is a good one. It would be interesting to see just how many of us would reconsider our position on shooting multiple birds if we were put in that scenario.
Last year my wife wanted to go to Hawaii for a vacation. I agreed to the trip if I could do some turkey hunting while we were there. After negotiations, it was agreed that I could go turkey hunting three mornings out of the seven day trip.
The first morning I hunted, I called in a group of gobblers and shot one of them, planning on only killing the one bird. Well, one of the other gobblers didn't know what had happened and, as they sometimes do, just started slowly walking away, stopping to look back at the downed bird. He would walk a bit and then stand and look.
During the couple of minutes he was doing that, I was having a debate in my mind about whether I should shoot the second bird, knowing that if I did so, it would make my wife happy because I could eliminate one of my mornings hunts (the limit was three birds and my plan was to shoot one bird a day if the opportunity arose).
The gobbler kept easing away and finally was about 40 yards out when I decided to make my wife happy,...so I shot the second bird, too. That is the only time in my life that I have done that, and probably never will again. ...But my wife was delighted! ...and I scored some points for future "considerations".... ;D :toothy12: :toothy9:
I can tell you for a fact my wife is happier than anyone when I tag out. I usually take her out to eat any day I kill a tom anyway so that helps a lot as well. Thank God for that woman.
Congratulations to you and your son. You will have that memory for seasons to come.
Congrats! The other bird got what he deserved for rubber necking! Real Peeping Tom.
I have passed in doubles in the past so I can enjoy another hunt but if time were an issue and I couldn't hunt much I would love to do it someday...I have doubled with the bow but 2 arrows!
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Quote from: GobbleNut on March 15, 2018, 09:56:57 AM
Quote from: kjnengr on March 15, 2018, 09:22:27 AM
Congrats to the little man and glad no laws were broken. :happy0064:
Post up pics when you can.
For those that don't want to shoot a double because of cutting your season short, would your opinion change if you hadn't shot one yet and it was the last hunt or two of the season or the trip (if you were out of state or area or something)? When legal of course.....
Your point is a good one. It would be interesting to see just how many of us would reconsider our position on shooting multiple birds if we were put in that scenario.
Last year my wife wanted to go to Hawaii for a vacation. I agreed to the trip if I could do some turkey hunting while we were there. After negotiations, it was agreed that I could go turkey hunting three mornings out of the seven day trip.
The first morning I hunted, I called in a group of gobblers and shot one of them, planning on only killing the one bird. Well, one of the other gobblers didn't know what had happened and, as they sometimes do, just started slowly walking away, stopping to look back at the downed bird. He would walk a bit and then stand and look.
During the couple of minutes he was doing that, I was having a debate in my mind about whether I should shoot the second bird, knowing that if I did so, it would make my wife happy because I could eliminate one of my mornings hunts (the limit was three birds and my plan was to shoot one bird a day if the opportunity arose).
The gobbler kept easing away and finally was about 40 yards out when I decided to make my wife happy,...so I shot the second bird, too. That is the only time in my life that I have done that, and probably never will again. ...But my wife was delighted! ...and I scored some points for future "considerations".... ;D :toothy12: :toothy9:
Good story Gobblenut. I go back and forth on what I would do in that situation..... When I'm out of state, I'm usually with friends, so "my" hunt may be cut short, but I can always sit with a buddy and enjoy their hunt like it was my own.
Also, (and I have been in this situation) when I'm down to the 2 minute warning and the buzzer is about to go off on my season, I'm not playing around hoping for a double. The first legal/mature bird that offers an opportunity gets shot. I would rather end up with one bird at the end of the trip/season than to push my luck and screw it up though having a chance at a double. One bird slung over my shoulder is worth more than two in the bushes.
So weird. One of my sales reps came in this morning and told me his son killed two in one shot on youth weekend (here in NW FL!). I asked him if he had posted on here and he told me no. So it happened twice on youth weekend! Pretty cool.
Quote from: kjnengr on March 15, 2018, 09:22:27 AM
Congrats to the little man and glad no laws were broken. :happy0064:
Post up pics when you can.
For those that don't want to shoot a double because of cutting your season short, would your opinion change if you hadn't shot one yet and it was the last hunt or two of the season or the trip (if you were out of state or area or something)? When legal of course.....
Season dates, number of hunting days left or number of birds taken or not taken plays no part in my decision not to shoot two. I was just brought up by turkey hunting parents who both have the one hunt one bird mentality so it's just natural for me to follow suit. And trust me, I like killing as much as the next guy. But I'd rather not kill any as to kill two or more at one time. But fully understand someone feeling just the opposite.
