# Reaping Turkeys. A New Era of Turkey Hunting?



## R.J.M. (Jun 10, 2007)

Ack. Ten thumbs up


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

Don't worry Brian, I can't call turkeys either.


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## michiganoutdoorsman (Dec 29, 2010)

Not once did I say anyone on here can't call birds. I'm saying it seems like everyone is going for a kill now so they can throw their picture up on social media with a video of them reaping birds. We all have opinions and mine is that it's a pretty cheap way to kill a bird. I think the art of calling a bird in is getting pushed to the back burner now.


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## timj (Apr 28, 2003)

Reaping is illegal in Michigan. That question was asked in the law Forum.


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## QDMAMAN (Dec 8, 2004)

Gobblerman said:


> I enjoy calling the birds in, with that said sometimes I use decoys to give me an advantage and sometimes I don't, depends on the situation and motivation of the birds. Some guys like the challenge of reaping, it's not for me because I'm too old, fat and my knees couldn't handle it. I wouldn't knock anyone for doing it, just be safe. I'm waiting to see the story about a turkey hunter being shot by someone else because they were using this tactic.



I'm not sure which one I would consider dumber.


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## QDMAMAN (Dec 8, 2004)

TheLionsFan said:


> Just like I'll never shoot a bird or even attempt to shoot a bird 55-60 yards away like some "hunters" brag about doing.



Good that you know your limits....or rather inabilities.


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## QDMAMAN (Dec 8, 2004)

Highball28 said:


> Why can't people just stick to calling a big ol Tom out of a tree and having him strut over to you? Reaping is just dangerous IMO and takes away from the hunt itself.



You mean while you sit motionless in full camo behind a decoy making turkey sounds? Certainly MUCH safer if you think about it.


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## TheLionsFan (Dec 20, 2011)

QDMAMAN said:


> Good that you know your limits....or rather inabilities.


Should have known it wouldn't be long before your loud mouth chimed in with a childish comment.


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## QDMAMAN (Dec 8, 2004)

TheLionsFan said:


> Should have known it wouldn't be long before your loud mouth chimed in with a childish comment.



I'll mark the spot. Pucker up.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

timj said:


> Reaping is illegal in Michigan. That question was asked in the law Forum.


 CO's don't determine legality, only their perception of the law to write a violation. A judge decides legality. 99% of the time you can go with the CO opinion, this case being an exception.


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## fanrwing (Jul 31, 2010)

TSS Caddis said:


> CO's don't determine legality, only their perception of the law to write a violation. A judge decides legality. 99% of the time you can go with the CO opinion, this case being an exception.


So you would advise ignoring a CO and taking your chance in court. Interesting idea, why don't you try and let us know how it goes.


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## wolfgang510 (Feb 15, 2001)

How easy is it really? Has anyone done this extensively? What is the success rate? From what I know about Turkey's they can be really stupid until they get pressured and then Turkey's adapt very quickly to hunting pressure and become smart fast i.e they stop coming into calls and decoys and get lock jaw. And in some areas with road hunting problems Tom's wont' let a vehicle get within a 1/2 mile of them. I have seen Tom's spook and literally take flight at the sound and site of vehicle 200+ yards away or more.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

fanrwing said:


> So you would advise ignoring a CO and taking your chance in court. Interesting idea, why don't you try and let us know how it goes.


I'm not advising anything. Just pointing out that a single CO posting here doesn't decide legality. There were also CO's that were asked that said it was legal. Until a a citation is issued it goes to court and a judge rules, all a CO can say is there interpretation. Even then you could get various interpretations depending on the judge. To me the intent of the law was to keep motorized and movement imparted by jerk strings out of the field. Not you holding a fan.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

wolfgang510 said:


> How easy is it really? Has anyone done this extensively? What is the success rate? From what I know about Turkey's they can be really stupid until they get pressured and then Turkey's adapt very quickly to hunting pressure and become smart fast i.e they stop coming into calls and decoys and get lock jaw. And in some areas with road hunting problems Tom's wont' let a vehicle get within a 1/2 mile of them. I have seen Tom's spook and literally take flight at the sound and site of vehicle 200+ yards away or more.


Have blinds lost any effectiveness, the blind craze started 10 years ago and they are still ignorant to them.


