Fanning or Reaping as a Method of Taking Turkeys

Summary

 

Introduction

Turkey “fanning” and “reaping” each use a decoy specifically designed for the taking of a wild turkey. Reaping allows the hunter to stalk the bird using a decoy and draws out more stubborn mature male birds due to the appearance of another dominant male. Fanning, however, uses a fan just as cover while waiting for the turkey to approach, forgoing forward movement. Several states have begun to ban these practices out of safety concerns; if a hunter is concealed well, others may confuse them for an actual turkey. Even in states where stalking or fanning are legal, many practitioners recommend only attempting it on private land where other hunters are not pursuing the same game.

History

The practice of reaping or fanning wild turkeys is not new. It has been noted by historians of the North American wild turkey and its subspecies, that the tactic was well established by indigenous peoples in order to harvest the large birds much in the same way animal skins were used to allow primitive hunters to gain ground and get into the effective range of their chosen primitive weapons of the day. With the advent of social media in recent years the practice gained popularity given the excitement and interaction displayed in popular online videos. Prominent decoy manufacturers taking notice of the excitement and virality of these reaping/ fanning videos, soon would bring specific reaping decoys to market across the country for online and brick and mortar shoppers alike, furthering the practices popularity. Reaping and fanning have the appearance of being highly effective ways for hunters to harvest birds, in large part due to amplified use of the practice on social media, though there are no specific data sets to support such anecdotal claims.

Points of Interest

  • No major research study has been completed on the use of either fanning or reaping to illustrate the efficacy of the practices, nor the safety aspect of either practice.
  • Mississippi has begun polling turkey hunters beyond traditional reporting Q&As with agency professionals now enquiring further details as to method of take i.e., use of decoys, but still not specifically asking hunters if they employed fanning or reaping in their taking of a turkey.
  • The Wild Turkey Safety Taskforce, made up of wildlife professionals and industry leaders has not expressly condemned the practice, only cautions when, where, and how hunters choose to fan or reap. They acknowledge the act is inherently dangerous and should only be utilized in specific conditions (i.e., not to be employed on public lands or areas with high hunter density).
  • Reaping and Fanning are typically used in controlled environments (private land), on large open expenses where a bird has “hung-up” beyond the hunter’s effective range of their firearm system and load. Fanning, being more passive, conceals the hunter and allows for some movement to gain ground on the target, while reaping is more aggressive and seeks to work on the dominance of the male bird being pursued, with the hope of forcing the male bird to move from his spot and engage the reaping decoy, pulling the bird in for a closer shot.
  • Alabama, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island have outright banned the practice of Reaping and Fanning.
  • Some states have prohibited the practices on public lands like, South Carolina and Tennessee

Moving Forward

Legislators and agency officials are encouraged to work alongside each other and with their in-state sporting community to determine the regulations surrounding allowed methods of taking turkeys in a given state. Where legal, there is a great opportunity to update hunter education curriculum and revisit common practices. Fanning and reaping both add a level of excitement to the hunt, but certainly do not guarantee success. With proper engagement and education, both practices can remain safe pursuits for wild turkey hunters, just as sitting behind static decoys.

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