http://m.parsonssun.com/news/article_84ea535e-1fc7-11e7-bb26-9bfd6518961e.html?mode=jqm
I have hunted in this area for years. I was hunting a few counties North yesterday morning. I had a great morning but I didn't use a fan. I'll just leave it at that. Hope the guys are okay.
Took the liberty to cut & paste. Thanks for posting Hooksfan!!
Two turkey hunters injured in hunting accident
Posted: Wednesday, April 12, 2017 4:32 pm
GIRARD — Two out-of-state turkey hunters received wounds on their faces and upper bodies on Wednesday morning after a fellow hunter mistakenly shot at a decoy they were hiding behind.
The injured turkey hunters, who were not named, walked out of the field and were taken to Girard Medical Center for treatment, according to a release from the Crawford County Sheriff Dan Peak. They were then transferred by air ambulance to Freeman Hospital in Joplin.
The sheriff received a call Wednesday morning of two men with shotgun wounds at the Girard hospital. They had been turkey hunting west of Girard with a third man, also from out-of-state. They had leased private property and that's where they were hunting at the time of the shooting.
A sheriff's deputy spoke to the person who shot the hunters. The man reported being dropped off at the hunting area about dawn. His two acquaintances were going to a nearby location to hunt.
At about 8:40 a.m. the man said he shot at a turkey that he had been "calling-in," but realized immediately after firing a single 12 gauge shot that his two friends had been hunting the same turkey. The two hunters who were injured were just inside of a wooded area, wearing camouflage and laying behind a turkey fan made of turkey feathers. The fan gives the appearance of a decoy turkey and the subjects could not be seen by the shooter, Sheriff Peak reported.
The victims were hit with shotgun pellets in the face and upper body. The hunter who shot them rendered aid and both hunters walked back to their truck, from which they were transported to the hospital.
The three hunters knew each other. One is a good friend of the shooter and the other is the shooter's brother.
The investigation continues into the shooting.
Call the Crawford County Sheriff's Office at 620-724-8274 if you have any information.
:popcorn: :popcorn:
Knuckleheads.
I guess the positives are that no-one was killed and they didn't shoot someone not involved in their deal.
:emoticon-animal-005:
Seen this coming. Just find it hard to understand how though when you are taught to make sure of your target (the birds red head and not the fan for example) before you pull the trigger. Thank God we wasn't using a rifle.
But all the fanning/reaping guys say it's safe on private land... I personally think it should be outlawed like mechanical or live motion decoys are here. Anybody can hunt how they want but I fear for the safety of turkey hunters when all the shows on TV are showing this stuff and people are thinking it's the new way to kill turkeys.. I love playing the game one on one trying to fool an old Tom with my calling. It's not only turkey hunting either. I've seen on TV where hunters stalk behind buck decoys, wear pronghorn hats to stalk through tall grass.. those are situations where you don't walk away from being mistaken as an animal..
So he shot at a turkey fan with no head present. Idiot....
Sad that it happened but I in no way think fanning should be banned as a method. A lot of people think anything that's different than what they do is wrong. I've done it and honestly it's a lot harder than it looks.
If anyone is to blame it's the shooter. Remember one of the basic rules?of gun safety is to identify your target.
Sad but lucky to be alive. Virginia was looking to outlaw "reaping" after the first reaping fatality 3 years ago
http://www.roanoke.com/sports/outdoors/bill-cochran-turkey-fanning-effective-way-to-hunt-but-is/article_7c8bd98e-fcdc-58bc-bd68-0997dc4e92bd.html
Teaching Hunter Safety I always like teaching turkey hunting and explaining how dangerous it can be, reaping is obviously EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! Was looking up turkey hunting fatalities nationwide online and it seems and it seems that most are family or friends and several were fathers shooting sons, now that is just UNIMAGINABLE.
HUNT SAFE!