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## wolfgang510 (Feb 15, 2001)

DEDGOOSE said:


> Have blinds lost any effectiveness, the blind craze started 10 years ago and they are still ignorant to them.


Depends on where you hunt I guess and whether or not you are after the limb hanger.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

wolfgang510 said:


> Depends on where you hunt I guess and whether or not you are after the limb hanger.


Lol turkeys are probably the stupidest thing you will ever hunt except maybe ptarmigan


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## wolfgang510 (Feb 15, 2001)

I guess I'm a bad caller than and have ugly decoys.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

wolfgang510 said:


> I guess I'm a bad caller than and have ugly decoys.


Not saying they cannot be difficult to kill as I have had my ass whipped in alot of state's, but it's never because of their cognitive abilities.


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## michiganoutdoorsman (Dec 29, 2010)

TheLionsFan said:


> Should have known it wouldn't be long before your loud mouth chimed in with a childish comment.


Can't expect much out of him. Lol.


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## jackbob42 (Nov 12, 2003)

wolfgang510 said:


> How easy is it really? Has anyone done this extensively? What is the success rate? .........


Works every time on the Scoot & Shoot video !
Just like all the other videos and TV shows , those guys kill every single bird they call to !
I'm gonna do exactly like they say so I can be rich and famous , just like them !


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## srconnell22 (Aug 27, 2007)

fanrwing said:


> So you would advise ignoring a CO and taking your chance in court. Interesting idea, why don't you try and let us know how it goes.


If I find it necessary, I'll be glad to. At last count it was 9 CO's, sargents and captains voting it was legal versus 1 CO voting illegal.


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## srconnell22 (Aug 27, 2007)

wolfgang510 said:


> How easy is it really? Has anyone done this extensively? What is the success rate?.


About as easy as killing one out of a blind if you've ever done that. Dodos are not an intelligent bird, they are dumb as dirt. Fanning and blinds are easy ways to beat the only good sense they have.

They have great vision and are scared of everything. When you eliminate the only real defense they have, their eyesight, it's pretty much the equivalent of shooting them under the bird feeder in your bath robe.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

michiganoutdoorsman said:


> Can't expect much out of him. Lol.
> View attachment 211333


I don't know what the girl fight is about, but posting pm's in public is poor taste.


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## michiganoutdoorsman (Dec 29, 2010)

TSS Caddis said:


> I don't know what the girl fight is about, but posting pm's in public is poor taste.


Not a pm. He did it in our team's thread, anyone could've saw it.


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## RMH (Jan 17, 2009)

srconnell22 said:


> If I find it necessary, *I'll be glad to*. At last count it was 9 CO's, sargents and captains voting it was legal versus 1 CO voting illegal.


Of course you would glad, and everyone here on these boards knows that. 
Maybe you could contact a moderator and have him post it as a sticky.:lol:


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

RMH said:


> Of course you would glad, and everyone here on these boards knows that.
> Maybe you could contact a moderator and have him post it as a sticky.:lol:


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## RMH (Jan 17, 2009)

Oh look isn't that cute, you must be bored at work......Firefighter to the rescue!!! :lol: Shouldn't you be workin on yer itchy trigger finger?:mischeif:


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

DEDGOOSE said:


> Lol turkeys are probably the stupidest thing you will ever hunt except maybe ptarmigan


Ptarmigan are by far the stupidest, I use to kill em with rocks, I might try that on a turkey sometime.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

It'd be kinda fun to use bait. I'd run a line of corn right into the blind where I would be hiding behind a tail fan then beat him with a striker. Now that'd be badazz.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

DEDGOOSE said:


> Lol turkeys are probably the stupidest thing you will ever hunt except maybe ptarmigan


And to think, people hire guides to teach em how to kill them stupid things lol Go figure eh?


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Spoke to the local CO where I hunt (actually the one that's the main contact for a 7 county area covering two turkey units) and he knew exactly which reg I was asking about, and said it's absolutely legal to use a fan or a "reaping" decoy. He said the reg was intended to prevent the use of actually mechanical decoys, but is worded poorly, and the issue is being discussed. 

