Fanning & Reaping, Banned In Seven States

If you engage the fanning/reaping technique, you want to check up-to-date state regulations where you’ll be hunting next season. You’ll find that I repeat prior musings in part or in whole that are worthy of repeating from past reports on the method. Tennessee has now adopted a ban against Fanning on WMA’s https://www.tn.gov/twra/news/2022/6/3/fish-and-wildlife-commission-sets-hunting-and-fishing-seasons.html

Seven states have an outright ban on the practice. Nearly half of all US states either ban or strongly warn against stalking which encompasses fanning and reaping methods. The states are listed at the end of this. The NWTF and hunter safety education curriculums  promote hunter safety in their published materials in all states which cautions specifically  against the practice of stalking (fanning/reaping.) The list is based on the premise of what is officially published. For calling it out, it is a valid criticism of foreseeable risks.

It is understandable that proponents see it as exciting and just the thing to try for gobblers that won’t leave a field, and won’t budge off of a ridge. I won’t deny how much adrenaline is experienced, it has to be a thrilling experience as reported.

On the flip side, it is perfectly ok for the gobbler to win the skirmish.

Most of the paces I often hunt would present a risk without justification for using this method. Having said that, this does not apply in other locales where turkeys are hunted in different parts of the country. This is not a safety concern in open prairies, wide-open mature forests, and large tracts of plowed farm fields. Exceptions of wide-open terrain without rifles of course are noted.

There are recorded incidents that specifically report fanning/reaping/stalking, and it is my hope that it remains only a few. It is a grey area as the reporting is sparse and critical details are left out far too often. Many of the hunting incident reports site use of decoys, but not the manner used. I’ll make no assumption as I know of incidents where staked decoys were shot at, decoys shot at while sticking out the back of a turkey vest. Several seasons ago, a hen decoy sticking out of a turkey vest was shot with a crossbow at 8 yards. Lucky in that the errant hunter missed but struck the victim in the forearm. Trust me, it is a horrific wound.

Our hunting communities have gotten as polarized as national politics, it is disappointing, but not unexpected. I’ll not apologize for common sense, nor put respect and courtesy on the back burner in order to kill a gobbler that is giving me fits. Turkey hunting is life to a point…

As a fraternity of turkey hunters, we abide by the ideal that any and all turkey hunting incidents are 100% preventable and that one is far too many. 2022 was not a spotless record. To my knowledge, none that have been reported involve this method this season. I can assure you that I am more than fine with that idea. Zero incidents are the acceptable number in any season.

List of States, Provinces

In a review on the various DNR’s, DEC’s, DWR’s etc, the following States enacted a  ban on the practice of stalking, fanning, reaping, and specifically stated in their turkey hunting regulations:

Alabama, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania     

South Carolina (WMA’s only), Rhode Island, Tennesse (WMA’s only)

The following States, and one Canadian Province issue a statement of caution specifically in their hunting regs and or species-specific guides against the practice of stalking as a matter of safety:

Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Idaho

Kentucky (specifically fanning/reaping), Maine, Maryland, Missouri.

New York, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon.

Ontario, Canada. Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin

There may be more that publish separately as safe hunting tips, and hunting education courses. For my research, I used the published hunting regulations for each state or province. I will edit the list as others become known.

-MJ

© 2022

Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media