hunting
Four More Turkey Hunting Incidents, One Fatality. Tracking Two more…
Sadly this is in addition to: “Spring 2021- Three Turkey Hunting Incidents, Two Fatalities.” We are into the final few weeks of the 2021 spring season, many southern states have seen their seasons completed. It is expected that we return home safely from a day afield. This season, three hunters will not return and three hunters and a hiker taken to local hospitals. The very low statistics does little to comfort their families, or to avoid the awful feeling in our guts when we think of it. A eighth and ninth turkey hunting incident victim is being researched for more info, and is lacking crucial details.
Arcadia man dies, Fall from hunting blind proves fatal
FOUNTAIN COUNTY, Ind. — Indiana Conservation Officers report an Arcadia man died in a hunting mishap in Fountain County.
Hunter wounded as shooter flees in Mason County incident
CHARLESTON. W.Va. — Investigators are looking for a shooter who remains at large in a hunting incident in Mason County.
Turkey hunter shot by another hunter in Pulaski County,
PULASKI COUNTY, Va. —The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources is requesting help from the public for any information on the hunting accident. Accident occurred in Pulaski County
Missouri hiker shot by turkey hunter
A hiker in was injured after being shot by a turkey hunter who mistook him for a turkey…
Please indulge me for repeating in my posts:
The following tips, good practices are well advised for your safety and that of others:
- Avoid wearing the bright colors of a gobbler’s head, red, white, or blue. Large areas of black may resemble the body of a turkey. These are turkey colors, and another hunter may mistake you for a bird.
- Be 100% sure of your target. Check your foreground and your background. Those extra seconds of making sure can save a life!
- Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Don’t rely on your gun’s safety. Treat every gun as loaded.
- If you see another hunter, don’t move- any motion can be mistaken for a turkey. Instead, call out to alert the other hunter that you are there. Do not wave or attempt to get up, or use a turkey call to alert the incoming hunter.
- Do not stalk turkey sounds; it could be another hunter. Find a good setup with your back to a tree, rock, or other large natural barriers wider than your shoulders. Then go about working to call the birds to you. Stalking is illegal in many states.
- You may consider placing a hunter orange ribbon high on a tree to help other hunters identify your location, or wear on your person entering or leaving. It is a legal requirement by some states, do not assume orange to be an end-all for safety. Always identify your quarry and what may be in front of, behind, or to either side. You have no guarantee that others are wearing orange…
- Reconsider the assumed risks of using “tail-fanning” or “reaping’ techniques (using gobbler decoys, a synthetic fan, or real tail feathers) out immediately in front of you, mounted on your gun barrel or a head/hat mounted product while crawling or stalking. A fan may be large enough to hide you from view from other hunters and you may falsely assume they will properly identify you vs. a real gobbler.
- Always let someone else know where you will be and when expected to be back via text, email, or phone message. In an emergency, precious minutes can make all the difference for someone to direct first responders to your location or for someone to know when you are late returning.
We owe it to ourselves and to each other to ensure we all get to come back home safely to our families and to return the next season to spend time in the great turkey woods.
I will update as more details are published. We pray for those injured, that have succumbed to their injuries and for their families. May those injured heal well, Godspeed.
-MJ
© 2021 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Spring 2021- Three Turkey Hunting Incidents, Two Fatalities.
Half way thru the spring season in our nation, millions of turkey hunters have already worn out some serious boot leather across the southern zones of the USA. It is expected that we return home from a full day hunt or mid day to the local diner just in time for the firehouse siren at twelve sharp. This season, two hunters will not return and a third escorted to the local hospital. The very low statistics does little to comfort, or to avoid the lump in our throats when we think of it. A fourth victim is being tracked for more info, and is lacking crucial details.
Hopkinsville, Kentucky- One of those fatally shot was very young, 11 years old, reported as an accident, self inflicted.
Official: Boy fatally shot in apparent hunting accident
Shasta County, California- One adult hunter shot another, reported as a “sound shot.” Very few details as to how it came together. It is also reported alcohol is suspected to be involved and an investigation is on going. The wounded hunter was airlifted to Mercy Medical Center and is reported in critical condition.
Hunter Shot After Being Mistaken For Turkey
https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/04/14/hunter-shot-after-being-mistaken-for-turkey/
Pierre, South Dakota- A father and son team bow hunting for turkeys has turned tragic, the father was struck by an arrow from his adult son’s bow, and further details have not been released. The father succumbed to his injuries and an investigation is on going.
