ek_buckmaster

Im going to have to say that rifle hunting turkeys shouldn't be allowed. First of all it takes away half of the challenge. In my opinion, i have more fun going out and attempting to call a bird in and see how close i can get it. Also its way more dangerous with a rilfe. The point Adrian was making with the gentleman being shot was the fact that the person thought the decoys were real, failed to check the surrounding area, and ended up killing an innocent man. At 100+ yards, even looking through a scope, it is hard to see what is behind the animal. Chances are if your about to take the shot, your not going to be checking every inch of the background for someone who is in full camo trying to be out of sight from everything. And even if you do check the entire background you may make a mistake and overlook someone in the background. IMHO one person getting shot and killed is one too many. In the case of the 6 people being shot in Texas, thats 6 families that are now without their loved ones. I dont care how many tags were sold, 6 people is too much. Rifle hunting turkeys and shooting birds off the roost is not for me.

ek_buckmaster

Also i would like to add that in the link that npaden has provided gives another example of why rifles shouldn't be allowed. Take a look at it and i think you will see what i mean. It is near the bottom of the document.

huntnteen

What is the difference between rifle hunting a turkey and rifle hunting a deer? To me the only difference is that it is harder to mistake a person for a turkey then a deer...

And how is saying that someone doing something that is illegal is the reason for something unrelated to be banned? Rifle hunting geese is illegal because your shooting into the air 9/10 times. Rifle hunting turkey would have a similar rule (dont shoot a bird in the air with a rifle).

Personally, if i could i would rifle hunt turkeys, As would my dad. A rifle only gives someone who uses it and is accurate with it a better chance. At 100 yards, on a bobbing head, i doubt half of you would be able to hit the bird, so your just saying you want to take the easier route, by getting the bird in closer and shooting it with a shotgun, which gives a margin of error.



And, by the way, I love how someone asking a legitimate question about different state laws instantly gets torn into. Shouldnt you all who hate people who hunt differently just form your own quasi-PETA forum? Because all you are doing is showing that hunters are not even united amongst themselves, remember all "united we stand, divided we fall" does not just apply to the nation

huntnteen

Oh, and here in Cali it is illegal to shoot them with a rifle

MO-KS_hunter

IMO, hunting turkey's with a rifle is a bad idea. As previously mentioned, it takes away from the challenge of getting them close unless the hunter plans on shooting them in the head (which would be much more challenging than hunting with a shotgun). More importantly, the combination of public land, high-powered rifles and well camoflauged hunters sitting yards away from very realistic decoys is a recipe for disaster. The only way to make turkey hunting safe with a rifle would be to require hunters to wear orange and not allow decoys, exactly like deer hunting. That would ruin turkey hunting for most people that do it and will (thankfully) never happen for most states. That being said, I might go for hunting turkey's with a rifle during the fall deer season with the hunter orange and no decoy rule in place.

I think most of you missed Adrian's point of his post; he was pointing out the danger of mixing high-powered rifles and hunters in close proximity with decoys. It just happened to be a poacher shooting at (what he thought) was a goose and a well camoflauged hunter who was close to the decoy was tragically killed. I can imagine a similar scenerio in Turkey hunting if rifle hunting was allowed with decoys and camoflauge with everyone being on the right side of the law.

Hurricanespg

I understand Adrian's point. I was trying to point out the lunacy of him saying someone doing something illegally was the reason we should not be able to use rifles during turkey season.

For everyone that is saying it is so much more dangerous using rifles during turkey season I would like you to back it up with facts. Compare the number of deaths by shooting in the states that dont allow rifle seasons to deaths by shooting in states that do allow rifles during turkey season...might be interesting...might not.

ek_buckmaster

I don't exactly know the facts but in my opinion it just takes a away from the fun of getting a bird in close. Also, requiring hunters to wear orange will basically force people, such as bowhunters, to use a rifle. I think it would be almost impossible to get a bird within bow range while wearing orange.

turkey guide

Huntnteen gets it! Good! finally informed discussion on a sport that exists whether anyone knew it or not. Turkey hunting with rifles should be safer than deer hunting with rifles, simply because a man in blaze orange is much more visible and harder to mistake for a turkey than a deer. Even if you are totally color blind, the size difference should give you a hint. As for the Guy being shot from a tree while wearing blaze orange, it was deer season, in Missori I believe, and we're just talking about an idiot in low light conditions trying to shoot a turkey. He was breaking many laws, and thats why that accident happened. Anyway thanks to those who actually provided info without slamming a sport that exists. And to those who wouldn't make the change if it were offered, no problem, stick with what you like, just don't knock what others want. I like the challenges of turkey hunting too, thats what I do, but I'm open minded enough to try new things within the law. Another thought is this, not everyone who hunts, hunts for challenge, or sport or a trophy for their wall. Their is still a much larger segment of folks than most would believe, who hunt for survival, and are not playing games. I think we need to get to know those people and how they live, want to understant the survival hunting our ancestors did and especially how it works in the 21st century.

Hurricanespg

If you are referencing the story I put out there it actually was during turkey season in Florida, and yes the idiot broke many laws, and I do not understand how you can mistake a person for a turkey. Just goes to show bad decisions are made no matter what type of weapon a person may have.

ek_buckmaster

I would like to apologize for not staying on the subject for the situation and for possibly offending anyone with my previous posts. Its just how i felt on the situation and i dont think its much of a challenge to use a rifle while hunting.
I just read a post under the Big Game Forum, its at the top ofthe page about how hunters should stick together, even if we wouldn't agree with a certain practice(ie. turkey hunting with a rifle) and it really changed my thoughts. So, once again i'd like to apologize for my remarks that i have recently posted.