I'm not going to give my my normal methods, but I've never tried fanning before, so I might use my fan from my turkey last year and give it a try. I know where they roost and feed and strut on my property, so I won't be departing from my normal method of calling in the valleys of beach trees and river bottoms, but if I don't get anything by 11am or so I might just give stalking them down behind a fan in the middle of our cherry orchard a try. I've heard enough guys had success behind a fan to give it a shot.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

Lamarsh said:


> Spoke to the local CO where I hunt (actually the one that's the main contact for a 7 county area covering two turkey units) and he knew exactly which reg I was asking about, and said it's absolutely legal to use a fan or a "reaping" decoy. He said the reg was intended to prevent the use of actually mechanical decoys, but is worded poorly, and the issue is being discussed.
> 
> I'm not going to give my my normal methods, but I've never tried fanning before, so I might use my fan from my turkey last year and give it a try. I know where they roost and feed and strut on my property, so I won't be departing from my normal method of calling in the valleys of beach trees and river bottoms, but if I don't get anything by 11am or so I might just give stalking them down behind a fan in the middle of our cherry orchard a try. I've heard enough guys had success behind a fan to give it a shot.


Spot a bird in a field and it's basically a done deal. Sneak as close as you can and then start belly crawling with it in front of you. I've had them literally come within 1' and peak over the top of the fan. Have even pulled a bird off 2 hens it was breeding to come over.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

TSS Caddis said:


> Spot a bird in a field and it's basically a done deal. Sneak as close as you can and then start belly crawling with it in front of you. I've had them literally come within 1' and peak over the top of the fan. Have even pulled a bird off 2 hens it was breeding to come over.


Thanks! I've only belly crawled without a fan or anything, in this very cherry orchard, with ZERO success lol. My plan is to mount my fan from last year on either my barrel or some kind of stick. Funny, the CO actually suggested putting it on my hat so long as I was on private property and I am other wise safe from hunters mistaking me for a turkey. 

My expectations are very low, but the birds on my property are almost always in that cherry orchard late morning through mid day, untouchable, so I figured I would just give this a try for chits n giggles; otherwise it's back to the usually mid day plan, which is fishing, drinking and making fun of my family members.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

Lamarsh said:


> Thanks! I've only belly crawled without a fan or anything, in this very cherry orchard, with ZERO success lol. My plan is to mount my fan from last year on either my barrel or some kind of stick. Funny, the CO actually suggested putting it on my hat so long as I was on private property and I am other wise safe from hunters mistaking me for a turkey.
> 
> My expectations are very low, but the birds on my property are almost always in that cherry orchard late morning through mid day, untouchable, so I figured I would just give this a try for chits n giggles; otherwise it's back to the usually mid day plan, which is fishing, drinking and making fun of my family members.


I use a fan holder from a pretty boy decoy and have it mounted to a metal stake. Nice because you can push it into the ground and take a break to glass. You can also just flesh out a fan and use Coleman fuel and borax to preserve it and then hold it. The Coleman fuel lets it stay flexible so you can fold it up.

If your belly crawling with the fan in front of you they will come. Problem is if there r jakes, they will out pace the toms in getting to you. I'm not sure I've ever had the fan fail. I'd prefer to call birds in but the fan is a great afternoon tactic when your driving around and spot them in a field.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

Fanned in the whole flock, filled our last tag and they wouldn't leave. Called one out of the flock and killed it 15 minutes before and then used the fan to pull the flock and get one more. Flock had 5 toms originally, called in and killed 3 out of it over 2 mornings and killed the 4th with the fan. Lone survivor was lucky we were out of tags.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

Lamarsh said:


> Thanks! I've only belly crawled without a fan or anything, in this very cherry orchard, with ZERO success lol.


Crawling without visual aid is an art. It's more exhausting then calling. Hunting with lots of folks the majority of guys can't get their ass down.

Some of my most rewarding hunts have been crawling 3-4 hundred yards and taking hours to kill one


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

DEDGOOSE said:


> Crawling without visual aid is an art. It's more exhausting then calling. Hunting with lots of folks the majority of guys can't get their ass down.
> 
> Some of my most rewarding hunts have been crawling 3-4 hundred yards and taking hours to kill one


This.

If it's a warm fall day, chances are I'm someplace stalking turkeys. I especially like bright sunny days where I can use the timber shadows to my advantage.


