Talking to friends that turkey hunt, we have different personal rules and/or ethics in the field...
I do not mind using decoys to kill birds. I hunt without them more than with them primarily due to my feeling that the hurt as often as they help... And all too often I am simply too lazy to deal with them.
The interaction of the birds is quite different when decoys are involved, and I have enjoyed the experiences both with, and without decoys. With kids or newbies involved I am more likely to use decoys simply due to the fact that birds seem less aware of extraneous commotion when decoys are involved.
Blinds... No doubt that blinds are a benefit to hunting, and unlike waterfowl, turkeys do not seem to mind a large camouflage tent in the middle of a field. I do not care to use them.
I do try to hide myself with natural cover, and if possible try to find a rock or log to sit behind, both the rest the gun on, and to hide the movement of friction calls. But I kinda' like the idea that I have to sit still and quiet...
I have had hens and/or jakes come within feet of me while a tom hangs back and had to sit motionless with wild game right in front of me... Spooked a few at the wrong time, but have managed to make some kills as well...
To me, the intensity level is ramped up knowing that the wrong move will literally blow my cover. When my daughter starts hunting, I might consider a blind... Sitting in a blind with my child has some degree of appeal.
I really enjoy being mobile... I love running & gunning and drumming up a lonely bird and then hunting him... I have probably disturbed and scared more birds doing this than I have killed.
But walking through the woods and hearing that distant gobble... Then deciding how close to move, what route to take, and what to do next... And not knowing whether I am going to waste an hour or two on a jake or tom... I love the anticipation and the process...
Granted, I love the woods in the morning, and I am generally setting up on a known or likely roost... But most of my birds are killed traipsing through the woods while attempting to be stealthy, and trying to start a conversation with a turkey.
As a wing-shooter using a shotgun to kill turkeys, I shoot with a bead on the gun (and no more)... I do not like to sit with the gun mounted where I think the bird will be coming from. I find it uncomfortable, and I tend to want to rush things.
Most of the time when a bird comes in, my gun is in my lap, and I have to figure out a way to shoulder and shoot the gun... Snap-shooting is often involved. I doubt I could accomplish this with a scope or sights. (I have found that you often have more time than you think to shoulder and shoot the gun, but you still have to be quick and efficient without hesitation once the process begins).
And, if I am having trouble finding a hold point on the bird with the bead, the bird is likely to far for me to be shooting at... Hold point for my turkey gun is just above the neckline, and if I have trouble seeing it clearly on the bead, I know I need to have that bird a bit closer.
As much as shooting a turkey on the ground is not all that difficult, I am always relieved when that bird flops. Shot a couple in tall grass that disappeared after the shot, and there was that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that I missed, only to walk over and see a floppin' bird.
I have no issue with the ethics of dot sights or scopes, but have simply found that the bead only is probably a strategic advantage for me, and I enjoy the increased anticipation of a possible "miss."
Enjoying the moment... I love the feeling of satisfaction of killing a bird on my terms... And the more difficult the bird, the more I relish in the moment. I have a bit of a routine of walking up to the bird (making sure it is dead and not suffering), and just appreciating the bird and the woods. I then place the bird so that feathers and fan will look nice (out of the mud or wet grass) and look for an area to pose the bird and/or myself...
I try to get sun behind the camera and create some sort of appealing backdrop. I also have to find somewhere to place the camera and use the timer. Like a little girl playing with dolls, I try to pose the bird and myself in a photogenically appealing manner.
Many on this forum are better at the photography aspect than I am, and I have really appreciated (and learned) from some of these posts of successful hunts.
What are the aspects or personal rules of enjoyment some of you have?
I bow hunt ,so I use a blind,decoys,call lots and enjoy the way I hunt. If I gun hunt, I use a blind ,decoys and still enjoy the hunt because of the change of pace.
Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Things I will NOT do: use decoys, reap/fan, shoot one off the limb, and use a rifle(not legal in my state anyways).
