Turkey hunting- Spirit and Ethics.

[gbrown001]

I have been fortunate enough to get out on 2 Turkey hunts the season. The first was on opening day. I live in the Lower Mainland, so I was looking for a hunting location that was reasonably close. I scouted my way east, checking out Rock Creek, Christian Valley, Grand Forks, Christina Lake, and Fruitvale. In each location, I found birds, but they were all on private land, or were already being watched by other hunters. I ended going on to a location I know and love near Salmo, and took a nice bird in the first 1/2 hour of legal light on the 15th opening. Two weeks later, I returned with a buddy, and called a bird in for him, again in the first 1/2 hour of daylight. So that was 2 trips 16+ hours of driving, over 200$ of gas each trip for about 5 min. of actual hunting each time. And totally worth it. Hearing the birds gobble to my calls, watching their big blue heads coming bobbing towards me as they came into range, making a good shot dispite the adrenaline shaking hands are all things I'll never forget. The questional incidences occured each time on the drive home.
The first instance occured while driving out of the area I got my bird. I ran into 2 guys buzzing around on Quads. Neither was in cammo, and the had rifle butts sticking out of the gun boots on their bikes. I assumed they were bear hunting, so stopped to tell them about a bear I'd seen earlier. I was supprised to find they were Turkey hunting, using their Rim fire .17 HMR's. Both guys boasted of shooting Tom's last year at over 80 yards. "The birds never even knew we were there!" They also mentioned that they had blasted 2 hens out of a tree in the fall during the any bird season. While I support anyone who wants to get out hunting, to me the spirit of turkey hunting is camoflaging yourself in the bush, and using calls to try to talk a bird into shotgun range. Rim-fires work, but to me, Turkeys arn't a species that should be road-hunted.
The second occurence was while returning from the second trip. We ran into an older gentelman on the side of the road, dressed in camo, and stopped to talk. He was Turkey hunting, and in the course of the conversation, he asked us if we had any spare batteries we could give or sell him, as the batteries in his call had died. I explained to him that electronic calls were illegal for hunting Turkeys, and even showed him the relevent sections in the hunting regs that said so. The hunters response was along the lines of "Wholesale Sports wouldn't sell the electronic calls if they were illegal, and since Wholesale Sports does sell them, they must be legal."
I made the effort to show him, and his 2 buddies that had joined him how easy it was to use a box and slate call, but they obviously wern't interested, and infact not so politely invited me to eff off. As I left the area, I looked for a truck to get a licence plate number for a report, but there was a number of trucks in the area, and no way to be sure which was theres.
Again good on them for getting out hunting in the Spring, but to insist on using the unethical electronic calls, despite clear evidence that they were in the wrong just annoys me.
I'm sure most of the turkey hunters in the Province are like me, and love hunting in all it's forms, but I'm just saddened to see some people miss the whole spirit and ethics of the sport.





http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff368/gordbrown001/turkeys2011x2056.jpg

[Ddog]

nice Tom,,,
but remember to each their own, some have ethics some do not. as long as it is legal to shoot turkeys with a rim fire i will do the same thing.

[TRACKnTRAIL]

I have a buddy that would not agree with how you are hunting these birds. He says anyone can call a bird in and shoot it with a shotgun. He will only use his bow. I personally like calling them in, but if it was the last day and a nice tom stands around long enough to shoot, he might just have to die. If its legal who am I to judge them.

[Gateholio]

Your opinions on "the spirit of turkey hunting" is just that- Your opinion. If you want to use a shotgun and wear camo, then that's your business. If some guys want to shot them from roads with rifles, that is their business. If everyone kept their noses out of the others business, the world would be a better place.

[huntwriter]

I have been fortunate enough to get out on 2 Turkey hunts the season. The first was on opening day. I live in the Lower Mainland, so I was looking for a hunting location that was reasonably close. I scouted my way east, checking out Rock Creek, Christian Valley, Grand Forks, Christina Lake, and Fruitvale. In each location, I found birds, but they were all on private land, or were already being watched by other hunters. I ended going on to a location I know and love near Salmo, and took a nice bird in the first 1/2 hour of legal light on the 15th opening. Two weeks later, I returned with a buddy, and called a bird in for him, again in the first 1/2 hour of daylight. So that was 2 trips 16+ hours of driving, over 200$ of gas each trip for about 5 min. of actual hunting each time. And totally worth it. Hearing the birds gobble to my calls, watching their big blue heads coming bobbing towards me as they came into range, making a good shot dispite the adrenaline shaking hands are all things I'll never forget. The questional incidences occured each time on the drive home.
The first instance occured while driving out of the area I got my bird. I ran into 2 guys buzzing around on Quads. Neither was in cammo, and the had rifle butts sticking out of the gun boots on their bikes. I assumed they were bear hunting, so stopped to tell them about a bear I'd seen earlier. I was supprised to find they were Turkey hunting, using their Rim fire .17 HMR's. Both guys boasted of shooting Tom's last year at over 80 yards. "The birds never even knew we were there!" They also mentioned that they had blasted 2 hens out of a tree in the fall during the any bird season. While I support anyone who wants to get out hunting, to me the spirit of turkey hunting is camoflaging yourself in the bush, and using calls to try to talk a bird into shotgun range. Rim-fires work, but to me, Turkeys arn't a species that should be road-hunted.
The second occurence was while returning from the second trip. We ran into an older gentelman on the side of the road, dressed in camo, and stopped to talk. He was Turkey hunting, and in the course of the conversation, he asked us if we had any spare batteries we could give or sell him, as the batteries in his call had died. I explained to him that electronic calls were illegal for hunting Turkeys, and even showed him the relevent sections in the hunting regs that said so. The hunters response was along the lines of "Wholesale Sports wouldn't sell the electronic calls if they were illegal, and since Wholesale Sports does sell them, they must be legal."
I made the effort to show him, and his 2 buddies that had joined him how easy it was to use a box and slate call, but they obviously wern't interested, and infact not so politely invited me to eff off. As I left the area, I looked for a truck to get a licence plate number for a report, but there was a number of trucks in the area, and no way to be sure which was theres.
Again good on them for getting out hunting in the Spring, but to insist on using the unethical electronic calls, despite clear evidence that they were in the wrong just annoys me.
I'm sure most of the turkey hunters in the Province are like me, and love hunting in all it's forms, but I'm just saddened to see some people miss the whole spirit and ethics of the sport.

