Tag: turkey woods
Fanning Reaper Bullies
Had a few comments made to me today and like clockwork repeated each time I visit this topic of Fanning, Reaping, and Stalking. I have revised a Facebook post from some years ago-
In as much accusatory tone as one might muster, apparently, I’m elitist, that I believe I am better than other hunters, and I blast those that don’t hunt as I do or see it my way. I have been told these things directly and accused of actually being an Anti-Hunter…
Sacrilegious… Fighting words… Cash Me Outside …
Seriously, please indulge me for a few moments while I shed a tear in this profound tragedy.
Delete and block are the modern tools in social media that have replaced a black eye and a sore jaw that one got for uncivil dialog back in my youth. Back then, you got real physical feedback for engaging your mouth before putting your grey matter in first gear. I digress…
To be crystal clear, we are talking about the practice of reaping, fanning, and stalking in the rolling, high grass, heavily wooded hunting grounds. This is not a point of concern in open prairies, wide-open mature forests, and large tracts of plowed farm fields in states where rifles are not legal in turkey seasons. I state this for the peanut gallery as otherwise, the village idiot could figure this out. I have friends who do this in very open areas, where the risks of incidents are not a factor. My criticism is directed at circumstances that present undue risk and defy common sense.
I am of critical opinion of those that choose to engage in risky methods in inappropriate settings in the turkey woods, potentially at others’ expense. No apologies, none forthcoming. We are expected to speak up when one displays unsafe gun handling, and engages in methods of undue risk. Is common sense no longer common? The common-sense principles used to promote defensive driving similarly apply very well to hunting. Ask any hunting safety instructor.
Turkey hunting has its inherent risks as in any form of hunting (arguably, factually low,) but why add undue risk? I do not wear antlers on my head or a deer suit during deer season. I am confident my life insurance company would cancel my policy if they were to find out I was rolling the dice on opening day with a nice set of booners on my head. Would a judge dismiss the case should I be shot for wearing a deer costume out in the woods for the opener? I guess yes. I’ll also guess the same when you crawl across a rolling meadow with a real fan and full-color neck and head decoy mounted to your gun barrel. Is the shooter to blame, you bet, are you the reaper to blame, you bet. The most incompetent lawyer across the land would get that thrown out of court. BTW not getting shot is the point.
My take? I hit a nerve and upset my counter-opinioned hunter to the point of a triggered, uncivil response. This is all over the continual debate over Fanning, Reaping, and Stalking wild turkeys. I do not stand alone in my view, nearly half of the state DNRs, DECs have explicit language, and safety information not recommending stalking wild turkeys in any manner. Alabama, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina (WMA’s only), and Rhode Island have outright deemed it illegal to use Fanning/Reaping Methods or engage in stalking turkeys.
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, and Wisconsin.
Despite the unfortunate shootings of two hunters while fanning in 2017, on private land together with a third, or that in 2013, a fellow turkey hunter suffered fatal injuries from these practices, we have the kill gobblers at all cost crowd claiming folks like me and others are full of it, have no proof, safer than driving, Indians did it, elitists telling us how to hunt and the foolishness goes on and on. There are other incidents that cannot be included at this time as the reporting is vague and one cannot separate decoy use from the topic at hand. Truthfully If I never again found cause to report a hunting incident it would be a great thing.
Me an Anti? Not in this lifetime. I personally don’t care if you choose other ways, or strategies other than what I might choose. Hunters make different approaches work however best it suits them. When it comes to doing things that presents a plausible incident scenario, I will speak out. Having regard for others, and some sense of logical reasoning, my viewpoint is not arrived at lightly or just to see what I might stir up.
The efficiency of the method is not in dispute, nor is the thrill of the experience. It is called reaping for a reason. It can get the job done. Snap shooting while the gobbler is trying to achieve Mach 2 in any direction but yours makes for very hurried, haphazard shots. Some of the youtube videos show this in cringe-worthy gun-handling footage. Throw into this entire mix, you have rifles legal in some states, shotguns pushing up to the 100-yard mark, actually taxidermy or dried fans for more “realism”, and my less than favorite, “I only do it on private land” as we all know those $50-$100 fines all but ensures peace, tranquility, and the ultimate of privacy on our own lands or private lands of others. The arguments for fanning and reaping are that foolhardy.
To round out my observation and comments on a revisit to this foray, do I think I am better than other hunters? I have my doubts as I remain a hopeless member of the tenth legion and I have plenty of lumps and scars from living through difficult periods, events of great loss, and “it’s reality time” moments in my past six decades. In short, hell no. Before I hoist that gobbler over my shoulder, it is pure adrenaline, heart in my throat moment up until he shows up. 30 years later it is every bit as good as my very first turkey hunt. I assume that most of you as fellow hunters have a similar experience. I sincerely hope that you do. I do enjoy other successful hunter’s postings. It pleases me as I know I will get out there as well. So no, I feel akin to my fellow hunters and enjoy as they do, not from a lofty better than thou view. I’ll be just as happy to see your hero pics. Your stories I like even better.