I do use scopes on my turkey guns. Using a blind was something I said I wouldn't do, but I bought an Alps deception blind to use when I take my 3 year old boy this year.
No blinds or decoys, even bow hunting. As long as a bird is closing the gap I hold off on shooting him. If that means shooting him at 40 yards or standing on my feet, I'm good either way. I won't shoot a gift turkey, by that I mean one I feel I didn't earn, example walk up on one. I won't shoot one on the fly unless it's a follow up shot. No jakes, or doubles. Won't even double with another hunter. One hunt one bird. Calling is a must. If I'm hunting with somebody I won't shoot one until they do, even if I'm the guest. I have watched turkeys walk off because of this. Basically a bird has to trip my trigger before I pull the trigger.
Hunting with kids, they're in charge of al the executive decisions and can override me at any time.
Marc,
from our past conversations, you and I pretty much hunt alike. I did take a decoy with me on a particularly irksome woods bird we have fooled with off and on all season-he is still alive as far as I know. One particular day, if I had used one, no doubt my nephew would have killed him. I walked away from him calling and it went perfectly. The mature Tom followed me right to my nephew. he hung up at 47 yards on the dot and then just eased closer to him, but always with thick brush in the way. Never got any closer with a shot. Safety off, bead on his head, but never a clear shot. My nephew hold off on the shot and neither of us feel bad, it was just not his day to die. A decoy would have finished the bird. But that is fine. It is supposed to be a sport.
I would never reap, would not shoot one on a limb, would not shoot one with a rifle (it IS legal where I live on private land). Would probably only use a blind with a young un or a bow. I have passed on the only chance I had an easy shot on a bearded hen, but not sure I would not take the shot, just once to say I have done it. But that day, I chose not to.
I do hunt a field with decoys, many times. Have taken several birds in those fields, with and without decoys.
There is a public land area that holds good birds - we hear them all the time across from where we hunt. It is only open two weekends a year. My brother hunted with a guy that wanted him to drop him off there when it was closed to kill a bird and then pick him up after he hunted. He told him "that makes me a party to illegal hunting - no chance". He does not hunt with him anymore. I know guys that don't worry about trespassing and kill more than their two birds in Florida. Not me. I follow the law. For me, not because I am scared.
As long as its legal I use everything at my disposal. Everything
Hunt the way you want and enjoy the game... decoys , blinds etc ... i do think it's funny that some people will say i don't use decoys or blinds ... that's all up to you .. some people who don't use decoys and blinds have a shotgun loaded with TSS and some who hunt with decoys and blinds have guns loaded with just regular turkey loads ... so just be safe and enjoy the game of turkey hunting ....
My rule for myself is to just have fun and try and learn something new each time I go out (hen talk, body language, roost areas, how they like to use terrain, etc)
Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk
Good read, Marc. Your attitudes are very similar to mine in many respects.
The things I personally will not do, and believe no turkey hunter should:
1) roost shoot birds
2) shoot birds from vehicles
3) violate state game laws
4) not take all of the meat from your birds
5) knowingly interfere with another hunter working a bird
6) take "golden BB" shots at birds
Things I personally will not do, but leave up to others to decide if they want to or not and without judgement:
1) use artificial blinds to shoot birds
2) use rifles, where legal, for turkey hunting
3) shoot multiple birds on a set-up
4) shoot multiple birds with one shot (I will let gobblers walk before taking a shot where I think I might kill more than one)
5) sit over decoys and/or sit and randomly wait for turkeys to come by
Things that I do that some others seem to have problems with:
1) use a turkey tail for various purposes including for simulated fly-down sounds, wing dragging and wing adjusting sounds, and as a confidence decoy for birds that are hung up or otherwise reluctant to approach.
2) use locator calls religiously at dawn and dusk to locate birds to hunt
Finally, I agree that every turkey hunter should show proper respect for every gobbler they kill and take the time to marvel over the beauty of these magnificent creatures. To me, treating a downed gobbler callously is a sin. To all: Treat every gobbler you kill respectfully. They deserve nothing less. For me, taking adequate time to admire them, savor the moment, and take pictures is a must.