South Dakota man fatally shot by son’s arrow in apparent hunting accident
Two and half million turkey hunters that engage in the outdoors each season. The incident rate is reported at 0.003% in an average year that an errant shooting occurs while afield. That is all well and good in the realm of actuaries and statisticians. The families and friends of these three hunters will find no comfort in it. We can do better.
Please indulge me for repeating in my posts:
The following tips, good practices are well advised for your safety and that of others:
- Avoid wearing the bright colors of a gobbler’s head, red, white, or blue. Large areas of black may resemble the body of a turkey. These are turkey colors, and another hunter may mistake you for a bird.
- Be 100% sure of your target. Check your foreground and your background. Those extra seconds of making sure can save a life!
- Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Don’t rely on your gun’s safety. Treat every gun as loaded.
- If you see another hunter, don’t move- any motion can be mistaken for a turkey. Instead, call out to alert the other hunter that you are there. Do not wave or attempt to get up, or use a turkey call to alert the incoming hunter.
- Do not stalk turkey sounds; it could be another hunter. Find a good setup with your back to a tree, rock, or other large natural barriers wider than your shoulders. Then go about working to call the birds to you. Stalking is illegal in many states.
- You may consider placing a hunter orange ribbon high on a tree to help other hunters identify your location, or wear on your person entering or leaving. It is a legal requirement by some states, do not assume orange to be an end-all for safety. Always identify your quarry and what may be in front of, behind, or to either side. You have no guarantee that others are wearing orange…
- Reconsider the assumed risks of using “tail-fanning” or “reaping’ techniques (using gobbler decoys, a synthetic fan, or real tail feathers) out immediately in front of you, mounted on your gun barrel or a head/hat mounted product while crawling or stalking. A fan may be large enough to hide you from view from other hunters and you may falsely assume they will properly identify you vs. a real gobbler.
- Always let someone else know where you will be and when expected to be back via text, email, or phone message. In an emergency, precious minutes can make all the difference for someone to direct first responders to your location or for someone to know when you are late returning.
We owe it to ourselves and to each other to act and hunt in a safe manner and promote the best practices to ensure we all get to come back the next season to spend time in the great turkey woods and with all of God’s creations.
I will update as more details are published. We pray for those injured, that have succumbed to their injuries and for their families. May they heal well Godspeed.
-MJ
© 2021 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Wild Turkey Gobbler Shoots Poacher
This little gem from the past comes from a Buffalo News story published April 25th, 1992 that occurred in Potosi, Missouri. One of those “You can’t make it up” stories.
Larry Lands, a local hunter in his early forties and his sixteen year old son Larry Jr. decided to get a week long head start on the 1992 Missouri Spring Wild Turkey opener. After poaching a wild turkey gobbler the stacking of things that could go wrong, did and did so with a vengeance.
As reported, the gobbler after being shot and thought expired was placed in the trunk of the car intact along with a loaded shotgun. As some engaged in out of season poaching might be discreet, somewhat stealthy in their actions this was not the case in this matter. The father and son proceeded to a neighbor’s residence for bragging rights and to show off the bounty of their preseason jaunt.
As Larry’s son retrieved the gobbler from the trunk, the bird began flopping and succeeded in grabbing the shotgun by the trigger guard and fired a round through the car’s exterior at Larry Sr. The bird’s attempt at retribution failed ultimately, but did result in a leg wound that was later treated at Washington County Memorial Hospital. Larry Sr, was reported in stable condition at the time of the original story.
Sheriff Skiles is quoted “The turkeys are fighting back,” “They’ll probably be fined.”
A records search did not reveal if weapons charges related to a loaded weapon in the vehicle or shooting protecting game out of season were levied or any penalties resulting from court actions.
-MJ
© 2021 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Turkey Hunter Shot-Stalking? Decoys? Reaping? True Stories?
Out of all the topics I cover as an outdoor writer this topic is perhaps the most gut-wrenching to follow up on.
For those of you that follow my posts, you may recall last spring’s post- Eleven Turkey Hunters Shot…. since then I learned of more incidents from the same season for a total of 16 hunters shot. Other than a few brief paragraphs, no details that we might want to know were disclosed which brings me to the following observations… I can assure you, I conduct repeated searches for updates.
