Would you shoot?

[Setterman]

Catmans video brought up something I'm curious to see how others would handle. Be honest with us and yourself with the following question.

If you called a bird in on a property line and he was barely over the line, yet you're sitting on property you're allowed to hunt. Do you kill him?

For me, and this is hard to answer as it's not really a reality for me anymore because of the places I hunt, but if he's a mere few yards across the boundary he's probably dead. I have no doubt I'll catch hell for this answer but I'm just being honest. I'm not one to cross property lines and seek out a bird, but in this scenario I'd probably take him out.

I try to always go about my time in the woods with high ethics and standards, but I'm not sure I could restrain

I know if someone was hunting property neighboring mine and had this scenario I'd be okay and understand if they took the shot.

How about you, and be truthful

 

[Bgoodman30]

In my spot lately with numbers down it seems like I'm always hunting the neighbors turkeys. If you setup off of their line they will usually come across if the want it bad enough. I have killed a bunch that came through fences and gates but they have also cost me a ton of birds. No I wouldn't shoot across..


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[Boll Weevil]

One boundary on my farm per the survey and deed, is "the center line of the creek channel" that runs up a big beautiful hardwood bottom. Birds roost in the gigantic oaks and poplars along each side and never can tell on any given morning which way they'll pitch down. I can't count the times I've had to sit and watch birds within gun range but across that line.

Just won't do it out of respect for my neighbors (all of whom I know).

 

[TennSportsman]

Chalk up a win for the bird in this situation. Sometimes birds will tend to hang up at 20 yards. If it was me, I'd sit 30 more yards away from where you're sitting on your property if you can so one will cover that hang up difference in distance. Of course, it depends on how the land is laid out.

 

[Daniel90]

So you have a problem with "reaping " and the use of decoys (which is totally legal). However you don't have a problem with shooting over a boundary line (which is totally illegal). That's a little hypocritical in my opinion.

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[TheLBLman]

Integrity is being honest when you don't have to,
like no one would know, but you yourself.
No, I would not shoot that bird (on the other side of the line).
I see it as stealing.

Chalk up a win for the bird in this situation.

x 2

Personally, I avoid finding myself in that situation because I'll typically hunt just far enough from a property line that the turkey or deer has to cross it to be within range.

IMO, most who sit themselves up right on a property line,
have no problem poaching a deer or turkey on the other side,
especially when one finds a ladder stand on a line facing into the side they can't legally hunt.
I do realize there are many exceptional individuals to "most",
but for those who typically sit up on property lines, others will sometimes wonder why.

Do know every situation is different,
and it's hard not to hunt nearer property lines on smaller properties,
but I've never understood why some will typically hunt right on a property line
when they're hunting a very large parcel.

 

[Setterman]

So you have a problem with "reaping " and the use of decoys (which is totally legal). However you don't have a problem with shooting over a boundary line (which is totally illegal). That's a little hypocritical in my opinion.

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Haha, found your chance to take a shot at me?

I've got no idea as it's not a situation I'll probably ever face. I was just wondering out loud and can't say for sure what I'd do in that situation since it's not one I'll ever deal with.

I'd like to think that if I was forced to hunt tracts that had borders I was near, I wouldn't ever be close enough for it to be an issue. I don't put deer stands where I can neighboring property, so why would I push the envelope with turkeys.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Personally, I avoid finding myself in that situation because I'll typically hunt just far enough from a property line that the turkey or deer has to cross it to be within range.

This...and I do it purposefully. I back off the line in that area so the potential for any sort of temptation is diminished.

 

[JAY B]

Catmans video brought up something I'm curious to see how others would handle. Be honest with us and yourself with the following question.

If you called a bird in on a property line and he was barely over the line, yet you're sitting on property you're allowed to hunt. Do you kill him?

For me, and this is hard to answer as it's not really a reality for me anymore because of the places I hunt, but if he's a mere few yards across the boundary he's probably dead. I have no doubt I'll catch hell for this answer but I'm just being honest. I'm not one to cross property lines and seek out a bird, but in this scenario I'd probably take him out.

I try to always go about my time in the woods with high ethics and standards, but I'm not sure I could restrain

I know if someone was hunting property neighboring mine and had this scenario I'd be okay and understand if they took the shot.

How about you, and be truthful

I would do whatever it took to kill him legally!

 

[knightrider]

That's why I never get closer than 75 yards or so to the boundary lines, it keeps me honest and hopefully keeps someone from shooting me from across the line.

