Shooting in the roost . . .

[summitdogracing]

Not too long ago my young son and I were on public land (limited draw hunt) in CA. The sun was just coming up when another Hunter strolled up with a gobbler over his shoulder. Long story short this Hunter was bragging about bagging his bird while in the roost and being out before the sun was all the way up.

I didn’t confront the Hunter about whether he was an ethical hunter. Nonetheless my young son (9 yrs old) and I had a long discussion about the difference between “what’s legal” and “what’s ethical”. As a hunter education instructor I use this experience to illustrate the difference between the two.

How often have you come across this type of situation?

Scotty


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[HunterGKS]

I usually hunt private property so don't see other hunters. I have had a couple of opportunities to roost shoot & passed. IMHO, it's just not right.

[soiltester]

Naw, had a gobbler 15 yrds. in front of me roosted, looking the other way with his long beard hangin' down between his legs
Tempting but didn't want to butt shoot em' anyway.
Went back early next morning and set up on the other side of that tree , down in a valley and soft called and he flew down right in front of me!

[guesswho]

I’ve never witnessed it, but have heard a few roost shots over the years. Defeats the whole purpose of why I turkey hunt.

[ShortMagFan]

Shameful. Could have taken 2 off the roost this season. Wouldn’t even consider it

[jdjnicholson]

I've killed longbeards,on the ground,before the sun was up. Was I illegal? No

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[tracker8320]

I killed an adult bird first day of the NY opener at 6:30 am...I was in a hunting blind. At 5:45 I heard spitting and drumming but couldn't see a thing, dark still. I heard it 4 times, I thought I was hearing things. There couldn't be a bird on the ground already? As it got lighter out a gobble went off and a bird was roosted 40 yards. He was easy pickings, but I feel shooting a bird on the roost is unethical. He pitched out to the field and I hesitated for a better shot and he went back into the woods. He dropped over the nob I was on going away so I hit him with raking leaves ( I keep a small pile in the blind) and soft slate clucks. He came running back in and I killed him, on the ground. I can't believe I didn't bust him going to the blind, got lucky...and yes, he was spitting drumming on the limb. Hunting them since 1983, was the first time I ever experienced it...

[Samm4770]

Shooting them in the roost is unethical as it comes!

[ICDEDTURKES]

I would never do it, but won't judge until I know his situation...

With inflation soaring and cost if living in your state high maybe he needs the meat... Maybe this limited draw is along ways from home and he can't justify $4+ gas everyday.... Maybe he only has a brief window before work and this is his only opportunity.... Or Lord forbid maybe he's terminally ill and wanted to shoot one last gobbler before he passed... The list could go on...

And law vs ethics... Even hot hot topics such as marijuana and abortion you've got to look outside your personal feelings and come to realize the folks that make laws did not get whee they are withput having a high degree of ethics and most likely higher than ones self...

Like I said I surely don't support it, would never do it but am surely not gonna put my ethics above his when it's legal and I don't even know the circumstances he did it under.

[summitdogracing]

This was not a pandemic/fuel price issue but I understand your point. I did not receive the impression that his family would go hungry without the turkey.


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[Hoobilly]

Question
In the roost or on the roost?

Not sure what your saying
Was the turkey in the tree or just flew down and he wacked it?

[ICDEDTURKES]

Question
In the roost or on the roost?

Not sure what your saying
Was the turkey in the tree or just flew down and he wacked it?

Actually just reread his post I'm confused now to....

If shooting in the roosting area is off the table my need a bird dead roost hunt strategy off the table.... With flydown and what transpires in the minutes following being unpredictable no matter how many times ya seen um do the same thing..... Go early, like when every other hunter getting outta bed early, get tight I mean like hear turds hitting ground tight, sit still as can be, don't make a noise til hehits the ground, cluck so you feel good about calling him in and let him.have it...

Now he can still fly the other way, you get seen, your hunter lights a cigarette etc etc

When I hear folks say they got in right 200 yarda, I'm thinking that ain't tight.....Sal and I when we had to have someone kill a bird wdd ride glassing fil we spotted a bird or a flock than watch them fly up and devise a strategy

[Hoobilly]

Question
In the roost or on the roost?

Not sure what your saying
Was the turkey in the tree or just flew down and he wacked it?

Actually just reread his post I'm confused now to....

If shooting in the roosting area is off the table my need a bird dead roost hunt strategy off the table.... With flydown and what transpires in the minutes following being unpredictable no matter how many times ya seen um do the same thing..... Go early, like when every other hunter getting outta bed early, get tight I mean like hear turds hitting ground tight, sit still as can be, don't make a noise til hehits the ground, cluck so you feel good about calling him in and let him.have it...

Now he can still fly the other way, you get seen, your hunter lights a cigarette etc etc

When I hear folks say they got in right 200 yarda, I'm thinking that ain't tight.....Sal and I when we had to have someone kill a bird wdd ride glassing fil we spotted a bird or a flock than watch them fly up and devise a strategy

Tight is definitely when you hear turds splatting on the ground
200 yards a a mile away in my mindset

[ICDEDTURKES]

Question
In the roost or on the roost?

Not sure what your saying
Was the turkey in the tree or just flew down and he wacked it?

Actually just reread his post I'm confused now to....

If shooting in the roosting area is off the table my need a bird dead roost hunt strategy off the table.... With flydown and what transpires in the minutes following being unpredictable no matter how many times ya seen um do the same thing..... Go early, like when every other hunter getting outta bed early, get tight I mean like hear turds hitting ground tight, sit still as can be, don't make a noise til hehits the ground, cluck so you feel good about calling him in and let him.have it...

