Turkey hunting etiquette 101

[Bowguy]

Your mentor was a good man. If he's still around thank him. Either way take a kid or kids out n you pass it down

[Cutt]

I agree with all 3, although #3 would never work on PA Gamelands where I hunt, because all birds are hunted one time or another by someone in a Season. And if a hunter knows or finds out about a bird, he'll hunt it regardless. I honestly couldn't amagine hunting around here, but would love to see where hunters abide by all 3 rules. Heck they don't even abide here to your basic #1, and #2 rules. Been stomped on many of times with hunters viaolating #1 and 2, the majority here just don't care, or care to know whats proper.

[Sampsta]

common sense and courtesy work for me.....3 years ago my sons first Maine turkey hunt. On youth day...guy came in all alone and busted the birds we were working...

by the way...he didnt have a kid with him that day

[darron]

Around me when someone hears a bird gobbling property lines go out the window. I hunt a lot of permission properties, but I also own a 110 acre farm that I manage for turkeys/deer. It amazes me how people can walk past a no trespassing sign. I have my entire property posted every 50 yards, both road frontage and non-road frontage. It has gotten better, but years ago it was bad. 

[Blong]

common sense and courtesy work for me.....3 years ago my sons first Maine turkey hunt. On youth day...guy came in all alone and busted the birds we were working...

by the way...he didnt have a kid with him that day

That is very sad, I hope I don't know anyone that would do that.

[contagious]

Are you saying that you used to use it but not so much anymore because others have no respect?

No , you assumed the wrong end of that deal,I'm one of the nicest people you will ever met. Rasied in the South to be a TRUE gentleman in all walks of life.!!!! But there is no shortage of rude in the world.!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Blong]

 

Are you saying that you used to use it but not so much anymore because others have no respect?

No , you assumed the wrong end of that deal,I'm one of the nicest people you will ever met. Rasied in the South to be a TRUE gentleman in all walks of life.!!!! But there is no shortage of rude in the world.!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gotcha, I just read it wrong. Yep, most over the age of 30 down here are very courteous.

[fldoghunter]

I agree you should never cut someone off and have left PLENTY of birds that had a truck parked near them or could hear someone calling. That being said, I think sometime when people think they were cut off, the other guy was there first and the other hunter just didn't know it. Last year, on opening weekend on some hard hunted public land, I got in early(as I always do). The woods were wet and roads were pretty bad. I didn't hear another truck come in, owl hooting, calling, or anything that would make me think anyone else was in the area. I heard a gobbler on the roost and went to him, as I always do. I had to wait till he flew down to get as close as I like to. He was roosted tward the other side of a big swamp, about 300 yards wide. I knew he would fly down the other way, so I waited untill he flew down and worked my way closer. He was gobbling his head off on a little ridge about 50 yards from the edge of the water, but behind heavy palmettos. I sat down as soon as my butt wouldn't get wet and called him back around the palmettos into the pond, and shot him. On the way out, I still didn't see anyone else.

The next day, back in the same area, I talked to a guy who said he was in there the day before,"working a bird" about 400 yards from him, when someone cut him off and killed the bird. It was me.  He was mad, and to avoid a confrontation, I didn't say anything. I don't feel bad. I'm not changing the way I hunt. It's been working for a long time. I'm sure it will happen again. I have been on both sides of it, and will be again. I don't get mad, and I try not to make anybody mad, but sometimes it's unavoidable on crowded public land.

[Blong]

I agree you should never cut someone off and have left PLENTY of birds that had a truck parked near them or could hear someone calling. That being said, I think sometime when people think they were cut off, the other guy was there first and the other hunter just didn't know it. Last year, on opening weekend on some hard hunted public land, I got in early(as I always do). The woods were wet and roads were pretty bad. I didn't hear another truck come in, owl hooting, calling, or anything that would make me think anyone else was in the area. I heard a gobbler on the roost and went to him, as I always do. I had to wait till he flew down to get as close as I like to. He was roosted tward the other side of a big swamp, about 300 yards wide. I knew he would fly down the other way, so I waited untill he flew down and worked my way closer. He was gobbling his head off on a little ridge about 50 yards from the edge of the water, but behind heavy palmettos. I sat down as soon as my butt wouldn't get wet and called him back around the palmettos into the pond, and shot him. On the way out, I still didn't see anyone else.

The next day, back in the same area, I talked to a guy who said he was in there the day before,"working a bird" about 400 yards from him, when someone cut him off and killed the bird. It was me.  He was mad, and to avoid a confrontation, I didn't say anything. I don't feel bad. I'm not changing the way I hunt. It's been working for a long time. I'm sure it will happen again. I have been on both sides of it, and will be again. I don't get mad, and I try not to make anybody mad, but sometimes it's unavoidable on crowded public land.

I agree. When people say that someone got between them and never called is probably wrong most of the time to. When me and a friend split up on a tom to try and keep the ole flank from happening, we rarely hear each other call. If your doing it right, your sound doesnt carry far to the human ear.