Would you......?

huntngolf

Six Pointer
to shoot a gobbler in a tree is one less bird you will hear gobbling in a tree and maybe you can call in strutting and drumming.
Once you experience this you wont even think about shooting one to just kill
 

QBD2

Old Mossy Horns
I’ve had ~6 opportunities to shoot roosted gobblers. I’ve shot/attempted to shoot none of them. But I ain’t saying I never will...

Now, limb hoppers? I will not hesitate!
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
There are several states it is illegal NC not one. I on rare occasion have accidentally set up to close and could have but just no desire to I'm a call em in type if I walk away empty handed no regrets but that's what works for me. if person shoots one in legal time then go for it it's your tag I'm not dogging anyone for hunting legally the woods is plenty big enough for us all to hunt way it suits us and one size don't fit all.
 
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ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Never have.... probably never will

usually if I get up under one they startle me long before I could shoot anyway
 
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woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Shoot a turkey out of a tree?

like some others,, I try to keep it all in perspective,,,,

I have killed turkeys many ways since teaching myself how to actually get close enough to one to kill it,,,

from a tree? Yeap,, done it a few times,,,

once was hunting an "unnamed WMA",,, was driving down a dirt road and saw a gobbler and three hens spook off to the South,,, backed truck up 150ish yards, parked, and booked in to try to get ahead of them, or at least even,,, as I walked in the woods were full of waist high sedge, fennel, etc,,, but no briars,, got in about 100 yards and turkeys started flushing all around me, and lit in the trees right there,,, I froze,,,seems they spooked but guess they didn't know why,,,had a hen in a tree not 10 feet from me, other two hens a little further away,, and the gobbler was in a tree 20 yards away,,, blocked by the trunk,, I stayed frozen, one eye on the closest hen, the other (had two good eyes back then) on the other two and the gobbler,,, after 10 minutes of that I ever so slowly moved until I could shoot that gobbler when his head came from behind the tree,,, 12" beard and 1+ spurs,,, had more fun hunting them birds than many a bird that was "called up"


then there was one that was roosting on land I had access to, but when he flew down he was on land I couldn't hunt,,,, tried many a day to call him off the field into the woods to die,,, but he would NOT do it (the woods were thick),,, so I set up and when he came in one day he died the minute his feet hit the limb,, nice bird,,, those woods have changed now and they are flying up/down from our land again, so it's a different hunt now (and fun as well)

been many a bird I got close enough to in the AM to kill on the roost first thing, but ain't done it yet - likely won't - ends the day too fast,,, have witnesses to that fact,

the real thing - EVERY turkey I have hunted and killed (or not killed) has excited me - heck that young bird yesterday about put it on me - cause when he got close enough he got nervous and started to leave,,, but died,,, and I was as excited about that bird as my first one, or any other,,,

I don't use blinds because sitting bores me,, and decoys have never worked the few times I tried them (but then never tried decoys with fans etc) plus I'm too lazy to tote them,,,

but other than that, the fun of turkey hunting is the WOODSMANSHIP I can employ (as so aptly stated by Mr @Dan Apple ) - yes, calling is fun, but so is tactical maneuvering

and I have YET to meet the fellow who will pass up a shot on a nice bird that they stumble upon in walking or the bird just drifts in,,, I did that ONCE and it cursed me the rest of the season,,, I was working a hot bird in the Pee Dee swamp,,, but he would NOT come across the canal and I couldn't get to him without getting spotted,,, a nice tom slipped in from a different direction and I had my bead on him,, and said "No, I wasn't after that one" and let him move off,,,, last bird I had in my sites that season,,,

anyhow,, hunt them how it makes you happy (and is legal),,, cause at the end of the day, they all eat good!!
 

spoonriver

Floyd the Barber
I probably would but I’ve never been in that scenario. I saw that Catman video last night, he’s got good videos. I think they spooked a few birds and the birds flew up in a tree instead of hauling butt. The young lady that shot the bird had passed several jakes on an earlier hunt.
 

jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Seems like some folks may have took offense to what I posted. Did not mean anything by it. Just the way i was raised. One of the best deer hunters I know, never put out a grain of corn or planted a foodplot told me back in 1995 when I started really turkey hunting,
"Shawn , you ain't got to be a great white hunter to kill a turkey. But it does take some skill involved to call one in close to the gun. "
I took that to heart and Been doing it ever since. Some years I dont even tag a bird and thats fine. This man, was my dad's best friend , they served in Vietnam together . He is the reason I was able to get started turkey hunting and the way I choose to turkey hunt to this day still.
He gave me the opportunities to hunt his multiple farms he owns and leased up in Northampton county NC and Southampton County Virginia when there was very few turkey hunters around.
I can still remember him winking and giving me the nod of approval when I would tell him how far I had to call a bird in from on one of his farms. 😉
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
some folks may have took offense to what I posted.


