Strange legal question about turkey hunting …

[Barrels4miles]

So my 15 yr old son just caught a turkey with his bare hands …. I’m not kidding. He put it in the chicken coop. I have a fall turkey license (have had zero luck) …. But I’m guessing there has to be something illegal about my son catching it with his bare hands. So looking to verify if I need to let it go or not. I never in a million years thought I would be asking something so bizarre.

 

[belshawelk]

Not legal to pen up a wild animal.

Id let it out and shoot it.

 

[CowboyLeroy]

I don't think it's illegal to catch it. Maybe they'll get you for harassing wildlife, but it is definitely illegal to keep it. Besides, turkey hunting is for spring time.

 

[TheTone]

My guess, since we don’t know the state, bare hands probably aren’t defined as a legal method of take and I’d guess keeping a wild turkey alive and penned up also isn’t legal

 

[Barrels4miles]

It’s fall - and it’s turkey season right now. I have my turkey license but I didn’t catch it. He didn’t technically hunt it because he didn’t kill it. But going on the Elijah said it’s illegal to keep it in the chicken coop. I’m probably going to have to let it out sadly. I never would’ve thought this would even be a question to figure out.

 

[Barrels4miles]

I’m going to let it free. And hope I can hunt one. I have had bad luck hunting and he just picks one up randomly because it’s cute. Ugh my brain …

 

[Hem]

Strange to me.
Why make the effort to catch a turkey with your bare hands?
And why would you put it in the chicken coop?
Bored with the banjo?

 

[Barrels4miles]

My son did this entirely on his own. He is a strange kid and walks around holding our chickens. I think he thought he was adding to the flock.

 

[Pucky Freak]

I was deer hunting and encountered a crippled pheasant (open season). I can’t shoot the bird with a slug. I sprinted after the bird, caught it with my hands then rang its neck.

***

The big issue in your scenario is less the capture method, and more possessing a live game animal, which is pretty much illegal anywhere without some kind of special pet or ag permit.

You can kill it, set it free, or call the warden and ask for advice. Since it was a 15-yr-old, I’d guess they’d probably be pretty lenient.

 

[mtmuley]

My son did this entirely on his own. He is a strange kid and walks around holding our chickens. I think he thought he was adding to the flock.

Do you know TrapperJ? mtmuley

 

[Barrels4miles]

Never heard of it

 

[Moserkr]

Let it out of the coop and then shoot it. Or just let it go and try tomorrow so it's more fair chase. Maybe try bringing your son turkey hunting with you since he seems to have the hang of it haha!

Once I "poached" a grouse when I hit it with a fist sized rock. Not a legal method of take in that state, but the .454 and 30.06 seemed to be a bit overkill/loud while elk hunting.

 

[Ought Six]

Meh you hear about people keeping all sorts of wild animals as pets: raccoons, bobcats, deer, coyotes, foxes, etc. They would have to have a real stick up their butt to care that you have a turkey in your chicken coop, should be bigger fish to fry out there. Not advocating for it or giving legal advice, but also something I wouldn’t worry too much about personally.

 

[Barrels4miles]

Let it out of the coop and then shoot it. Or just let it go and try tomorrow so it's more fair chase. Maybe try bringing your son turkey hunting with you since he seems to have the hang of it haha!

Once I "poached" a grouse when I hit it with a fist sized rock. Not a legal method of take in that state, but the .454 and 30.06 seemed to be a bit overkill/loud while elk hunting.

He legit was wearing boxer shorts and crocks in the back yard …. I am just stunned that this happened. Meanwhile I have been sitting in the woods several days with head to toe camo and can’t even get my eyes on them.

 

[338win]

ThotBot

 

[Hem]

Meh you hear about people keeping all sorts of wild animals as pets: raccoons, bobcats, deer, coyotes, foxes, etc. They would have to have a real stick up their butt to care that you have a turkey in your chicken coop, should be bigger fish to fry out there. Not advocating for it or giving legal advice, but also something I wouldn’t worry too much about personally.

Uh, ....what happens ( and I have seen it) is the wild turkey gets bred by a domestic and then the offspring get released.
Nothing like working a flock of turkeys that has cross breeds.

 

[Barrels4miles]

ThotBot

I’m not sure if that’s intended to be an insult? Or a claim I am lying? I have a video from when I found out what he was doing. Here is a screenshot of the video.

 

[shrapnel]

Are you sure it’s a turkey? A Robin or sparrow maybe.

All I know is I have tried to pick up dead turkeys and had the shit kicked out of me. I don’t know how you would catch a live turkey and live to tell about it…

 

[Barrels4miles]

He threw a blanket over it’s head and picked it up. (We have parrots and that’s what you do to capture them if they need to go to the vet but don’t want to go in the carrier)

 

[Dsnow9]

He threw a blanket over it’s head and picked it up. (We have parrots and that’s what you do to capture them if they need to go to the vet but don’t want to go in the carrier)

Sounds like a smart and agile kid. Most of these guys are just keyboard warriors thinking they know everything. Like a few said, keeping a wild animal isn’t legal so I’d let it go. But if you can legally hunt on your property sounds like a good opportunity to fill that tag. Fall turkey hunting is a serious challenge compared to spring turkey hunting!