Regs question
Contributors to this thread:Massachusetts
From: Arrownoob
29-Apr-21
Is it legal to shoot a deer over a turkey decoy? During deer season of course.
From: Big Dog
29-Apr-21
Arrow, I want to smoke what you're smoking, LOL
From: Jebediah
29-Apr-21
Unbelievably, I think this came up here before. I think the decision from the Council of Elders was that no, you can’t. My own personal answer would be that it probably depends on which warden you ask.
From: Arrownoob
29-Apr-21
Oh it was probably me that asked then. I think about this a lot I guess.
From: spike78
29-Apr-21
This reminds me of a time I hunted over a hen decoy and a doe walked right up to it sniffed it and got scared and ran away. Other then that I don’t understand question?
From: Captain
29-Apr-21
Depends if the state you are hunting allows hunting over decoys
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
29-Apr-21
Ya Jeb this questions sounds familiar lol. I believe the answer was no because you can not hunt deer over decoys in mass if I remember correctly
From: Arrownoob
29-Apr-21
I always think of this because when I’m turkey hunting I see deer and they seem calmed by the presence of turkeys. Yet, you can’t hunt deer over a decoy.
From: Will
29-Apr-21
Ill raise you one...
Can I use a bird feeder decoy while turkey hunting - IE, a bird feeder that's empty. I'm not baiting... I'm just making the turkey THINK I'm baiting... ha ha ha.
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
29-Apr-21
What about imitation salt blocks that deer love. If it’s fake Is it still baiting, or is it tricking.
From: Arrownoob
29-Apr-21
Yes, will. It is legal to use decoys while turkey hunting. You could bring 10-15 and set them in a field. Wait for someone to complain then call them in, rightly, for hunter harassment. Let me know how it goes!
From: Will
29-Apr-21
Noob - all good, I was not busting on you for the question. It's a good one. I was just being a dufus.
From: Z9_MA
29-Apr-21
From: BC
29-Apr-21
I think that question was in jest, correct? The prohibition is referring to a deer decoy, not turkey.
From: Jebediah
29-Apr-21
Are you sure BC?
From: MA_Bowhunter
29-Apr-21
I read it as decoys, i.e. any decoys, no mater what they look like, are prohibited for deer hunting.
From: Cougar
29-Apr-21
Presumably the spirit of the deer hunting rule would be to keep people from shooting at the decoy on accident and possibly injuring someone, so a turkey decoy would get a pass in that sense
From: BC
29-Apr-21
No, I am not sure but why would anyone use a turkey dek for deer hunting. Doesn't make sense that the reg was referring to anything but a deer decoy.
From: Arrownoob
29-Apr-21
The question is in jest, but seriously I’ve had many encounters with deer coming in to turkey calls and watching the decoys for a while.
From: Jebediah
30-Apr-21
I think making assumptions about the spirit of this law or that law, particularly in a direction that would limit the law’s scope, can be a recipe for trouble. But I do realize this is all in good fun. Have had a similar running joke in my family for years concerning what would or would not be “baiting.”
From: Lunker
30-Apr-21
I say it's all a focal point. The decoy takes focus. And in turn takes focus off the hunter. I read a story of a guy would bring a blue bucket while filming. The blue bucket would act as a focal point for the deer and in turn the deer would b curious about the bucket with full focus and would make good filming and the shot
From: Lunker
30-Apr-21
I know the question is rhetorical but I would say decoy is just that. Any decoy. I think they would specify. "Deer decoy" but they didn't. Nowhere does it say you can't use a blue bucket !
From: Jebediah
30-Apr-21
I saw an episode of the Hunting Public (sorry) where they pulled canoe up on the bank and set up close to it, with the idea that the deer would pause to check it out.
From: Cougar
30-Apr-21
The blue bucket would get u nailed for baiting and hunting over a turkey decoy in deer season would get you nailed for turkey hunting out of season. And they would call u an idiot
From: Will
30-Apr-21
It hits me that you can do fall turkey hunting WHILE archery deer hunting... So couldnt you be decoying for a potential turkey flock that roams by... But also deer hunting... And be technically legal... Or is this a lesser weapon sort of thing, where by if you are deer hunting you can not use the turkey deke.
I dont plan to do it, but I like to ponder things.
From: Lunker
30-Apr-21
C'mon coug relax. It's a hypothetical. An empty bucket means baiting ? I don't think so. It could be for many different purposes. A seat can carry filming gear. Heck you could drop a duce in it. I would say an empty bucket is not enough evidence for charges. Quite thin
From: Jebediah
30-Apr-21
Will I think you nailed it.
From: Big Dog
30-Apr-21
You guys have all brought up some valid points but IMHO It all shows out how ambiguous the Ma. decoy laws have become. Would the world come to an end if deer and/or turkey decoys were permissible in Ma. during the bow deer/fall turkey season? The irrationality of silly laws eventually comes to light when interpretation defies logic. Whether it was intended to do so, Arrow's thread has shown this.
From: Will
30-Apr-21
So... whos calling a warden to find out?
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
30-Apr-21
I occasionally bump into one in one of my spots. He also hunts there. I can drop a question if I see him soon and see what he says lol. He’s actually pretty cool. Helped me out a few times. Once dragging and once tracking. Unfortunately I’ve had to help him drag more than he’s helped me. He always gets lucky lol
From: Lunker
30-Apr-21
The warden owes you ! That's not a bad thing
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
30-Apr-21
Sure does lunk. Not a bad thing at all!