Now he can still fly the other way, you get seen, your hunter lights a cigarette etc etc

When I hear folks say they got in right 200 yarda, I'm thinking that ain't tight.....Sal and I when we had to have someone kill a bird wdd ride glassing fil we spotted a bird or a flock than watch them fly up and devise a strategy

Tight is definitely when you hear turds splatting on the ground
200 yards a a mile away in my mindset

Funny Sally story... She's got her client in Florida, got a bird pegged on the roost, tells him we're gonna be in his lap, she creeps him in o dark thirty. Looks at him says:

"Sit down, sit still and shut the F&$# up"

He had his slam two seconds after flydown

It was hilarious watch him tell the other hunters.....

Can only imagine him telling buddies back home....

Got my slam

"How'd the hunt go"

Well my guide, she
""Wait she"

Yeah got some bada$$$ chick told me sit down, sit still and shut the F&$# up and she was right I was done when his toe nails hit the ground....

[alpha burnt]

Everyone hunts for their own reasons, just because it’s legal doesn’t necessarily make it right, IMO. Guess I like to play a game and see if it turns out in my favor. More often than not, it does not. But if it’s legal and you can live with your decision, carry on.

[spider316]

Actually just reread his post I'm confused now to....

If shooting in the roosting area is off the table my need a bird dead roost hunt strategy off the table.... With flydown and what transpires in the minutes following being unpredictable no matter how many times ya seen um do the same thing..... Go early, like when every other hunter getting outta bed early, get tight I mean like hear turds hitting ground tight, sit still as can be, don't make a noise til hehits the ground, cluck so you feel good about calling him in and let him.have it...

Now he can still fly the other way, you get seen, your hunter lights a cigarette etc etc

When I hear folks say they got in right 200 yarda, I'm thinking that ain't tight.....Sal and I when we had to have someone kill a bird wdd ride glassing fil we spotted a bird or a flock than watch them fly up and devise a strategy

Tight is definitely when you hear turds splatting on the ground
200 yards a a mile away in my mindset

Funny Sally story... She's got her client in Florida, got a bird pegged on the roost, tells him we're gonna be in his lap, she creeps him in o dark thirty. Looks at him says:

"Sit down, sit still and shut the F&$# up"

He had his slam two seconds after flydown

It was hilarious watch him tell the other hunters.....

Can only imagine him telling buddies back home....

Got my slam

"How'd the hunt go"

Well my guide, she
""Wait she"

Yeah got some bada$$$ chick told me sit down, sit still and shut the F&$# up and she was right I was done when his toe nails hit the ground....

Haha, great story. Sir, I wish you could meet my children, they'll tell you about the Cardinal rule of "always be an hour early, never a moment late" ! My Daughter could of FoxTrotted one out of a tree this year,, never ever ! I've killed 2 Gobblers with "leaded legs". My bird in NY was infected bad this year, still alive but very sick. No way was he gonna survive, puss and green ooze from the legs

[Stinky J Picklestein]

Hey, sometimes you gotta be at work by 7. LOL!

[Hoobilly]

Funny Sally story... She's got her client in Florida, got a bird pegged on the roost, tells him we're gonna be in his lap, she creeps him in o dark thirty. Looks at him says:

"Sit down, sit still and shut the F&$# up"

He had his slam two seconds after flydown

It was hilarious watch him tell the other hunters.....

Can only imagine him telling buddies back home....

Got my slam

"How'd the hunt go"

Well my guide, she
""Wait she"

Yeah got some bada$$$ chick told me sit down, sit still and shut the F&$# up and she was right I was done when his toe nails hit the ground....

That’s hilarious

[aristico]

I keep my ethics on myself and dont worry about anyone elses....

Not breaking the law? Knock urself out.

[Hoobilly]

Hey, sometimes you gotta be at work by 7. LOL!

[Lacire]

I can’t shoot quail on the ground or turkeys out of trees, just the way I was raised.

[ICDEDTURKES]

I can’t shoot quail on the ground or turkeys out of trees, just the way I was raised.

I'm not quoting you to argue with you cuz I know nothing bout quail but I. Terms of personal ethics and how it varies person to person in different pursuits

I hear alot a guys "I'd never never shoot a duck on the water" Hmm but you'll shoot one working at 30-40

Me, if I can completely finish a flock to the water meaning place, concealment, decoys, calling are perfect, I'll water swat them sobs all day long..

[Hoobilly]

I can’t shoot quail on the ground or turkeys out of trees, just the way I was raised.

I'm not quoting you to argue with you cuz I know nothing bout quail but I. Terms of personal ethics and how it varies person to person in different pursuits

I hear alot a guys "I'd never never shoot a duck on the water" Hmm but you'll shoot one working at 30-40

Me, if I can completely finish a flock to the water meaning place, concealment, decoys, calling are perfect, I'll water swat them sobs all day long..

Exactly!

I’ve used a series of one note quacks to get ducks that have landed outside the shooting range to come in closer to shoot them. Kinda like turkey hunting

[summitdogracing]

For clarification: the turkey was still in the tree.


My point wasn’t that it is one hunter’s responsibility to tell another hunter how to be ethical. Rather I took the moment to explain to my son the difference between legal and ethical.


I was asking to find out how other hunters feel about shooting a bird on a branch.


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[aristico]

For clarification: the turkey was still in the tree.


My point wasn’t that it is one hunter’s responsibility to tell another hunter how to be ethical. Rather I took the moment to explain to my son the difference between legal and ethical.


I was asking to find out how other hunters feel about shooting a bird on a branch.


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But you cant really explain legal and ethics there because where it isnt ethical to you it was obviously ethical to him unlike illegal where it would be the same for both of you regardless of what you felt about the law......

Unless the conversation went "son what he did there wasn't illegal but to ME it isnt ethical"...... instead of if you said "son that wasn't illegal but it wasnt ethical"....