no offense taken,,, humor maybe,, but no offense,,, I just don't hold for falsehoods on what is traditional and what isn't,,,

now personal preference?? go for it,,,

but again, as I've stated, I know of NO ONE who passes up a big ol bird that just "wanders up",,, not all come in strutting and gobbling,,,,,
 

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
So with a Turkey...it seems the hens go to the Tom’s. We sound like hens to bring toms to us. Are we really calling turkeys or just making them curious?
 

Mike Noles aka conman

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I’m gonna be the oddball here.....

I kill turkeys however they need to be killed. I’m a killer. I hunt turkeys to kill them.

Some birds are called in so good they die thinking that sweet hen took em to heaven, but it was really me.
Some birds are ambushed, killed by waiting where they wanna be because I knew before they did where they were going to go—-I call that woodsmanship
Some birds have indeed been shot out of the tree,,, only 2 times in 40 or so years of hunting has that ever been an option... I’m 1 for 2. I don’t feel bad about it. Again, I knew from scouting where the bird wanted to roost and I had called to him, he had answered, and eventually flew up to roost right above me-when he did, I turned the lights off for him .... it was gonna be dark soon anyway...;).

Like I said, I kill em however they need killing.

One of two most honest turkey hunting answers to the question (the other being woodmoose). Like these two, I hunt turkeys to kill them by any legal method and to eat them. This question is kinda like the "do you shoot a swimming duck or a running quail". My answer to all such questions; Hell yeah!
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
The "traditional" way has changed over the years. It is largely a function of how a particular hunter was taught when starting out.

It used to be traditional in some places to hunt them in the fall. Often a dog was used.
 

KTMan

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
On the roost, NO out of a tree yes. I had one on my farm a few years back would come in about 80 yds and fly up in a tree and would not come any further until he saw a hen or eventually fly back the way he came in. After a couple set ups of him doing this I decided to get him fired up and picked a good tree about 70-80 yds out in between he and I and went set up. Went silent and here in came. Just as I went to take him he pitched up in a tree directly above me and started hammering it. Last time he did it.
 

Hunterreed

Twelve Pointer
Would shoot one out of a tree no problem, already shot one standing in my backyard before so however they come that's legal gets lead
 

Tipmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I’m gonna be the oddball here.....

I kill turkeys however they need to be killed. I’m a killer. I hunt turkeys to kill them.

Some birds are called in so good they die thinking that sweet hen took em to heaven, but it was really me.
Some birds are ambushed, killed by waiting where they wanna be because I knew before they did where they were going to go—-I call that woodsmanship
Some birds have indeed been shot out of the tree,,, only 2 times in 40 or so years of hunting has that ever been an option... I’m 1 for 2. I don’t feel bad about it. Again, I knew from scouting where the bird wanted to roost and I had called to him, he had answered, and eventually flew up to roost right above me-when he did, I turned the lights off for him .... it was gonna be dark soon anyway...;).

Like I said, I kill em however they need killing.

This. Thank you, DA. I'd kill those feathered goats in any way, shape, or form as long as its legal. ;)
 

wncdeerhunter

Old Mossy Horns
I’ll kill one by any legal means necessary. Now that I have a place that I can do it legally, I’ll kill one of the stupid things 150 yards across a field with my .22 magnum if the opportunity presents itself.

The less time I waste killing turkeys the more time I can devote to more important things. In all fairness though, if family members didn’t want them to eat, I wouldn’t waste ANY time on a turkey.
Dunno about shooting turkeys with a rifle....
 

jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
The "traditional" way has changed over the years. It is largely a function of how a particular hunter was taught when starting out.

It used to be traditional in some places to hunt them in the fall. Often a dog was used.
And fortunately for me , I knew some old timers that use to hunt that very way up in Southampton and Greenville County Virginia. I remember them 2 telling me and ridiculing me about calling turkeys in the Spring.
Mr. Futrell told me ,
" anyone can call up a lovesick Tom Young fella but it takes skill to call them in after my dog scatters them To the wind.
I had no idea of what they were talking about at the time. Being only 26 at the time, I just said yes sir .
Mr Futrell was a marine on Iwo Jima , so I figured he knew what he was talking about .
 
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