Can you shoot a turkey in its roost?

[MR5x5]

Interesting thread.

All I can say for sure now is that I won't shoot a roosted elk. 

[Skillet]

Again, where do you draw the line with any game or fish?  Just legal, or what's legal and what is considered ethical. Guess to me its respecting the game or fish and myself enough to do whats right ... if you figure that's being holier than thou, I figure that means you don't respect yourself enough to care no matter what anyone else would say or think, you only care that its legal, and any further discussion is really just a waste of time.   
 

I think this is the root of what this thread is all about - what is right for some is not necessarily right for others.  Can the two sides see past the tiny distinction?  It's not like you're trying to talk turkey hunting with a PETA member - you're talking to a fellow hunter whose take on a roosted turkey is just a little different than yours.  One will kill him now, one is going to make him cluck and strut a bit first, then kill him.  Is it really that different?

Interesting thread.

All I can say for sure now is that I won't shoot a roosted elk. 

That's good.  'Cause I'd be damned certain a roosted elk has a reasonable expectation of safety! 

[Holg3107]

There are a whole lot of practices out there that are legal but not ethical. Feel free to call me "Hollier Than Thou" but you will be hard pressed to find a turkey hunter out there who would say shooting a roosted bird is ethical. Legal.... Yes, but generally not someone who I would want to hunt with since they don't share similar ethics when it comes to hunting as me. By all means go kill your roosted turkey and feel good about yourself. Of the 20 or 30 posts about successful turkey hunts that have popped up on HuntWA so far this year I haven't seen one that has said they shot a roosted bird. NOT ONE. I'm pretty sure those of you who have said you would shoot a roosted bird wouldn't come on here and tell everyone about it or even be proud of the bird at the end of the day. Turkey hunting is not about bringing home meat (trust me they are a hell of a lot cheaper at the store). Its about the experience and time spent in the field. You don't spend the time and money to go kill 15lbs of meat out of a roost.

[h20hunter]

I'll tell you right now....if I see a roosted elk I'm shooting it. No ifs ands or butts. I do not want that smart of a critter passing on any genes.

[carpsniperg2]

Ethical No, Legal Yes. Just up to the person and there standards.

[Woodchuck]

I would plunk a roosted elk in a heartbeat. 

[Machias]

I'll tell you right now....if I see a roosted elk I'm shooting it. No ifs ands or butts. I do not want that smart of a critter passing on any genes.

 

[mtman]

I have no ethics. But hay theres always food on the table.

[YellowDog]

MtnMuley,

Multiple people called it an unethical practice (not a practice they personally don't enjoy, but an unethical practice.).     How is it pathetic to call that a holier than thou attitude?

If I follow the rules, but not the way you like, and you call me unethical for it......   Isn't that the very definition of holier than thou?

By definition it is not ethical.  Doesn't mean someone is holier than thou for choosing to donform to acceptable standards consistent with agreed principles of correct moral conduct. 

One definition of "Ethical":

1. conforming to accepted standards: consistent with agreed principles of correct moral conduct
"While such activities are not strictly illegal, they are certainly not ethical."
2. of ethics: relating to or involving ethics

I think of "holier-than-thou" as someone who thinks they are morally better than anyone and everyone.  Those posting here against shooting on the roost aren't saying they are better than EVERYONE just that they believe they are on a better ethical/moral ground than those that shoot birds on the roost.  Splitting hairs but there is a difference.  Calling somone unethical is not as condescending as calling someone holier-than-though IMO but again that's just my opinion.

[YellowDog]

I'll tell you right now....if I see a roosted elk I'm shooting it. No ifs ands or butts. I do not want that smart of a critter passing on any genes.

Just don't stand directly below it and you will be okay. 

[MtnMuley]

I have no ethics. But hay theres always food on the table.

So you eat hay?

[BOWHUNTER45]

Damn I took way to long of a nap  at least it was with my wife ...Lmao !! whatever floats your boat guys... I just cant see me telling my buddies that I woke up this morning and got out my owl hooter and blew it and had a gobbler go off So I ran up under his nest and blew his feathers off .....Man I would be a really big turkey hunter now would not I ....

[gasman]

I love it 

three simple words not directed at any person specifically and people take offense to it 

I'm with you Dan-o


And to think, I'm not a turkey hunter 

But its the same debate every year 

[Woodchuck]

Should this thread be merged with one of the "trad archery" debates?

[MerriamMagician]

Well im going to put in my    I have hunted turkeys 13 years and never shot one off the roost. My big question is: why does everyone say it is unethical?? I have personally tried to get close to roosted birds both in the morning and the evening and have never got close. They always bust you and fly off well before you can get in range. If you are a good enough stalker to get within range of a smart gobbler without him detecting you, than that seems plenty fair chase to me and nothing unethical about it. Those who say turkeys will stay in a tree even with predators right beneath or near them, need to a little more experience with trying to stalk a roosted bird. I have seen countless times when a gobbler either saw the hunter when he was coming in or another predator such as a coyote and have flown off the roost in the opposite direction. Also the turkeys in this state generally roost about 3/4 of the way up the tree which is usually in excess of 30-40 yds off the ground. Unless you are directly under the tree, the bird is probably way out of range. Just some of my thoughts on the issue.