Fanning in VA

[Strutr]

excuse ME, when someone shoots at a turkey, I believe you need to see a beard, RIGHT! And be sure it's a legal bird, right! Someone shoots without positively identifying the target , they should be faulted. Fanning is a joke, people make fun of motorized decoy and then go fanning. Who shoots at a fan anyway? Pure stupidity. Who crawls around on there belly acting like a turkey and then is disturbed when they get their eyes blown out by some dunb . Is this how desperate people are to kill a bird? CRAZY, is what I say. I hope they stop this bull crap, at least where I hunt. Next will be mandatory blaze orange. Keep it up, someone is going to get killed.

Exactly.  When spring hunting, most states require that you actually see a beard before pulling the trigger.    That is the final step in identifying a legal gobbler.

[Blong]

excuse ME, when someone shoots at a turkey, I believe you need to see a beard, RIGHT! And be sure it's a legal bird, right! Someone shoots without positively identifying the target , they should be faulted. Fanning is a joke, people make fun of motorized decoy and then go fanning. Who shoots at a fan anyway? Pure stupidity. Who crawls around on there belly acting like a turkey and then is disturbed when they get their eyes blown out by some dunb . Is this how desperate people are to kill a bird? CRAZY, is what I say. I hope they stop this bull crap, at least where I hunt. Next will be mandatory blaze orange. Keep it up, someone is going to get killed.

Exactly.  When spring hunting, most states require that you actually see a beard before pulling the trigger.    That is the final step in identifying a legal gobbler.

Out of the states I hunt, only one requires adult gobbler. Just so happens that one can identify a mature gobbler by what, u got it, a full fan. Fanning is done with the back of the fan toward the target. While I would not shoot one in the butt on purpose, I'm sure others will. I just couldn't hold the shooter at fault for shooting a strutter in knee high grass.

[TauntoHawk]

Guys arguing who's to blame is unnecessary don't you think.. Anytime a firearm is discharged the only person responsible is the individual who pulled the trigger, i'm not talking fanning or hunt i'm talking about the act of discharging a firearm.

That said putting yourself at risk of being shot is generally considered unwise, I would not walk around using a Montana deer decoy during our firearm deer season.

[BowBendr]

excuse ME, when someone shoots at a turkey, I believe you need to see a beard, RIGHT! And be sure it's a legal bird, right! Someone shoots without positively identifying the target , they should be faulted. Fanning is a joke, people make fun of motorized decoy and then go fanning. Who shoots at a fan anyway? Pure stupidity. Who crawls around on there belly acting like a turkey and then is disturbed when they get their eyes blown out by some dunb . Is this how desperate people are to kill a bird? CRAZY, is what I say. I hope they stop this bull crap, at least where I hunt. Next will be mandatory blaze orange. Keep it up, someone is going to get killed.

Exactly.  When spring hunting, most states require that you actually see a beard before pulling the trigger.    That is the final step in identifying a legal gobbler.

Out of the states I hunt, only one requires adult gobbler. Just so happens that one can identify a mature gobbler by what, u got it, a full fan. Fanning is done with the back of the fan toward the target. While I would not shoot one in the butt on purpose, I'm sure others will. I just couldn't hold the shooter at fault for shooting a strutter in knee high grass.

In my home state you can only harvest a bearded bird. Yes, you can tell a mature bird by several different indicators but it must have a beard. I've actually seen plenty of mature toms with no beards. Lost them for whatever reason. In my state that is an illegal bird. Shooting at a bird that pops his head up over a ridge like you mentioned is sky-lining, I choose not to do that either and it is also illegal in several states during big game seasons.

[TerryLNanny]

What happened to the old fashioned way of calling a turkey in, your call of choice. Putting yourself in jeopardy of being shot by looking like a turkey, it's your own fault.

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[turkeyfoot]

Don't know if this been mentioned but the state that this topic is about allows rifles for spring hunting and plenty people use them in spring. There ain't enough money in world to make me carry around a fan in Va with people dropping birds at 100 yards plus with .223 

[Blong]

excuse ME, when someone shoots at a turkey, I believe you need to see a beard, RIGHT! And be sure it's a legal bird, right! Someone shoots without positively identifying the target , they should be faulted. Fanning is a joke, people make fun of motorized decoy and then go fanning. Who shoots at a fan anyway? Pure stupidity. Who crawls around on there belly acting like a turkey and then is disturbed when they get their eyes blown out by some dunb . Is this how desperate people are to kill a bird? CRAZY, is what I say. I hope they stop this bull crap, at least where I hunt. Next will be mandatory blaze orange. Keep it up, someone is going to get killed.

