smart or not?
02-20-2005, 08:05 PM
#11
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 28
RE: smart or not?
My opinion is that if there is someone so foolish to shoot at a single feather, or even an Indian war bonnet full of feathers (no disrespect to our native americans) he should not have a firearm in his hands in the first place. We need to police our own.
In Mississippi, a legal gobbler has a 6 inch beard. That illiminates the "Bang Bang into the brush" mentality. I think that is good guidline and promotes clear shots.
On a humorous note: My dear father who was a champion for hunter safety and ethics, was hunting a gobbler that was responding aggressively to his calls. the terrain was hills and hollows and when your shot appeared, you had to take it. Well the repeated gobbling got closer and closer until a turkey head (no more that 20 feet away) broke the horizon of the ridge obstructing his view. One shot from that Ithica 20 ga. over/under and the woods fell silent. He had killed a mature hen and the gobbler disappeared into the spring undergrowth without a sound.
He walked back to camp toting an old hen and a heavy heart. When questioned about the hen he responded, " damn lesbian". We all got a good laugh and had quite a feast that evening.
The point of this story is to say that in 1986, There were very few turkey hunters and a shot like that was understandable. But today, we have many more turkeys... and hunters. Today my dear old dad would be chastized for lack of judgement. Ethics are changing for the better and I feel the wildlife will benifit.
In Mississippi, a legal gobbler has a 6 inch beard. That illiminates the "Bang Bang into the brush" mentality. I think that is good guidline and promotes clear shots.
On a humorous note: My dear father who was a champion for hunter safety and ethics, was hunting a gobbler that was responding aggressively to his calls. the terrain was hills and hollows and when your shot appeared, you had to take it. Well the repeated gobbling got closer and closer until a turkey head (no more that 20 feet away) broke the horizon of the ridge obstructing his view. One shot from that Ithica 20 ga. over/under and the woods fell silent. He had killed a mature hen and the gobbler disappeared into the spring undergrowth without a sound.
He walked back to camp toting an old hen and a heavy heart. When questioned about the hen he responded, " damn lesbian". We all got a good laugh and had quite a feast that evening.
The point of this story is to say that in 1986, There were very few turkey hunters and a shot like that was understandable. But today, we have many more turkeys... and hunters. Today my dear old dad would be chastized for lack of judgement. Ethics are changing for the better and I feel the wildlife will benifit.
02-21-2005, 05:31 AM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NewLowell ,Ontario ,Canada
Posts: 2,765
RE: smart or not?
After reading this I have to ask , as too what kind of feather was used in this ?
On my first quest of a Grandslam I took a single sadle feather (colour phase) and placed it in my Lucky hunting hat. After I had the 4 th feather of all the subs , the hat was set aside. Now these feather were small being they were from the base of the tail, but I never had a problem with other hunters taking pot shots at me. After all a feather colour would still blend into a camo pattern of some sort due to color. I think a hunter would have to have a Bionic eye to see it was from a turkey
...BT
On my first quest of a Grandslam I took a single sadle feather (colour phase) and placed it in my Lucky hunting hat. After I had the 4 th feather of all the subs , the hat was set aside. Now these feather were small being they were from the base of the tail, but I never had a problem with other hunters taking pot shots at me. After all a feather colour would still blend into a camo pattern of some sort due to color. I think a hunter would have to have a Bionic eye to see it was from a turkey
...BT
02-21-2005, 07:48 AM
#13
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Calif
Posts: 1,894
RE: smart or not?
Excitement,peer pressure,competitions,iggnorance, can sometimes cloud a persons better judgement!I've guided many perspective hunters over the years and I would recommend leaving the feathers to the birds!Oh yes,I have my mounts and fans around the HOUSE but not in the woods!And no I dont carry a deke either!!.....Bob
02-22-2005, 12:44 PM
#15
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location:
Posts: 240
RE: smart or not?
Holding a tom's fan up in front of one's face is asking for trouble, but a single feather in a hat doesn't seem to me like it would be anymore mistaken for a turkey than would the whites of ones eyes or one's nose hanging over the face mask.
Hunting with decoys would be thousands of times more dangerous I would think.
Hal
Hunting with decoys would be thousands of times more dangerous I would think.
Hal