I'm sure I have missed some stuff,...perhaps more later....
QuoteThe things I personally will not do, and believe no turkey hunter should:
1) roost shoot birds Ditto, no will do
2) shoot birds from vehiclesDitto
3) violate state game lawsditto
4) not take all of the meat from your birdsditto
5) knowingly interfere with another hunter working a bird If I hear someone working a bird I move away immediately. This idiot only has to be shot once to learn, beside the golden rule aplies
6) take "golden BB" shots at birdsIf I had any golden BBs i wouldn't shoot them at a "take a chance and see turkey"
I'd cash them in for a new turkey gun
Things I personally will not do, but leave up to others to decide if they want to or not and without judgement:,
1) use artificial blinds to shoot birdsHeck I'm way to lazy and figitty for those things someones got to pack them
2) use rifles, where legal, for turkey huntingnever
3) shoot multiple birds on a set-upI done this once the second day of a three day hunt in Oklahoma, done it and over it. I save my other tags for another day of hunting from now on
4) shoot multiple birds with one shot (I will let gobblers walk before taking a shot where I think I might kill more than one)ditto, this a pet peeve of mine, twice I have watched people do this just because they can't have enough discipline about their shooting. Then turn and ask what do I do now? In both instances I did not do what they wanted....I'll leave that open to interpretation. One was on our farm and that dude no longer hunts there, and I took he bird and ate it, sucker! Oh it's not legal in Ohio to kill two in one day
5) sit over decoys and/or sit and randomly wait for turkeys to come byHeck ask anyone who ever hun ted with me if there ain't no turkey coming this ole boy won't sit very long, way to impatient for that. I'm moving or workin to keel sumthin
When you guys talk about not sitting for birds to walk by-what are we talking about?
Scenario 1: Had a bird gobble away from the road my SIL was on-to the north of him was the best he could tell us. We went to an area that he likes to travel and although we did not hear him, we sat about an hour a called every once in a while to see if he had headed towards us. he did not
Scenario 2: had a bird about an hour after flydown gobbling his head off to me, but would not come take a peak for the hen. So he left after gobbling for a while. I snuck in to where he had been gobbling and only had to wait about an hour of soft calling for him to show back up looking for the earlier hen. he died
Scenario 3: Sitting in a spot that birds have been known to travel on a small piece of property and blind calling ocassionally to see if one shows up. Have done it a few times with no other intel and killed a bird, have done it a few other times and heard nothing-but knowing there is a bird regularly using the area. (We call this deer hunting a bird). But not sitting and shooting as he walks by with no interaction (which we call bushwhacking)
No right or wrong, just curious what y'all do.
I won't roost shoot and I won't use mortars until the last day of the season.
Beyond that, I'm open to a lot of things. :TooFunny:
I own a very small piece of property and have no choice but to deer hunt for turkeys. I have like 2 spots to choose from. I don't have roost trees directly on the property, so if I was "running and gunning", my hunt would be over in 30 minutes every time when I spook the stupid things off the property. Now if i sit in a known travel and/or strutting area, my success goes way up, but I have to wait them out.
Using a rifle is cheating and so is TSS. Adjustable sights or at least making sure the POA exactly matches your POI is a must.
Quote from: g8rvet on April 19, 2019, 05:17:59 PM
When you guys talk about not sitting for birds to walk by-what are we talking about?
