Reaping?

Not trying to start a war but I'm at my wit's end. Got a real good friend that's hooked on the tactic. He planning on trying it on public land. What would you guys say to him other than he's going to get himself killed? I have already tried that. He's a new turkey Hunter that loves watching reaping videos.

I guess tell him if he's going to do it, only do it in fields. Still going to get killed though.

Most don't feel the tactic is very sportsman like. Also, on public I am nervous without acting like the animal getting shot. I'd say don't do it.

Buy him a copy of the Tenth Legion. If he reads it, maybe he will better see the light lol

PickettSFHunter said:

Buy him a copy of the Tenth Legion. If he reads it, maybe he will better see the light lol

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This is pure turkey hunting to me.

But, fyi, Tom Kelly fully approves fanning, or he did in 2015 when I got his newsletter. Here is the quote,


" Tom and Cuz recorded the television show with Clay and John Beck from White Oak Outfitters on an indian reservation on the South Dakota/Nebraska border using a turkey tail fan as an attractant. Fanning works.
This week we are going to show you how to make Tom's fanning display. Tom made this in his wood shop behind his home in Spanish Fort Alabama. It works, I have taken several gobblers by using it. Here is how to make yours."

skip the safety talk, anyone thinking it's a good idea has long since stopped caring About that

either like Pickett said, make him read the tenth legion, watch Pinhoti Videos, or just discuss the chess match and why it's the WAY to turkey hunt.

if that doesn't work chastise and make fun of him for even considering such a non fair chase, chicken yugo tactic.

I have had great success with the last one When one of my clan strays

Not trying to be rude but sometimes you gotta let natural selection take its course. You tried.

If he is your friend, try to take him on a woodsman centered turkey hunt. Some guys reap because it's they way they learned to kill turkeys. I was fortunate to have a mentor that taught me how to do it in the woods with a call (or a vest full of em) and no decoys. Maybe you could be that guy to him.

I don't get it at all, you crawl through an area looking like the bird that is legal to shoot. No thank you! I wouldn't do it in my back yard much less on public land. I am afraid someone is going to get shot in the face. I wish the commission would make the tactic illegal in TN. I hope you talk him out of it. Try to take him with you and show him the thrill of getting an old Tom without using this method , if he is new to turkey hunting maybe he has no clue about working a bird with nothing but a call!

Personally, I could not be friends with someone who employed this tactic. I'd just let 'em get killed.

It's been a while since I took hunter safety, but I thought I still had my booklet somewhere. I specifically remember being taught not to wear red or carry a red handkerchief because it could be mistaken for a turkey. I remember thinking about how stupid someone would have to be to shoot a red handkerchief. But as I have gotten older, I have realized that there are a lot of people out there plenty stupid enough to do just that.

If you take a large enough sample size of any demographic, there will be a few stupid ones in the group. Turkey hunting participation has exploded in the last 5-6 years. With more people turkey hunting overall, there are — as a mathematical fact — more stupid people in the turkey woods.

In the hierarchy of stupid people, someone who would shoot at a flash of red without knowing what it is ranks high on the list. But someone who would crawl around during turkey season, holding in front of their face a hyper-realistic replica of the exact thing every turkey hunter is trying to shoot? They outrank the red handkerchief shooters in my book.

Hunter Education Handbook from 1998:


Turkey decoy advertisement from 2021:


How the hell this is still a legal practice is way beyond me.

Thank everyone. Great answers. Definitely gonna try Tenth Legion and take him on a real turkey hunt.

In Missouri the spring turkey booklet lists out and give a short synopsis of the accidents form the previous year. There were always 1-2 accidents each year from 2 people hunting together and separating to chase a turkey and one ends up shooting the other. It was really eye opening that there were that many each year and it would say if it was a fatality or just an injury. Always made me think about it when I read the booklet. I have attached the one from the 2021, 2019, and 2018 Booklets.

Southern Sportsman said:

It's been a while since I took hunter safety, but I thought I still had my booklet somewhere. I specifically remember being taught not to wear red or carry a red handkerchief because it could be mistaken for a turkey. I remember thinking about how stupid someone would have to be to shoot a red handkerchief. But as I have gotten older, I have realized that there are a lot of people out there plenty stupid enough to do just that.

If you take a large enough sample size of any demographic, there will be a few stupid ones in the group. Turkey hunting participation has exploded in the last 5-6 years. With more people turkey hunting overall, there are — as a mathematical fact — more stupid people in the turkey woods.

In the hierarchy of stupid people, someone who would shoot at a flash of red without knowing what it is ranks high on the list. But someone who would crawl around during turkey season, holding in front of their face a hyper-realistic replica of the exact thing every turkey hunter is trying to shoot? They outrank the red handkerchief shooters in my book.

Hunter Education Handbook from 1998:
View attachment 68487

Turkey decoy advertisement from 2021:
View attachment 68488

How the hell this is still a legal practice is way beyond me.

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Well said! How there are people who condone this tactic is beyond words, and then the people who do it are even worse. Blood on the hands of the states for still allowing it to occur

While a disproportionate percentage of turkey hunting 'accidents' happen to those reaping/ fanning, the vast majority of hunting 'accidents' happen to those stalking 'turkeys' without a decoy.

Never an excuse for shooting someone, but most folks get shot stalking another hunter they thought was a turkey, then the caller/ shooter blasts the guy sneaking in.

It's rare that my guests split up from me for safety reasons, but if I have 4 or 5 hunting at once and we do have to split into 2 parties, I make sure everyone understands the main farm is split in half along a certain fenceline, and you are NEVER to cross over or shoot across that fenceline while the main group is split in two.

As far as reaping itself, no one deserves to get shot, but you are almost asking for it. Sort of like the 'accidental discharge' firearm vidoes on youtube. Cringeworthy.

This ranks right up there with riding a motorcycle without a helmet...if the rider doesn't care about crackin' their head open like an egg on the asphalt why should I? Perhaps it's brash but I tend to agree with others. It's devolved from an ethical debate (if that were possible) to simple preservation of life.

cowhunter71 said:

Personally, I could not be friends with someone who employed this tactic. I'd just let 'em get killed.

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So say a 16 year old kid that is new to turkey hunting was trying to do this you'd just let him get his head blown off rather than having a nice conversation with him over the dangers that could take place that comes to reaping? Some people might just not think of the danger that comes with it. I would never want someone to get killed over it.

Why is this legal? I know you cant legislate every dumb thing but I know there are a lot of other laws that protect us from a lot less dangerous things. I would hope people would see the person behind the turkey but a person just walking up and sees it may not look twice.

waynesworld said:

Why is this legal? I know you cant legislate every dumb thing but I know there are a lot of other laws that protect us from a lot less dangerous things. I would hope people would see the person behind the turkey but a person just walking up and sees it may not look twice.

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I think Alabama outlawed this didn't they? I'd be all in favor of all states outlawing it. But as long as it's legal and someone wants to do it then go for it. I don't think any more or less of a person doing it.

Very poor and short sighted decision on his part. Surely he values his life and his family's love for him more than the possibly of reaping a turkey on high risk public land. I would have to talk real firm with him, as my grand dad used to do me. No BS, set him straight and make him aware of his dangerous desires. That is the least you can do. As others mentioned above, take him on a woods hunt and teach him how to setup, call, be patient, be patient some more, little more patience, and anticipate and track the approaching turkey in hopes of killing him when he presents himself within range. Good luck.