Shooting turkeys out of trees?

[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.