Scenario 1: Had a bird gobble away from the road my SIL was on-to the north of him was the best he could tell us. We went to an area that he likes to travel and although we did not hear him, we sat about an hour a called every once in a while to see if he had headed towards us. he did not
Scenario 2: had a bird about an hour after flydown gobbling his head off to me, but would not come take a peak for the hen. So he left after gobbling for a while. I snuck in to where he had been gobbling and only had to wait about an hour of soft calling for him to show back up looking for the earlier hen. he died
Scenario 3: Sitting in a spot that birds have been known to travel on a small piece of property and blind calling ocassionally to see if one shows up. Have done it a few times with no other intel and killed a bird, have done it a few other times and heard nothing-but knowing there is a bird regularly using the area. (We call this deer hunting a bird). But not sitting and shooting as he walks by with no interaction (which we call bushwhacking)
No right or wrong, just curious what y'all do.
The key word in your examples is "interaction", which to me means having some vocal confirmation from a gobbler that he is acknowledging your (or my) calling.
Again, I recognize that people have to hunt under different conditions and circumstances. My turkey hunting over the decades has allowed me to make the choice between sitting and waiting on a gobbler and moving and "prospecting" for a more active gobbler. Since I have that luxury on my home turf, and also choose to hunt other places that offer the same options when at all possible, when faced with the choice of sitting or prospecting, I choose to prospect.
That is not a condemnation of another person's choice to play the sit and wait game. Some folks have no choice but to do that because of the size of the property they have available to hunt, and I suspect there are places where the absolute best tactic is to hunt that way. Regardless, when hunting totally silent gobblers,...and especially under the pretense that to kill them you cannot call much,...in my mind there would always be the question of whether I actually called a bird in, or just happened to have one wander by within range.
When I hunt, I just want to, in my own mind, be able to positively confirm that I had a two-way conversation with any gobbler I kill if at all possible.
I really don't care what others do so long as it's legal but for my self imposed rules are as follows.
* No blinds.
* No decoys.
* No use of fans in any manner or reaping.
* No long range shooting.
* No roost shooting.
* No rifles.
* No jakes.
* No killing of any birds I did not "beat".
If I am helping someone try and get a bird I will relax a little and allow a hen decoy but that's it and I really don't think it helps as much as it hurts and I have been lucky to not have anyone really argue with me on it. I don't care about the Jake deal with others as well. If it gets their heart rate up and they seem it a trophy then that's their call. If I were hunting with someone and they suggested any of the things listed above I would wish them well and find my own area to hunt and catch up with them later in the day after I was done hunting. I just don't want anything to do with it personally.
Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
Quote from: guesswho on April 19, 2019, 01:35:25 PM
No blinds or decoys, even bow hunting. As long as a bird is closing the gap I hold off on shooting him. If that means shooting him at 40 yards or standing on my feet, I'm good either way. I won't shoot a gift turkey, by that I mean one I feel I didn't earn, example walk up on one. I won't shoot one on the fly unless it's a follow up shot. No jakes, or doubles. Won't even double with another hunter. One hunt one bird. Calling is a must. If I'm hunting with somebody I won't shoot one until they do, even if I'm the guest. I have watched turkeys walk off because of this. Basically a bird has to trip my trigger before I pull the trigger.
Hunting with kids, they're in charge of al the executive decisions and can override me at any time.
Solid post sir.
Quote from: guesswho on April 19, 2019, 01:35:25 PM
No blinds or decoys, even bow hunting. As long as a bird is closing the gap I hold off on shooting him. If that means shooting him at 40 yards or standing on my feet, I'm good either way. I won't shoot a gift turkey, by that I mean one I feel I didn't earn, example walk up on one. I won't shoot one on the fly unless it's a follow up shot. No jakes, or doubles. Won't even double with another hunter. One hunt one bird. Calling is a must. If I'm hunting with somebody I won't shoot one until they do, even if I'm the guest. I have watched turkeys walk off because of this. Basically a bird has to trip my trigger before I pull the trigger.
Hunting with kids, they're in charge of al the executive decisions and can override me at any time.
We think alike, although I will add that I don't look down on anyone else's hunting methods as long as they're legal. I especially like your last rule as when I take out a youth I am all about whatever they want to do.
Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk
Quote from: Terry on April 19, 2019, 09:09:33 PM
Quote from: guesswho on April 19, 2019, 01:35:25 PM
No blinds or decoys, even bow hunting. As long as a bird is closing the gap I hold off on shooting him. If that means shooting him at 40 yards or standing on my feet, I'm good either way. I won't shoot a gift turkey, by that I mean one I feel I didn't earn, example walk up on one. I won't shoot one on the fly unless it's a follow up shot. No jakes, or doubles. Won't even double with another hunter. One hunt one bird. Calling is a must. If I'm hunting with somebody I won't shoot one until they do, even if I'm the guest. I have watched turkeys walk off because of this. Basically a bird has to trip my trigger before I pull the trigger.
Hunting with kids, they're in charge of al the executive decisions and can override me at any time.
We think alike, although I will add that I don't look down on anyone else's hunting methods as long as they're legal. I especially like your last rule as when I take out a youth I am all about whatever they want to do.
Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk
Taking a youth tomorrow and the only rule is he has to shoot 30 yards and in. Otherwise it's his hunt!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Interesting read and some great replies!
Two seasons ago, when there were very few birds, the land-owner told me how I could walk up to and shoot birds out of the roost...
He was a golfer.. I asked him if he would enjoy a round at Pebble Beach? He told me of course. And I asked "would you enjoy walking up to each hole with ball in hand and dropping it in each hole for a perfect score on the course?" He smiled and acknowledged my point.
It is my impression, that the easier it is to kill a bird, and the more access (and time) a hunter has, the more self-imposed rules. There has to be some challenge to keep it fun, but there also has to be some success (or chance thereof) to have the desire to continue going.
When the bird numbers are high, and as we gain experience, it has been my observation that we all develop more self-imposed rules, and become more particular about the birds we shoot... When things get tough, I most likely become a bit less particular about the bird I am shooting, and some of my self-imposed rules might become more "self-imposed suggestions..."
As far as a spring hunt, I think one self-imposed rule I would almost always follow, is that I have to have some sort of conversation with the turkey I am hunting... Calling and fooling the bird is by far the most exciting part for me...
Next year, if my daughter hunts with me, I will probably break a few of my rules, while still hunting under my own personal ethics... So that my daughter has a chance of success, but also understands that there is a moral and ethical aspect to hunting.
I use most anything that is legal in my state with the exception of a rifle and fanning/reaping, they fall into the match on gas category IMO. If a turkey is hanging near a field on a regular basis I'm breaking out the blind and dekes and sitting him out, it's paid off many times. When I take my 7 year old we sit in the blind, we'll sit against a tree when he's ready. If a gobblers hanging out on a wooded ridge I'm nestling in against a tree as close as I can get and leaving the blind and dekes in the SUV. If he won't commit and I have to get ahead of him and cut him off I'll do it, some may call that bushwhacking but desperate times call for desperate measures. As long as what you do is legal then go out and enjoy yourself.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
My personal rules is to hunt the way I hunt and hold no one else accountable for my personal rules.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I see that several people still apply their rules when hunting with someone else. That is fine, but I will compromise my personal style if I'm hunting with someone. If I'm hunting with a newby then they have not developed personal rules and a filled tag is more of a validation to them, I will bend to anything legal. Even if it's a friend and they want to use dekes, blinds or other tactics I will bend a little. If I don't want to bend I just decline to go, but if I agree to go I make it pleasant for them. I don't need to kill another gobbler to prove anything, I just want to have fun and enjoy someone's company. If I'm hunting with someone my personal rule is to make every set up with them having the advantage and getting the shot if possible.
Quote from: eggshell on April 20, 2019, 06:55:43 AM
I see that several people still apply their rules when hunting with someone else. That is fine, but I will compromise my personal style if I'm hunting with someone. If I'm hunting with a newby then they have not developed personal rules and a filled tag is more of a validation to them, I will bend to anything legal. Even if it's a friend and they want to use dekes, blinds or other tactics I will bend a little. If I don't want to bend I just decline to go, but if I agree to go I make it pleasant for them. I don't need to kill another gobbler to prove anything, I just want to have fun and enjoy someone's company. If I'm hunting with someone my personal rule is to make every set up with them having the advantage and getting the shot if possible.