I agree the shooter is to blame. But fanning isn't always done with just a fan. The mojo scoot and shoot is basically a full decoy head and all. I never said it was easy and don't think it's "wrong". I just think it's hard to argue that it's safe. Even if you personally are the safest, identify your target before shooting hunter you can't guarantee that's how every guy in the woods is. Not trying to down a method or anything. Sorry it was taken that way
This is kind of like running into the freeway at night saying "If I get hit by a car its the drivers fault".... Surrrrrre but it doesn't mean you're making a wise and safe decision
Every time this comes up I think of the cartoon from when I was a kid of the hunter giving his mother in law a sweatshirt to wear w deer horns on the hood during deer season. It absolutely was the shooters fault but does it matter?
Every season guys should wear the same animal outfits as the animals they're hunting. Sounds crazy but it's not in some guys eyes if it's only turkeys???? Darwinism is gonna help us
I don't think I'd want to be hunting with any of these clowns. First off, I've never fanned a turkey but I'd think if you were behind the fan you'd have to be able to see through it somewhat to know when the turkey is close enough to shoot, so the two behind the fan should have been a human somewhere. Secondly, the idiot who did the shooting shouldn't be allowed to hold a gun bc like mentioned earlier always know what you are shooting at before you pull the trigger. And shooting a turkeys fan isn't going to kill him just like body shooting at a distance isn't going to, just break him down some maybe.
I know accidents can happen and I may be involved in one tomorrow but it just blows my mind people just point and shoot without having a clear view of an animal or their vitals.
Quote from: Gooserbat on April 13, 2017, 09:02:19 AM
I've done it and honestly it's a lot harder than it looks.
I did it several times years ago. It was the easiest, and highest percentage, legal method I've ever tried. It wasn't 100%, but the few times it didn't work it was obvious it probably wouldn't at the start.
I do not like the idea of fanning turkeys...
At that point it become more about the kill than the hunt.
The reason I like tarpon fishing is due to the high level of skill involved. If I can talk a 150 lb fish into eating some chicken feathers... Then I have done something.
Same thing with turkey hunting...
I think both parties are to blame on this one...fan guys knew their buddy was on property, their buddy knew fan guys were too, and shot a fan with no red head.
How many of y'all public land hunters have had another hunter stalking your hen calling? Should calling also be banned? I've heard horror stories of people almost being shot because of none other than movement. So I think the issue is more with other hunters forgetting what they learned in hunter safety.
But I'll also never get why people will just go fan turkeys every day...it is fun, I have done it, but it's not as fun as calling one in. It shouldn't be a crutch, it's just another thing for the bag of tricks. People can get desperate and bust out the tail fan in some unsafe situations, not having enough visibility or knowing who could be there...
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Never fanned but will say I better get my glasses updated, some of those full strut decoys with reAl fans and beards look pretty lifelike. Hope nobody crawls up on my setup hiding behind a DSD
I've had hunters on public land stalking my hen calling. And I slipped out of there away from him.. i don't trust anyone to be ethical and safe and the safest thing I can do is get the hell out of there. There are gonna be dangerous/unethical hunters. Period. Poaching, trespassing, shooting from vehicles, spotlighting. Hear of people doing it or getting caught for it all the time. So no I'm not gonna be crawling behind a fan anytime soon, public or private land
Well said.
Fanners and reapers - pay attention...this guy gets it. And I totally agree.
Quote from: Gobble Nole on April 13, 2017, 11:00:50 AM
I do not like the idea of fanning turkeys...
At that point it become more about the kill than the hunt.
The reason I like tarpon fishing is due to the high level of skill involved. If I can talk a 150 lb fish into eating some chicken feathers... Then I have done something.
Same thing with turkey hunting...
These were not turkey hunters, they were turkey shooters. A hunter would have made sure of his target.
We were always taught to be very careful using a gobble call, be very careful using decoys, but now its ok to hide behind a fan. Stupid is as stupid deos I guess. Mike
I hate it for the two victims, but they still get no sympathy from me. As far as the shooter goes he should at the very least have to attend about a hundred hours of firearm safety classes and training and lose his hunting license and guns until he completes the safety course and passes an intensive safety test. And if it was up to me he would also have to serve a small amount of time in jail. Second offense straight to jail.
And the victims should have to attend some additional safety training as well.
All 3 are culpable. Shooter is the worst in my eyes. Maybe the 2 fan guys will win a "Darwin Award"? That was really dumb.
