Dogs and Turkey Hunting in Minnesota, what do you think?

[Bucksnort101]

Recently read that the MN DNR is considering the use of Dogs during the Fall Turkey hunting season. Wondering what your ideas are on the subject. I'm a bid conflicted with the idea, I can see where it may be beneficial to use a dog to break up a flock during the Fall season, and there are already hunters out there hunting Grouse with thier dogs so would it put any additional pressure on the birds? Not sure, I would sure hate to be calling in a broken up flock and have another hunters dogs come tearing through and chasing the birds off again.

[DonBo]

I don't know...it's been done in the south forever and they don't seem to have any problems with it. I don't think enough people specifically target turkeys in the fall around here to make much differance.

I guess if someone wants to get their dogs in the field let 'em have it.

[leech~~]

I guess I don't see how it would be done? I have had Grouse sit in the middle of a road, or fly up and sit in a tree. But every Turkey that even seemed to get close to anything it didn't like would run or fly away in the blink of an eye? Just don't think they would hang out in cover like most other game birds to get a Flush!

[tybo]

My English Setter has pointed turkeys on probably 6 or 7 different occasions. Once this past fall during grouse season and twice over x-mas back home in PA where I'm from. Other times in the spring and winter. I wouldn't expect it to happen during the season, it just doesn't work that way, but every bird he pointed was well within range and offered a shot. The one during grouse season really scared me. We had just flushed a grouse wild and were trying for a re-flush. When he locked up I thought I was going to get a shot at the grouse and then the turkey came out of the brush. I'm not sure who it scared more me or my dog.

[Bucksnort101]

Thanks for the comments. Just trying to get an idea what others think. I is my belief that the MN DNR just want to let people that are out hunting Grouse and small game with dogs to be able to hunt Turkeys at the same time?

I don't really have a strong opinion one way or another, I can see it possibly messing up another Turkey hunters situation if they are hunting on public land, but that could happen just as easily with someone without a dog wandering on through as you are trying to re-assemble a scattered flock.

Just trying to see what others think more than anything else.

[sticknstring]

I think part of it was for pheasant hunters who happen to flush a turkey while chasing roosters with the dogs. This law would enable them to shoot one if the situation presented. I don't think too many guys hunt turks with dogs so I don't anticipate too many issues. Maybe a few upset bowhunters.

Bucksnort - you beat me to it.

[2thepointsetters]

My setters point and hold turkeys all the time while pheasant hunting. I would enjoy to the chance to harvest one while using my setters.

[DonBo]

Thanks for the comments. Just trying to get an idea what others think. I is my belief that the MN DNR just want to let people that are out hunting Grouse and small game with dogs to be able to hunt Turkeys at the same time?

This is the only problem I see. If someone grouse hunting happens on a flock of turkeys and starts shooting you've probably got a wounded bird. Not many turkeys will be killed with 7 or 8 shot. I know, only 4's, 5's and 6's are legal for turkeys but I wonder how many will hold up with a wild turkey in front of them just because they have a smaller load in the gun?

[Powerstroke]

I think part of it was for pheasant hunters who happen to flush a turkey while chasing roosters with the dogs. This law would enable them to shoot one if the situation presented. I don't think too many guys hunt turks with dogs so I don't anticipate too many issues. Maybe a few upset bowhunters.

This is exactly the reason given by the DNR. This is not about opening up a style of hunting like running turkeys with dogs. It would make it legal for those who hunt with a dog in the fall, and flush a turkey to legally shoot that bird over a dog. Currently the law prevents that.

I've also had many turkeys flush while pheasant hunting, so the opportunity to take one wouldn't be all that bad.

[CourtlandKid]

My opinion on using dogs turkey hunting wouldnt be any fun- period---

[cw642]

Fall Season is still just a five day season. I seriously doubt they are doing it so you can enjoy a mixed bag while small game hunting. Most hunters that I know that do hunt in the fall are tyring to breaking flocks and calling back the singles. The dogs are used to break the flock them you set up and call them back. I've seen video and talked to a few that do it and they claim it works great. Run the dogs through the corn field then set up and wait a bit, then a couple quick Kee Kees and the come a runnin. This has nothing to do with the small game idea. Why would you be Pheasant or grouse hunting when you have a five day tag for turkey? Wouldn't or shouldn't you be turkey hunting?

