Shooting turkeys out of trees?

[alecvg]

I recall seeing this one tv one time, is it legal here in WA?  Thanks in advance.

[aaronk]

I couldn't find anything official in the regs but I did find this:

"When scouting or hunting really early or really late in the day.  Look up in the trees.  This is where turkeys roost.  While it is very unsportsmanlike to shoot a turkey in a tree, mark where the bird is and come back later before first light and catch the birds when they come down off the roost,"

Courtesy of: http://www.huntwashingtonstate.com/HWS/Birds/turkey.htm

I would still probably call F&W just to make sure.  Back home in Ohio it is definitely illegal.

[bobcat]

Even if it were illegal, I'm not sure how they would enforce such a law. It would be like making shooting ducks on the water illegal.

[gasman]

"When scouting or hunting really early or really late in the day.  Look up in the trees.  This is where turkeys roost.  While it is very unsportsmanlike to shoot a turkey in a tree, mark where the bird is and come back later before first light and catch the birds when they come down off the roost,"

Why is it unsportsmens like? You wuould not call shooting a deer or elk while beding unsportsmen like. How about grouse, so if you shoot a grouse our of a tree that wuld be unsportsmen like.

I don't think so.
 

[aaronk]

Why is it unsportsmens like? You wuould not call shooting a deer or elk while beding unsportsmen like. How about grouse, so if you shoot a grouse our of a tree that wuld be unsportsmen like.

I don't think so.
 

I agree.  I'm not sure why the individual who wrote that has the stance it is unsportsmanlike.  I think it's a subjective term in this context. 

[yelp]

Well most roosting sites used by wild turkeys are used more than once and usually are common roost areas.  In most states wild turkey hunting in the Spring Season is a gobbler only season (biological reasons) and when turkeys are on roosts sometimes it is hard to distinguish males from females.  Also roosting occurs majority of the time in the evenings until fly down the next morning, however many times predators/bad weather will keep turkeys on a roost during day light hours.

Distances to a turkey on a roost sometimes are further than if they were on the ground.  Meaning wounding an animal instead of placing a proper kill shot.  How many grouse have flown away wounded?  

Identifying your target is foremost.  Some fall seasons are beardless only, some are either sex.  So if you blast a roost tree you better make sure you know what your target is.  Grouse hunting has no sex restrictions, because of the difficulty in telling the difference.

There are lots of hunters in this state that if they knew how to hunt wild turkeys properly they would get more enjoyment.  Many of new turkey hunters revert to the flush and stalk techniques they learned from their mentors.  But these skills are normally used for other game like deer, grouse pheasants.  Calling in turkeys and watching them strut and come in gobbling cures any feeling I have to kill any turkey off of a roost.  Similar to the duck hunting example..not illegal to blast ducks on the pond, but if you were to see what it was like to call in those ducks have them circle the blind and shoot them before they land..totally different experience.  The hunt is what you make it.

Eventhough it currently isn't illegal if this is the only way for you to kill a wild turkey then you probably shouldn't be turkey hunting.  There are cheaper ways of getting a turkey sandwich!  LOL

lets say 10 guys surrround a roosting site and blast away killing what ever..

I included a pic of a roosting site.  Remember by leaving alone the roost sites you may kill more turkeys in the long run.  These sites are selected by turkeys as security sites.  Same with blasting ducks/geese off a pond..Many field hunters leave the ponds untouched and the ducks and geese feel secure and come back everyday making the hunting quality last longer.  

[jackelope]

well said, Yelp.
pretty much sums it up.

[Machias]

It goes back to the discussion we had in the spring.  Back east turkey hunting has strong traditions, like many other sports there are unwritten rules which tradition frowns upon.  One of those is shooting turkeys that you have not called in.  Back home in MO, no self respecting turkey hunter shoots a turkey while it's in the tree.  Just like many self respecting waterfowlers thinks it's sacrilegious to shoot ducks or geese on the water or to shoot quail or pheasants on the ground.  I personally will not shoot a turkey on the roost or one I have not called in, wouldn't want my grandfather rolling over in his grave.  

