Personal Ethics-Tree Gobbler

[g8rvet]

Illegal in my state and I have had multiple opportunities.  Was very proud of my 14 year old son when we snuck right under one (on accident) and he about blew our doors off when he gobbled.  Slam dunk shot.  Son whispered "we can't shoot him on the limb" before I said anything. He killed a stud bird there 2 years later and I would love to think it was the same bird. 

Took pics of the first spring bird I ever killed and the woods in the background were still dark and had several ask me if I shot him off the roost. He was not on the ground for 5 minutes, but he came in strutting to the hens calling him (my buddy) and the one behind us (live hen).  Perfect setup.

[Bottomland OG]

I don't know where you got it that I was trying to justify anything. Wouldn't have ever done it if it was illegal. The bird knew something was up and stayed in the tree way past fly down. The only reason I done what I done was the circumstances at the time. Again not trying to justify anything I'm just clarifying I done nothing illegal in the state I was in. I done what i done and I owned it. It was a story that I shared. You don't like it, get over it. I hate everyone can't be perfect like you. I don't know how long you have been hunting and frankly don't care, but if you have been at it for any length of time I'm sure you have done something that someone else probably wouldn't have thought was ethical. Like I say it was not something that I was proud of but it happened. Not another person has come at my comment with negativity. I was warned about this kind of crap and people like you that look down on others when I joined. I would never tell anyone they shouldn't be saying whatever they wanted to. If it crossed a line to the point it needed correction I would stay in my lane and let the person in charge do the correcting. You worry about you and I will worry about me. That me being polite.

[g8rvet]

I think it is pretty funny you toting the bird out past the claim jumpers. 

[Sir-diealot]

I would never shoot a gobbler off the limb, I would never hunt will anybody that did as I would view them as no better than a poacher. Earn him or leave him alone.

[Super Fox]

"Judge not...lest you be judged."







Isaiah 53: "he was numbered with the transgressors..."

[Sir-diealot]

"Judge not...lest you be judged."







Isaiah 53: "he was numbered with the transgressors..."

I think you need to understand the meaning of that, it does not mean to look away from what is wrong or illegal as it is in most states. The way you use it we should not look badly on poachers.

By the way you quoted it incorrectly as well, it is "Judge not, that ye be not judged....." I thought that was correct as well at first.

[silvestris]

What about calling one from his roost to a tree in good shotgun range.  What would you do?

[GregGwaltney]

I have no interest in shooting one out af a tree, but if it is legal, then no worries if others do. I have had guys shoot birds out of trees while I sat there waiting to hunt him.

[Vintage]

So in states where it is legal do hunters just go in early and shoot them out of the tree? The reason it is illegal in most states is because it is unethical in my opinion.

[ChesterCopperpot]

This conversation is about roosted birds, but I'd be interested to hear what folks think about a gobbler boogering and getting up into a tree? You call him in. He's at 50 and closing. No shot opportunities. Bird catches movement or something he doesn't like. He putts, runs a few steps, takes off into a tree. Now the bird is in a tree and you've got an open lane, do you shoot?


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[Vintage]

Actually I believe that a roost is a place where a turkey spends the night. If the turkey flies up in a tree after fly down time I think it is legal to shoot if it flies back up in a tree.. The discussion here is the bird was on the roost and he shot it to keep other hunters from shooting it. Is it ethical. And should it be posted on a Forum so new hunters may think it is the norm.

[eggshell]

I can tell you I have had many many opportunities to shoot birds off the roost, most in the fall, and it just seems extremely unfair to me. SO my short answer is, no I will not. Now I have seen a bird fly in from across a valley and light in a tree in gun range, I have seen spooked birds lift up into a tree and I have also had a wounded bird make it up into a tree. The wounded bird will get shot every time, as it's a recovery and not the original shot. That's only being responsible. I have had it happen once in 52 years and many harvested birds, yeah I finished him off the limb and do not feel bad about it. All the rest get a pass until they hit the ground on their own terms

[Bottomland OG]

Actually I believe that a roost is a place where a turkey spends the night. If the turkey flies up in a tree after fly down time I think it is legal to shoot if it flies back up in a tree.. The discussion here is the bird was on the roost and he shot it to keep other hunters from shooting it. Is it ethical. And should it be posted on a Forum so new hunters may think it is the norm.

That  what you just said just reiterates how closed minded you are. It's something that happened 20yrs ago and haven't done anything like since. I don't promote it in any kind of way. As far as someone else using my story as an excuse, well I don't know about yourself but I have the mental capacity of making my own decisions and not use others doings as my excuses. That's very shallow minded of you to think that of someone else. You see it the way you want to and that is how it's supposed to be. It was never about doing it to keep one of the other 3 that had come in on me from killing him. It was the situation all the way around. They done me wrong but never used that to justify it. I never said it was ethical. If you don't agree with something that is your opinion we all have one. It's one thing say what you would and wouldn't do but it's another to be in that particular situation in the heat of the moment.

[ChesterCopperpot]

I can tell you I have had many many opportunities to shoot birds off the roost, most in the fall, and it just seems extremely unfair to me. SO my short answer is, no I will not. Now I have seen a bird fly in from across a valley and light in a tree in gun range, I have seen spooked birds lift up into a tree and I have also had a wounded bird make it up into a tree. The wounded bird will get shot every time, as it's a recovery and not the original shot. That's only being responsible. I have had it happen once in 52 years and many harvested birds, yeah I finished him off the limb and do not feel bad about it. All the rest get a pass until they hit the ground on their own terms

That's exactly why I asked the question I did. I've also finished a wounded bird that flew into a tree. I wouldn't, however, shoot a bird off a roost. Yet when I really think long and hard about it, I don't know that I wouldn't shoot a bird that flew into a tree at another time of day. And that's a frog hair ethical line. I guess for me the roost involves a matter of taking advantage of a moment when the turkey lacks its most honorable sense. I want to beat their eyes.


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[Tom007]

In the future, I've learned from this thread that the only victim to suffer here was the roosted gobbler. Forget about right, wrong, ethical, non-ethical if this happens to me, I will stand up, fire a shot into the air, and walk out of the woods singing loudly. This way, the bird flys off unscathed, the invading hunters learn a lesson, and you have this fine Tom to hunt another day. I know this is "Monday Morning Quarterbacking", but I try to learn from experiences on here. This really is something to learn about for the future.....Be safe...