I agree with this,...to a point. A few years back, New Mexico allowed shooting over bait or feeders on private land (thank God we got that changed). There was/is a youth hunting club in my community and back then they would set up tent blinds on private property and let the kids shoot turkeys coming into feeders. The adults running the show were fine with doing it and kids thought that was perfectly acceptable.
For me, it was not,...and never will be. Moral of the story: no matter if they are kids or not, there are some hunting methods that are just not acceptable. At some point the concept of "fair chase" has to overrule the desire to let a kid (or anybody else) kill a turkey.
I see quite a few people don't like rifles for hunting. I would never use one in the spring as it totally defeats the purpose, but come fall I'm in archery mode 100%. I like to spend all my free time deer hunting but do like to go out just 1 day for turkey not for the hunt, but rather the meat. I always liked to put a spread of domestic and wild turkey out for Thanksgiving. All fall strategies like scattering the flock and sitting and waiting become moot when I can use the spot and shoot method. Stumble across a flock, put the crosshairs on the first one I see, and I got my meat.
Just some random thoughts after reading through the posts:
1) My main guide is Fair Chase. Rule #1 is Obey all hunting rules. Beyond that, I feel I don't owe the gobbler anything but a quick clean demise. Most of what needs to be considered regarding turkey ethics is right there.
2) I honestly wish that KY would allow rifle on private property. I'm not for taking long shots, but it would be much easier to plug a bird with a 38 wadcutter than to try and blow his head off with a shotgun. The recoil of a 3" 12 GA turkey load is right up there with a .416 Rigby. I have a Marlin 1894 that would be ideal for this purpose. I still try and get them inside 20 yards before I take them. Sadly, I know if centerfire rifle were legal, somebody would be trying to nail them at 200 yards.
3) Back when I was pro-staffing for T&TH, there was a big kerfluffle over blinds, dekes and such. Me? I've tried them all, and prefer sitting with my back to a tree. It's just easier. There are plenty of birds out there. You can take them your way. I'll stick to mine.
4) Another big kerfluffle was over this whole thing about calling vs. woodsmanship. PA has the phrase "by calls alone" in their rules. Taken to an extreme, that would mean that if I heard a turkey gobble, no matter the distance, I should just sit my butt down on the spot and call. I don't think that's a very good way to hunt. I've done my share of end-arounds, -footing, and other manuevers to get closer to a bird. I've even bellycrawled a bit. No, I've never stalked a bird, and no I don't believe in it. It's not safe, and it's highly unproductive. PA and other states put those rules in there to keep people from wandering around the woods and thinking they could sneak up on a turkey. That practice got a lot of hunters shot. It is always wisest to get somewhere well enough away from the bird, and sit your butt down. Closing the distance beforehand is okay in my book.
5) Bait? It's illegal. Food plots? Fine. Most people don't realize that food plots for turkey really doesn't make them easier to hunt. It just increases the carrying capacity of the land. I plant food plots, and the last place I want to be on the Opener is camped out next to one of those plots. The turkeys, if they are actually feeding on the plot are usually out in the middle and impossible to call in.
6) Ambushing? Some people would call me an ambusher. I'm not. I call. I just usually set up and call from one of the pre-determined places on my property where it is advantageous to hunt the birds. I've been on this property for nearly 20 seasons. By now, I know where they roost, where they eat, where they loaf. There are no great mysteries left in that regard. After about the first 5 years, I realized I was putting my back against the same trees that's all.
I'm a fair chase, decoys and blinds on certain occasions, call them in close, hunter. I don't believe in rifles for turkeys, even if you can legally. I want that up close gobbling, spitting and drumming, in my face, heart pounding type of hunt. Never tried reaping so I have mixed feelings about it. One rule I have always stuck to is you can kill a jake until you kill that first gobbler, once you kill your first gobbler you can't cross back over.
