Grizzly Albert

No rifles or crossbows in Alabama. Legal methods are shotguns, centerfire & black powder handguns, and bows.

Other prohibitions are:
No turkey hunting from a tree stand with a firearm.
No turkey hunting with a dog. (I've never heard of a turkey dog)
No decoys during fall season (only six counties have fall season).

I like rifles and might hunt with one if it were legal.

BGHUNTER00

I myself shared the same opinion that I would never hunt a turkey with a rifle. However, on my first trip to the Black Hills in SD I continually had coyotes responding to my calls. The coyotes were too far out to shoot with a shotgun, but plenty close for my .223. So now I take my .223 or 22-250 with me every year and shoot coyotes and a turkey. I still call the turkey in within shotgun range most of the time when doing this so it has the same effect and challenge. I also hunt turkeys in the spring here in Indiana with a shotgun so I kinda get the best of both worlds.

On days when the turkeys are not responding to calls it's actually fun to spot and stalk turkeys in the Black Hills. The elevation out there is around 5000-6000 ft where we hunt so it is not an easy jaunt through the woods as it is in the Midwest. How is it any different than a spot and stalk hunt for deer or other big game? (it's usually more difficult)

hawglips

Its also fun to shoot targets. But it ain't turkey hunting. To me, its not about having fun, its about turkey hunting.

Hal

gobbler afflicted

Its leagal to hunt Wv in the spring with a rifle, but I strongly oppose it. Its is way to green in the woods to be shooting at a turkey with a rifle. Often times a hunter who is unaware of your presance will come in another direction on the same vocal gobbler, and then you have a recipe for disaster.

Ryan Campbell

Good lord there are some narrow minded people here. I notice that most of you that think it should be illegal to hunt turkeys with a rifle, hunt on public land. Which is fine. However, I hunt on private land and have killed tons of turkeys with a shotgun, with a bow and with a rifle.

Hunting Turkeys with a rifle is no different than hunting anything else with a rifle. You have to know your target and whats behind it, I dont buy that "not shooting turkeys on level ground" non-sense. If you are hunting where you have to worry that you could shoot someone, or be shot, you are hunting in the wrong area. I know accidents can happen to anyone but going hunting somewhere that might have other hunters that you dont know about isn't smart.

Also,dont give me that BS about the "challenge" of calling turkeys within range. While turkeys have great eyesight, they have got to be the dumbest animal I have ever hunted. I've shot into groups of a dozen or more, killing the one I shot and the others just stood there. I have stepped out of my blind and announced myself to the gobblers 50yds infront of me and they stood there for 30+ seconds before deciding to leave, then they only went about 25yds. With the right gun I could have killed all of them. I taught my daughter call turkeys when she was 6 yrs old and she called in 3 gobblers within 15 min using a Lynch box call. I shot one of them with a shotgun but it didn't make me a better hunter than if I'd used a rifle.

I think some folks here like to feel morally superior by telling other hunters what is real hunting and what isnt. If you dont like hunting turkeys with a rifle thats fine, dont do it, but dont tell me I'm wrong for doing it when it's legal.

Personally I think it's wrong to buy any hunting gear (or anything else for that matter) in wal-mart, which would apply to 90% of the people that post here, but thats just me.
Also, anyone that thinks that hunting turkey with a rifle isnt as challenging hasnt' tried to make a head shot on a gobbler.

Fullback24

I'm no different from anyone......you cannot tell me, that if you're setting up on a ridge, you see a strutting gobbler 100-150+ yards down through the woods, that you'll see the man in MOBU setting motionless 25-30 yards from the gobbler......Legal or not legal, I still think you're wrong if you're using rifles....I'm telling you, have a few bullets fired toward you, and you'll sing a different song....and besides that, if I were you, I wouldn't waste my time hunting something that I thought was dumb, because I'd look like a REAL idiot if I didn't come back with one.

I'm telling you and everybody else, I feel like I do for a reason......If you can head shoot gobblers at 400 yards, I'd be impressed with it......I don't see the challenge in it, I can hit a skoal can at that distance.......It's just dangerous, bottom line.

Imagine you and your daughter watching a gobbler and see dirt fly up a few yards from you...then hear the shot....gobbler's scrambling, trying to get away, more shots....not very comforting my friend, when you're in that spot.

ultimag

must be from texas

Ryan Campbell

Yes, I am from TX. And there's not going to be someone in a MOBU suit 20 or 30 yds from the gobbler because:
1. I'd laugh your ass off the ranch for hunting in something like that.
2. I dont hunt where someone else is going to be that close to me or me to them.

You have an entirely different frame of mind hunting wise. You hunt on public land or somewhere where there is even the possibility of somene in a mobu suit being in the same proximity.
I hunt on private land that I grew up on and know.
When you hunt on 5000+ acres of private land, (my brother hunts on a ranch that is 54,000 acres) you know who is on it, where they are and where you can shoot.
On our place, turkeys are an after thought anyway. More of a pest than anything else and shooting them with a rifle is no different than shooting a coyote.

Anyone making dirt fly up in front of my daughter on my land will be shot. No questions, no "hunting accident" , no "oh I didn't know you were there" because either they were trespassing or too stupid to be hunting in the first place, probably both.

Also, hitting a skoal can at 400yds is nice. I can do it too. 6 days of the week and twice sunday. However, skoal cans don't move when you are shooting at them.

What you think should be legal in your area is fine but don't presume to tell me, or any other private land owner, what we should shoot any animal with.

whitetailman1982

Ok. First things first. Its a Turkey, who cares what you shoot the stinkin little piles of feathers with. I have seen groups of anywhere from 30 to 50 turkeys come into a couple different stands that I have. If I were to hunt at any of those stands with a shot gun, the usual flock comes in, and I pick a gobbler out that I wanted to shoot. I would most likely have to wait hours for the other to move away from him so I could get a clean shot. Now with a rifle or bow, (becauseI'm good enough thatI can do this)I could pick that one particular gobbler out and make a good clean head shot in a reasonable amount of time. Just because a hunter uses a rifle doesn't mean that he plans on taking a 300 yard shot.I have killed a lot of turkeys in mylife,some with a shotgun, some with a bow, pistol, and rifles. To me it matters not what you shoot one with, because he is going to be just as dead either way,but thatthe hunter is good enough to call that gobbler into a reasonable range.This topic is as trivial as weather to use Trojan or Lifestyles condoms, they both work, so use what you like.

ktbearpaws

It's legal here in WV.
As a matter of fact, I bought a 22LR just for that this year.
I don't see anything unsporting about it at all!!!
What is easier, to call up a gobbler, and shoot him with a shotgun shell or shoot him in the headwith a single bullet.
Either way, you still have to get him in range and you still have to hit your mark.
And,I don't know about everyone else, but I went turkey hunting almost every morning of the season last year and I never got one bird in.
I am not the best, but, I don't think that Iam allthat bad of a caller.
I just think, "thats the way it goes" sometimes.
When Icall, I want to use a call that gets them to come in.
When I go trout fishin, I use a bait that the fish are biting, not bait that they are not bitin.
Just using what it takes to get the job done!!!
Besides, If it was all that easy I don't think the DNRmake it legal.
Just my thoughts