Quote from: Gooserbat on April 13, 2017, 09:02:19 AM
Sad that it happened but I in no way think fanning should be banned as a method. A lot of people think anything that's different than what they do is wrong. I've done it and honestly it's a lot harder than it looks.
If anyone is to blame it's the shooter. Remember one of the basic rules?of gun safety is to identify your target.
Hit the nail on the head... A BEARDED bird is all that's legal in the spring .
No excuses - but hunters are "mistaken" for birds every year, sadly. And these guys KNEW they were hunting the same property!
We shouldn't be promoting anything that makes these "mistakes" even easier to make! Just like, who in their right mind would sit behind this "target"????
But did he get the turkey?
In all seriousness, it sounds like this was an unguided day lease type outfit, and it also sounds like the hunters were set out way too close together. Lots of things went wrong to lead up to this. The hunters were dropped off- did they not have a plan of who would hunt where, and what lines would not be crossed? I always like to know who I am sharing the woods with and where they are. A little bit of forethought and these guys wouldn't be picking shot out of their teeth.
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You can thank old Eddie Salter for pushing this crap. I won't watch him anymore as he doesn't seem to actually hunt birds, just crawl around on the ground like a freakin wood chuck. Crazy crap
First of all, I think we should clarify the terms "fanning" and "reaping". Correct me if I am wrong, but in my understanding "fanning" is merely the display of a turkey fan with the intent of attracting the dominant gobbler. You, personally, don't even have to be attached to said fan. Full strut decoys are an example.
"Reaping", on the other hand, involves the stalking of turkeys using a "fan" of some sort as "camouflage", for want of a better term. From my perspective, it doesn't take much intelligence to determine which method carries the greater risk.
We are all quick to judge when something like this happens. Yes, the shooter absolutely was at fault, but few, if any of us go through this life mistake free. I, personally, cannot think of a worse scenario than to shoot one of your best friends while you are both doing something you love. I personally know one person to which this happened, also turkey hunting many years ago, and, in this case, the shot proved fatal. They were best buddies, and had been hunting together for decades. One of them had a momentary lapse of judgment, and one's life was lost, while the others life was devastated.
Sad, I was tarred and feathered for speaking out against this method, and chided for having no proof. Even now 90% of all the "turkey hunting accidents" fail to list how it occurred. I would love for someone in law enforcement or the legal services community that had access to "accident/event data" to do a bit of research on databases I cannot access.
I think the people that use this method of hunting understand the risk involved here and have decided out of their desperation kill at all costs mentality that it is worth the risk. In other words, they are turkey killers and the kill is much more important to them than the hunt. Therefore they will take that calculated risk knowing it may cost them their life or limb. No one can be that stupid not to realize that using this method dramatically increases the chance they will be shot.
It used to be unsafe to wear anything visible that was red, white, blue, or black. Then they came out with using decoys and they were controversial and a safety concern. Then they came out with jake decoys and there was more concern as this made things less safe. Then to gobbler decoys, full strut decoys, crawling behind decoys and fans, motorized decoys etc. etc. What has changed is the mentality of the hunter. Most so called hunters now are all about the kill and will use any legal method to get the kill regardless of the degree of risk to their own life. But we all know you have a lot of people that know how to kill a turkey, anyone can do that. Just few that know how to hunt them.
My :z-twocents: worth, if you try to look like the game that is in season, you are an idiot. We all know we have yahoos out there, it's in the posts. I don't see anyone wearing antlers and deerhide in deer season. Come on where is common sense here. Turkey hunting is CALLING the tom in to you. This reaping, fanning nonsense is horse manure. You REAP what you sew. I just don't get it. If you want a turkey that bad you shoudn't be out there turkey hunting.
Quote from: greencop01 on April 14, 2017, 08:09:24 PM
My :z-twocents: worth, if you try to look like the game that is in season, you are an idiot. We all know we have yahoos out there, it's in the posts. I don't see anyone wearing antlers and deerhide in deer season. Come on where is common sense here. Turkey hunting is CALLING the tom in to you. This reaping, fanning nonsense is horse manure. You REAP what you sew. I just don't get it. If you want a turkey that bad you shoudn't be out there turkey hunting.
