Talk about a disappointing and very frustrating turkey opener.  I took my son hunting this morning (Today is Kentucky's youth weekend.) and ran into a problem. The landowner told me the other day that some "hunter" had been parking on the adjacent property for over two weeks - virtually every morning, and CALLING toward our hunting lease.  I'm talking repeated yelping with the shake of an occasional "gobbler call". The guy who owns the land where we hunt questioned the guy and was told "You have most of the birds on your land so I'm trying to get them to come over on my side!"

I have only been on the farm in the afternoons so hadn't witnessed this guy's calling frenzies until this morning.  As soon as the birds pitched down about 200 yards on our side of the fence this A%* begins slamming away on a box call with and occasional shake of his "gobbler".  Now, I move to where I can see this this guy and he is BY HIMSELF; he isn't calling for a younger hunter - get the picture?  There we sat for the rest of our morning "hunt", my son and I in the Double Bull with his bow at the ready, listening to the breakfast show next door.  ENOUGH, we folded the blind and headed back to the truck.  On the way out I wrote down the guy's license number and looked over his rig pretty close.  Here's the kicker; the truck had one of those special League of Kentucky Sportsman tags, a huge wild turkey hunting graphic that covered the entire rear window of truck, AND two white feed buckets, including one that still had shell corn in it.  Gimmee a break!  Apparently trying to call the birds over the property line wasn't sufficient.  

I was forced to look at the my son's expression of disappointment all the way home.  This kind of behavior is so contrary to everything that I've taught him.  What really flips my switch is that this "adult" is actaully stealing from a kid.  He's out there pulling these stunts before and during the youth weekend.  The regular season is still two weeks away!  Oh, did I mention his NWTF sticker on the bumper??  
Time to call a CO.

Sorry about those typos, but I'm pretty POd right not . . . and yes, baiting is still illegal before and during turkey season.

Gary, sounds pretty disappointing to your boy. Maybe try and talk to the guy and let him know that your son is huinting and ask him to wait until youth season is over. Might not work but at least you can say you tried. Good luck to your son the remainder of the season.

if hes baiting i'd call the CO

Thanks Mike. FYI, the guy had his shotgun with him and was hunting by himself.  He's apparently there to poach himself a bird. He looks to be in his 40s and definitely hunting during the wrong season. I've spoken to the guy who owns the other property (Someone I've known for a long time.)to see if the hunter had permission to be there.  He was given permission, but the landowner was already regretting giving it to him. Something about the guy's demeanor he said. The farmer's decided to walk his place on Monday to see if he can find evidence of baiting.  If the guy's been baiting then he's got to go.

You needed to call the CO while A$$ still in woods, nothing better than catching him in act.

That won't be a problem Jim, my turkey taxidermist IS a CO.  He's already run the hunter's plates and get this, the guy's a big shot in one of the KY NWTF chapters.  This could get really interesting.

I like your style David!  He was still there when we left . . . stay tuned.

I guess not all "men" are gentlemen in Kentucky. I agree with those who say if he's breaking the Kentucky wildlife code he needs to be reported.

Anyone can buy their way into great organizations but integrity doesn't come with the window decals or stickers.

God bless, Mudd

PS tell your son I'm sorry he had to experience what I would call a jerk not a hunter.

"Anyone can buy their way into great organizations but integrity doesn't come with the window decals or stickers."

You got that right Mudd.  Maybe this will lead to them getting rid of a rotten egg!

Gary sorry about your sons morning...we had to deal with problems like that here a few years ago(trespassers & calling before season)...I took Jacob this morning( my 10 year old)he had a disappointing morning(more disappointing for me) to but his was due to me misjudging the yardage for him (not once but twice)& resulted in 2 missed birds....Good Luck to you & your son....

At least he had some action Mark. Anything that get the hearts pumping:^)

Gary, there is nothing more aggravating than stuff like this for me. I hope it works out for the best. Keep us posted.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't illegal to call birds in KY before season.

I thought I was told that when I went down and scouted a few years back.

I had a great experience when I went scouting the other morning. (sarcasm) ran into three guys and the landowner of 20 acres (landlocked) in the area I hunt, so I gues I'm gonna have to deal with that as well as my younguns that hunt with me.
This kind of crap is aggravating for sure t say the least. Hope you get your mess straightened out and your boy doesn't develope a bad outlook because of it. Nothing worse than the trip home and seeing that look on your kids face due to some jerk acting a fool.

I hope they catch him.  Nothing makes me madder than knowing that a self proclaimed "professional" is really a cheater and fake.  Half of the a..holes out there aren't nearly as good as they think they are. They get to a place of recognition and the pressure of failure is too much to comprehend.

QuoteOriginally posted by Stiks-n-Strings:
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't illegal to call birds in KY before season.

I thought I was told that when I went down and scouted a few years back.

I had a great experience when I went scouting the other morning. (sarcasm) ran into three guys and the landowner of 20 acres (landlocked) in the area I hunt, so I gues I'm gonna have to deal with that as well as my younguns that hunt with me.
This kind of crap is aggravating for sure t say the least. Hope you get your mess straightened out and your boy doesn't develope a bad outlook because of it. Nothing worse than the trip home and seeing that look on your kids face due to some jerk acting a fool.

Yes it is

Sounds like wildlife harassment...there are laws against that; especially since he's been at it weeks before season. That guy is obviously are real...(insert your own verbal abuse here)...that cares more about bagging a bird than ethics. By the way, what county is this going on in?

QuoteOriginally posted by kbetts:
I hope they catch him.  Nothing makes me madder than knowing that a self proclaimed "professional" is really a cheater and fake.  Half of the a..holes out there aren't nearly as good as they think they are. They get to a place of recognition and the pressure of failure is too much to comprehend.

You got that right. Well said.

Yep...illegal, and an NWTF member (or local chapter officer) would be "fully aware" of this.

That stinks Gary!  I hope it get straightened out ASAP and your son gets on a bird!  Good luck.