BAD MORNING-- LONG STORY

Wayne B · Post by **Wayne B** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 2:22 pm

I'm new to turkey hunting. I took my turkey course last year, but only got out once and never saw anything. This year I did my homewok and got permission from the landowner. I was up and hidden in the fencerow by 4AM. What a great morning, coyotes howling, geese flying and then the turkeys. A hen would yelp and I would yelp. the Toms carried on something awful and so did I. They just wouldn't come into range. I'd like to think I played them ( but the truth is they played me for over two hours.) I thought I was going to have a heart attack and they were wearing me out! Then a truck came slowly down the road, and I thought my decoy was in jeopardy. But it continued down the hill, turned around and came back. Once again he turned around at the fencegap by me. I could see a shotgun sticking out the drivers' window. By this time, I'd had enough and headed for the truck, but he stopped and shot at a turkey in a tree on the other side of the road from me. The turkey flew over me and looked unhurt. The truck sped down the hill to turn around again but I had caught up. I poured it to him pretty good for about a minute and he just looked down and never replied. Another guy comes out of the bush on the other side of the road and yells " did you get him? " It turns out there is two of them and the new guy is the landowner!I was so livid that I told him what his idiot buddy had done, and that I'd been there since 4 AM ( it's now 9 AM ) and I told him I'd been working these birds hard for the last two hours. I knew I was losing control so I just turned and stomped away. I went back to my set up and packed up my gear. He tried to talk to me but I said I was so mad I'd have to talk to him later. I know he didn't shoot at the turkey in the tree, and he wasn't in the truck or on the road. But, he knew exactly where I was going to set up because I'd talked to him the night before. And he'd seen my decoy. He'll probably be down tonight to talk to me. How would YOU handle it?

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 2:41 pm

I would be concerned about hunting in that type of environment. My safety comes first. Try finding another place.

Sorry to hear about this.

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 2:49 pm

Man That Sucks,Turkey hunting can be dangerous with YAHOOS like that around,I would find a new place to hunt.I hate road hunters,we have um down here to.

catcher · Post by **catcher** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 2:55 pm

It is going to happen every where you go. I always tell my wife my biggest fear is getting shot on the way into my stand. A couple of years ago I was walking to my stand early in the morning and it was still dark out. And on the next farm over about 200 yards away there was a high powered rifle shot. And it was a bow hunting only zone. It is dangerous out there. I hope you get it resolved and never have another problem again.

ecoaster · Post by **ecoaster** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 3:07 pm

Idiots plain and simple

. Find a new spot and I would consider reporting the guy in the truck. Private property or not, shooting out of a truck is illegal. There's no need for that. It's just being lazy!!!

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 3:45 pm

If I remember correctly, shooting within 100 yards of a road is illegal(and dangerous) . . .however, there is nothing about shooting/hunting from a vehicle as long as you are 100 yards off the road. At least not in Virginia, I could be wrong, it's been a while since I looked up the information. My Grandfather will drive his truck out on the farm and hunt sometimes(parked). Sort of a mobile stand. Anyway, he's 92 and doesn't hunt much anymore. A couple of years ago, he went through a road block, officer asked him if the rifle in the seat next to him was loaded. His reply was, "wouldn't be much good if she weren't" . . .they sent him on home.

Cossack · Post by **Cossack** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:01 pm

I'd find a safer place. Anyone that shoots at roosting turkeys, drive by turkeys, whatever, other than called birds, can have that place to himself. Your landowner isn't a sportsman by all accounts. He knew you were going to be there and he not only hunted but had someone else on the same spot.
If they are shooting at treed birds they may take a poke at just about anything. Get out of there, better safe than sorry.

Just last week a father shot his own 9 yr old son hereabouts. The kid had left were he had been left and came looking for his dad. Killed him. Can't imagine how he feels but you don't take sound shots at turkeys (or anything else) no turkey looks like a 9 yr old.
Your bird was henned up, but sounds like you may have been calling too much. Sometimes, they come looking for the 'hen' that calls just a bit and shuts up.
Had it happen.

dick195252 · Post by **dick195252** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:52 pm

Safety is the name of the game. Get out of there as fast as you can!

ecoaster · Post by **ecoaster** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 8:50 pm

sumner,

I forget sometimes that we all live in different provinces/states with different rules.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 9:50 pm

What is the law there concerning shooting from a vehicle, shooting a turkey in a tree, and shooting from or across a roadway?
Here in Ohio that would be 3 seperate game violations.

I'd look for another place to hunt.

Farmer · Post by **Farmer** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 7:13 am

I would look for another hunting area , no ones life is worth a turkey . Friends have tried to talk me into turkey hunting and I refuse for just the reasons you have stated . I will head to kroger for my bird

chris4570 · Post by **chris4570** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 1:50 pm

Plain and simple. I would have taken his picture, a picture of his vehicle along with the licence plate, and if I could have a picture of him driving with the shotgun sticking out the window. Then off to the authorities!! No need for that kind of BS. Someone is likely to to get injured.