I have to call them in to shoot them or if they slip in at least think I did..Lol...
Ill use blinds,decoys,etc..sometimes and then sometimes I won't.
I pass on jakes in the spring,but in the Fall I shoot whatever I call in and try to pass on the brood hens..
Its all personal preference for me and I try not to turn my nose up at other peoples methods as long as it's within the law..
The way I hunt is gratifying to me and works for my time constraints.
I have a shed full of "tools" and use them, or not. My tools my rules, all legal of course. I don't reap, don't care to. I have been at this long enough not to care how you hunt or if you care how I hunt, as long as it's legal where you hunt.
I love to share my hunts with others! Kill more birds with someone else than I do for myself, Don't get me wrong I still like to pull the trigger!!
My ethics are my own, how I was raised and how I hunt. Thanks Dad :)
I am Hook'd
MK M GOBL
I don't carry a decoy and I don't own a blind. I have no issues with people that use them.
I won't limb lift one.
I'll shoot as far as my pattern holds and conditions allow. I'm not a long range guy though, I hunt with a 20 gauge.
I have no problem with fanning. I've seen it used 9 times, it's been unsuccessful on 8 of the 9. Our birds must be lovers and not fighters because to hear people talk it's 1000000% automatic.
I despise sitting for hours hoping a bird waddles by, that said if it does he's taking a ride home.
I will not break game laws, cross property lines or encroach on someone else.
As long as other people follow the laws and they're happy with how they hunt then we're good.
Be legal, respect others, do what I want (not going list all my own feelings), and not worry about what others think is "Right".
Have fun and be safe.
Quote from: davisd9 on April 20, 2019, 05:58:15 AM
My personal rules is to hunt the way I hunt and hold no one else accountable for my personal rules.
Yes sir..........
I tend to rely on the applicable regulations over the opinions of others...
But I do think snap-shooting is ill advised in the long run...
I believe that we're people hunt has a lot to do with how they hunt... private land guys with green fields might say decoys and blinds are a must... guys that hunt public land big woods with hunter interference... might say running and gunning is the way to go... I say as long as it's legal and SAFE... I'm ok with it I really don't care what others do or if they approve...
I like reading these types of threads..... my take. ABIDE BY THE LAWS then establish your own set of ethics and go hunt,have fun!
My only personal rule would probably be to not shoot jakes. Other than that I will do just about whatever it takes to get a gobbler. I prefer to be a mobile hunter that moves around and try to strike up birds, but I'm not too good to bushwhack one by getting in front of him or use a decoy if I've roosted one especially near open terrain. To me it's about the gobble and the kill. I'm not in it for anything else. It gets my blood pumping and heart beating when I hear that first gobble in the morning, then when it comes time to take the shot I'm shaking so bad I feel like he could see me. My whole goal every time I go out is to kill a gobbler, no more and no less. I do enjoy the spring woods and just being able to be out in them every chance I get, but I'm a hunter and the goal is to do just that.
Quote from: GobbleNut on April 20, 2019, 09:41:33 AM
Quote from: eggshell on April 20, 2019, 06:55:43 AM
I see that several people still apply their rules when hunting with someone else. That is fine, but I will compromise my personal style if I'm hunting with someone. If I'm hunting with a newby then they have not developed personal rules and a filled tag is more of a validation to them, I will bend to anything legal. Even if it's a friend and they want to use dekes, blinds or other tactics I will bend a little. If I don't want to bend I just decline to go, but if I agree to go I make it pleasant for them. I don't need to kill another gobbler to prove anything, I just want to have fun and enjoy someone's company. If I'm hunting with someone my personal rule is to make every set up with them having the advantage and getting the shot if possible.