I had full intentions to report follow-ups to each of these unfortunate and preventable events. Several had positive story angles of their hunting partners responding Godspeed with emergency care, and immediate transport to professional medical care facilities. Modern-day heroes if you will indulge me. I do hope that interviews be granted in the future as the value of having a hunting partner can make all the difference in hunting strategies and for the unexpected events we may encounter.
The following story I reported on does have further developments: Father and 11-year-old son shot while turkey hunting, Son succumbed to his injuries. https://mynbc15.com/news/local/mobile-man-charged-in-hunting-accident-that-left-11-year-old-boy-dead Update: the initial charge upgraded to capital murder- https://www.al.com/news/2020/12/veteran-now-charged-with-capital-murder-in-11-year-old-jeffco-boys-hunting-death.html
Other victims, although very open and willing to share their initial experiences, Did not contact afterwards when things settled down. It is not a criticism as full respect for their privacy and my unwillingness to engage in tabloid journalism is the approach here. I have left the door open should they wish to in the future.
For the past two decades, I have tracked stories when they occur. In doing the research other than an initial story, historic search results in one or two paragraphs with little detail at all, in general, reporters see no distinction in how hunting accidents (yes, they call them that) occur nor provide the terms and details we often use to nail down specifics. In each of the events, I have followed the trail of, coverage falls off sharply as one could deduct that hunters shooting hunters ranks rather low in the public interest, and barely a mention in today’s wall-to-wall 24/7 news cycles.
The lack of detailed data can be attributed to HIPAA laws, restricted access in active investigations/court cases, and a tendency for victims to remain private following a shooting encounter. I could ultimately use the FOIL process to gain further details that law enforcement and wildlife agencies are not eager to share. Access to databases used by enforcement, and wildlife agencies would certainly add more to the story. Given the victims’ clear desire for privacy, it is not an intrusive tact I wish to take.
Having covered such topics I am often challenged, demanding proof by naysayers and advocates of stalking/reaping/fanning turkeys that there are no such events, and that reaping and fanning-related shootings do not occur at all. It is the equivalent of burying one’s head in the sand. Vetted studies that suggest otherwise, are a contributing factor in states enacting an outright ban on the practices. Should you care to research this you’ll find as I have that nearly all of the reported news of turkey hunting-related shooting incidents is lacking in substantive details. Having met and known those directly as victims I close this line of thought as too many armchair experts are willfully ignorant in order to support such methods. Non-apologetic for criticism of the absence of common sense and basic safety concerns.
To be fair, to add proper context and perspective, overall with millions of participants engaged in pursuing wild turkeys, we are a rather polite and safe lot despite being sometimes referred to as bloodthirsty killers roaming the woods with bows and shotguns. Statistically, by the numbers, turkey hunting is one of the safest activities we can indulge in. That said, can we agree that zero occurrences are the acceptable incident rate?
As I write this, a report comes out of Union, South Carolina of a hunter shot this morning, no details other than one taken to the hospital, One can assume while turkey hunting? Maybe? As such, no details as of yet.
Having spoken to some of the victims from the spring 2020 hunting incidents directly (some have declined), I can attest to the occurrences with ill-fated results of stalking, reaping, fanning, and the poor acts of shooting decoys, even hen decoys during a rushed shot, where we as shooters have an obligation to identify our targets, just as we are obligated to not present undue risk in our actions. This is much the same concept as taught in defensive driving courses.
It is one thing to read of these events, it is entirely different to speak to victims over the phone, in written correspondence, yet again in a more profound way to meet in person at NWTF national conventions to be handed a full dossier with full-color photos and to shake their hand directly. I can assure you it leaves a lasting impression as to the aftermath of these ill-fated events.
As half the country is currently in season, the next few weeks will open up for the remaining states. It is my sincere hope to have no incidents to comment on, and that you can keep posting the hero pics and smiling faces of youths out for their very first hunts. I prefer those. I wish each of you a safe and memorable season…
-MJ
© 2021 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
TSS, Reaping, Fanning VS Fishing with Dynamite
With the evolution of turkey hunting being as it is, one can draw many parallels to the human trait of wanting the next best mouse trap, the ultimate state of the art product, 100% guaranteed success method, and so on. The turkey hunting industry and the associated marketing of products thrives on this observation as it does for deer hunting and fishing. I’ll throw out the opinion that marketing methods are implemented equally, but I’ll temper that with what I’d expect will be strong opinions from the peanut gallery of each time honored pursuit and it’s enthusiastic participants.