Well said!!! I grew up hunting ole tough south Alabama gobblers. I still hunt the same way I did in the late 80s when I started. I set up and call the bird to me. It's been working for a long time and I'm sticking with it. ;D
I hope it gets banned personally.
Circumstances don't matter. A hunter with a gun shot another person.
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Ya, they shot at a person looking like a turkey, nough said! :popcorn:
An idiot shot a person. Nuff said
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100% shooters fault. Anyone that shoots at a fan and not a head is an embarrassment for our sport and shouldn't be allowed to buy a tag again.
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Quote from: Ericbrooks on April 15, 2017, 05:48:28 PM
100% shooters fault. Anyone that shoots at a fan and not a head is an embarrassment for our sport and shouldn't be allowed to buy a tag again.
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I've been thinking about this quite a lot since I heard about it.
First, I think anybody that does it is asking for trouble. I mean, it can be dangerous enough in camo, maybe using a gobble tube or a male decoy. Or, as I'm sure you've all heard, a guy shooting at movement or noise.
EVERYONE is fallible. EVERYONE...I've personally been convinced that I saw things that weren't there in low light or in a situation that distorted depth perception or color perception. Once while deer hunting I saw a guy standing against a tree not far from where I had posted myself. For about an hour that guy stood motionless. Completely motionless...Well, when a few deer stood right along side of him and didn't wind him, I realized it wasn't a guy at all. It was a branch that, from my angle, looked exactly like a man.
Now, take the situation where a guy is "reaping" with one of those (I don't know the name of them) turkey fans on a stick that has a body and a red head. He's in some sparse brush or in shadow or partly obscured in some way. He's moving and maybe looks pretty natural...You're convinced that it's a real gobbler. You see what you want to see (peoples minds do that).
BOOM! And you're that guy who shot somebody...It's not much of a stretch to imagine that situation...
I lean toward staying out of peoples business but I wouldn't have an objection if they outlawed handheld decoys. Here in N.J. it's illegal to handhold a decoy and, I think, for good reason...
I've been expecting this to happen as more & more people are doing it. Just thankful no one was killed. I'm not condemning it but it's probably better or more safely if used in the wide open areas like fields & such. Using this method in a wooded area is suicidal in my opinion.
I agree to politely disagree. :TrainWreck1:
I find it odd that people are almost glad that someone got shot. People have been getting shot during turkey season for as long as I can remember and it was always the shooters fault but if you're a Fudd against fanning now it's the guy who got shot that is at fault.
6-8 years ago a friend of mine was sitting in a laurel thicket working a bird and someone snuck in on him and lit him up with a load of 4's. I guess it was his fault for sounding like a turkey in a thicket going by some of the responses by people here.
A farm I hunt let some dipwad bow hunt on it a few years ago. He was looking over a thicket when a small brown shape came slipping through. He fired an arrow at it and shot one of the farmers calves right in the neck. It has to be the cows fault for walking through the thicket in bow season.
Turkey hunting and archery have more Fudds in it than any other sport I've been around. You either do it their way or you are an embarrassment to the sport.
You either clearly know what you're shooting at or you don't need to be in possession of a firearm.
^^^Well put. I even put in another post ,same topic...fanning,about a son who watched his father die when a shotgun deer hunter shot 1 hour before shooting time at, sound ? They were sitting on the ground.
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Quote from: turkaholic on April 14, 2017, 06:40:57 AM
You can thank old Eddie Salter for pushing this crap. I won't watch him anymore as he doesn't seem to actually hunt birds, just crawl around on the ground like a freakin wood chuck. Crazy crap
I saw him "guide" some lady one time. She killed a gobbler but also rolled the hen behind him. They cut away real quick and never mentioned it. Haven't watched his show since.
Again....... the guy pulling the trigger is 100% at fault.
There is no argument against the shooter being at fault that holds any water at all.
I know you traditionalist don't like reaping,fanning,whatever you want to call it, but it is an effective way of killing turkeys and is legal most places.
