Why I'd never "reap"

Turkey hunting tips & tricks that have worked & can help others.
decoykrvr
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Why I'd never "reap"

Post by decoykrvr »

I've hunted turkeys for 39 years this year and started waterfowl hunting while in high school about 13 years before I caught the "turkey disease". During @ 51 years afield, I've had decoys shot at with a high power rifle three times, a 22 twice, and with a shotgun three times. When foam decoys first came on the market in the 80's, I bought one and stuffed it with white plastic bags to fill it out and remove the creases. I can still vividly remember, while working a gobbler in a field on a WMA, the hen decoy suddenly exploding in a spray of white. The shooter was behind me and I was stunned and deafened by the muzzle blast and simultaneous destruction of the decoy. When I recovered my wits, I tried to run the culprit down, and afterwards was glad I didn't catch up to him. The shreaded hen decoy hung at the WMA check station for about 20 years until it just fell apart. I've done some dumb, downright stupid, things in my life, but knowing what I know and have experienced, trying to physically emulate a gobbler in full strut in order to kill it, Is probably one of the most idiotic things I've ever seen. If that's the only way you can kill a turkey, and it means that much to you "to score", have at it at potential considerable risk and peril. I'd suggest that you'd be a lot safer if you'd learn how to call turkeys.
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by timbrhuntr »

The part that bugs me is everyone just assumes that because you fanned a turkey you can't kill a turkey ! One of the best turkey hunters I ever met from Georgia told me how he usually carries a fan in his vest for some of those stubborn ones !

And on the stuffed decoy getting blown up so I take it that hens were in season at that time ?

I have had guys stalk and shoot at my decoys and I've also had guys stalk up to me in the bush where I was calling with no decoy !

I feel a lot safer crawling across a field with a fan in front of 240 pound fat guy than hiding in the bush calling lol
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by Hoobilly »

It’s bad that there’s those guys who stalk and shoot decoys. I guess they are piss poor hunters whose only desire is to just kill a turkey and will shoot non moving decoys
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by guesswho »

hoobilly wrote: March 21st, 2019, 2:19 pm It’s bad that there’s those guys who stalk and shoot decoys. I guess they are piss poor hunters whose only desire is to just kill a turkey and will shoot non moving decoys
Non moving are the only ones I can hit. And even that gets sketchy, depending on how fast the truck is going when I shoot.
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decoykrvr
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by decoykrvr »

It was during a gobbler only spring season which made shooting a hen decoy even more egregious. I hunt with decoys infrequently, but when I do I get on the other side of the decoys and make sure that I could see another hunter and not be in their line-of-sight.
Last edited by decoykrvr on March 21st, 2019, 3:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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MKW
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by MKW »

Why I'd never "reap"...don't need to.
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by brobi9 »

It’s lots of fun on private ground. Pretty solid adrenaline rush.
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by timbrhuntr »

decoykrvr wrote: March 21st, 2019, 3:14 pm It was during a gobbler only spring season which made shooting a hen decoy even more egregious. I hunt with decoys infrequently, but when I do I get on the other side of the decoys and make sure that I could see another hunter and not be in their line-of-sight.
Yup I am always very careful where I set up and what view I have etc last year I had 3 jakes come into my setup of jake and hen decoy. I could see earlier a guy come in on the other side of the field and set out a couple decoys. I guess he couldn't stand it that I didn't shoot at the jakes because I watched as he stood up walked out and pointed his gun at my set up and fired . He then turned grabbed his decoys and ran into the far woods. :o
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Grumpy
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by Grumpy »

guesswho wrote: March 21st, 2019, 2:31 pm
hoobilly wrote: March 21st, 2019, 2:19 pm It’s bad that there’s those guys who stalk and shoot decoys. I guess they are piss poor hunters whose only desire is to just kill a turkey and will shoot non moving decoys
Non moving are the only ones I can hit. And even that gets sketchy, depending on how fast the truck is going when I shoot.



You should try antelope at 80 mph with a 20 gauge to sharpen up your shooting skills :thumbup:
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by timbrhuntr »

Grumpy wrote: March 21st, 2019, 5:04 pm
guesswho wrote: March 21st, 2019, 2:31 pm
hoobilly wrote: March 21st, 2019, 2:19 pm It’s bad that there’s those guys who stalk and shoot decoys. I guess they are piss poor hunters whose only desire is to just kill a turkey and will shoot non moving decoys
Non moving are the only ones I can hit. And even that gets sketchy, depending on how fast the truck is going when I shoot.



