Be careful out there!

[BigGobbler]

I agree be safe on WMA and never go alone. A few Years ago here in florida me and my son was hunting a wma and were set up on a closed road walk in only and had a hen decoy set up at the dead end we had some POS TARDS drive down the road jump out of the truck and blow holes in my HEN decoy. I came unglued and ran over to the truck yelling at the guys that they were fn idiots that they did not know what a gobbler looked like and just shot a hen turkey and had no business being out in the woods if they did not know what they were hunting. They tried to turn it around on us saying we should not of had the decoy set out on the road, short story I took a picture of them in the truck and the tag number and reported it to FWC officer. Not sure what ever happened to the guys. This is the second time on a WMA that something bad like this has happened. The first time my buddy was shot with buckshot that was 15 years ago and he will never be the same again but he is alive. I will never go by myself to a WMA anymore for sure. I keep telling myself if it happens again I'm shooting back.

[old3toe]

 Had a guy come in behind me one time sneaking on a gobbler decoy I had out. I rarely use decoys but had one out this time on public ground. I kept hearing something behind me and finally spotted this guy inching closer. There was a big wide creek that was deep and flowing good behind me so he could only get so close. Which still put him at 80-90yrs from the decoy. I turned around and put my hand up since I was already extremely obvious with what little cover I had to hide in and the small tree I was by so was sure he seen me and stopped. Looking over my shoulder I was wondering what he was doing hanging around when he started raising his gun up taking aim over my left shoulder. I hit the deck a second before he fired luckily not getting hit. I got back to my feet gun in hand and running torwards him telling him a few things only being able to go so far because of the creek. He took off running as hard as he could go the way he came. That was close! He was so far from the decoy when he shot there wasn't a pellet hole one in it. People never cease to amaze me!

[Ozark Ridge Runner]

I will use a decoy on public land, and I think when used properly, it can actually be SAFER that way.

Set up decoys where you can see a good distance directly opposite the decoys of yourself so that you would see anyone coming from the angle that would draw a shot that could potentially hit you. If any other angle that you couldn't see, it wouldn't be a shot that could hit you.

I did just this yesterday on public land. I had a hen and Jake decoy out, and two bumbling idiots came walking in. I started hearing them call...and call...and call at about 150 yards away. Seriously, they called more in a time span of about 20 minutes than I probably have in the last 3-4 seasons combined. It was ridiculous. Anyway, they were about 30-40 degrees to my left and coming toward me. I made the occasional extremely loud, terrible sounding call to try to let them know that someone was already there, but they must have thought it was an actual hen despite how terrible it sounded. Long story short, when they got to about 50 yards, they spotted my decoys and hit the ground and started crawling over to some cover...I was laughing out loud. I hollered that they were stalking plastic turkeys, and asked them to go the other way. Thankfully, they did.

Moral of the story, I don't think it is unsafe to use decoys on public...in fact I think it can be safer than not using them if you give a little extra thought to your setup.

. Well, that's not exactly accurate for Missouri.  During the years from 1979 to 1988 there was an average of 18 accidents per year.  Those include all causes of firearm related accidents including those from careless gun handling, fence climbing as well as any other source of injury.  MOST of the injuries did not involve one hunter shooting another.  From the years of 1998 to 2007 the accident rate had been reduced to 6.9 per year.
No doubt there is risk involved, and the need for caution is always present, but the numbers you suggest simply are not in agreement with fact.

I'm pretty sure they were close to 150 yards when I first saw them. I didn't have a rangefinder on them, but it was close to that. Lol...I believe you quoted the wrong reply.

Yep, you're correct.  I meant to quote the post above yours but was on my phone and that thing has a very small screen. 

[spaightlabs]

I'll be heading to the wma Thursday for my first public land hunt this season.  There's this one wise old bird that seems completely un-callable if that's a word. I'll be putting the sneak on him. Good luck to everyone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not sure exactly what you mean by putting the sneak on him...but it sure sounds like you are going to be putting yourself in harms way.

[Old Gobbler]

I've seen folks shoot at a decoy....

And I've seen folks shoot at the sound of a turkey. (That was fatal btw)  I wont go into it , but yes it has happened,  and was very common 25+ years ago

My previous post about the shooting incendents in MO and PA in the 1980's being oUT of control , all I know is I remember the nwtf up in arms  about it , not sure of the exact numbers so the member who misquoted the quote etc...in disagreement may be right and I may have my figures wrong , but he agrees with point ...the shootings are on a big drop over the years - I remember the hearsay talk about hunters in PA having to tie some tape to a tree where thier turkey hunting , other than that I know of not much else but the number "40" being brandished about perhaps or likely exaggerated

I will attribute (just a opinion ) a good part in the reduction of turkey hunter shootings is due to a couple of reasons , more educated hunter pool ....and decoys have probably saved quite a few lives --better the decoy getting shot by a moron ....than YOU

With that said I'm willing to bet some folks out there have had a close call BECAUSE OF THE DECOY , but if you use precautions like I do ....your covered , if your doing something like holding the decoy.....your suicidal