With advancements in methods, product offerings we get a barrage of marketing campaigns, and the bible speak absolutes of hunters from the entire spectrum of abilities and experience levels. It is damn near impossible not to get caught up in it to some level. My weakness would be new calls and without naming names I would like my money back for my dog whistle and damn glad I got to hear the carbonator call in the hands of the maker first while I scoured the countryside trying to buy one. I digress…
Nearly thirty years since I tagged my first gobbler on my very first hunt, I can with the utmost humility claim that it was possible due to the fact I managed to find the most absolute dumbest gobbler in all of upstate NY on that fateful day. Despite walking in as it was getting light out, far too much movement, far too much noise, pulled out and overcalled with every call I had in my overstuffed vest, yet managed to shoot a kamikaze gobbler at sixteen paces that was roosted sixty yards in front of me. Never should have come together as it did whether you are of amateur or professional opinion. This is a stake in the ground to illustrate that any and especially poor methods on the right day, with the dumbest bird can get it done. As each season passed I learned, and more importantly learned not to continue with some foolishness I got lucky with.
With the popularity of hunting shows, and a golden age of turkey chasing that followed the explosion of turkey populations, the demand for instant results drives the market and attitudes of modern day turkey hunters. With the likes of Hevishot, TSS, came the “wisdom” of longer shots, smaller gauges. One can find prostaff on TV shows proclaiming 80-100 yard smack downs while sitting on big open fields, even out through a set of woods. Facebook experts claiming 60 yard shots with 410’s and recommend it to anyone willing to listen.
As a rep for hevishot for a number of years I came across many dedicated hunters that had hours of bench time honing their turkey rigs for the most consistent and tight patterns for every shotgun they owned. I have little doubt of the capability of the setups, and the perforated patterning targets backed up their claimed efforts. Yet most them were about massive knock down performance, not longer shots. I walked away from the gig when the campaign for 75+ yards came out. It was the wrong direction for my sensibilities. The wrong direction for having a turkey up close and nearly in your lap. I was in it to hunt turkeys. Not interested in gathering, sniping them. As I don’t fish with dynamite as a declaration behind this line of thinking, I was not about to go more overkill with TSS to pay $10 a shell at forty yards, when I thought hevishot was a bit much for the task as well. There is enough that can go wrong at forty yards, and having margin to cover range estimation error is reassuring, but that is as far as I’ll buy into it. As a clarification, I do like smaller gauge shotguns becoming more capable at the same close and personal distances as it makes for a good solution for those that can’t take the recoil of stout 12 or 10 gauge rounds.
I have written on reaping and fanning in the past and won’t dwell much on it here. If interested you can read them by clicking the links: reaping update to the original post. If your best setups, best calling, and best tried and true strategies leave you to wanting to dress up as the target of interest, then the term “turkey gathering” is a more accurate label for your activity. I’ll take sitting at an big old maple with a small rise thirty yards out between me and a gobbler all morning long.
While the push back is to label us old school turkey hunters as “boomers,” “elitists,” etc. it sidesteps the entire experience that made turkey hunting the glorious pursuit that is has been for generations. The sport of it is to fool the gobbler to forgo his defenses, have a great setup where he marchs in to appear well within a range that you can use an old shotgun with low brass 6’s to handedly get the job done. The art of woodsmanship, the collection of scouting details all make it routine and a consistent recipe for success. It does not guarantee it, but offers a sporting chance and a level playing field for the quarry at hand.
As turkey hunters do we need a tag filled on every trip afield, to be guaranteed that we would draw the equivalent to use dynamite to insure a legal limit of our catch?
MJ
© 2021
Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Turkey Hunter Ten Commandments
- Thou shalt have no other passions as thy days are in pursuit and tribute. Thy passions shall yield only to God, family, and service to thy country.
- Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of grouse, woodcock, pheasant, duck or goose. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them.
- Thou shalt not take the name of thy God in vain. Thy turkey hunter shall seek forgiveness in the transgressions they shall commit while in pursuit.
- Remember thy opening day, keep it above others. Observe the Lord’s day above all others. Four moons shall pass shalt thou scout, labour, and do all thy work of honing thy skills.
- Honor thy mentors, thy farmers, all those in aid of thy quest.
- Thou shalt not maim nor wound. Thou shall be swift and merciful.
- Thou shalt not permit gobblers to commit adulterous acts in thy presence.
- Thou shalt not commit sins of trespass against another turkey hunter.
- Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy fellow hunter. It is honorable to aide in perpetuity a false tongue put forth by thee to preserve holy grounds, and secrets they may hold.
- Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s gobbler, thy neighbour’s property, thy neighbour’s shotgun, thy neighbour’s turkey dog, thy neighbour’s ass, nor any possession that thy neighbor uses to fill his trophy room…
MJ
© 2021
Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Critical Intel For Northern 2021 Spring Turkey Seasons
While southern states have opened up, youth seasons that have come and gone or about to happen in the next week. Northern states have weeks yet to go before youth season commences and the regular season that typically opens up a week later. With a month to go here in New York an often overlooked period is the transition from winter to spring that is upon us. With wild turkey populations reported to be significantly reduced across the northeast, a time to gather critical Intel for your own personal assessments is readily at hand.
The last of the big winter flocks are into the weeks of fracturing into smaller groups as the fighting for dominance peaks for the rights of breeding. As I pen this, snow cover is nearly gone if not completely so. Food sources are now available that were not just a week or two ago. In short the flocks will be moving in mass or sizable sub groups into the well known historical strutting and roosting areas that we all become more familiar with after getting a few seasons under our belts. If you are taking out youths for the early season or will be hunting your regular season, the opener is less than a month a way and you’ll want to take advantage of this now.
This week and the next several weeks coming up are a perfect time to take a child to cruise your stomping grounds and the areas surrounding them to glass the fields and open areas for low impact scouting. Often you can cover lots of ground in the comfort of your vehicle and will only need to make the walk to hidden fields, otherwise not accessible from a roadside vantage point. Rainy days are excellent for finding flocks. Our family will cruise prospective areas often as a relaxing time to see what we may see. We do this a lot year round as countryside sightseeing was a fun time when the kids were young as it is now with a more determined purpose.
Scouting at this time will give you an overall sense of how big the local populations are, the makeup of gobblers vs jakes vs hens. Often you’ll find gobblers trailing the main flocks if they are not already strutting and fighting, doing their very best to impress the hens. It is often said during the late winter months that you’ll see all of them or none. It’s not the time to panic as large flocks have a uncanny ability to thwart our efforts to find them at times. If you have been following since the beginning of the year, you’ll have a hit list of likely places to check.
Whether you find them on properties you hunt, Murphy’s law says you’ll find them on properties you can’t. During this time, flocks you find a mile down the road on a property you don’t have access too, are just as likely to be front row and center come opening day. Over many seasons you’ll learn this first hand. I would stress that as you do your scouting it is to your advantage to not educate gobblers on your calling abilities long before the season starts. Gobblers will learn and pattern our actions every bit as much as whitetails do in my opinion. Personally I like my gobblers to be as dim witted as possible about what I’m looking to do. Unaware and unmolested by a parade of slamming truck doors, and voracious loud calling will do just nicely, thank you.
With wild turkey populations in reduced numbers compared to the last two decades many of us are mulling the decision as to whether or not to hunt specific stomping grounds at all, leave it be in the hopes of aiding a recovery in local populations. It is a personal decision, and I’ll state that we all act in good conscious and it is to our advantage to gather all the relevant Intel we can to decide wisely. In my little slice of gobbler utopia, I have a running list that I currently refrain from taking a fall bird of either sex and several former spring hot spots that I leave alone for the time being. Places that once held 10-15 long beards any given spring are now subject only to the occasional bird cruising through. We can agree that as sportsmen we can regulated ourselves well ahead of a government agency to restrict bag limits and not over hunt areas we know to be in decline.
I’ll wish each of you the best of luck in working up a grand plan for your spring season and if at all possible urge each of you to introduce a child or new hunter to a time honored tradition we have come to love and cherish.
MJ
© 2021
Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
2020 Fall Hunting & Fishing COVID-19 Restrictions
As spring seasons were bad enough with stay at home orders, quarantines we have a solid injection of partisan politics, an election cycle, and a lot of scared and fearful people among us. The following update of currently impacted state hunting and fishing seasons is an unfortunate reality as they were this past spring… I will continue to update this as more states follow suit and when states ease and or rescind restrictions entirely. Instead of season shutdowns, it is in the way of 14-day quarantines which ends the possibilities for most of us unless you can afford the cost of an additional two weeks and get the time off to do so. In general most of the restrictions will affect all travel without regard to purpose. Canada is currently shut down for all recreational activities for non-residents.