[yelp]

Well said Machias..I know that alecvg shot his first bird this last youth season. In the previous threads he says he missed a shot and took chase after the flock and shot a bird.. So knowing that..now he is asking if shooting turkeys from a roost is legal.In my opinion he is probably curious, but most of youth nowadays don't have mentors to teach youth how to hunt properly or to hunt turkeys properly for that matter..like your grandfather and my friend Wacenturian...I guess it is up to us that are fortunate to experience turkey hunting for what it is and to pass on our knowledge.
 

[MuleySniper]

I don't know why you would want to shoot them from out of the roost when its SOOOO much fun calling in a hot tom! Thats the best part of turkey hunting! On the other note, I don't hunt fall turks, so I don't know what's kosher.
 
MS

[Machias]

One thing I learned from our discussion this spring is for ME to stop looking down my nose at folks who don't hunt turkeys the way I do.  I think once they learn the traditions of turkey hunting then they will see it's not all about just filling your tag.  That it is ALOT more fun and challenging to call in your bird.  But that said I'm not going to look down on anyone who doesn't do it my way. If they ask, I'll talk about turkey hunting ethics the way I was taught, they can take or leave it. 

[KimberRich]

Ideally you wouldn't have to shoot them out of the trees as they were cooperative and came to calls but... Anyone who has hunted turkeys knows that it doesn't always work that way.  Weather, hunting pressure, and tons of other variables come into effect. If I had the option I would never shoot a bird out of a tree and have yet to do so. But if I had hunted hard for a week and not connected and there were some birds in a tree above me gobbling and I could make a positive ID on one, it would be pretty hard to not pull the trigger.  Especially if I had driven say.. 800 miles to Montana.  Good point about the grouse..



 

[turkeydancer]

Well KR not saying what's right for me is right for you, but myself I would rather come home with empty coolers ... to me it's not about the meat as much as the enjoyment of the true chase and the comraderie ... to me popping one out of the trees would be about as fun as stopping by Safeway and blasting a couple out of the freezer.  Not for me my friend ... and of course you know, you're gunna get a "turkeydancer" hug when you get one so you just might want to seriously rethink that "tree" thing. LOL ...
 

[Machias]

"When scouting or hunting really early or really late in the day.  Look up in the trees.  This is where turkeys roost.  While it is very unsportsmanlike to shoot a turkey in a tree, mark where the bird is and come back later before first light and catch the birds when they come down off the roost,"

Why is it unsportsmens like? You wuould not call shooting a deer or elk while beding unsportsmen like. How about grouse, so if you shoot a grouse our of a tree that wuld be unsportsmen like.

I don't think so.
 

Please don't take offense to this but that is part of the problem here in the NW.  To equate turkeys to grouse is like comparing rabbits to deer.  One is small game and one is considered big game.  They just don't compare.  Hunting grouse and turkeys is about as different as it gets.  Just a thought.

[yelp]

One thing I learned from our discussion this spring is for ME to stop looking down my nose at folks who don't hunt turkeys the way I do.  I think once they learn the traditions of turkey hunting then they will see it's not all about just filling your tag.  That it is ALOT more fun and challenging to call in your bird.  But that said I'm not going to look down on anyone who doesn't do it my way. If they ask, I'll talk about turkey hunting ethics the way I was taught, they can take or leave it. 

well said..I agree.

[alecvg]

Thanks for all the responces, Yelp seemed to really clear it up, you sure know alot about turkeys!

Well said Machias..I know that alecvg shot his first bird this last youth season. In the previous threads he says he missed a shot and took chase after the flock and shot a bird.. So knowing that..now he is asking if shooting turkeys from a roost is legal.In my opinion he is probably curious, but most of youth nowadays don't have mentors to teach youth how to hunt properly or to hunt turkeys properly for that matter..like your grandfather and my friend Wacenturian...I guess it is up to us that are fortunate to experience turkey hunting for what it is and to pass on our knowledge.
 

