80 yard turkey kill with video

[bghunter777]

I have never hunted turkeys out of a blind but that was not what came to mind when I watched this it was the distance at which that turkey was shot being unethical. I was fortunate enough to kill a bird this past wednesday that weighed 26lbs when you look at a bird that big you quickly realize shots of 80 yards are very rarely going to kill that bird.

[Bill Cooksey]

Putting aside the yardage issue (along with others), that video was an exceptional crash course on how to get a turkey to hang up outside viable shotgun range. Go back and count how many times it appears the turkey/s is ready to break and come in, but the hunter does something to stop the bird's momentum.

[GhostGobbler]

I think we have an ethical duty to downvote this video into oblivion...

[pappy]

We all hunt and take pride in our skills and the hard work that we put into harvesting whatever animal we are after because we RESPECT the animal and its keen survival skills. If you choose to hunt an animal you should want to take it out cleanly and quickly whether it's a deer,turkey or whatever. Dude stomping on the birds head was to me disrespectful for the life he just took. MHO

I have to agree ... it is a game of respect, for the hunter and the hunted. If this guy wants to take shots like this then go to Sniper school and go to war.

[MACHINIST]

I don't care for either, the 80 yard shot or the gunning from a blind. Move all around bird can't see ya and shoot, what an unfair advantage.

The 80 yard shot is dumber than a box of rocks,but whats so bad about gunning from a blind?

It just ain't for everybody .

I started back in the early 90 's and always plopped my butt in front of a tree. That's how turkey hunting has been done for years..with the new pop up blinds it takes away his keenest sense. His eyes. Just an unfair (but legal) advantage. I won't knock anybody for using one but i like my way better.

I'd much rather see someone hunting from a blind than hunting over a corn pile. Well hunting and corn pile don't really go together. let's say "waiting" over a Corn pile

I don't use a blind either unless its raining like mad or I have a youth hunter.In fact I hate lugging them in and out of the woods.

[surehuntsalot]

momma always told me if I didn't have anything nice to say, I should keep my mouth shut.
my lips are sealed
idiots, nothing but idiots   sorry I couldn't keep quite

[Cutt]

The 80 yard shot is dumber than a box of rocks,but whats so bad about gunning from a blind?

Personal preference I guess? To me part of the challenge and also a part of turkey hunting I really enjoy, is trying to make the right moves to get the shot off, just sitting against a tree. Sure I booger a hunt here and there, but I'm not going to sit in a blind to increase my success rate, because I'd be missing one of the most enjoyable parts of turkey hunting.

[Boydawg]

No wonder that gobbler wouldn't come closer, Jerry Reed is a terrible caller.   

[g8rvet]

Couple of thoughts.

I too counted the steps and got 40+.  Did that on the first watch and do that when watching most any turkey video.

Did it seem to anyone else (I only watched it once) that he jammed two shells into the gun when he stopped there?  Sure seemed like he racked on in and fished one out of his pocket for #2?  Hmmmmmm

Is this ethical? 

[g8rvet]

What about this? 

[g8rvet]

Is it unethical to build a little brush blind on the day of or before the hunt?  What about a good brush blind? (natural vegetation-palmettos, cut limbs, deadfalls, etc).  How about setting up in a row of brambles and vines and cutting out a shooting window?  Kind of like a natural pop-up. 

For the record, I do not care about anyone's answer, I am just curious. 

How does anyone feel about sitting in a deer stand (box) and killing a turkey with a rifle? (where legal).  I had a friend who's dad has MS and he shook pretty bad, but loved turkey meat and loved being out in the spring, so he would shoot them with a rifle. 

[Spitten and drummen]

80 yards. what do you even say to that kind of garbage. its not about the challenge to many in this day and time. many don't want to work for what they get. its instant gratification. long ago turkey hunters were kind of like a special breed. they took pride in fooling a bird and taking a good clean shot at a close distance. it was never about the number of birds that they killed , but it was about how they won the game with the bird one on one on his terms. everyday society has spilled over into this great sport. I do think a lot has to do with internet couch turkey hunters and tv showing all the garbage exploiting hunting. once we started going in this direction , we will never be going back. its sad , but im afraid its is what it is. the old school ways of turkey hunting are steadly dying. as for me , I will continue to stay as old school as I can. I will continue to use the best equipment I can , but my methods will stay in place.

[g8rvet]

Nah spit, there have always been turkey shooters and there will always be ethical sportsman.  The turkey shooters now have a platform (social media) to spread the disease, but my son and 2 nephews do it the right way and respect the bird.  None of them would dream of taking an 80 yard shot. 

[Spitten and drummen]

Is it unethical to build a little brush blind on the day of or before the hunt?  What about a good brush blind? (natural vegetation-palmettos, cut limbs, deadfalls, etc).  How about setting up in a row of brambles and vines and cutting out a shooting window?  Kind of like a natural pop-up. 

For the record, I do not care about anyone's answer, I am just curious. 

How does anyone feel about sitting in a deer stand (box) and killing a turkey with a rifle? (where legal).  I had a friend who's dad has MS and he shook pretty bad, but loved turkey meat and loved being out in the spring, so he would shoot them with a rifle. I do not think hunting from a blind is un ethical at all. old timers even use to use blinds that were made from natural surroundings. a 80 yard shot with a shotgun , I personally do find un ethical. as far as loving turkey meat , the stores around here sale turkey all day every day. if you choose to shoot one with a rifle and it is legal then its none of my business. I don't have to like it and can voice my opinion. if you like being in the spring woods and enjoying it , that's great , do so. but I just cant see using I love turkey meat as a excuse to shoot one with a rifle doesn't make any sense to me. but then again , just my opinion.

[GobbleNut]

Blind or no blind, the only real question I see here is whether or not any hunter should be taking an eighty yard shot at a turkey with a shotgun.  Is there any shotgun/load combination that, combined with a hunters ability to hold a steady aim on a gobbler's head at that range, will consistently, time after time, kill a turkey cleanly at that range? 

How many times had that hunter patterned his gun with a turkey load at eighty yards?  If he had (which I seriously doubt), how many of those patterning shots would have resulted in enough pellets in the head/neck area to assure a clean kill on a live bird,...once again, time after time? 

Frankly, I doubt that he ever had.  My guess is that he had no idea if he could cleanly kill that turkey at that range.  Simply put, it was a poor decision to shoot and he is just very fortunate that the gobbler did not run off crippled.

Perhaps most importantly, how many hunters will see that video and decide to try an eighty yard shot for themselves?  ....And how many gobblers will run off into the woods crippled to die a slow, painful death because of it?