Pre Turkey hunt question
 

Taking my son on his first turkey hunt next week, his first hunt ever actually.

I am going to calll DFG to ask this same question but thought I'd get some calgunners to chime in

Experience shows me that once a turkey is down and/or flapping that any toms/jakes nearby will come over to kick a man while he is down.

Question is, is it legal/ethical for 2nd shooter to take one of the ***** kickers stomping the dead turkey assuming clean shot can be made?

I'm new to turkey hunting so I don't have the experience some other folks have here, but yes, that's fine. They (CA DFG) covered this scenario speicifically at the turkey hunting clinic this year. They said if you shoot a gobbler to stay put for 5-10 minutes and you very well might have a chance at another bird (if you've got 2+ hunters of course).

Not sure if this is a serious question or not:confused:

thanks drutledge79

^ yes a serious question as my thinking was that it could somehow be construed as using a live decoy or something along those lines. plus if it works out I'll probably have video of it that I'd love to share and just doing my homework ahead of time to avoid doing something illegal.

I've been turkey hunting for the past three years but always alone so this will be first time with 2 hunters in the blind

as always, thanks for the input

Yes, shoot it.

Yes it is legal.

Why those bastards!

thanks guys, will report back next week

I'd say from experience that's bad info DFG is putting out. Turkeys are hard to kill and many times they go down only to get back up and run off like geese do. I get on them as fast as possible, turkeys are a PITA to track down and will scrunch up under the nastiest stuff. Coyotes love to sneak them a free turkey bird too. I was with another shooter when a coyote took his bird that he had just dropped. He killed that coyote the next day when the coyote tried it again. I've also had coyotes tackle my decoys so I wouldn't sit and watch a flopping turkey long. Be ready to shoot again as you approach the bird, it can fly off too if just stunned.

A bird in hand is better than 2 in the bush as they say for good reason.

If its a flopper then wait sometimes that commotion will draw birds in.......if its a runner then shoot him again and go get him fast like Jesse said they will hide in the thickest stuff around.

This year I had to get the dog to find my first bird he was a runner on a poor shot......he saw me right as I pulled the trigger and I winged him. But all good in the end thanks to the dogs nose. Damn turkey ran into a thick brush pile and I knew he was in there but even with tearing the pile up that bird would not move until the dog went in after him.

Good luck!