Ya, I got a little ecxited, and made some possibly unsafe mistaks, I am young and dumb.     But in case you are wondering, no I did not miss that turkey when it was on a tree, not being sure of the laws, I would never have considered that.  THANKS for all the help guys, personally, I would not want to shoot turkeys in a tree, but it is always good to know the laws.  Thanks again.
-Alec

[yelp]

Thanks for all the responces, Yelp seemed to really clear it up, you sure know alot about turkeys!

Well said Machias..I know that alecvg shot his first bird this last youth season. In the previous threads he says he missed a shot and took chase after the flock and shot a bird.. So knowing that..now he is asking if shooting turkeys from a roost is legal.In my opinion he is probably curious, but most of youth nowadays don't have mentors to teach youth how to hunt properly or to hunt turkeys properly for that matter..like your grandfather and my friend Wacenturian...I guess it is up to us that are fortunate to experience turkey hunting for what it is and to pass on our knowledge.
 

Ya, I got a little ecxited, and made some possibly unsafe mistaks, I am young and dumb.     But in case you are wondering, no I did not miss that turkey when it was on a tree, not being sure of the laws, I would never have considered that.  THANKS for all the help guys, personally, I would not want to shoot turkeys in a tree, but it is always good to know the laws.  Thanks again.
-Alec

Don't consider you dumb..and you shouldn't either.  Just remember to learn from your mistakes and be safe and most of all have fun.  Someday you may have a chance to teach someone how to hunt turkeys.   

[alecvg]

Thanks for all the responces, Yelp seemed to really clear it up, you sure know alot about turkeys!

Well said Machias..I know that alecvg shot his first bird this last youth season. In the previous threads he says he missed a shot and took chase after the flock and shot a bird.. So knowing that..now he is asking if shooting turkeys from a roost is legal.In my opinion he is probably curious, but most of youth nowadays don't have mentors to teach youth how to hunt properly or to hunt turkeys properly for that matter..like your grandfather and my friend Wacenturian...I guess it is up to us that are fortunate to experience turkey hunting for what it is and to pass on our knowledge.
 

Ya, I got a little ecxited, and made some possibly unsafe mistaks, I am young and dumb.     But in case you are wondering, no I did not miss that turkey when it was on a tree, not being sure of the laws, I would never have considered that.  THANKS for all the help guys, personally, I would not want to shoot turkeys in a tree, but it is always good to know the laws.  Thanks again.
-Alec

Don't consider you dumb..and you shouldn't either.  Just remember to learn from your mistakes and be safe and most of all have fun.  Someday you may have a chance to teach someone how to hunt turkeys.   

Thank-you, I hope to teach some kids how to hunt someday! 

[Tom Tamer]

Well KR not saying what's right for me is right for you, but myself I would rather come home with empty coolers ... to me it's not about the meat as much as the enjoyment of the true chase and the comraderie ... to me popping one out of the trees would be about as fun as stopping by Safeway and blasting a couple out of the freezer.  Not for me my friend ... and of course you know, you're gunna get a "turkeydancer" hug when you get one so you just might want to seriously rethink that "tree" thing. LOL ...
 

And those are scary.....I've witnessed them

[yelp]

Well KR not saying what's right for me is right for you, but myself I would rather come home with empty coolers ... to me it's not about the meat as much as the enjoyment of the true chase and the comraderie ... to me popping one out of the trees would be about as fun as stopping by Safeway and blasting a couple out of the freezer.  Not for me my friend ... and of course you know, you're gunna get a "turkeydancer" hug when you get one so you just might want to seriously rethink that "tree" thing. LOL ...
 

And those are scary.....I've witnessed them

I don't want to know...LOL 

[turkeydancer]

Okay guys ... give up your most prized turkey locations or you're getting a big'un next time I see ya ....
 

