Another Video Curiosity

[GobbleNut]

Watched another YouTube video.  Guys moved in on a roosted gobbler early and got really close,...so close that when it got light, they could see the gobbler in the tree within shotgun range.  This was in one of those states where shooting a bird out of the roost is still legal. 

They obviously couldn't call to the bird,...well, they could have but it most likely would have sent the gobbler flying off into space.  So instead they sat there until the gobbler flew down,...within range,...and then shot him.  ...Never a call made.

Thinking about it, I found myself pondering why we turkey hunters somehow believe it is wrong to shoot a gobbler off the roost (which I most certainly do,...and think it should be illegal everywhere) but it is okay to summarily dispatch that same bird as soon as he hits the ground without ever making a call.  Really, what's the difference?...

I'm not saying it is wrong, just saying that us turkey hunters sure do have some really fine lines on the ethics we seem to abide by....

[troutfisher13111]

Are you referring to Pinhoti? I believe Mr. Owens has posted on this site before. You could always message him. Get his take on why he did what you're talking about.

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[Sir-diealot]

I won't do it myself, just don't find it sporting. Now as to what the difference is I am guessing to do that they roosted the bird the night before, so they start out with an unfair advantage though one we all start out with, or at least try to. Where it gets bad to me is getting in on him and shooting him where he has no defense whatsoever, it is not like calling where you are trying to get him to come to you and he can either come or not come, the second he lands he is shot, kinda like showing up to a football gave with a million point advantage over your opponent before the game eve starts. Think of it like a sniper setting up a gun in your bathroom on your toilet, he knows you are going there eventually.

[Greg Massey]

Watched another YouTube video.  Guys moved in on a roosted gobbler early and got really close,...so close that when it got light, they could see the gobbler in the tree within shotgun range.  This was in one of those states where shooting a bird out of the roost is still legal. 

They obviously couldn't call to the bird,...well, they could have but it most likely would have sent the gobbler flying off into space.  So instead they sat there until the gobbler flew down,...within range,...and then shot him.  ...Never a call made.

Thinking about it, I found myself pondering why we turkey hunters somehow believe it is wrong to shoot a gobbler off the roost (which I most certainly do,...and think it should be illegal everywhere) but it is okay to summarily dispatch that same bird as soon as he hits the ground without ever making a call.  Really, what's the difference?...

I'm not saying it is wrong, just saying that us turkey hunters sure do have some really fine lines on the ethics we seem to abide by....

Can you share the name of the video , i would like to see for myself ...

[Hobbes]

You have to draw a line somewhere or anything goes.  Roosted in a tree is a simple, very definitive, line that can be drawn.  When his feet are on the ground, he's fair game. 

I've unintentionally set up that close to birds before.  You hear them gobble on the roost the evening before, slip in to get tight in the dark (especially late season), then as it gets light you realize that you're tighter than you planned.  In most of my cases the tom pitches down away from me because he knows something isn't right.  However, I've had a few that weren't so lucky.  One that I recall just getting his wings folded and stretching out to look around and a couple others that couldn't have walked more than 10 yards.

I hadn't planned it that way, but that's how it worked out.  I couldn't see any of them in the tree because it was late season and I tree yelped at all of them before I realized I'd gotten so close.  A gobble from 50 yards and in can startle the heck out of you when you expect 100 yards.

[GobbleNut]

I don't want to point out any particular videos because I, in no way am trying to be critical or cause hard feelings with the folks that make them.  The video I watched just raised the question in my mind about the idea that we hunters are against shooting a gobbler out of the roost, but don't seem to think anything about shooting one right after he hits the ground.  Again,...just seems to be a curious set of ethics we hold...  ....Not wrong or right,...just curious...

Hobbes,...have had the same happen a number of times,...and your thought about drawing the line somewhere is completely on the money.  There just seems to be a gray area regarding roost hunting that raises the ethical question I brought up,...and the line we draw just because of the couple of seconds between that gobbler having his feet on a limb and having them on the ground.... 