Alaska– all non-residents must arrive with confirmed negative Covid test results taken within prior 72 hours. Pending test results are a non starter. No option to test on site at the arrival airport or quarantine for 14 days no longer permitted. See Health Declaration form for further info on what must be completed when you arrive at the first Alaska airport.
Many towns and villages have additional requirements for non-residents, check with the local government or borough. Ravn Alaska airlines closed their doors, all their flights canceled Find more at ADFG.gov or State of Alaska Response Page
Penalties: fines of up to $25,000.
Connecticut: Non-residents, residents traveling to or from states and territories with high COVID-19 rates must comply with two-week quarantine or show a negative result from a COVID-19 test. https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/travel
Penalties: a $1,000 fine for each violation.
District of Columbia: Non-residents, residents traveling to or from 29+ states and territories. Virginia and Maryland. Exempted. https://coronavirus.dc.gov/phasetwo
Hawaii: Non-residents, residents traveling to or from other states are required to self-quarantine for two weeks or show a negative result from a COVID-19 test https://health.hawaii.gov/travel/18567/state-to-provide-updated-quarantine-guidelines/
Penalties: Violating the quarantine order is a criminal offense, up to a $5,000 fine and/or a year imprisonment.
Idaho: Non-residents, residents traveling to or from other states are required to self-quarantine for two weeks in effect for Ada County only. https://visitidaho.org/covid-19-travel-alert/
Illinois: no statewide quarantine orders. Chicago has a 14 day quarantine mandate for Non-residents, residents traveling to or from other states. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/covid-19/home/emergency-travel-order.html
Penalties: Violators are subject to fines of $100 to $500 per day, up to $7,000.
Kansas: Non-residents, residents traveling to or from other states (AL, AZ, AR, FL, or SC) are required to self-quarantine for two weeks. https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-COVID-19-Updates
Penalties: Violating the quarantine order -class C misdemeanor, fines from $25 to $100.
Maine: Non-residents, residents traveling to or from other states are required to self-quarantine for two weeks or show a negative result from a COVID-19 test. Travelers from five states, Connecticut, Vermont, New York, New Jersey and New Hampshire, are exempt. https://www.maine.gov/covid19/restartingmaine/keepmainehealthy/faqs
Maryland: Non-residents, residents traveling to or from other states and territories required to self-quarantine for two weeks or until they receive negative test results https://phpa.health.maryland.gov/Documents/07.29.2020%20-%20MDH%20Notice%20-%20Out%20of%20State%20Travel%20Advisory.pdf
Massachusetts: Non-residents, residents traveling to or from other states (Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Carolina and Texas ) are required to self-quarantine for two weeks or show a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival. They must complete the Massachusetts travel form if over age 18. Traveling from states with low rates of COVID-19 (currently Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York and New Jersey) is exempt. https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-travel-order
Penalties: $500 fine per day for failure to complete the form or quarantine for 14 days.
New Hampshire: Non-residents, residents traveling to or from other states outside of New England asked to quarantine for two weeks. https://nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/Travel_advisoryFAQs_6-25-2020.pdf
New Jersey: Non-residents, residents traveling to or from other states are asked to quarantine for two weeks. https://nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/Travel_advisoryFAQs_6-25-2020.pdf
New Mexico: Non-residents, residents traveling to or from other states and territories required to self-quarantine for two weeks or the length of their stay, with exemptions for first responders and other essential workers. Does not apply to those passing through the state and are asked to only stop for essential services for gas or food. https://www.newmexico.org/covid-19-traveler-information/
Penalties: Executive order declares that those in noncompliance “shall be subject to involuntary isolation or quarantine.”
New York: Non-residents, residents traveling to or from 36+ states and territories with high COVID-19 rates must comply with two-week quarantine ; Does not apply to those passing through the state for less than 24 hours. https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory
Penalties: a $2,000 fine for the first violation, $5,000 for the second and up to $10,000 if the person causes harm. Visitors arriving by air who refuse to fill out the health form may be fined $2,000.
