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If you are a meat hunter it really doesn't matter if it's ethical or not, just get it done. $30.00 for a turkey isn't a great deal though.
However, as other mentioned it might not be the easiest way to seat under the roost. If you know where they roost it's 80% of the hunt, most days they are not that difficult too call in so it could be a lot easier to seat a couple hundred yards from it, have a coffee and a smoke, uncase your gun at legal light and wait for them to come down.
I know of some people who would say it was not ethical to shoot a Tom they jumped on the way in, if they did not call it in then that was against their ethics.
I think that if you can cleanly kill the animal and do it safely and legally then you are fine, ethics are personal.
I was with my wife hunting a few years ago, jumped a turkey that flew, huge bird with a huge beard, if I was the one hunting and not my wife it would have been an easy wing shot, honestly, the head/neck area was a heck of a lot larger than a grouse, but she is still learning and that was a shot that was not a good one for her.
So GW, are you hearing any birds in the morning? I am up good an early and all I hear is my roosters lighting up, not a gobble at all, then again I have not seen a turkey in our area all winter.
There is hunting and then there is getting.... what kind of man are you depends on you ?
If a hunter is in legal light, and the tom or jake hasn't flown down yet, and a decent kill shot presents itself, then put the bird in the freezer.
Lots of guys go out every year and don't fill their tags, because they didn't even see a bird.
Same argument for guys who will pop grouse on the ground instead of on the wing.....enjoy the season, and harvest safely and ethically.
Do you use a shotgun? What kind of man are you depends on you?Quote:
Originally Posted by longpointer
As soon as a tom hits the ground he mates the hens, generally. I think the idea behind not shooting them on the roost was to give the tom a chance to mate the hens that day then after that he's fair game. There was also a concern that hunting pressure at the roost would bust up the roost making it harder for the mating process. They don't allow hunting after 7pm to give the birds a chance to get to the roost, I assume they're safer from predators if they get to roost together. Pressuring them off of the roost might reduce their reproduction??
They used to not allow hunting after noon because that would let the hens tour around safely as they did this during the afternoon, but yet they tour around all day, so that was moot.Quote:
Originally Posted by DanO
The 7pm is because they often roost before 7pm, so this would minimize shooting on the roost but if a bird were to be in a tree you can still shoot it.
If the MNR was concerned would they not make it a law.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DanO
Fall birds can be shot 1/2 half hour after sunset, birds in the roost for sure yet legal to hunt till dark (or just about dark). Makes me question the reason for the spring 7pm rule... Here lots of........... this and that.................... but would be nice to hear it from a science/biologist point of view. Anyway, if it's legal (shooting them in the trees) why should someone else care.
That’s one of those things you do if you need pictures for Facebook.
You can buy a nice turkey for $12.
It’s whatever floats your boat.