Two Birds, One Shot

[jimmy v]

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.

[MK M GOBL]

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

[deerpoo22]

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.

[jimmy v]

Agreed. Our youth spring hunt limit is 2 so we are good.

[Rzrbac]

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.

[eggshell]

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.

[bbcoach]

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.

[Gobbler428]

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!

[penna shooter]

Congrats...Thats awesome

[g8rvet]

Became legal in FL a couple years back, but only on private land.  Not on WMA. 

[guesswho]

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.

[rifleman]

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.

[Kylongspur88]

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.

[Buckman18]

Awesome story! Congrats! Twice the turkey nuggets is a good thing!

[Gooserbat]

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.