Deer Lease and Turkey Hunters

[Mesquite Archer]

In My Opinion, it is not ethical. Each person has their own opinion. IMO it is not ethical because of meat loss and shooting them with a high caliber rifle. What is left after you shoot a turkey with a 30-06?

Choot'em thru the eye. You ain't eating their eyes are you?

[quackadikt]

Curious to see if anyone is on a lease that has rules surrounding turkey hunters. Our lease has 10 members, when I joined I was the only person that hunted turkeys in the spring so I thought I struck a gold mine. Fast forward to this year and everyone wants to shoot them with a deer rifle while "hog hunting". I know it is 100% legal, just not ethical IMO nor fair to the others that want to chase them in the traditional method. I'm hoping the "interest" in turkeys is due to them wanting to get out of the house, but who knows.

So does anyone's lease have rules that involve turkey hunting other than abide by state laws?

I think you need a like-minded lease mate

[jerp]

I would put shooting doves out of the tree, and shooting turkeys out of the truck window in the same bucket.
I've done both, but its certainly taking the easy way out...

We have had really poor turkey hatches on our Shackelford Co place the last couple years. Can't figure out why - we should be a turkey paradise - but we don't have a huntable population this year

Maybe the deer stomped on all the eggs

We are not far from you - just east of Moran and are seeing - or not seeing the same thing. I can't imagine better turkey habitat but birds are few and far between the last couple of years.

[hunt247]

Certainly not my favored way to hunt them but I wouldn't consider it unethical. A lazy cheater's way to hunt them maybe. I will plead guilty to killing one with a rifle - I could not get a big tom away from his harem of hens so I sniped him in the head with a .22 mag from 75 yards.

That is illegal. Can only use center fire.

[SmTx]

That is illegal. Can only use center fire.

Now we got a thread.

Is it ethical to make comments about legalities when you don't know the law or nah?

[hunt247]

Now we got a thread.

Is it ethical to make comments about legalities when you don't know the law or nah?

That is correct about the center fire only right?

[SmTx]

That is correct about the center fire only right?

Nope. Heck you can shoot a turkey with an air gun

[ClayW]

That is correct about the center fire only right?

Wrong

[Passthrough]

Man I love it when people comment without knowing W T H they are talking about...lol
Seems to happen a lot on here!

[Smart]

I don't think ethics is a question considering its legal, but I think folks are missing out on a fun hunt doing it that way versus the traditional ways of calling and/or over decoys. But if its legal its legal. No problems with it but I'm not doing it.


I've seen folks neck or head shoot and not loose any meat.

Good grief!! * not LOSE any meat!!

[boy wonder]

Good grief!! * not LOSE any meat!!

Maybe he meant "didn't knock any meat lose"

[Hockley]

I think you need a like-minded lease mate

I agree, but as you know it’s hard enough to find a lease much less one with “like minded” hunters.

Good points made on other comments. I’ll keep my mouth shut and enjoy the woods.

[SV72]

I get what you are saying. I wouldn’t hunt them with a rifle anymore either, but it is legal so you really just have to go with the flow on this one. Right now, i’d Just like to say I heard a gobble

[S-3 Ranch]

Just go out and enjoy the woods. Don’t let it worry you what others are doing or how they are doing it.

This 100% , if it’s legal and not against the rules I am ok with it
I am not interested in debating ethics, is rifle hunting less ethical then bow hunting? Is using a Xbow lesser than using a compound ?
A compound vs a recurve?

[Drycreek3189]

In My Opinion, it is not ethical. Each person has their own opinion. IMO it is not ethical because of meat loss and shooting them with a high caliber rifle. What is left after you shoot a turkey with a 30-06?

If you can hit where you aim and you know where to aim you will destroy no breast whatsoever. I’ve killed many a hen to eat in the fall with never any waste. I never considered it unethical, maybe the turkey did though.