Turkey Hunting Ethics

[Nut]

What does it take for you to get ticked off about what other hunters do that affect your turkey hunting?

For me I found out from the Chief Manager of the Wildlife Area I hunted at that since February that hunters came to the area with their calls calling in turkeys to take photos and generally just to see if they could. It didnt matter to them that it made the birds call shy since they hunted on private lands and other areas. To me they are rude and inconsiderate

. It is sad that it is perfectly legal for them to do it but where do you draw a line?

 

[dgibson]

That would pretty much hack me off, too, Nut. They'd throw a fit if YOU did that to THEM. In KY it's illegal to use a turkey call in the woods from March until the season starts, for just that reason.

 

[ridgetop]

Nut~
Sorry to hear about all the things that went wrong on your hunt. Hope you guys hang in there, and keep after it! Its just a mattter of time before your luck changes. That is more than a little aggravating to have some dillholes doing that before season, especially folks who should know better. That sure doesent help matters for people trying to get on those public land birds later in the season. I think its a great idea to pass a law like Kentuckys to ban that kind of crap. It may or may not stop everyone from doing it, but might stop some people. I havent heard of too much of that going on where I hunt, but I'm sure it goes on. Every year I hear throught the grapevine the bigger problem: poaching, as in not checking birds in, shooting more than the limit, and shooting them before season.

Unfortunately they are pretty easy violations to get away with out in the sticks...

 

[Nut]

The Manager said that he proposed that we have a regulation to stop preseason calling and it was laughed at by the higher ups

. So I told him that I would try to do my part to propose the same thing.

 

[Tom]

Your story would seem to be pretty convincing, so would the fact that other states have it. Maybe just in certain areas, not all areas, to see how well it is received and how well it works, there's a comprimise strategy.

 

[MEATHEAD]

Better luck next time Nut

 

[Elkhunter]

That bites Nut. I would be in favor of it being outlawed.

 

[Ithaca 37]

Is it illegal to feed the turkeys corn before the season?

Get them used to coming to your call for corn all year long, except during the season. That's when you give them lead. Use a distinct call so they'll identify it as the dinner bell.

Start training them in July.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 05-08-2003 18:28: Message edited by: Ithaca 37 ]</font>

 

[Cameron Hunt]

Ya just like the lady who lives in the hills in Chewelah that feeds em all year, She also hunts them where she feeds em in the spring!!!!!! How ethical is that?

 

[FEW]

Sorry to hear about the hunt. However I think everyone should pull their heads out and think about what you are saying. Banning calling of animals unless you are hunting them? Thats nuts (no pun intended)

. Around here hunters get pissed about people going out bugling for elk before the season starts. My opinion is tough shit for them, and that public land is for everyone to use so who are we to be telling people they cant call for fun, or call for whatever reason they want. What about photographers that use calls to draw critters into photo range? Should we take that away from them so a hunter has a better chance of killing the animal next year? Placing a ban on preseason calling sounds good from a skunked hunters point of view, but if you think of all the people it could affect I think it would be selfish move on the hunters part. Just my .02

 

[Delw]

Few.... You should try elk calling 1 week before the season... LMAO people get pissed here in AZ......


Delw

 

[FEW]

Yeah I know, I heard they get especially pissed if you hit the elk with paintballs. LMAO

 

[FEW]

I also had some wannabe guide freak out on me in Kaibab because I was varmint calling near a stand where one his clients was. It was a bad move on his part because I had already bagged my deer opening morning and had a whole 5 days to varmint call, and since he was such an ass, I made it a point to do a few stands around there each day.

 

[GilaMonster]

Well fellas, there is such thing as sportsmanship. There is around here. I feel it is irresponsible for people to aggravate hunters or wildlife just prior to or during a hunt. Nut, in my opinion, you should have every right to be pissed off. It's a crying shame that there are people out there who have no consideration whatsoever for another hunter.
Now, as far as someone varmint calling during any open big game hunt.... people could get shot for less around here. I won't even go there... Paint balls..Really?????? Someone should be ashamed of themselves for even discussing such things...

 

[FEW]

Dude. Hunters dont own the wildlife, the public does. You call it aggravating hunters and wildlife, the fact is the people doing it arent going out there trying to aggravate anyone. They are just having some fun on PUBLIC land. I guess I just do not see why they should have to give that up so you can increase your odds of scoring a critter. Just because you have a tag for a hunt does not mean you own the area year round, or even during the season.

As far as the varmint hunting goes it is legal in AZ to call during big game seasons, if any of the hunters out there dont like it they can kiss my ass. As far as I am concerned the big game hunters are aggravating the coyotes so were even.

 

[Dick Reece]

not taking sides,but Few is dead on the money here.The only thing I see being wrong is if a bunch of AR's try to disrupt a hunt using this and other means of doing it.This is America,the land of the free,let's keep it that way.

For what it's worth, I was hunting on private land with a supposed "friend" that I used to hunt with.We hunted together for 15 years or better. After not hunting together for many years,I tied up with him to turkey hunt this year on his place.He killed one out of five gobblers on Tuesday by himself.I showed up Thursday and we split up,with me going to where we thought they'd roosted. he saw the tom's where he was at,but they were out of range.Next morning we swap spots, he kills 2 gobblers out of the 4 left,with a 308.Barely anything left fit to eat,one of them shot twice.

I quit hunting turkeys this year,too disgusted to continue.I used to think this guy was a game hog, now I simply think he has absolutely no control over himself.He always makes an excuse about how he didn't know he'd hit the first one,blah,blah,blah..but it happens all the time.I'd forgotten about it in the years we quit hunting together,but it brought it all home to me.Needless to say,if I hunt with him anymore,it will be purely by accident,on public land.If he'd held his fire,one of those gobblers might've come by me. I have seen greed ruin many a good hunter too many times. I'd rather go all year without killing anything,than take it illegally.

So Nut,we all get shafted once in awhile,one way or another,while hunting.I'm concentrating on getting ready to predator hunt later this year,I'm happy,excited and fired up to go. Nobody and no circumstances can keep me down for long.

 

[Delw]

Its gotten to a point here in AZ where if someone is driving down a road to go to a hunting spot people get pissed... I hear them cry about it every year... what it boils down to is people that come home empty handed are always looking for some one to blame there unsuccessfulness on....

Nut its a fact we all have to live with when we are in the outdoors. wether its during a hunting season or not they have every right being out there like us hunters do...

When I biggame hunt if a coyote or fox or anycat walks by its dead no if ands and butts about it.... I dont care if 200 people are sitting on hills waiting for that one deer to walk by...
I dont have this problem due to the fact I go to where there are very few people....

Gila I have shot a few elk and deer with paintball guns for fun many many years ago and it was a blast

It was kinda my version of catch and release....

 

[Moosie]

HUmmmmm...... I might have to re-read to get my thoughts on this

 

[buckfish]

TN has restrictions on calling "out of season". Some folks enjoy seeing the wildlife as much as we do harvesting it. The fact that it is public land gives everyone the right to utilize it within the parameters of the law. It sucks that your chances are limited by the activity but the law allows it.

 

[GilaMonster]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Delw:
Gila I have shot a few elk and deer with paintball guns for fun many many years ago and it was a blast

It was kinda my version of catch and release....<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thank god we have laws against harassing animals here! There were some fellows who were turned in for that exact thing here. I don't know what the fine was, but it wasn't enough!