 

[TreyB]

It would be hard not to... being honest here though and it being 5 yards across. Yes I would. I know I will catch hell but I'm being honest.

 

[cowhunter71]

Like you, with the large areas of public ground I hunt, property lines have never been an issue, both here and back home. It would be a tough call no doubt though. Within a few yards I would probably kill 'em. Unlike most, I have a strict turkey hunting "code" I hunt by. This code saved one particular Gobbler's life this morning. I won't kill one unless he comes looking for me, preferably calling, but will count leaf scratching and water splashing as tools, especially on problem Gobblers. Been on one now 3 days that had gobbled decent on the limb the first day, but has since shut up. He's in another one of my spots that gets hammered. Got tight to where I expected him to be roosted today at daylight. He didn't gobble on the limb and I decided to reposition back a little further on the bench, scratching leaves with my feet as I went. Got settled in and was just fixin to let him know I was there when I heard leaves. Catch 'em 45 yards out creeping in slow while scanning hard.Got on his neck clean at 35, but still wasn't convinced he was "looking". 5 seconds of hesitation allowed him to begin skirting me left, as he now began clucking looking for me, never again offering me a shot as he drifted down and away. Made the decision to back out and try him again in the morning. After beating myself up all day about my desicion, I concluded that he was indeed "looking" for me the minute I had begun my reposition and was there for "a player"

 

[JAY B]

On the flip side , imagine the person that may be just out of the range of the bird on his/her property patiently waiting/hoping it may come into range and you shoot the bird while they are watching, what a mess that would be! Let him come!

 

[Poor redneck]

As a property owner I took the responsibility to know my neighbors. We drew our lines and live by them. I help them and they help me. I would not shoot without their blessing. After all, they are still going to be my neighbor and may need them one day.

 

[poorhunter]

I probably would. I wouldn't be upset at my neighbor if he did it either, especially if I had a gd relationship with him. If we didn't get along, then I probably wouldn't.

 

[Southern Sportsman]

I'd kill him, no doubt about it. Not necessiarily proud to admit it, but I know how it would end if I was in that situation. And if someone sitting on the other side shot across and killed one 3 yards over the line, I wouldn't think anything about it.

 

[Gravey]

I'd like to think I wouldn't shoot but not gonna lie...it would be hard to not break his neck at that moment. Property I hunt is over 800 acres and another right at 1400 so I have room to roam. I used to have access to one a mile down the road that was 40 acres and I intentionally stayed away from the lines if at all possible so I wasn't in that situation.

 

[AT Hiker]

Scenario A, public land...
I would do my absolute bet to stay off the boundary. Most likely I would not even shoot if the bird was slightly on public, for fear of it flopping over into private. I will say, each situation might be different but in general that's what I would do. Not shoot.

Scenario B, private...
My neighbors and I have a understanding that if a bird is within range it's ok, within reason, to shoot. Of course knowing if anyone is hunting is key and in which case I back off the line far enough that I cannot take a ethical shot anyways.

I'd just hate to shoot one, knowingly or unknowingly, on ground I did not have permission to be on. To loose my hunting privileges and pay a fine over a turkey just sounds ignorant to me.


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[catman529]

I will be honest here

Filming, no I wont shoot

Not filming, having a great season, won't shoot

Not filming, not having a good season, he is a dead bird.

I won't sit on the line and shoot into another property ever, that is wrong. But if I'm well into the property I can hunt, and the bird is only a few feet across, and I'm not worried about any video, dang bird ain't getting away.

I film virtually 100% of the time I hunt, so I doubt I will do it. I like to set a good example for those who watch the videos... don't want people following the example of shooting across property lines because someone they saw on youtube did it... I have killed a bird that was standing in a gap in the fence, right on the line, he flopped a few feet back onto the other property but I just grabbed him and went. There are much worse things you could do to someone's property than shoot a turkey standing right on the edge. I would not recommend it, but I wouldn't tell anyone not to do it either. It's your call to make...

 

[Goodtimekiller]

So you have a problem with "reaping " and the use of decoys (which is totally legal). However you don't have a problem with shooting over a boundary line (which is totally illegal). That's a little hypocritical in my opinion.

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I thought the same thing, without permission, it is illegal to shoot across a property boundary. I have not and would not shoot. I'd just put up a fan and bring him 20 yards closer!


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