Is is smart to fan/reap on public land? Absolutely not! Why? Because there are a lot of folks out there that are desperate to kill something and don't take the time to properly identify what they are shooting.
IT IS THE SHOOTERS RESPONSIBILITY TO IDENTIFY AND CONFIRM WHAT THEY ARE SHOOTING.
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When the trials start up, I'm sure we'll find out what civil juries think about reaping...could go either way...
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Never did it don't want shot plain and simple.
Quote from: mudhen on April 16, 2017, 10:50:37 PM
When the trials start up, I'm sure we'll find out what civil juries think about reaping...could go either way...
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I've thought about this as well... In my opinion, in criminal court the shooter will most likely be found 100% culpable for negligent hunting. But in civil court, contributory negligence on behalf of the victim(s) will certainly enter into the discussion.
Someone mentioned in an earlier post - run across the interstate at midnight wearing black clothes and get hit by a truck? Contributory negligence?
Not exactly a perfect comparison, since most states have made it illegal for pedestrians walking on highways - for their own safety.
Hmmm...
Of course every hunter is responsible for being sure what he's shooting at IS what he's shooting at. That said, there is scientific evidence to show that in some circumstances, the mind sees what it expects to see. So, if you're absolutely sure what you're seeing is what you're seeing, and it's not, yes, you're still responsible but why would you put yourself or someone else in that position? Do you want a turkey that bad to chance ruining your life or someone else's?
I know everyone has an opinion, and I know some here will disagree with mine. I just have a hard time understanding a person intentionally putting themselves in harms way, then blaming someone else entirely for an accident.
I guess my thought process is it's almost like you're intentionally trying to trick someone into shooting you, then complaining that they did...
I just don't understand how anyone can mistake anything other than a gobbler for a gobbler. It doesn't make sense to me. Sure, I've seen things that make me take a second look, it happens all the time, but to actually mistake anything for a turkey is crazy to me. A guy could crawl through a thicket in front of me with a taxidermy quality mounted gobbler for a hat, and still no shot. I was very fortunate to have a father who not only was an excellent turkey hunter, but practiced and preached safety first at all times. I have seen people using a fan while hunting in the spring on a couple of occasions. Still, nothing about seeing it in the woods spelled turkey to me. DSD, Avian X, Primos or whatever brand decoy, all look 100x more real than the foam hens we used to use. Still far from the real thing in the wild. And this umbrella fan? Its almost 4 feet wide! I guess I'm crazy, or weird, but I just don't see it at all. People getting shot deer hunting? How can a person be confused for a deer? Especially enough to shoot? I know everyone won't agree, and I'm sorry for ranting, but I read about this every year and I always say the same thing. How is this possible? I guess people get excited, can't see, get in a hurry, or any number of things. Fanning/reaping shouldn't be dangerous, but I guess if people can't identify their target properly, it can be.
Quote from: Ericbrooks on April 16, 2017, 09:09:26 PM
Again....... the guy pulling the trigger is 100% at fault.
There is no argument against the shooter being at fault that holds any water at all.
I know you traditionalist don't like reaping,fanning,whatever you want to call it, but it is an effective way of killing turkeys and is legal most places.
Is is smart to fan/reap on public land? Absolutely not! Why? Because there are a lot of folks out there that are desperate to kill something and don't take the time to properly identify what they are shooting.
IT IS THE SHOOTERS RESPONSIBILITY TO IDENTIFY AND CONFIRM WHAT THEY ARE SHOOTING.
YOU NEVER KNOW FOR CERTAIN WHO IS ON ANY PROPERTY. PEOPLE TRESPASS ALL THE TIME. ESPECIALLY WHEN TURKEYS ARE GOBBLING. DOESNT' MAKE IT RIGHT BUT DON'T RISK IT.
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Can't say I don't agree that the shooter is responsible for his shot. That's a tenent that every hunter should learn before even handling a firearm.
That said, I've seen some of the yahoo's that are in the woods, AND being fooled myself, like I said, I wouldn't think about risking it...
Just my opinion. You all make perfect sense but I don't think you'll see me behind a fan any time soon...