I understand your frustration but it is not illegal to shoot birds with rifles in this province and there is no law that says you have to wear camouflage. Like you I think these hunters cheat themselves out of an experience and adrenalin rush, but that is their loss not yours. :) The same is true for shooting a turkey out of the roosting tree, it's not illegal. However, it is not smart to ruin the only predictable place (sanctuary) turkeys will return to every day.

While electronic calls are illegal, they are not unethical. In fact I would not be against it if electronic calls for all game species and waterfowl became legal. There is absolutely no advantage to the response of a turkey or duck compared to an electronic or traditional call. The only advantage is that the hunter does not have to learn how to call and that to me is neither unethical or unsportsmanlike. Calling is not a hunting strategy, it's a tactic that only will work in a well planed and executed overall hunting strategy. Ethics are not measured by the degree of difficulty it takes to kill an animal or how many hours, days and months it takes to become a good caller or shooter.

Having said all that, congratulations on a very fine looking tom and a great experience the hunters you encountered will never have.

[eastkoot]

Your opinions on "the spirit of turkey hunting" is just that- Your opinion. If you want to use a shotgun and wear camo, then that's your business. If some guys want to shot them from roads with rifles, that is their business. If everyone kept their noses out of the others business, the world would be a better place.


X2 Glad you had a successful hunt and enjoyed yourself. If you let what others are doing out there ruin your enjoyable experience, well, perhaps you shouldn't be out there. They won't get close if they are on quads and don't have camo and the rifle bullets well, they just bounce off a turkey anyway..

[goatdancer]

X2 Glad you had a successful hunt and enjoyed yourself. If you let what others are doing out there ruin your enjoyable experience, well, perhaps you shouldn't be out there. They won't get close if they are on quads and don't have camo and the rifle bullets well, they just bounce off a turkey anyway..


Maybe a regular rifle bullet might but these were magnums.........

[bluesman]

A lot of people seem to think ..if its legal...its ethical ...its safe.. They don't put alot of thought into what they are doing. If all you want to do is get a turkey...save your money and buy a butterball LOL. It is not all about getting....its about the process. I am sure alot of people will jump on this statement.
I am done arguing with the obtuse. You can write till your blue in the face and it won't make a difference. Good luck turkey hunting .

Hunt Close...regarless what weapon you use........its rewarding

good luck hunting

[KodiakHntr]

A lot of people seem to think ..if its legal...its ethical ...its safe.. They don't put alot of thought into what they are doing. If all you want to do is get a turkey...save your money and buy a butterball LOL. It is not all about getting....its about the process. I am sure alot of people will jump on this statement.
I am done arguing with the obtuse. You can write till your blue in the face and it won't make a difference. Good luck turkey hunting .

Hunt Close...regarless what weapon you use........its rewarding

good luck hunting

You might be done arguing with the obtuse, doesn't mean that all of us are......

Your reason to hunt turkey's, isn't my reason. Your methods and enjoyment is just that, YOURS.
Some people hunt for different reasons than yours. Some folks want to try a mountain grown turkey, not a pen raised bird. Some folks want to hunt with the equipment they have, and if that is legal, then more power to them.
If you want to get all 'Nam'd up, and sit with a shotgun and call a bird in, that's great. I will always support your right to do that. If you want to say that your way is the only way, and that everyone should do it your way, then all those guys out there that are doing it THEIR way, legally, are going to slap you down into the dirt.

The quicker you realize that your opinion, is simply YOUR opinion, the easier it is going to be on your here. Some folks here have opinions that they loudly voice, any time some subject matters come up, and people take offense at that. Just the way of the world.

If you want to dig up 5 year old threads to try and push your agenda, that's fine, but don't be surprised when someone else disagrees with you.

[BiG Boar]

hahaha, bluesman, crying the blues again. Best re hash I've seen in a while. I actually thought bluesman had changed his name. Maybe he's going to game warden school.