Turkey Reaping

[mookyj]

Seen all I could stand of this

  http://www.turkey-talk.com/tblog/?p=126 

[Gooserbat]

Well Said!

[nitro]

The resurgence in the "technique" of "Fanning" is going to get someone shot too...

Shot in the face...

[mikejd]

Sitting 15yds from a decoy spread is not what I call very safe either
yet half of the turkey hunting population does it. So who is to say.
maybe it originated on private land were someone has a large tract of land were no other hunters are supposed to be.
Not condoning this but who is to draw the line.

[DirtNap647]

 

[BC]

Seen all I could stand of this

  http://www.turkey-talk.com/tblog/?p=126

You need to change the background on your blog, it makes the text unreadable. I had to cut and paste it into a word document to read it.

I'm not a "fanning advocate" as you stated in your article. In fact I have never even attempted it. When the decoys first came out where you clip a cardboard gobbler on the end of your gun barrell, my first thought was "That's going to get someone shot". With that being said, fanning is not a new technique and has been around for a number of years. Do you have any hard data showing hunter fatalities or injuries as a direct result of "fanning" or "reaping" over the last 10 years? Is so could you please post them? If not, then why are you in such opposition of the practice? Is it because you just don't like it? Like I said it's been around for a number of years, and unless you have any hard data showing any fatalities or injuries, then yours is simply a non fact based opinion. As long as it's legal in the particular state that a hunter is hunting in, and he wants to shoulder the risk then I don't really see where the problem is.

I do applaud your concern for hunter safety, although in reading your article I really don't think hunter safety is your only concern. This quote from the article:

The satisfaction of fooling, outwitting a narly old gobbler to your setup based on good calling as needed, using great knowledge of the turkeywoods, and not needing all these gimmicks is a great experience to be had.

That sentence just reeks of "He doesn't hunt my way so he's doing it wrong!" syndrome, which a lot of hunters are afflicted with nowadays.

[d.winsor]

I think some states will ban the use of such decoy devices next year, Sometimes things work slow, once the process gets going then it rolls.  When it has to do with health and safety it works a little faster.  I personally think such practices is not ethical hunting or fair to the turkeys, or safe.  People need to take a little more time learning to hunt turkeys and less time wanting to kill them.  I didn't even know this practice existed until this year, I don't think the people that make the laws are great hunters, but I think they would recognize a stupid and dangerous situation if they saw it.  Why wait for casualty numbers for such a stupid situation.  I am sure the indians in some tribe somewhere use to cover themselves with a deer skin and stalk deer, would you do that in todays world, I wouldn't.  Yes this is all my opinion, and no I don't have any statistics to back it up, I wouldn't take the time to look for them, I hope the lawmakers will take the time to discuss it and act on it, and yes I would give my opinion to them hoping it would influence them.

[BC]

I think some states will ban the use of such decoy devices next year, Sometimes things work slow, once the process gets going then it rolls.  When it has to do with health and safety it works a little faster.  I personally think such practices is not ethical hunting or fair to the turkeys, people need to take a little more time learning to hunt turkeys and less time wanting to kill them.

So what is fair to the turkeys? Modern day shotguns with Hevi Shot loads? Flintlocks? Spears? Rocks? Sticks?

[mikejd]

I believe that the real problem os the fact that is hunters spend to much time arguing with each other on what is right from.wrong so to speak. We have plenty of opposition from the anti's we dont need to be deciding what another hunter should or should not be doing. As long as no laws are broken and as others have said no evidence to support that is in fact dangerous then your article is just that an opinion. I for one do not choose to hunt this way but is it any different then someone sneaking up on an antelope while holding a decoy for a close bow shot. No its not. Again with the way society is today all they want to do is ban things that we choose to do. As most of us are well aware all of this nonsense goes away when we all fallow the one simple rule of know your target and what's beyond it.
Lets stop telling other guys what they should be doing. We have big enough battles on our plate.

[d.winsor]

What is fair to the turkeys is anything the lawmakers allow.  If you follow the laws for the most part one is an ethical hunter.

[mikejd]

What is fair to the turkeys is anything the lawmakers allow.  If you follow the laws for the most part one is an ethical hunter.

