Post by nybuckstalker on Nov 17, 2007 9:15:14 GMT -5
A recent thread concerning poaching has me on this ethics kick. I am not surprised by some of the responses and realize we all have different opinions on the rights and wrongs of hunting. So, I will share my story of how I became an ethical hunter.
My dad, 45 and I, 15, had never killed a Gobbler. My dad knew nothing about turkey hunting but was cool enough to take me whenever I wanted. On the second morning of the spring season, we headed down a wide logging road on hill. It was light enough to see the outline of a big turkey roosted in a tree, about 30yds away, a little above eye level down the bank. Not knowing if it was a hen or gobbler, I let out an owl hoot and was cut off by a massive gobble! I quietly whispered to my dad, “What should we do?” He whispered back “Shoot IT!!!”
I was shocked to say the least, but some little voice in my head asked me to think about how proud I would be if I took that first bird the right way. I placed a hen decoy on the logging road, told my dad to back up 30yds and sit down and I would back up another 15. A stormy night made for quiet walking and we were settled quickly. As dawn arrived I made a couple of super soft yelps and waited. The big tom flew down the bank out of sight didn’t make a peep. I played it cool and made a few more calls but was careful to not over do it. Then, I could hear him spitting and drumming and shortly, I saw his head. BANG!!!!!!!!!!
I never saw my dad move so fast down the hill! He was laughing, crying and high-fiving. He just kept say, “You did right, Kev, you did right”. I was extremely proud to have killed my first bird the right way. Otherwise, my first turkey story would be pretty short, “I shot a big gobbler out of his roost, he had no idea we were there”.
I’m sure many of you have experienced a similar hunt, where ethics took over making the end result that much more enjoyable. Let’s here some of them!!!!!!! We need to help out the ones who are doing it a little wrong.
My dad, 45 and I, 15, had never killed a Gobbler. My dad knew nothing about turkey hunting but was cool enough to take me whenever I wanted. On the second morning of the spring season, we headed down a wide logging road on hill. It was light enough to see the outline of a big turkey roosted in a tree, about 30yds away, a little above eye level down the bank. Not knowing if it was a hen or gobbler, I let out an owl hoot and was cut off by a massive gobble! I quietly whispered to my dad, “What should we do?” He whispered back “Shoot IT!!!”
I was shocked to say the least, but some little voice in my head asked me to think about how proud I would be if I took that first bird the right way. I placed a hen decoy on the logging road, told my dad to back up 30yds and sit down and I would back up another 15. A stormy night made for quiet walking and we were settled quickly. As dawn arrived I made a couple of super soft yelps and waited. The big tom flew down the bank out of sight didn’t make a peep. I played it cool and made a few more calls but was careful to not over do it. Then, I could hear him spitting and drumming and shortly, I saw his head. BANG!!!!!!!!!!
I never saw my dad move so fast down the hill! He was laughing, crying and high-fiving. He just kept say, “You did right, Kev, you did right”. I was extremely proud to have killed my first bird the right way. Otherwise, my first turkey story would be pretty short, “I shot a big gobbler out of his roost, he had no idea we were there”.
I’m sure many of you have experienced a similar hunt, where ethics took over making the end result that much more enjoyable. Let’s here some of them!!!!!!! We need to help out the ones who are doing it a little wrong.