Would you be angry?!
 

Hey guys and gals,
Sunday was my second day of season (and first to hunt). Well, sunday afternoon i went out to some private land, and sat by the landowners barn. I have seen turkey at this corner of the field several times, so i figured i would give it a shot. Well i got out there at 3, and turned on my patience game. Well, I parked my truck right next to the barn (also a bulldozer and flatbed trailer and hay bailer there as well) just because i was lazy and didn't feel like walking. Anyways, about 5:00 rolls around and another guy that has permission to hunt this land pulls up at the landowners house (about 100 yds away). Well I am facing a corner that the turkeys usually go to, and this guy walks right down the fenceline and sits about 40 yards away from this corner! I was upset that he did this, but I didn't want to yell at him, because I saw a tom coming up from behind me. I am guessing he didn't know I was there, But I thought that he would surely see my truck. Anyways this tom came up and fed around a little bit, and this guy of course sees him and starts calling. Well the tom ignores him for awhile and eventually begins to feed his way. I could tell this tom was going to head to this guy, but he was also moving into a good shooting position for me (because now i had to adjust shooting angles since he sat right across from me about 120 yds away) Well finally i get a good shot on the bird and I took him. I know this guy had to be absolutey furious, since this bird was coming to him, but i didn't feel the least bit rude. I was there first, and he didn't take the time to notice my truck (RIGHT BY THE BARN!!) Well he didn't move at all, he just sat there not moving a bit. I walked out there, picked up my bird and proudly displayed him (pretending i didn't know the guy was there) then walked over to my truck and left. I just know he had to be frusterated, but i don't feel bad. What do you think? I will have to have froman post a pic for me, as it is too big and i can't get it any smaller..

He was 20.5 pounds, 9 & 7/8 in beard, and both spurs were 3/4 in.

RE: Would you be angry?!
 

I don't think so,no more than you were when he sat by the fence.
maybe he though the truck was the farmers,who knows.
Just watch where you park your truck,LOL[:'(]:D[8D],just kidding.

RE: Would you be angry?!
 

I'd put up some hunter orange on or near the truck next time. That makes the owner's intentions pretty clear. Personally I would've called out to him. If he wasn't being malicious, there's no need to wait until he starts to call, let alone shoot the bird out from in front of him.

RE: Would you be angry?!
 

The ONLY reason i didn't call out to him, was because this tom was approaching from behind me. I didn't make this real clear in my first post, but that bird was all over me and i couldn't shoot it because it was between me and him, so i had to wait till it started to actually head towards him so my angle would be better.

RE: Would you be angry?!
 

i don't think you have anything to be sorry about...

RE: Would you be angry?!
 

Here's the woman's turkey...



Not a bad bird at all...

RE: Would you be angry?!
 

you had every right to that bird, but the only thing you should be angry about is a football game(s) in Jacksonville FL w. the Gators:D

JK, great job on the bird;)

RE: Would you be angry?!
 

It's eaiser to ask for forgiveness with a turkey in hand - then to deal with bitterness in heart and to be without!! ;)

RE: Would you be angry?!
 

I would get a big sticker that says Hunting-Net Turkey Team and display it on the back window, then they would know ! Congrats on the bird, he may not of knew you where there. Sometimes just a whistle can help with notifing your there , but I would not worry about it...BT

RE: Would you be angry?!
 

nice bird:D:D:D

RE: Would you be angry?!
 

...Nice bird be grateful you got him, just think if it was you on the other side of the field
try not to get high headed,over a turkey..:eek::eek:

RE: Would you be angry?!
 

Can't tell what I'd do, but why didn't you call?? With any type of call--pushbutton, box, locator, diaphragm, etc. If you are going turkey hunting, you MUST HAVE had a call with you!! That might have alerted the other hunter without spooking the turkey

The other thing, and I know I'm not the one to talk about this particularly, because I've been blessed with great turkey hunting success over the years, is what is this sport all about, if not about sportsmanship? Is it only about killing a tom? Then why did treeclimber have such a great day, never even firing a shot?? (See his post Had A Great Day On The Island, Never Fired A Shot.) I think there is much more to the sport, and the sad thing about killing a turkey is that once you shoot your turkey, your season is over. Most people are not likely to go out and sit under a tree and listen to gobblers at sunup or call to turkeys when their hunt is over.

From that perspective, I might very well have passed on killing that tom. Not killing this particular "ethical dilemma" bird gets me the opportunity to hunt another day.

A reason I am not certain what I would do in your situation, however, is I do not know what the other hunter thought. Was he sitting there because he's a jerk and was mad that you beat him to the spot?? Then I'd probably take the bird. Was he there unknowingly "on top" of you and your set up? Then I might have let the bird pass.

I don't think I would have been silent when he (the other hunter) came out, though, and I don't believe the tom was on top of you when the other hunter came out, because if the tom was, the other hunter would have spooked a normal turkey. So there must have been some time you could have let the other hunter know of your setup. And for me, I'd have said something for my own safety, even if it DID mean spooking a turkey. Getting shot from 40 yards away can hurt you pretty good, if it doesn't kill you. I'd never risk getting shot like that. (And I have been shot, so I know it can happen.) Sitting there, silently (not calling either for the turkey or to the other hunter) was IMHO a pure invitation to disaster. What if that turkey had walked so as to be on the line between you and the other hunter?? You shoot the other hunter or he shoots you??

RE: Would you be angry?!
 

I'd have to agree w/ Snowdog. I'm not sure what I'd do unless I was in that situation. But my initial thoughts are that I love the chess game that's played between myself and the gobbler. Calling - changing calls - hanging up - the whole deal....that's what makes the hunt for myself.

I know the bird doesn't "belong" to anybody therefore you have done no wrong. But knowing that this other guy was calling and the bird was moving towards him....I may have passed on that bird to enjoy another hunt.

RE: Would you be angry?!
 

I should have made this clear in my first post, my mistake. When i showed up to hunt sunday afternoon, His truck was parked at the other end of the farm, this is why I went to this part. Also, the barn sits right at the peek of a small hill, so the tom was on one side, and the other hunter was on the other, hence they could not see each other, but I could see both. And one last thing, the tukeys out here on this farm are extremely call shy. I don't know why, but they are really not interested in coming to calls. This turkey was going to head to this guy sooner or later, because he was at the corner where they like to roost. I did mention that this tom ignored his calls, and then began feeding his way towards roost, which is where this guy was. I don't know, maybe i shouldn't have shot the tom, but that part is over.

RE: Would you be angry?!
 

Good question,

whatever you chose to do was not wrong either way. Some may have done it another way, doesnt mean the way you chose to do it was wrong. I think I may have took that bird also, however one can not be sure unless he is in that situation.

If I were you, I would be happy to have taken a such a nice bird and forget about the rest! Afterall, Spring Turkey season is but once a year!

AH