An observation really

[elknturkey]

Except for an occasional trip to LBL, I don't hunt many true ridges. But as most know, if you're actually calling one in, you've got to put something between you and the turkey to make him come find you. If that something is the crest of a ridge, seems like more often than not, the turkey will come far enough to see over the crest and maybe not much farther if he doesn't see anything on the other side. If I call in a bird and I'm 100% sure it's a male and I'm 95% sure it's a gobbler and he periscopes his head over the ridge 30 yards away, I don't see a problem with killing him. That's what I'd do. I get what you're saying, but I don't see it as a real safety issue. If you call a gobbler up through tall grass or a thicket on flat ground, you could argue that someone could be crawling through that thicket right behind him. But it's so unlikely that it doesn't even warrant discussion. Same with a ridge topper turkey. Im usually not for killing jakes and I certainly don't intend to do it. But if a jake gobbles and acts just like a gobbler and comes to me gobbling and raises his head up in range and it doesn't look like a skinny red jake head — I guess there is just a decent chance I'll inadvertently kill a jake. I can live with that.

As for the risk that I might possibly kill a gobbler without a beard - those odds are tiny. I've killed several with beard rot, but in my life I've only seen one gobbler truly without a beard. If I happen to do it because I shoot one that's hidden below the waddles, I'll self report it, explain what happened, and won't loose much sleep over it.

There are a LOT of things that go on in turkey hunting that I hate with all my heart and soul. But shooting gobbling turkeys when they poke their head over a ridge isn't one of them.

Exactly. I'd bet 90% of the turkeys we kill we never see the beard. All steep mountain with a lot of razorback ridges. See 50 yards standing and 20 yards sitting.

I've seen 1 bird a guy killed prob 15 years ago in VA that actually did have a beard but had been pulled out. Had just recently been pulled out but not sure by what. Still to this day is the best spurs I've ever seen. 1 3/4" and hooked almost like a fishing hook

 

[Shooter77]

Except for an occasional trip to LBL, I don't hunt many true ridges. But as most know, if you're actually calling one in, you've got to put something between you and the turkey to make him come find you. If that something is the crest of a ridge, seems like more often than not, the turkey will come far enough to see over the crest and maybe not much farther if he doesn't see anything on the other side. If I call in a bird and I'm 100% sure it's a male and I'm 95% sure it's a gobbler and he periscopes his head over the ridge 30 yards away, I don't see a problem with killing him. That's what I'd do. I get what you're saying, but I don't see it as a real safety issue. If you call a gobbler up through tall grass or a thicket on flat ground, you could argue that someone could be crawling through that thicket right behind him. But it's so unlikely that it doesn't even warrant discussion. Same with a ridge topper turkey. Im usually not for killing jakes and I certainly don't intend to do it. But if a jake gobbles and acts just like a gobbler and comes to me gobbling and raises his head up in range and it doesn't look like a skinny red jake head — I guess there is just a decent chance I'll inadvertently kill a jake. I can live with that.

As for the risk that I might possibly kill a gobbler without a beard - those odds are tiny. I've killed several with beard rot, but in my life I've only seen one gobbler truly without a beard. If I happen to do it because I shoot one that's hidden below the waddles, I'll self report it, explain what happened, and won't loose much sleep over it.

There are a LOT of things that go on in turkey hunting that I hate with all my heart and soul. But shooting gobbling turkeys when they poke their head over a ridge isn't one of them.

exactly, you nailed it


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So the law says it must have a beard and you both are saying it's ok not to positively ID your target?

Bag Limits
One (1) bearded turkey per day, not to exceed four (4) per season. Any turkey harvested during the Young Sportsman Hunt counts toward the Spring season limit of four (4).

 

[Boll Weevil]

Some years ago I killed one that strutted and gobbled his way across a field with really heavy dew; his beard was soaked and stuck to his wet breast feathers. When I walked up to him didn't initially see a beard and was actually a bit concerned thinking I'd somehow shot the wrong bird but upon inspection, it was indeed there. That's about the only instance I can recall not confirming a beard before pulling the trigger.

 

[elknturkey]

Except for an occasional trip to LBL, I don't hunt many true ridges. But as most know, if you're actually calling one in, you've got to put something between you and the turkey to make him come find you. If that something is the crest of a ridge, seems like more often than not, the turkey will come far enough to see over the crest and maybe not much farther if he doesn't see anything on the other side. If I call in a bird and I'm 100% sure it's a male and I'm 95% sure it's a gobbler and he periscopes his head over the ridge 30 yards away, I don't see a problem with killing him. That's what I'd do. I get what you're saying, but I don't see it as a real safety issue. If you call a gobbler up through tall grass or a thicket on flat ground, you could argue that someone could be crawling through that thicket right behind him. But it's so unlikely that it doesn't even warrant discussion. Same with a ridge topper turkey. Im usually not for killing jakes and I certainly don't intend to do it. But if a jake gobbles and acts just like a gobbler and comes to me gobbling and raises his head up in range and it doesn't look like a skinny red jake head — I guess there is just a decent chance I'll inadvertently kill a jake. I can live with that.