Exactly.  When spring hunting, most states require that you actually see a beard before pulling the trigger.    That is the final step in identifying a legal gobbler.

Out of the states I hunt, only one requires adult gobbler. Just so happens that one can identify a mature gobbler by what, u got it, a full fan. Fanning is done with the back of the fan toward the target. While I would not shoot one in the butt on purpose, I'm sure others will. I just couldn't hold the shooter at fault for shooting a strutter in knee high grass.

In my home state you can only harvest a bearded bird. Yes, you can tell a mature bird by several different indicators but it must have a beard. I've actually seen plenty of mature toms with no beards. Lost them for whatever reason. In my state that is an illegal bird. Shooting at a bird that pops his head up over a ridge like you mentioned is sky-lining, I choose not to do that either and it is also illegal in several states during big game seasons.

We will just have to agree to disagree. If shooting one when he peaks over a shelf, bench or coming up a steep hill where visibility is limited is illegal , then I will just be illegal. Killed 3 in Tn a few years back, all inside 25 yds and saw nothing but waddles up on everyone.

[trkehunr93]

Safety is the whole reason for this to be brought up.  I can duct tape a strutting decoy to my back and slither thru a field like a snake and kill a gobbler that way but is it safe, H no!  Hunting accidents are what we all want to avoid ever happening, because accidents can lead to fatalities.  We have a responsibility as hunters to make CORRECT choices while we are hunting, know what your shooting at and know its a legal target.  VA is a state where you can legally hunt with a rifle, therefore you can see our DGIF's concern with this practice in turkey hunting.  The likely hood of rifles being made illegal to hunt turkeys with in our state is slim to none.  That would open up a 2nd amendment can o' worms that they don't want to deal with.

[TerryLNanny]

That's not turkey hunting in my book. That's someone that can't call a turkey in.

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[BowBendr]

The fanning is a separate issue to me. On the safety side, you couldn't pay me a million dollars to do it in a state that allows rifles for spring turkey. I know how far them boys shoot up there...

[beakbuster10]

Humans have a way of improving things until they no longer resemble whatever it originally was (FUBAR). Turkey hunting is no exception. Soon the "new" becomes the norm. Just look at HTL loads now. Not everybody shoots them but it is not out of the ordinary anymore, and they a more lethal to whatever they hit.

When I first got into turkey hunting safety was a big subject. One of the things that was stressed was not to wear red, blue, or white as these are the colors found on a gobblers head. I don't hear that a whole lot anymore and nothing about acting and looking like a gobbler. It was also advised that stalking a turkey was dangerous. That's out the window now too.

There is a phenomenon where a person can see something that really isn't there. When conditions are right the brain can "fill in" the missing parts and someone actually believes he sees a turkey or whatever he is looking so hard for. Its hard to imagine, but I think it does happen. Not all shooting incidents result from that phenomenon, but I truly think some do.

Fanning is not just a turkey fan anymore either. Just look in a turkey hunting catalogue and you will see plenty of products built for the purpose. Some have the front part of a gobbler on a stick, head beard and tail fan. Some use a full strut decoy to sneak up on a turkey.

Right now fanning, or reaping is done mostly in a field. Remember FUBAR. It won't be long before someone gets the idea to do it in the woods. Here is a scenario. Hunter #1 is set up in the woods calling, no decoy just him. Hunter #2 is nearby with his 'gobbler on a stick' and hears turkeys. So he decides to investigate and as he gets close and goes to crawling with his stick gobbler in front of him. Hunter #2 (the caller) sees something coming to his calling, its a turkey but something doesn't look quite right. He gets his gun up but he is still not sure of what he is seeing. Hunter #1 sees the "turkey he heard" moving and fires. The fanner/reaper didn't get shot in this scenario, but he easily could have been. When I was taught safety in turkey hunting, stalking was dangerous not to the stalker, but to the possible hunter he was stalking!


I use to have a safety post on this forum that was a sticky up at the top. My friend James got shot by his BIL Fred. They were on private land. The main point I made in that post was;

If you think you could never be shot you are a danger to yourself. If you think you could never shoot someone you are a danger to others.

Always keep safety in your thoughts when going to unleash that string of shot. You don't want to end up like this AND you don't want to be the guy that caused it either.



BTW James survived and continues to turkey hunt to this day.