Ohio: Non-residents, residents traveling to other states reporting positive COVID-19 testing rates of 15 percent or higher are asked to quarantine for two weeks. The list currently lists six states. https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/families-and-individuals/covid-19-travel-advisory/covid-19-travel-advisory
Oregon: Due to a pneumonia outbreak, all of the Lookout Mtn. Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep hunts have been cancelled for the 2020 season. https://myodfw.com/COVID-19
Pennsylvania: recommends that anyone who arrives from a state “where there are high amounts of COVID-19 cases” quarantine for two weeks upon return. The list includes 17+ states. https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Travelers.aspx
Rhode Island: Anyone arriving in Rhode Island from with a positivity rate of COVID-19 greater than 5 percent — more than 30 states, plus Puerto Rico must self-quarantine for 14 days. A recent negative COVID-19 test can offer you exemption from the quarantine rule https://health.ri.gov/covid/travel/
Vermont: Non-residents, residents traveling to other states must quarantine for two weeks if they arrive from locations with more than 400 active COVID-19 cases per million (indicated on an online map, updated every Friday), https://accd.vermont.gov/covid-19/restart/cross-state-travel
Penalties: Law enforcement may educate violators on the rule.
Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada , North Carolina , North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming: check before traveling as these states have restrictions on gatherings, some businesses restricted or closed and varying levels of mask requirements
Canada– US Border currently closed to all non-essential travel https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/services/covid/non-canadians-canadiens-eng.html#er1
2020 NY Spring Season is now closed, Fat lady has sung!
Turkey hunters, times up, lay down your shotguns and bows.. Who got it done today?
It was and odd season for me in Cortland County this spring. As usual work commitments limited the number of days I could hunt, and even then only until 8-9 AM To attend to business. This season will rank near the top for the least amount of gobbling heard.
There were no shortages of beautiful mornings, and one could hear insects out to 600 yards on many of them. If there was a peak for gobbling it came long before May 1st. Never the lest, there were noteworthy highlights.
Several encounters with the Dueling Aces that we have been after for three years now, the last one was interrupted by a bald eagle. After chasing the gobblers off, he presented a side back profile to inspire the patriot in all of us, just as I reached for the camera. Picture of a lifetime I messed up. I did learn that an eagle scream is good for about six gobbles in a sequence.
I met a feathered box call above our place one morning, I could have laid down a paycheck that not only was it a box call, that I could hear the lid, and swore it was a red cedar body with a walnut lid. The hen flew up into a tree and gave it all she had for nearly twenty minutes. Not something you come across often. Despite all her sweet talk, not a single gobble in response.
We called in a very vocal gobbler for Billy Heselden on a very fun hunt, and straight across a fairly steep ridge. All on camera, and one last gobble for the money shot.
Both birds I tagged were very short hunts, last minute checking a few spots before work. Very little calling, and played out far different that the many other hunts I have participated in.
If you had a last day rally, got it done in the eleventh hour, or a great story please share. I do hope your days in the turkey woods were as memorable as I find them to be, and that you enjoy good health and circumstance to be back at it this fall and next spring.
-MJ
© 2020 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Eleven Turkey Hunters Shot During The 2nd Half Of April, The First Week In May.
This is an update to the previous blog post Seven Turkey Hunters Shot in the 2nd Half of April… As mentioned before our hunting community has no tolerance for one much less eleven fellow turkey hunting brethren being loaded up in an ambulance or worse… None of us want to be there…
I’ll repeat for those that missed the first post: 2.5 million turkey hunters are afield in any given year, the incident rate hovers below 0.003% in an average year. Not to minimize the impact on the victims, the context is that 99.997% of us do the right things and hunt safely. The families and friends would have a very different perspective, and we pray for their families and swift recoveries.
Having said this, indulge me here… once you squeeze that trigger, release your arrow, it cannot be undone, you cannot put the shot load back in the shell, no more than the arrow back on it’s rest. It is 100% avoidable by our own due diligence and commitment to hunting safety. We owe this to each other. Please review common safety tips at the bottom of this.
I have a few updates on the first seven I covered, and now an eight and ninth injured in a shooting incident (archery tackle, making it the second one this season) where the hunter survived, but with gruesome results. It’s not pretty. I’ll refrain from posting the picture. Trust me for not crossing the line with gore as I’ll not stoop to tabloid sensationalism. His partner was hit after a bolt made a pass thru, luckily it did not penetrate. Sadden to report two more shot where an 11-year-old boy has died. His father was also wounded and is recovering.
