The case for banning the fan. Outdoor life

[Setterman]

You act as if a male decoy means an automatic harvest which is 100 percent false....

I'm not sure there is anymore sure thing in the hunting world than a dominant field bird that sees a half strut jake, or full strut gobbler decoy with a hen in his field. It's stupid how effective it is. Is it 100% hell no.

If it doesn't work why are people so adamant that it remain legal. If it doesn't work why would anyone care.

I guarantee if they outlawed the dead silence call not one person would be upset. IYKYK on this one

 

[SES]

Maybe TWRA will have a decoy buy back program like some of the lib cities did with guns. They could use the rubber and plastic to make some "Just Say No To Fanning" bumper stickers.

 

[Rakkin6]

I know this can be a decisive subject amongst turkey hunters. But my opinion is if it is legal than I say do it. I don't fan or reap because I hunt mostly on Fort Campbell and don't want to catch some TSS in the face. I do occasionally use decoys depending on what area I get out in for the day. But honestly if they outlawed decoys on Fort Campbell I would turkey hunt has much has I do now and would t be overly upset about it. And I do think lowering the limit can help. Fort Campbell went from 4 birds a year to two about 5 years ago and trust me it has helped. I do wish they would allow more coyote hunting on Fort Campbell. You do have to use a bow or shotgun so you have to get them in close. You can't use a center-fire rifle at all on Campbell for any type of hunting. I have had coyotes come into me calling during turkey season a ton on Campbell along with some bobcats.

 

[Mississippi Boy]

I'm not sure there is anymore sure thing in the hunting world than a dominant field bird that sees a half strut jake, or full strut gobbler decoy with a hen in his field. It's stupid how effective it is. Is it 100% hell no.

If it doesn't work why are people so adamant that it remain legal. If it doesn't work why would anyone care.

I guarantee if they outlawed the dead silence call not one person would be upset. IYKYK on this one

This 100%. I keep seeing proponents of male decoys and reaping screaming that it doesn't work all the time and can be detrimental. Okay, if this is the case, why do they care if its banned?

Anyone who has hunted turkeys for any amount of time knows they live and die by their vision. If you get a jake or strutter decoy in line of sight of a dominant bird, odds are pretty high that he's coming to whip it. No, maybe not 100% effective but they're without a doubt the easiest and most effective way to hunt a henned up bird or a field bird outside of bait or shooting him with a rifle.

Just my personal view on male decoys is that we've become a world where everyone gets a participation trophy. It takes absolutely no skill to stick a strutter up in your favorite food plot or hayfield and wait on the turkeys to come check it out. I'm sure that will step on the toes of some and not everyone agrees with that statement and that's okay. It is simply my opinion.

The opponent has a brain the size of a walnut and doesn't have the option of going nocturnal like deer. My gosh, give them some advantages and earn the birds you kill. This game is supposed to be hard. Fail a few hunts before you pull the trigger and it will make it all the more sweet when it happens.

 

[TheLBLman]

But my opinion is if it is legal than I say do it.

I think much of this issue is about whether or not "fanning-reaping" should be or should not be legal?

 

[Rakkin6]

I think much of this issue is about whether or not "fanning-reaping" should be or should not be legal?

Me personally I say no on public land, I just think it is to dangerous. I do think it looks like fun kind of like noodling for catfish. But I will probably never do either lol.

 

[woodsman04]

Harder to kill one over bait than it is a decoy.

 

[REN]

Just because something's legal doesn't mean it's the right thing to do

 

[Setterman]

Harder to kill one over bait than it is a decoy.

This is true

 

[gasman]

How bout this..... If you want to do it, then do it. If you don't, then don't. If you want a 1 or 2 bird limit, then only take 1 or 2 birds.

Some of you kill 3 birds in Tn, 3 in Ms, 3 in Wyoming, 3 in Texas, and 3 in Fl. and there is nothing wrong with that if that's what you choose to do. I'm proud for you.

If someone wants to fan, that is their choice. Its not a guarantee kill. You only see the successful fan kills. You don't see the ones that the bird spooked and went the opposite direction. Waddell don't show those videos. No money to be made from that.

 

[Setterman]

How bout this..... If you want to do it, then do it. If you don't, then don't. If you want a 1 or 2 bird limit, then only take 1 or 2 birds.

Some of you kill 3 birds in Tn, 3 in Ms, 3 in Wyoming, 3 in Texas, and 3 in Fl. and there is nothing wrong with that if that's what you choose to do. I'm proud for you.