As for the risk that I might possibly kill a gobbler without a beard - those odds are tiny. I've killed several with beard rot, but in my life I've only seen one gobbler truly without a beard. If I happen to do it because I shoot one that's hidden below the waddles, I'll self report it, explain what happened, and won't loose much sleep over it.

There are a LOT of things that go on in turkey hunting that I hate with all my heart and soul. But shooting gobbling turkeys when they poke their head over a ridge isn't one of them.

exactly, you nailed it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

So the law says it must have a beard and you both are saying it's ok not to positively ID your target?

Bag Limits
One (1) bearded turkey per day, not to exceed four (4) per season. Any turkey harvested during the Young Sportsman Hunt counts toward the Spring season limit of four (4).

I'm sure the law is so morons don't shoot nonbearded hens. Same as states having a 3" spike rule on deer

 

[ImThere]

I also drove 72 mph on the interstate this morning

How could you? I'm so freaking offended right now!

j/k

 

[Southern Sportsman]

Except for an occasional trip to LBL, I don't hunt many true ridges. But as most know, if you're actually calling one in, you've got to put something between you and the turkey to make him come find you. If that something is the crest of a ridge, seems like more often than not, the turkey will come far enough to see over the crest and maybe not much farther if he doesn't see anything on the other side. If I call in a bird and I'm 100% sure it's a male and I'm 95% sure it's a gobbler and he periscopes his head over the ridge 30 yards away, I don't see a problem with killing him. That's what I'd do. I get what you're saying, but I don't see it as a real safety issue. If you call a gobbler up through tall grass or a thicket on flat ground, you could argue that someone could be crawling through that thicket right behind him. But it's so unlikely that it doesn't even warrant discussion. Same with a ridge topper turkey. Im usually not for killing jakes and I certainly don't intend to do it. But if a jake gobbles and acts just like a gobbler and comes to me gobbling and raises his head up in range and it doesn't look like a skinny red jake head — I guess there is just a decent chance I'll inadvertently kill a jake. I can live with that.

As for the risk that I might possibly kill a gobbler without a beard - those odds are tiny. I've killed several with beard rot, but in my life I've only seen one gobbler truly without a beard. If I happen to do it because I shoot one that's hidden below the waddles, I'll self report it, explain what happened, and won't loose much sleep over it.

There are a LOT of things that go on in turkey hunting that I hate with all my heart and soul. But shooting gobbling turkeys when they poke their head over a ridge isn't one of them.

exactly, you nailed it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

So the law says it must have a beard and you both are saying it's ok not to positively ID your target?

Bag Limits
One (1) bearded turkey per day, not to exceed four (4) per season. Any turkey harvested during the Young Sportsman Hunt counts toward the Spring season limit of four (4).

No. The "target" is a male turkey. Not positively identifying your target is how decoys or hens or people get shot. I'm ALWAYS 100% sure I'm shooting a male turkey. Fortunately, male turkeys have beards. So if I know I'm shooting a male turkey I'm confident enough that he has a beard. I'm batting .1000. As noted, if one day I shoot a gobbler standing in waddle-tall cover and he's a 1/1,000,000 oddball without a beard, I'll handle it the right way, self report it, deal with whatever comes of it (probably nothing), and I'll shoot the next gobbler that comes in like that.

 

[megalomaniac]

Gotta be WAY more careful in MS than in TN 99% of the time, as MS has a no jake rule.

An adult (legal) bird is defined as a male bird with either a 6"plus beard, OR a male bird with a full fan. I had to pass on a couple males that hung up at 25 yards with heads periscoped up over the ridge I was just over earlier this year. I'm 100% sure they were males, but was no where near 100% sure they were adults. But it's ok by me for the turkeys to win a few matches (as long as I get to win some, too )

 

[woodsman04]

I like Alabama's rule. Gobblers only. Be sure of your target is the main thing, and what's around or beyond it.
If a gobbler pokes his head Over the ridge or log i shoot him. Lucky enough I've never killed a non bearded one but if I do I'll live with it.
Decoys are dangerous. Lots of idiots that shoot at whatever, and some idiots use rifles and not shotguns.


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[Southern Sportsman]

Gotta be WAY more careful in MS than in TN 99% of the time, as MS has a no jake rule.