I agree with this,...to a point. A few years back, New Mexico allowed shooting over bait or feeders on private land (thank God we got that changed). There was/is a youth hunting club in my community and back then they would set up tent blinds on private property and let the kids shoot turkeys coming into feeders. The adults running the show were fine with doing it and kids thought that was perfectly acceptable.
For me, it was not,...and never will be. Moral of the story: no matter if they are kids or not, there are some hunting methods that are just not acceptable. At some point the concept of "fair chase" has to overrule the desire to let a kid (or anybody else) kill a turkey.
I completely agree with this. Fair chase has to come into play.
I have hunted with decoys, without decoys, blinds, and no blinds.
My most favorite hunts are no blind and no decoy, but every situation is a bit different.
My only self imposed rule is no jake, but if I'm hunting with someone else who chooses to pull the trigger on a jake, good on them. If it brings a thrill and a smile, I'm all in!
I have hunted with a lot of people over the years that don't hunt the same way I do. It doesn't bother one bit, I just love spending time in the woods with family and friends. That being said, I'll throw in my take for fun. I actually hunt pretty much identical to Dave Owens. Probably why I love watching the Pinhhoti Project so much.
Besides the obvious like obeying all game laws...
- I won't park beside someone unless I can talk to them and we both agree that we won't be hunting on top of each other.
- I won't use blinds
- I haven't used decoys in years.
- I won't shoot multiple birds at one time
- I will use a rifle in the Fall because I enjoy the change of pace and a .223 in a Model 7 is a lot easier on my shoulder than a 3 inch magnum.
Follow all the laws, legal is legal. Only rule if you hunt with me is NO REAPING. Safety reason only. But its not worth the chance to me. :z-twocents:
I like to call them in.I don't use a blind, I do use a decoy, just 1. I have shot a few Jake's. If I see one, when walking, I might try to sneak
It depends on the terrain. I have shot a few flying, and a few running.Last fall, I missed a 25 pounder, because I forgot to put my choke tube in.My dog flushed a herd of 25 birds.
Quote from: g8rvet on April 19, 2019, 05:17:59 PM
When you guys talk about not sitting for birds to walk by-what are we talking about?
Scenario 1: Had a bird gobble away from the road my SIL was on-to the north of him was the best he could tell us. We went to an area that he likes to travel and although we did not hear him, we sat about an hour a called every once in a while to see if he had headed towards us. he did not
Scenario 2: had a bird about an hour after flydown gobbling his head off to me, but would not come take a peak for the hen. So he left after gobbling for a while. I snuck in to where he had been gobbling and only had to wait about an hour of soft calling for him to show back up looking for the earlier hen. he died
Scenario 3: Sitting in a spot that birds have been known to travel on a small piece of property and blind calling ocassionally to see if one shows up. Have done it a few times with no other intel and killed a bird, have done it a few other times and heard nothing-but knowing there is a bird regularly using the area. (We call this deer hunting a bird). But not sitting and shooting as he walks by with no interaction (which we call bushwhacking)
No right or wrong, just curious what y'all do.
If you afternoon hunt, you probably are in scenario 3. I'm patient and enjoy being in the woods. IMO, if you afternoon hunt, you really have to know the property and bird patterns. Getting a bird to gobble , even once, at 5:00PM is not very common. Does happen though. Got one to do it this year after some soft calling and then watched him full strut almost 50 yards across a field to my hen decoy Delilah. Quite a show.
-Follow the rules and regulations
-hunt safe
-enjoy the hunt and have fun
-strictly private land(don't want to deal with the public landers)
-try and help a kid out,or someone new and In what i do,I get to every year.
-spend as much time with my father at camp as I can
-enjoy my friends and family and excellent food
-not worry about what others use,or how they hunt as long as it is legal.
-mind my own business
-buy all the toys I want to use,I work hard and this is how I enjoy life
I feel like Harty about 7 or 8 posts up. I do not know how to highlight someone else's post or I would have copied his. I am a computer dummy. It took me several minute just to type this little bit. I am no computer person, but I do love to hunt turkeys though.