I'm glad someone looks at logically. Imagine a strutter popping over a subtle rise in front of you, up to where you can see his beard.

According to many replies above, you're good to go to shoot. Except for the fact that the strutter is a DSD, and right behind that beard you just confirmed is someone's face.

Glad your buddy made a full recovery and is still able to hunt.


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[Tail Feathers]

Any hunter using reaping as a technique should be smart enough to understand the risks.  Any hunter shooting a turkey ought to be smart enough to positively identify his target as a real bird.

Stupid can hurt.

[bbcoach]

No matter what actually happened it is still the fellow behind the guns fault. Gun safety goes a long way. Is crawling behind a fan a good Idea? In my opinion no. But I don't condone gobbling either. People get shot just by moving their hands while calling. I hate to hear of anyone getting shot. There is no justification for not knowing your target.

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Exactly!  While I would not feel safe doing it, and have never tried it (PA law is hunting by calling only) it is still insanely stupid to take a shot without knowing your target. I was taught to positively identity not one but several parts of an animal before even thinking of shooting. A few years ago an acquaintance killed a hen in the spring season. He said he heard a bird gobble and then saw something that "looked like a turkey" in the brush so he shot it. I told him he's lucky it wasn't another hunter that he shot. He didn't think that he did anything wrong!  In the end, there is no excuse for not identifying your target. Not just the fan. The whole dang turkey!

Have you ever shot one in the mountains when he peeps his head over? I have many times and will again I hope.

Blong, With people like you in the woods, this is why people get shot.  You have broken 2 cardinal rules of hunting.  First you didn't verify your target.  You said HE sticks his head up over a hill.  You don't know if it is a he or she or someone with a fan because you are only seeing the head.  Two, you can not be sure that this bird has a visible beard (and most states require only killing birds with visible beards).  You hear gobbling and you get caught up in the excitement of the hunt and shoot at a head.  NOPE.  My 2 cents.  As far as fanning, I wouldn't do it but I don't think it should be regulated.  We hunters need to verify our targets, make sure we follow the rules already in place and practice all the safety rules that apply to hunting.  NO hunter should be shot at the expense of, "I thought it was a Turkey."  Get him out in the WIDE open and make sure or let him WALK!   

[turkeyfoot]

You know its getting close to season when we have the annual discussion on fanning and  does weather get em started early

[beakbuster10]

No matter what actually happened it is still the fellow behind the guns fault. Gun safety goes a long way. Is crawling behind a fan a good Idea? In my opinion no. But I don't condone gobbling either. People get shot just by moving their hands while calling. I hate to hear of anyone getting shot. There is no justification for not knowing your target.

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Exactly!  While I would not feel safe doing it, and have never tried it (PA law is hunting by calling only) it is still insanely stupid to take a shot without knowing your target. I was taught to positively identity not one but several parts of an animal before even thinking of shooting. A few years ago an acquaintance killed a hen in the spring season. He said he heard a bird gobble and then saw something that "looked like a turkey" in the brush so he shot it. I told him he's lucky it wasn't another hunter that he shot. He didn't think that he did anything wrong!  In the end, there is no excuse for not identifying your target. Not just the fan. The whole dang turkey!

Have you ever shot one in the mountains when he peeps his head over? I have many times and will again I hope.

Blong, With people like you in the woods, this is why people get shot.  You have broken 2 cardinal rules of hunting.  First you didn't verify your target.  You said HE sticks his head up over a hill.  You don't know if it is a he or she or someone with a fan because you are only seeing the head.  Two, you can not be sure that this bird has a visible beard (and most states require only killing birds with visible beards).  You hear gobbling and you get caught up in the excitement of the hunt and shoot at a head.  NOPE.  My 2 cents.  As far as fanning, I wouldn't do it but I don't think it should be regulated.  We hunters need to verify our targets, make sure we follow the rules already in place and practice all the safety rules that apply to hunting.  NO hunter should be shot at the expense of, "I thought it was a Turkey."  Get him out in the WIDE open and make sure or let him WALK!

What happens when it's a guy behind a DSD strutter that pops over that hill. The fan, head and beard are all visible, but the hunter on the other side hasn't seen the feet. Do you make sure you see the feet moving in conjunction with body every gobbler you've ever killed?

By law and ethics. The guy that pulls the trigger is still at fault. Should have known 100% what he was shooting at. But come on, you can't tell me the guy behind the DSD doesn't deserve some blame too.


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