You should try antelope at 80 mph with a 20 gauge to sharpen up your shooting skills :thumbup:
Naw just get buck antelope decoy and reap one !!
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by Hoobilly »

brobi9 wrote: March 21st, 2019, 4:26 pm It’s lots of fun on private ground. Pretty solid adrenaline rush.
Wouldn’t the real rush be on public ground!?
😆

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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by brobi9 »

hoobilly wrote: March 21st, 2019, 6:30 pm
brobi9 wrote: March 21st, 2019, 4:26 pm It’s lots of fun on private ground. Pretty solid adrenaline rush.
Wouldn’t the real rush be on public ground!?
😆

Guesswho.. my ZipLoc brother from another mother!
I’ve tried it ONCE on public ground in an area a long way from a parking area. Just used a fan though. I don’t care for anything red, white, or blue on my body in the woods
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by GLS »

guesswho wrote: March 21st, 2019, 2:31 pm
hoobilly wrote: March 21st, 2019, 2:19 pm It’s bad that there’s those guys who stalk and shoot decoys. I guess they are piss poor hunters whose only desire is to just kill a turkey and will shoot non moving decoys
Non moving are the only ones I can hit. And even that gets sketchy, depending on how fast the truck is going when I shoot.
During the off season, it's good practice to shoot at different speeds at stop signs, etc. Problem is distinguishing your pattern from the others.
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Grumpy
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by Grumpy »

timbrhuntr wrote: March 21st, 2019, 5:18 pm
Grumpy wrote: March 21st, 2019, 5:04 pm
guesswho wrote: March 21st, 2019, 2:31 pm

Non moving are the only ones I can hit. And even that gets sketchy, depending on how fast the truck is going when I shoot.



You should try antelope at 80 mph with a 20 gauge to sharpen up your shooting skills :thumbup:
Naw just get buck antelope decoy and reap one !!


Come on out and I'm sure we can fix you up with something that will get you shaking hands with the "Grim Reaper" :violent1:
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by timbrhuntr »

Out there every year twice and I’m a good two stepper lol
deerhunt1988
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by deerhunt1988 »

After a few more folks get shot, hopefully more state agencies will start looking to outlaw it.
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by Prospector »

Even the times I’ve seen it on TV hunts the miss rate is high- bet it’s really higher in “real” life. For those of us that prescribe to the “theory” that hunting pressure educates/changes behaviors this one would hammer it home in a turkey brain lol.
Never done it myself but it does seem slightly dangerous. Even on private ground you have trespassing. If they’re ballsy enough to trespass then they’re capable of anything...
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by OLE RASPY »

I’ve done it. It works. Hadn’t done it in a long time. I take a fan with me some but hadn’t had to use it. Rather them work the call.
But the name reaping is stupid. It’s called fanning. But whatever. To each there own but
I understand why you disapprove of it.
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timbrhuntr
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by timbrhuntr »

deerhunt1988 wrote: March 22nd, 2019, 5:07 am After a few more folks get shot, hopefully more state agencies will start looking to outlaw it.
If people getting shot was a reason to outlaw it then you wouldn't be able to hunt turkeys at all !! LMAO :banghead:
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ICDEDTURKES
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by ICDEDTURKES »

deerhunt1988 wrote: March 22nd, 2019, 5:07 am After a few more folks get shot, hopefully more state agencies will start looking to outlaw it.
Michigan banned it last year. Technically it was always illegal as our book readnothing "but wind powered decoys" But like alot of game laws left alot for interpretation. It became debated on our forum.

DNR took notice and stated last year in bold in the digest in bold it was illegal
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by timbrhuntr »

Ya Michigan sucks lol
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Stinky J Picklestein
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by Stinky J Picklestein »

ICDEDTURKES wrote: March 22nd, 2019, 9:56 am Michigan banned it last year. Technically it was always illegal as our book readnothing "but wind powered decoys" But like alot of game laws left alot for interpretation. It became debated on our forum.

DNR took notice and stated last year in bold in the digest in bold it was illegal
Are you allowed to move the fan with your own "wind"?
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ICDEDTURKES
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by ICDEDTURKES »

timbrhuntr wrote: March 22nd, 2019, 11:30 am Ya Michigan sucks lol
Stupid law ain't a bird here to reap anyways
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by timbrhuntr »

Yup no turkeys in Michigan move on !!

Plus I could never kill one now anyways lol
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Re: Why I'd never "reap"

Post by timbrhuntr »

Stinky J Picklestein wrote: March 22nd, 2019, 11:36 am
ICDEDTURKES wrote: March 22nd, 2019, 9:56 am Michigan banned it last year. Technically it was always illegal as our book readnothing "but wind powered decoys" But like alot of game laws left alot for interpretation. It became debated on our forum.

DNR took notice and stated last year in bold in the digest in bold it was illegal
Are you allowed to move the fan with your own "wind"?
You can't even walk out with it to stake into the ground :slap:
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