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.