As long as we stay silent, afraid to “ruffle feathers” or hurt our collective reaper/fanning feelings (for some) We allow this promotion (or lack of opinion in fear of) to give a black eye to our great pastime.
Truly yours-
Not Afraid
-MJ
© 2022 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Random, almost 55……5 weeks to Opening day
It’s one of those days of multitasking, not just in my given profession as an engineer. but as an outdoor writer, a friend, hunter, husband, and a father. No order of importance implied, but assume family first. Much of the day has been about “getting it done”, tasks accomplished, next please. I’ll label myself as a overly hyper nerd at times. That’s my brain on ten solving whatever problems that can be solved in a given day. To most of you, they mean little. In my little world they earn me a living, and puts me one step toward whatever goal I aim for.
What had given me the seed, the basis for this blog, was a friend reaching out during difficult times. I’ll keep the particulars private as really they should be. I was able to offer some help, kind words from my own experiences, and more importantly offer my honest opinion to them as “you may have this skewed opinion of yourself, bullshit, trust me, this is what I see”. The truth, especially when it is positive and uplifting has its place when applied well. Today it was.
Part of what I wish to convey is a mile marker in a timeline that is my life story. Everyone has their own version of course. Turning 55 next March is one of those “I have arrived moments” for senior discounts, and other reminders of a perception of age. Today seems the day for me to express it.
Mentally I have crossed that line of becoming more reflective, where am I in terms of a grand plan, what does the next 50 years look like (Should I have superior genes, not claiming so, hoping… yes). My days in the turkey woods give me plenty of time to think, reflect, adjust my view and most importantly. relax and recharge my batteries. They’ll be more of that coming in just a few weeks, and I’ll take advantage of each day I can get out there. Despite our winters I love the change of seasons.
Going through the final stages of releasing my new book I find a change in my writings, and that it has become in some ways more personal, and closer to how I genuinely feel as a hunter, and as a person. Is this a change for the better, maybe? It is true to the heart, and I hope that it is what seeps through the stories.
As I put a stake in the ground at this juncture, I am OK that my experiences, choices (good, bad , even so-so) give me the perspective I have today. It is not to say I wouldn’t mind or in some cases yearn to have the ability to go back and take an eraser to some of it. No one should come to my side to back me up and declare me an angel or a saint by any stretch of the imagination. What would scare me to my bones is to wonder who I would have become or how I would view the world had I not enjoyed the many great things in my life or suffered consequences of my own choices or by matter of circumstance. Not all that dissimilar to those time machine movies when one change unravels the thread of all that holds the universe together. The one regret that I do have that I have no one to apologize to in this regard is the loss of innocence that I had as a young man. Not a sexual one, but one of the world is all possibilities and go for it. I still go for it, but with the tempering of decades of learned experience. Some of that is useful, words of wisdom, but it is not the same as having unhindered enthusiasm without a second guessing a bit of it. It is a little bit of emotional freedom you give up for some glimpses of wisdom.
I would not trade my 54 years for anything as I have known all along there is no dress rehearsal. Those that follow my writings know that I live a blessed life in so many ways. It is not perfect nor without heartaches. I do enjoy the fruits of my labor, and can look back at many successful things I had been a part of. I do feel that I have made a difference. Some of it comes from my work, advances in medical video, image sensors, and vision systems engineering that I have been involved in. I have been fortunate to work with and learn from brilliant people that I know to be smarter than I. I have gained much from those experiences. I continue to feel there is so much more to do, that my to do list will most likely out live me. Most importantly I have the sense of purpose and that I have much more to experience and to accomplish. It is unlikely that I’ll figure out what I want to do when I grow up. I am more than Ok in that quest.
I cannot comment on such things without mentioning our children, grandkids, as they carry on who we are in some small measure. I am blessed abundantly there. There are a few family heartaches that breaks me down whether I care to or not, but you come to live with such things that are beyond your influence or control, and as my wife would say, pray. At a soon to attend wedding I’ll walk our daughter down the grass pathway to the impatient groom. Our family continues to grow.
We never know what a kind word might do to influence a chain of events. Sometimes we catch wind of such things, most of the time it dominoes and you never truly know what caused it to come about. As I become a little older I become a little bit better at this, and try to add to the day rather than just survive or get through it.
One of the things I have done is written a small book that tells all of my true feelings and araignements I desire when the time comes. I keep it up to date, and it is shared with very close family and a few who have been or are a significant part of my many years on the planet. I recommend that you do the same, to not leave anything unsaid to those that this would be so important.
In keeping with this being an outdoor blog, this is some of the many things that I think about and ponder when spending time up against a big maple or high up in a tree stand. To those that find this scattered and random I would agree it has been one of those kind of days 🙂
© 2014 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
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