[NC pine chicken]

I've hunted under them before, had 3 jakes land at 15yds. The big toms landed off to my side and strutted away. There's a 99% chance he'll land away from you. In my opinion, if you can sneak into gun range of a roosted longbeard, remain undetected for however long he's in the roost after daylight looking for danger, if he lands in gun range, you earned him.


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[Gooserbat]

People hunt turkeys or any game for different reasons.  Some like the thrill of calling, some enjoy the mobility of run a gun, and some people just hate turkeys and want to kill them.

At different times I've found myself in any of these catagories.

[NC pine chicken]

People hunt turkeys or any game for different reasons.  Some like the thrill of calling, some enjoy the mobility of run a gun, and some people just hate turkeys and want to kill them.

I'm all 3 depending on what they're acting like that day.


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[guesswho]

I personally don't like a quick hunt.   I'm there to kill him, but also there to entertain myself.  Killing one the first minute just doesn't fit my criteria.   Nothing against the guys who do it from time to time.   The few times I've had one pitch out of the tree into gun range, I've sat there silent and let him walk off, then started my hunt.   As far as ethics go, its personal.  It's one of those deals where although it's legal, it doesn't meet my personal rules of engagement.   If it meets someone's else's, by all means knock yourself out.

[Hobbes]

Gobblenut it's not something that happens to me very often.  In fact, I don't recall it ever happening with Western birds.  I rarely get to set up tight on these birds because I rarely have an opportunity to roost them like I used to with Easterns, so it's been a while.  I'd run into it more often in riverbottom country because they are more predictable.  I locate and kill the majority of my birds mid morning.

[Greg Massey]

I guess, i am just more addicted to calling the gobbler into gun range. I don't hunt the roost anyway , so i don't have to worry about this ever happening to myself. Is is wrong , that's up to the person doing it , it's just a tactic i don't care for alone with reaping. I hunt turkeys because i enjoy the one on one competition of trying to beat the odds of convincing him, i'm this sweet hen who he can fall in love with, does this always work no, if not i hope i get a change to try and convince him another day. So if you want to shoot one off the roost and it's legal go right ahead and do it and don't worry about what others think. It's just something i'm not interested in doing. I guess you could say i'm just not that hungry... I just love hearing him respond to my calling good or bad, and getting him within that 20 yard range, that's what exciting, the accomplishment of great turkey hunt.

[Gobble!]

Can you share the name of the video , i would like to see for myself ...

Here's an example.
https://youtu.be/dclBR6PSvwY
I've been in the same situation and done the same. Didn't mean to get as tight as I did but once he hit the ground he was in range and it was game over.

[Greg Massey]

I don't want to point out any particular videos because I, in no way am trying to be critical or cause hard feelings with the folks that make them.  The video I watched just raised the question in my mind about the idea that we hunters are against shooting a gobbler out of the roost, but don't seem to think anything about shooting one right after he hits the ground.  Again,...just seems to be a curious set of ethics we hold...  ....Not wrong or right,...just curious...

Hobbes,...have had the same happen a number of times,...and your thought about drawing the line somewhere is completely on the money.  There just seems to be a gray area regarding roost hunting that raises the ethical question I brought up,...and the line we draw just because of the couple of seconds between that gobbler having his feet on a limb and having them on the ground....

I understand what your saying. I guess it's your own perspective as how a person sees and feels about the turkeys he's hunting ..I agree it's a very gray area ... good post ...

[Happy]

I have to say that idea has always rubbed me the wrong way as well. With my style of hunting I dont really have to worry about it much. I just want to be withing earshot of a tom a daylight and play it from there. However if someone else feels like it's fair game then so be it. To be honest I can only think of one time I intentionally set up under one. I never pulled the trigger on him when he flew down. That bird kicked my rear end bad for a stretch of time and it just felt like a cheap shot for me to take him out that way. But that's just my personal feelings on the matter. If someone else feels ok with it then that's their deal.

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