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## thill (Aug 23, 2006)

I'd like to try it before throwing out an opinion. I shot a dandy bird last Sunday, my personal best and I never had to make a call. Put decoys out in an open field, shoot a big bird and pat myself on the back. That's seriously how difficult (easy) it was. I'd like to try something else that could be both exciting and challenging.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

TSS Caddis said:


> I'd prefer to call birds in but the fan is a great afternoon tactic when your driving around and spot them in a field.


My thoughts exactly. Thanks for sharing the video. I'll probably make one out of an old arrow or something. 



DEDGOOSE said:


> Crawling without visual aid is an art. It's more exhausting then calling.


Also a great way to see how many ticks you can pick off your body when you're done lol. 



Firefighter said:


> I especially like bright sunny days where I can use the timber shadows to my advantage.


Yup, except I always had a hard time stalking them when timber shadows weren't available. I've gotten pretty close using the cherry orchard rows, but there always seems to be one that busts me. 

I've been so busy with work, all I'm going to get this season is the last two days for my tag, which is this Saturday and Sunday, so hopefully I can fill the tag in that short period. It's good to know I can try fanning out if it's mid day and sunny, where I would otherwise bust out my fishing gear.


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

Truthfully if you're stalking open fields, cloudy is far better because your shadow on a sunny day can make you look huge and exaggerate your movement, depending on the sun's position.


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## Mr. Botek (Mar 15, 2011)

Heading to southern Indiana this weekend and will have from noon Friday until rain/thunderstorms move in on Saturday to tag a tom. I plan on buying at minimum a fan on the way down, Mojo Scoot-n-Shoot if I feel like it. I'll be set up classic calling, but won't hesitate to change tactics and go offensive if required. I'll leave the gear there with my friend for his/my future use, just as I have done with the Mojo dove decoys.


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

Mr. Botek said:


> Heading to southern Indiana this weekend and will have from noon Friday until rain/thunderstorms move in on Saturday to tag a tom. I plan on buying at minimum a fan on the way down, Mojo Scoot-n-Shoot if I feel like it. I'll be set up classic calling, but won't hesitate to change tactics and go offensive if required. I'll leave the gear there with my friend for his/my future use, just as I have done with the Mojo dove decoys.


Dean I've got a dozen fans you can HAVE


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## o_mykiss (May 21, 2013)

does fan size matter? I used to have a jake fan but my dad gave it to one of his friend's kids. now my only fan is from a monster tom


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## Mr. Botek (Mar 15, 2011)

Firefighter said:


> Dean I've got a dozen fans you can HAVE


Much appreciated but your offer presents two problems:
1. I would have to actually SEE you, and quite honestly I try to limit that to the Darkhouse season! 

2. I'm looking for a synthetic so it can be stored for years of future use.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Well darn it my only fan that isn't mounted is from last year, and I de-fleshed it and covered it in borax, but then just left it in the closed position and of course never got around to mounting it, so now it's stuck that way. I wanted to use it as my fanning fan, because I've never tried that method, but it's stuck closed. Anybody have any tips as to how to open it back up without ruining it? I was told to try hot water with some dish soap for a day or two, but I am open to any suggestions.


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

Lamarsh said:


> Well darn it my only fan that isn't mounted is from last year, and I de-fleshed it and covered it in borax, but then just left it in the closed position and of course never got around to mounting it, so now it's stuck that way. I wanted to use it as my fanning fan, because I've never tried that method, but it's stuck closed. Anybody have any tips as to how to open it back up without ruining it? I was told to try hot water with some dish soap for a day or two, but I am open to any suggestions.


Where you located?


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## GIDEON (Mar 28, 2008)

More and more people are looking for the easy ways, and in doing so taking hunting to hole new levels................................PETA may have a point


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Firefighter said:


> Where you located?


Royal Oak


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

Lamarsh said:


> Well darn it my only fan that isn't mounted is from last year, and I de-fleshed it and covered it in borax, but then just left it in the closed position and of course never got around to mounting it, so now it's stuck that way. I wanted to use it as my fanning fan, because I've never tried that method, but it's stuck closed. Anybody have any tips as to how to open it back up without ruining it? I was told to try hot water with some dish soap for a day or two, but I am open to any suggestions.


Try Coleman lantern fuel. I use it on pliable skin but it might soak in and make the skin flexible again


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