I've passed on a few that came in after the shot looking to kick the flopping bird's @$$ when he was down. I've also let a few gobblers walk that had hens around too close, which would have been pointless collateral damage. It was difficult not to shoot, but I never had a clear shot. Better to let him walk and hope to get another crack at him than waste a hen.
It is only legal to take one gobbler a day and two gobblers in a season here in North Carolina.
That said, In 2002 or '03 I was hunting at my lease and had tagged a nice gobbler on Opening Day. A few days later, I had set my best friend up by a creek crossing that was getting daily turkey traffic and I was sure he'd get the drop on one. That spot didn't offer a great viewing or shooting distance, so he got up and moved about uphill about 125 yards where he could see farther. Well, two gobblers running together crossed at that creek crossing behind him and cut up the power lines headed up towards where I was. I had one answer my calls and he was obviously coming on. I thought it was just a single gobbler and when he got closer, I pulled the hammer back on my old single shot. That gobbler came up the ridge and when he got to the cleared area I settled the gun on him waiting for him to come out of strut. I clucked once on the mouth call and blasted him when he went periscope up. I never saw the second bird, which had crossed behind his fan and was now flopping behind the gobbler I'd shot. I ended up with almost 44 pounds worth of turkey with one shot. I called the land owner and he tagged the second bird, which I cleaned for him.
Not how it was supposed to happen and I was in violation of the law, but it was a 100% accidental kill. The fact that the landowner tagged the bird made it a recorded kill in that county for the wildlife department records. It didn't get wasted and I have become a lot more cautious before dropping the hammer ever since.
Jim
Quote from: guesswho on March 15, 2018, 01:15:37 PM
Quote from: kjnengr on March 15, 2018, 09:22:27 AM
Congrats to the little man and glad no laws were broken. :happy0064:
Post up pics when you can.
For those that don't want to shoot a double because of cutting your season short, would your opinion change if you hadn't shot one yet and it was the last hunt or two of the season or the trip (if you were out of state or area or something)? When legal of course.....
Season dates, number of hunting days left or number of birds taken or not taken plays no part in my decision not to shoot two. I was just brought up by turkey hunting parents who both have the one hunt one bird mentality so it's just natural for me to follow suit. And trust me, I like killing as much as the next guy. But I'd rather not kill any as to kill two or more at one time. But fully understand someone feeling just the opposite.
I feel pretty much the same, but would like to double up one time, just to say I have done it. I don't know, I have had opportunities, but not since it was legal. I thought I would shoot a bearded hen, just once to say I had done it, but when one presented itself, in range, I did not. Game time decision I reckon. It would suck to end the season, but I have enough family and friends that are newish turkey hunters, that my season goes on with a limit reached, just no gun on the shoulder. 2 years ago I was done in 11 days and I hunted as often and had as much fun as years where I only killed one. Just did not have to tote a gun.
Quote from: jimmy v on March 14, 2018, 04:15:33 PM
This weekend I took my son on a youth hunt in NW Florida. After working some gobblers for more than an hour, he shoots a nice bird at 35 yards ( using an 870 Turkey Mag with Longbeard XR 6 Shot). As we are admiring the bird, I noticed another gobbler at the edge of the swamp. This bird had a couple of pellets in his head but that is all it took. He was 15 yards further away than the bird he was aiming for. Crazy hunt that we may never see again. Am trying to post a pic but it is apparently too large to attach.
Congrats on the bird but know you're target and beyond. Coulda been another hunter there. If anything we don't intend to shoot is in the zone of fire or behind give it a few to change
Quote from: GobbleNut on March 14, 2018, 11:57:21 PM
Although I don't care if someone else does it, I enjoy turkey hunting too much to use up two tags with one shot. I am pretty much a one-bird-per-day guy. :newmascot:
Agreed
Congrats to the young hunter. Too bad he don't get to go back for more, but he won't be eating tag soup for sure!
I've done that once. Last hour of the last day of a Rio hunt in Texas, two tags left. Three came in and were milling around looking for that hen I was pretending to be. I put it on one and held till one of his buddies passed in front of him and lit 'em up. A Scotch double I call that. Saving money on shells. :icon_thumright:
The only times I've ever regretted shooting two at one sitting was on all but two hunts. One was 2 miles as a crow flies back on a river bottom and uphill the whole way out. The other time was another 2 mile walk with a 21# and 24# turkey over my shoulder. In the first instance we all laid down a few times to rest on the way out. In the second instance I was seriously asking myself "why did I do that?" but was perfectly fine with it once I got to the truck. In hindsight I can see where I might have stretched out the enjoyment but with 5 tags burning a hole in my pocket back then I still think I was in high cotton.
Legal here in Georgia and I've done it a couple of times