[boneaddict]

Good question Alec and good discussion guys.  I am not much of a turkey hunter but have been engraved by logic and tradition to no it is Foul (yes pun intneded)play to shoot a turkey out of its roost.  Just like shooting a sitting duck.  I think its considered unsportsmanlike. 

[yelp]

Okay guys ... give up your most prized turkey locations or you're getting a big'un next time I see ya ....
 

You gotta catch me first...   But just in case you catch me by surprise. 

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=47.763963&lon=-118.19313&z=16.4&r=0&src=msl


 

[Wacenturion]

Mine is just up the road from Yelp's.................


http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=47.763963&lon=-118.19313&z=16.4&r=0&src=msl

[SHANE(WA)]

and we are talking about a turkey 

[yelp]

and we are talking about a turkey 


I don't know we went from roost tree shooting to hugging...I am just glad we haven't taken it to the next level....      roost tree hugging..

[turkeydancer]

I thought it was your favorite location that you were supposed to give up ... I think I saw my spring Rios feathers still blowing around the hillside when I looked on your links ...
 

[yelp]

 

Is that what those were?...LOL

[JBar]

So check this scenario out. You can beat me up if you'd like but....

I was calling from inside the timber to some turkeys out in a field, I had identified the turkeys when I crested the hill so I backed up into the timber and started calling. A few minutes later it sounded like all hell broke loose in the field and turkeys all started flying my way. Something had spooked these turkeys and some landed in the trees 15 to 20 yards away. I identified a Jake in one of the trees and I dropped the hammer on him. Unsportsman like? I didn't think so, I didn't sneak up on roosted turkeys in the dark and start blazing but I did shoot one out of a tree. 

[yelp]

There is always a situation that seems OK.  Lots of what ifs..The general discussion was about roosted birds not birds that roost after being scared, but every hunt is different.  I have shot grouse out of trees after flushing them into a tree...I think the main argument is safely IDing your target (in your case a jake) and knowing the limitations of your gun to not wound the turkey.  All of your stars lined up for you but that is rarely the case.  Most of the time especially early spring /late winter winter roosts are easily identified by hunters..most birds are still on wintering grounds using same roosting sites every night.  I feel this is where you draw the line as unsportsmanlike...You don't see turkey hunts on the Outdoor channel..surrounding a roost tree and blasting away.   

[KimberRich]

I did watch Michael Waddell shoot a bird out of a tree on the hunting channel a couple weeks ago..  Not a roost tree but out of a tree none the less.  I was really surprised they had it on there.

[Jekemi]

Isn't there a general rule for sportsmen? Shoot the bird where it spends most of its waking hours. Grouse run on the ground so you can shoot them on the ground. Turkeys are also ground birds, you shoot them on the ground. Ducks and Geese spend most of their time in the air so shoot them in the air. Does that make sense to you guys?

[grgflowers]

I believe strongly in ethical hunting, and shooting a sleeping animal doesn't really seem like a fair sport.

[ICEMAN]

I dont know about that....I have shot two deer in their beds over the years....

[lokidog]

Ducks and Geese spend most of their time in the air so shoot them in the air. Does that make sense to you guys?

Man, those would be some really tired ducks and geese....  As for turkeys, this time of year, I think they spend as much time roosted as on the ground.     

So by previous reasoning, setting up an ambush for henned-up or unresponsive birds is also unsportsmanlike?  I may catch crap for this, but I am tired of people trying to tell others what is moral or ethical.  I am not referring to safety or legal issues.  If you do not think it is an ethical thing to do, don't do it.  Everyone's hunt is different and has different circumstances and different goals.  A lot of people hunt for the fun of the hunt AND the meat.  If the meat is not important to you, bring a camera and save some birds/bucks/bulls for the rest of us.   

So, back to the turkeys.... yes, there is hardly anything more exciting than calling for and working a big tom into your decoy, but I have also enjoyed several stalks and an ambush as well.  Each was rewarding in its own way.  And, I'll admit it, I have shot one out of a tree (a gobbling tom by himself) that was an incredibly challenging stalk to get close enough to Mr Eyeballs for a clean shot.