An adult (legal) bird is defined as a male bird with either a 6"plus beard, OR a male bird with a full fan. I had to pass on a couple males that hung up at 25 yards with heads periscoped up over the ridge I was just over earlier this year. I'm 100% sure they were males, but was no where near 100% sure they were adults. But it's ok by me for the turkeys to win a few matches (as long as I get to win some, too )

That's a good distinction to point out. I dont want to shoot a jake, but knowing that if I do all it cost me is a
is a tag and a lot of trash talk from my buddies makes it reasonable to shoot one if I'm convinced, but not 100% certain, that it's a gobbler. If jakes weren't legal, I'd need to see a fan or a wing covert or a beard or a spur.

 

[REN]

some good points are made and I dont disagree with some of them. I am just very anti jake personally, not so much that others should not shoot them but I really dont want to shoot one. So for me just seeing a red head over a hill is not enough for me and I would 100% miss the opportunity to take the shot if I am not certain it is an adult male. I would much rather hunt another day then walk up on a jake I thought was a tom, but again thats just my own opinion.

I still find it odd to not full be able to identify your target prior to shooting. There can be a hen or another tom right behind them you dont see yet and when you shoot they happen to put there head up at the same time and you end up with 2 dead birds. IDK I just find it a big risk when the alternative is just to pass on the shot and take the chance to walk out empty handed.

 

[AT Hiker]

....

I still find it odd to not full be able to identify your target prior to shooting. There can be a hen or another tom right behind them you dont see yet and when you shoot they happen to put there head up at the same time and you end up with 2 dead birds. IDK I just find it a big risk when the alternative is just to pass on the shot and take the chance to walk out empty handed.

Sorta falls into that kill at all cost mentality.

For me, it seems like for every turkey I kill I've given at least one a pass. If things don't line up I'm ok with letting one go.


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[Shooter77]

....

I still find it odd to not full be able to identify your target prior to shooting. There can be a hen or another tom right behind them you dont see yet and when you shoot they happen to put there head up at the same time and you end up with 2 dead birds. IDK I just find it a big risk when the alternative is just to pass on the shot and take the chance to walk out empty handed.

Sorta falls into that kill at all cost mentality.

For me, it seems like for every turkey I kill I've given at least one a pass. If things don't line up I'm ok with letting one go.


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WE have all these internet starts that have to make a show now. Much like Noel Feathers and some of the big time deer hunters from years back that would do about anything to kill deer (big deer especially) to have video footage to make sponsors happy. I remember old cross eyed STan Potts had a monster buck walk up in the brush on one of the HS videos from early 2000s. He was off to the left in another tree from the camera guy. i was like, no way he's going to shoot that deer just from the angle of the camera. Shoots it in the white throat patch and runs off with over half the arrow sticking out. Goes all emotional like he does in the tree then says "I had to take that shot, he was getting ready to turn around". Just kept saying "had to take that shot". No Stan you do not have to take any shot. You could just let him walk. That crap is why i stopped watching Outdoor Channel and other big name hunting shows. I'm about to that point with youtube shows now.

 

[TheLBLman]

....

I still find it odd to not full be able to identify your target prior to shooting. There can be a hen or another tom right behind them you dont see yet and when you shoot they happen to put there head up at the same time and you end up with 2 dead birds. IDK I just find it a big risk when the alternative is just to pass on the shot and take the chance to walk out empty handed.

Sorta falls into that kill at all cost mentality.

If things don't line up I'm ok with letting one go.

WE have all these internet starts that have to make a show now.
Much like Noel Feathers and some of the big time deer hunters from years back that would do about anything to kill deer (big deer especially) to have video footage to make sponsors happy. . . . . . . . That crap is why i stopped watching Outdoor Channel and other big name hunting shows.
I'm about to that point with youtube shows now.

Great posts. Agree.

Another thing disturbing is watching someone on video take a shot at an obviously distant bird, without using a rangefinder to know that distance.
They shoot, the bird flies or runs away, then they walk away saying,
"Must of been further than I thought, oh well."

MANY of these birds simply die (a few days later) from a single pellet to the gut.
That's all it takes.

Also, with both deer & turkey, even superficial non-lethal wounds ("nicks") often result in death just because they produce blood. Coyotes, bobcats, and dogs have very keen noises, and when they get a whiff of blood, they will pursue, pursue, dog, pursue, dog, until they often just wear down, catch, and kill a turkey or deer that would have otherwise survived a superficial wound.

 

[TheLBLman]

Decoys are dangerous.
Lots of idiots that shoot at whatever, and some idiots use rifles and not shotguns.

Good point about the rifles, as poachers often don't limit themselves to just shotguns.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but those using decoys may actually have greater risk hunting private property rather than public, because there is more chance of someone poaching with a rifle outside a WMA. There just less chance someone is going to be driving around within a big WMA with a rifle in their truck, but it happens more on county roads.

Those using decoys would be very wise to never set up within few of a county road, even if over 200 yards away for that road.