Turkey Hunter Survives Being Shot in Face; Virginia Game & Inland Fisheries Investigating https://www.outdoorsrambler.com/post/turkey-hunter-survives-being-shot-in-face-virginia-game-inland-fisheries-investigating By Ken Perrotte Update- Shooter has been charged with a misdemeanor for reckless handling of firearms. I will have a story on this in the coming days– MJ
Hunter Killed In Wednesday Accident At Young County Line (TX) https://www.grahamleader.com/news/hunter-killed-wednesday-accident-young-county-line By Brian Smith No incident details or charges have been announced at this time, it is reported that the incident took place while three life long friends were turkey hunting. A foundation has been created in his memory https://www.facebook.com/SethKeenerFoundation/
Kansas Boy Airlifted to Hospital After Hunting Accident https://hayspost.com/posts/5ea6ce33eb7f1705360383cd Hays Post The victim has moved out of ICU after sustaining a shotgun blast to the head. Details are sparse with the mention of a decoy closed to the victim and the failure of the shooter to identify the target is given as a factor for the incident. No details on type of decoy, movement, fanning or reaping is currently available. Individuals involved are reported to be cooperative and the incident is still under investigation. No charges have been announced at this time.
Hunter Lucky To Be Alive After Being Shot, Mistaken For Turkey In Shannon County, Mo. https://www.ky3.com/content/news/Hunter-lucky-to-be-alive-after-being-shot-mistaken-for-turkey-569940291.html By Michael Deene No further details or charges have been announced at this time.
A 14-Year-Old Boy Shot In Jones County Hunting Accident (NC) https://www.jdnews.com/news/20200421/14-year-old-boy-shot-in-jones-county-hunting-accident By Trevor Dunnell Reported to be recovering from face and neck injuries. No investigation findings have been announced at this time.
Boy Shot In Hunting Accident Airlifted, 2nd sustained gunshot injuries (W.Va) https://wvva.com/2020/04/28/boy-shot-in-hunting-accident-airlifted/ By Bailey Pace Update- Both are reported to be recovering, no further details. The cause is also reported to be a lack of proper target ID, shooting at movement thru dense cover. No changes have been announced as the investigation continues.
Turkey Hunter shot with cross bow (IL) – Eric Rheude survives a horrific broad head pass thru from a crossbow @ 8 yards, also striking his hunting partner in the boot. Shooter was targeting the head of a hen decoy that was sticking out of his turkey vest. DNR Investigation findings have been sent on to the attorney general for possible charges. A full story forthcoming in a few days- MJ
Father and 11-year old son shot while turkey hunting, Son succumbed to his injuries. The shooter has been charged with Reckless Manslaughter. The father sustained minor injuries and treated at the scene. https://mynbc15.com/news/local/mobile-man-charged-in-hunting-accident-that-left-11-year-old-boy-dead
I will repeat here for those just picking up on the story… The following tips, good practices are well advised for your safety and that of others:
- Avoid wearing the bright colors of a gobbler’s head, red, white, or blue. Large areas of black may resemble the body of a turkey. These are turkey colors, and another hunter may mistake you for a bird.
- Be 100% sure of your target. Check your foreground and your background. Those extra seconds of making sure can save a life!
- Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Don’t rely on your gun’s safety. Treat every gun as loaded.
- If you see another hunter, don’t move- any motion can be mistaken for a turkey. Instead, call out to alert the other hunter that you are there. Do not wave or attempt to get up, or use a turkey call to alert the incoming hunter.
- Do not stalk turkey sounds; it could be another hunter. Find a good setup with your back to a tree, rock, or other large natural barriers wider than your shoulders. Then go about working to call the birds to you. Stalking is illegal in many states.
- You may consider placing a hunter orange ribbon high on a tree to help other hunters identify your location, or wear on your person entering or leaving. It is a legal requirement by some states, do not assume orange to be an end-all for safety. Always identify your quarry and what may be in front of, behind, or to either side. You have no guarantee that others are wearing orange…
- Reconsider the assumed risks of using “tail-fanning” or “reaping’ techniques (using gobbler decoys, a synthetic fan, or real tail feathers) out immediately in front of you, mounted on your gun barrel or a head/hat mounted product while crawling or stalking. A fan may be large enough to hide you from view from other hunters and you may falsely assume they will properly identify you vs. a real gobbler.
- Always let someone else know where you will be and when expected to be back via text, email, or phone message. In an emergency, precious minutes can make all the difference for someone to direct first responders to your location or for someone to know when you are late returning.
We continue to pray for those injured, that those that have succumbed to their injuries and for their families. May they heal well Godspeed.
-MJ
© 2020 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
RSS - Posts