If someone wants to fan, that is their choice. Its not a guarantee kill. You only see the successful fan kills. You don't see the ones that the bird spooked and went the opposite direction. Waddell don't show those videos. No money to be made from that.

What if the data is starting to show that maybe the tactics we are supposed to accept are doing harm to the overall population thus beginning to affect all of our hunting opportunities?

Are we supposed to just sit back, and watch The population continue to free fall?

That's not me, I was doing this when there were only a few turkeys, and even fewer hunters. Then there were tons of turkeys and some hunters, now there's fewer turkeys and tons of hunters. Many of whom are employing tactics that are directly impacting the future of the sport.

You can be the type to sit back and watch the world burn, I'm not that guy.

 

[Rakkin6]

How's about a meet in the middle approach. No fanning on state owned land and only hen decoys can be used on state run land? But private land you can fan and use whatever decoys you want. Kind of a 50/50 to make everyone happy.

 

[gasman]

How's about a meet in the middle approach. No fanning on state owned land and only hen decoys can be used on state run land? But private land you can fan and use whatever decoys you want. Kind of a 50/50 to make everyone happy.

That makes too much sense. Hence what I said in an earlier post. "If you ain't doing it my way, then you are wrong"

 

[Setterman]

How's about a meet in the middle approach. No fanning on state owned land and only hen decoys can be used on state run land? But private land you can fan and use whatever decoys you want. Kind of a 50/50 to make everyone happy.

How about no male decoys? That takes care of fanning etc.

Afterall they don't even work so it should be a simple compromise.


Its shocking to me that decoy enthusiasts are so set in their ways they won't even consider shelving them. I swear if I was told tomorrow I had to hunt with a tennis racket I'd shelve them Benelli and try my hand at beating one to death. Yet, for the decoy crowd they'll never Yield.

Its a completely different view of this sport and the birds by people who have vastly different hunting styles. Kind of fascinating

 

[Setterman]

That makes too much sense. Hence what I said in an earlier post. "If you ain't doing it my way, then you are wrong"

What you dont get or refuse to listen to for some odd reason. Is that this isn't about "I hate your style of hunting". It's more I truly believe and now there's evidence pointing to it that decoys and fans are detrimental to the population.

If you want to hide in a tent and kill turkeys over Chinese plastic every morning on your land. have at it. But when the populations are nosediving and it spills over to affecting me, I've got an issue with it.

 

[REN]

That makes too much sense. Hence what I said in an earlier post. "If you ain't doing it my way, then you are wrong"

Hahaha. At what point in any of this conversation has a single person against it said "you are doing it wrong"

 

[Rakkin6]

How about no male decoys? That takes care of fanning etc.

Afterall they don't even work so it should be a simple compromise.


Its shocking to me that decoy enthusiasts are so set in their ways they won't even consider shelving them. I swear if I was told tomorrow I had to hunt with a tennis racket I'd shelve them Benelli and try my hand at beating one to death. Yet, for the decoy crowd they'll never Yield.

Its a completely different view of this sport and the birds by people who have vastly different hunting styles. Kind of fascinating

I wouldn't be against the ban on male decoys, if it is being done with the best interest of the actual turkey population I can support quite a bit. Now beating one to death with a tennis racket is pretty brutal, I would rather hunt one with a spear.

 

[gasman]

What you dont get or refuse to listen to for some odd reason. Is that this isn't about "I hate your style of hunting". It's more I truly believe and now there's evidence pointing to it that decoys and fans are detrimental to the population.

If you want to hide in a tent and kill turkeys over Chinese plastic every morning on your land. have at it. But when the populations are nosediving and it spills over to affecting me, I've got an issue with it.

What do you not understand about that is NOT the problem? It's mainly the loss of habitat and predators. Same thing happened to the quail population. Nothing you or anyone else can do about it except stop new houses from being put up on every inch of land, or stop farmers from clearing out fence rows and small patches of woods so they can plant 3 more acres of cotton

 

[Dennis]

I wouldn't be against the ban on male decoys, if it is being done with the best interest of the actual turkey population I can support quite a bit. Now beating one to death with a tennis racket is pretty brutal, I would rather hunt one with a spear.

I'm thinking 9 iron

 

[kentuckylakebuck1]

I'm not following what the point of this is?

You were talking about trapping and taking predators out, I was just trying to say that's very hard to do when your TWRA is handing out depredation permits every summer and farmers are leaving dead deer laying everywhere around the county! There was no point to it, I was just adding something that most doesn't know is going on?