[Jekemi]

My only exception to shooting an animal while it sleeps would be Osama Bin Laden. He seems a little lead deprived and popping him while he sleeps in some Pakistani cave seems appropriate.

[turkeydancer]

I usually try and stay out of these type of dicussions because it usually does nothing but piss other people off. I know that I must have my own level of personal satisfaction from my hunts ... basically they are done in the normally accepted traditional fair chase way for me to have any satisfaction.  It's a lot cheaper getting meat from "Safeway" and I can enjoy the company of my friends & family at other venues, so without the personal satisfaction from enjoying a good fair chase hunt I'ld be done hunting. I don't shoot from roads, jump posted fences, hunt over bait, shoot turkeys out of trees, or anything else normally not considered traditional fair chase hunting ... if that's acceptable to you no matter what your motivation is (peer approval, keeping your hunting streak alive, get some meat, etc) then that's your choice and I'm sure that it won't matter what anyone else thinks or what's considered traditional or fair chase.  However, I believe the original question was posed by a young new hunter wondering if it is considered okay to shoot turkeys out of the trees. From the normally accepted traditional turkey hunting perspective the answer is still "no" ... even if you're Michael Waddell.
 

[lokidog]

BTW the original posting asked if it is LEGAL to shoot out of trees.

Like you, I do not shoot from county roads, jump posted fences, or do other ILLEGAL things in pursuit of game.  And, what is "traditional" in one place may not be in another, it does not make it any less ethical because it has not traditionally been done there.  You may hunt in any way that you choose to (legally), I WILL NOT JUDGE YOU or anyone else's ethics.  If someone I am hunting with does something that does not agree with my PERSONAL ethics I can then choose to hunt with them again or not.

I am just tired of everyone else thinking that their ethics are better than everyone else's and should be emulated by everyone else.  Tell Republicans that they should support universal health care because it is the "ethical" thing to do, or tell Dems that they shouldn't be able to obtain an abortion because it is the "ethical" thing to do.  Oh yeah, many think personal ownership of firearms is "unethical."  Take care of yourself, choose to behave how you feel is appropriate, and leave everyone else alone.  Again, not referring to ILLEGAL activities.

Oh yeah, we better get rid of the turkeys here in WA and welcome back the wolves as that is the traditional way of WA's wildlife....   

[turkeydancer]

Just proves my point - these type of dicussions usually do nothing but piss other people off ... just like talking politics, sports teams, etc.
 

BTW - I said I must have my own level of personal satisfaction from my hunts, not that my ethics are better than yours or anyone elses. I also stated that it's also everyones choice (within the law)and that it won't matter what anyone else thinks.

[PA BEN]

Here's my  I was one of the first hunters to hunt turkey's in the Chewelah area back in the '90s. In those days if you put a bird to bed he was dead in the morning. I called a lot of toms off the roost to my gun. I'd call a tom in the morning for the wife and one for me in the afternoon. Watched a tom come 400 yds strutting and gobbling the whole way, shot him at 9 yds.  As time went on and the bird population grew it became harder to call in toms, (hened up) Strutting areas became very important, toms would jump out of the tree and go to there strutting area, catch them in between. In the early days calls only, now I call and spot and stock. It's not as ez to stock a turkey as some of you think. And yes, I'll fill my tag with a bird in a tree. BTW, those guys that pay $525.00 to kill a bird? I Gear-n-t-you the guide will stock turkeys and let clients shoot them out of the roost. 

[boneaddict]

I shot mine in the 80's in Chewelah.

To each is own.  It is legal and thus you can do it if that floats your boat.  It doesn't float mine. 

[PA BEN]

How close to Chewelah we talking? I've hunted my family's farm scene the mid.70's, we never saw turkeys around the area to hunt in any kind of numbers at all until about '92. I know there were some around in the mid. to late 80's around Waitts lake and up Summit Valley. Before that there was a big die off, they got something like Black head or something like that. Killed almost all of them.