Legal or not?

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wgmac

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I know you can't use any turkey calls on wma land before opening day. I hunt around lakes. So if I'm on the water am I legally able to call?
 
The only law I know of is the not allowed to call on a WMA prior to season..... this is to keep from "education" birds before season starts.

As for calling from water, that's your business as long as your not on a wma property, but I wouldn't until season gets here.... just my honest opinion.
 
The WMA law says no calling (any imitation of turkey sounds) on WMAs from march 1st until opening day. Not sure if the water applies to that if it's a main lake.
 
If I was trying to locate birds right now I would just get there while they are still on the roost. They will most likely gobble once or twice before fly down. That's all you should need for now. You don't want to educate them before the season that will only make the hunting harder on you.
 
If you're calling at birds on the wma from the lake I believe that is illegal, just like you can't shoot a wma bird from the lake unless its an open hunt. You dang sure cant access chuck swan by water even if drawn
 
callemquacktn said:
You don't want to educate them before the season that will only make the hunting harder on [color:#FF0000]you[/color].
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So very true. May make you FEEL better for a moment, just to hear them respond, but you're sabotaging your own opportunity imo.
 
If your on water trying to locate a gobbler... try using a goose call.... I have seen several turkeys gobble as geese were flying over....
 
No one owns the water. Basically it's the same as you calling from your back yard, that buts up to WMA. 100% ok to do.. Be Bout like a neighbor sayin you can't call at the birds on his property from your property..,
 
Wes Parrish said:
callemquacktn said:
You don't want to educate them before the season that will only make the hunting harder on [color:#FF0000]you[/color].
Click to expand...
So very true. May make you FEEL better for a moment, just to hear them respond, but you're sabotaging your own opportunity imo.
Click to expand...

Owl hoot or crow call, don't tech the bird anything
 
Last year I went out in the evenings and called from the water to locate roost and it paid off pretty good. But that was during the season. And I only call once or twice per spot. In the morning an owl call worked good but not in the evenings so much.
 
if I were you and was dead set on trying to get some what of a pattern. I would go early in the mornings when they are still on roost leave all the calls at the house and just listen. they are going to gobble on the limb I would go a few days leading up to when you plan to hunt and just listen they will tell on themselves without any calling. I personally wouldn't call to them your just educating more already educated birds on public land. I think you may hurt yourself more then help. I may be wrong but that's just me. plus it kinda seems to me that it Is most likely illegal. no sense in risking it. but that's just me.
 
On many of the COE lakes, and I assume that's the lake in question based on your location, the water and associated land are considered WMAs. Old Hickory WMA, for example, has waterfowl refuges and waterfowl draw blinds on the lake. The WMA is not just limited to the land itself. So, if I were a wildlife officer patrolling the lake checking fishermen and heard you calling to birds, I am pretty sure I could make a case stick.

Why don't you ask this in the TWRA Questions thread instead of asking a bunch of turkey hunters? You'll get an answer there that you can take to the bank.
 
BHC said:
No one owns the water. Basically it's the same as you calling from your back yard, that buts up to WMA. 100% ok to do.. Be Bout like a neighbor sayin you can't call at the birds on his property from your property..,
Click to expand...

Incorrect. Some WMAs include the water in their boundaries.
 

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