Exactly.
As long as you don not break the law Only you can determine what you feel is right or wrong.

[VanHelden Game Calls]

While I agree this maybe an unsafe practice in some areas, other areas it would be perfectly safe.

Case in point, my area of small wood lots and fence lines and fragmented ownership this is a way to get a face of lead., in another area of the state I hunt its wide open 120 acre fields, birds spend the day out in the middle of them and I have tried it out there in the wide open.  I felt perfectly safe as I was able to see my entire surroundings protecting myself from any harmful situation.

Hunting can be dangerous and I hope hunters are smart enough to know when to deploy tactics and when not to.  I would be against more laws to protect those not smart enough to know the difference. IMO Those that may be getting shot using this tactic can't be much more then those sitting to close to decoys in general.  At least there is a chance another hunter will notice the 150# guy behind it

[mookyj]

BC, don't look for things unsaid. Those that know me, know that I am direct,and have no issue with tackling something straight on. The fact you question there being a safety issue tells me that you are for what ever it takes to kill a gobbler, to hell with the points I made in my blog.

There are states that ban all stalking period and I would guess they will deal with this soon enough. My reference of getting back to basics was a general statement, nothing more. My entire point is that is creates an unsafe situation, and if you argue that, then I would have to read between the lines as to the type of hunter you are, and that is not a compliment. However I don't know you, where you come from, and making assumptions are not always the best thing.  I maintain that the practice is not defensible on concerns of safety and that is enough for me to oppose it. I known too many folks that have been shot, and some are still alive, some are not. Every year this stupid sh**  goes on, and there is no justification for it.

Seen all I could stand of this

  http://www.turkey-talk.com/tblog/?p=126

You need to change the background on your blog, it makes the text unreadable. I had to cut and paste it into a word document to read it.

I'm not a "fanning advocate" as you stated in your article. In fact I have never even attempted it. When the decoys first came out where you clip a cardboard gobbler on the end of your gun barrell, my first thought was "That's going to get someone shot". With that being said, fanning is not a new technique and has been around for a number of years. Do you have any hard data showing hunter fatalities or injuries as a direct result of "fanning" or "reaping" over the last 10 years? Is so could you please post them? If not, then why are you in such opposition of the practice? Is it because you just don't like it? Like I said it's been around for a number of years, and unless you have any hard data showing any fatalities or injuries, then yours is simply a non fact based opinion. As long as it's legal in the particular state that a hunter is hunting in, and he wants to shoulder the risk then I don't really see where the problem is.

I do applaud your concern for hunter safety, although in reading your article I really don't think hunter safety is your only concern. This quote from the article:

The satisfaction of fooling, outwitting a narly old gobbler to your setup based on good calling as needed, using great knowledge of the turkeywoods, and not needing all these gimmicks is a great experience to be had.

That sentence just reeks of "He doesn't hunt my way so he's doing it wrong!" syndrome, which a lot of hunters are afflicted with nowadays.

[TauntoHawk]

To argue the other side you could say everytime hunters step in the woods there is a possibility of someone being shot.. so we should end all hunting period to be safe.


Seems extreme, you accept the risk the same as exccepting the increased risk of using decoys and fanning methods all that can increase attention from other hunters as well as turkeys. Hunt smart and practice what you consider safe, if thats avoiding certain methods than so be it. Ethical doesn't belong in this conversation really, if it makes it too easy for you than don't do it. Some states allow baiting, the use of rifles, electronic calls or decoys, even shooting birds off the roost is legal in some states I certainly don't feel like any of thats needed for myself so I don't practice those methods.

Stay inside the law and hunt the way that brings YOU the most enjoyment, plenty of birds to go around.

[mookyj]

BC your quote: "As long as it's legal in the particular state that a hunter is hunting in, and he wants to shoulder the risk then I don't really see where the problem is."

Bull, when someone is this reckless they put you and I at risk, not just themselves. I am not good or OK with that. Very shortsighted thinking. As to hard data, it will be general listings as mistaken for game, or stalking, not method of hunt. I doubt Reaping is a category in any states incident lists.