A high fence turkey hunt

[KayakMacGyver]

Ok, not exactly but.....

Nothing against folks who hunt inside a fence, just not for me. But heck, I've hunted big game on an island before, so perhaps I'm a hypocrite? Though, I've always justified my moral choice in the matter with "they could always swim away too..."

Should a Turkey inside a high fence be counted as fair chase? Are there formalized rules somewhere that define this? Turkeys spend most of their time on the ground, but can fly away too.

Morally, I'm confused. I'd hunt ducks over a pond or dove on a field within the confines of a high fenced property...I think. Not that I'm seeking that kind of opportunity out, asking for a friend here .

Seriously though, I don't have an opportunity to do this but am very interested in perspective from those that have and your choice. I doubt I'll ever be in a situation to choose, personally, but its fun to play along.

Ducks and dove spend a bunch of time on the ground too.....is a Turkey in a different category than them because of size or perhaps approach before kill?



The attached pic is what got me to pondering. Again, to each their own and you'll not see me bashing someone for their interest in such a thing. It's just not for me. I think I must enjoy the misery as much or more than the glory.

 

[Red Fox]

How high is the fence? you know they can fly

 

[Gerald Martin]

Fences are to turkeys what a mud puddle is to an elk.

You might not like the aesthetics of hunting elk in a puddle but it’s not going to keep him from going anywhere.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

How high is the fence? you know they can fly

You sure about that?

 

[Randi]

I am not sure what you are asking ? As mentioned turkeys can fly and I also dont see a fence in the picture you posted. The ad or whatever it was didn't gaurantee a turkey, but a shot at one.

If your asking about high fences in general, it is not for me, but to each their own. Also, members like Happy Myles and Europe have seen/hunted farms in Africa with high fences, but they are something like 25000 or even 50,000 Acres, so is that still a fair chase hunt ? the animal hunted can certainly get away from th hunter with that much room to move in. But there are some high fence hunts in Texas that are literally, pick out an animal and shoot it----not for me.

 

[Big Sky]

Without a lid on top, so to speak, you can't fence a turkey in. Well I guess if you clip their wings maybe. Under most fenced situations turkeys remain free range. It's similar to what I saw in South Africa. Most of the game is fenced in. However fences just don't apply to primates or warthogs. Primates just climb over the fence as easily as you walk across a street. Warthogs just dig under it and go on their merry way. Can't really contain either. Same applies for turkeys in general.

 

[Jorgy]

When I lived in Colorado, we had a 100 foot or so cottonwood tree that turkeys would roost in alot during the Winter. This weekend while driving back from grocery shopping a turkey hen flew 50 feet over us, over a divided highway. My wife couldn't believe turkeys could fly like that, even after she watched for years as turkeys would fly 75 feet up into our tree years ago. Turkeys fly, really well.

 

[belshawelk]

I just hope nobody pays to hunt in high fence for Turkey. ( actually for anything). Turkeys are becoming the new rat on our property and nearby. Hundreds and hundreds everywhere. Last year my hunt lasted exactly 22 minutes. 10 of that getting my gear ready.

 

[BenInMT]

The turkeys I hunt are about the least sporting thing there is. They are not fenced in, just stupid and over abundant. I don’t really feel bad about it.

 

[gouch]

There used to be a muzzle loader club around here. Every year around Thanksgiving they would put turkeys in an enclosure behind a wall so all you could see was their heads bobbing up and down as they ran back and forth. Then the members would take their Hawken's or Kentucky long rifle or what ever (no shotguns) and try to harvest a Thanksgiving bird. I don't know if that counts as high fence hunting but I was told it was a blast.

 

[Otto Matic]

Every turkey I've ever shot was on one side of a fence or the other! ! LOL!

P.S. - a turkey is NOT a slam dunk! ANY bird taken legally is a trophy!
SHOOT that sucker! LOL!