CW

[Surface Tension]

I wouldn't be opposed to using a dog to break up the flock but what do you do with the dog when you setup.

Wouldn't hunting turkey behind a dog be promoting shooting at flying and running turkeys? I didn't think that is a good idea.

[DonBo]

I wouldn't be opposed to using a dog to break up the flock but what do you do with the dog when you setup.

Wouldn't hunting turkey behind a dog be promoting shooting at flying and running turkeys? I didn't think that is a good idea.

The way it's done, as cw said, is you break a flock with the dog then call them back to you. A good turkey dog will lay down and be quiet while you call to the lost turkeys. If you're close to the vehicle, some will just take the dog back there. Some bring a camo cover of some type to hide the dog in the field.

Obviously a turkey dog needs to be well trained to 1) come back to you after breaking a flock, and 2) stay still and quiet while you're calling those birds back.

[Leaddog]

Though I have flushed turkeys while pheasant hunting it's very rare and I bird hunt a lot. When it has happened there certainly wasn't a shot opportunity. Realistically, the only hunter with a viable opportunity to harvest a turkey while targeting other game is the Archery deer hunter who could have a tag for each species. Otherwise, yeah, if you have a coveted turkey permit, the bird dogs can rest five days. Besides, they do a lot of things Down South that are not legal up here. Just look at how they fish! Remember, Hunting is not about Taking or Shooting. It is about the experience!

Gobble Gobble

[ac777]

Though I have flushed turkeys while pheasant hunting it's very rare and I bird hunt a lot. When it has happened there certainly wasn't a shot opportunity. Realistically, the only hunter with a viable opportunity to harvest a turkey while targeting other game is the Archery deer hunter who could have a tag for each species. Otherwise, yeah, if you have a coveted turkey permit, the bird dogs can rest five days. Besides, they do a lot of things Down South that are not legal up here. Just look at how they fish! Remember, Hunting is not about Taking or Shooting. It is about the experience!

Gobble Gobble

It would be hard to shoot a turkey on the fly away, and kill it, they have such big bodies. I think it would be kinda fun to hunt them with dogs though, like they do down south. Still fun hunting them with out though.

[DonBo]

It is no longer a "what if". Dogs for turkeys WILL be allowed this fall.

[Borch]

I always thought down south they used small dogs to bust the flock and then the dogs job was done and they layed quietly next to the hunter as they called to re-assemble the flock.

Interesting on MN allowing dogs for the fall hunt.

[Archerysniper]

If you have done your homework you know where the turkeys roost break them up there the knight before or in the dark in the morning and you don't need dog's to do this.

[DonBo]

If you have done your homework you know where the turkeys roost break them up there the knight before or in the dark in the morning and you don't need dog's to do this.

First off, it's harder to break up a flock in the dark than you think. Believe me, I've tried.

Second, if you do get turkeys to flush in the dark you may just be sending them to an easy meal for any number of predators. Not all will end up back in trees because they don't see well in the dark. The ones that do will be alone and will not have the advantage of several sets of eyes to alert them to owls and such.

Dogs will get a much better flush than we could do ourselves sending turkeys in all directions. Without a good flush, the lost seperated birds just head towards the largest concentration of the flock that didn't seperate from the rest. Our one little call with have no effect against several already together over there. Again, believe me. I've seen it.

[kennelup]

As DonBo said you can use dogs to hunt turkeys in the fall now. I also believe that Wis started doing this last fall. Like many people have said the dogs job is to bust the flock up which would allow a hunter to quickly set up and try calling them back in.

For the guys that have had encounters with turkeys out hunting for pheasants or grouse, I would recomend letting them go for a couple of reasons. 1.) Your shot load is different then your turkey load. and i would think it would be much harding taking a turkey flying. 2.)also they can fly father than most people think, if you wing it good luck finding it 3.) if you by chase knock one down and your dog goes out to retreive it, just remeber a turkey is about 3x bigger than a pheasant. like i said above the idea for using dogs to hunt turkeys is not the same as hunting pheasants. i hope people did not get the wrong idea.