Pennsylvania State Chapter - National Wild Turkey
Federation
Safety Issues
Turkey Hunting Safety and Ethics
Turkey hunting safety and ethics has been described and written about in all the major hunting magazines for several years. Hunter safety and ethical turkey hunting always starts with you and me. Firearms and archery safety and hunting safety awareness are key to enjoying your turkey hunt. Practice these safety precautions, whether at home, on the shooting range, or with other turkey hunters, will never cause a turkey hunting accident.
The National Wild Turkey Federation has produced educational information
on turkey hunting safety through the NWTF Hunt
Safely program. Posters, brochures, flyers and safety stickers
promoting Hunt Safely describe
turkey hunting safety habits and techniques. The following safety information can
be used by novice turkey hunters as well as the experienced turkey hunter to improve your
hunting sport.
Firearms Safety
Safety in hunting starts with the safe handling of your firearm or bow equipment. Knowing your firearm or bow and how the equipment works is an important step in developing individual safety common sense. The following rules apply in firearms or bow safety:
Follow the defensive turkey hunting techniques in the turkey hunting section and you will have a safer shooting or hunting experience.
Turkey Hunting Safety
After you become familiar with firearms and bow safety requirements, their are special turkey hunting safety guidelines that apply to spring or fall hunting. Turkey hunting safety can not be taught. Your can only teach the techniques of firearms safety, safe gun and bow handling, and hunting safety. You have to practice what you learn and then help educate others using your knowledge and experience.
Turkey hunting accidents can happen to anyone. There is no shield or blanket of prevention unless you practice what you are taught. Turkey hunting accidents are caused by one hunter mistaking another hunter for a turkey, or a firearm accidentally discharges and wounds or kills the handler or someone nearby, or the careless use of a firearm. The basic rules of hunting safety are handle your gun with care and to positively identify your target before pulling the trigger. Keeping this in mind, and using common sense, will prevent the great majority of turkey hunting accidents.
Camouflage - Dress for Success
Proper Use of Decoys
Unless the use of decoys is prohibited by law, the following guidelines
apply:
Your safety is your responsibility - hunt defensively!
Safe Hunting Techniques
Turkey hunting is a unique sport that, unlike other small game or big game hunting, requires you to sit at the base of a tree or other type of large object. Most turkey hunting is done by calling and the least bit of movement on
your behalf will cause the wild turkey to flush, run or disappear. There are hunting techniques that can help you have a safe and successful hunt if you practice what you learn. Several safety tips are:
Turkey Hunting Ethics
Safety is just one consideration in hunting ethics, which encompasses all the responsibilities a hunter has to other hunters, landowners, the general public, and the game. Governments require certain generally accepted ethical behavior through hunting laws, gun laws, and regulations. In other cases, the hunter himself has the obligation to decide what is right, what is wrong, and hunt according to those standards.
Some ethical questions are simple: Any responsible turkey hunter would abhor shooting a nesting hen or roosted birds at first light. Others are more complex and open for debate: Is it acceptable to shoot a wild turkey that lands on a tree limb as they fly into your calling location?
Should I try to call to a turkey that another hunter is working? I hear a gobbler just on the other side of a "No Trespassing" sign - should I go for it? A turkey hangs up and just before flushing do I take a shot - is a wounded bird worth the price?
Most ethical questions can be resolved by answering the questions, is it legal, or, is it fair to everyone concerned, including the game and myself? There are standards to follow, but ultimately, you must decide.
Passing Along the Tradition
If youre a hunter in the truest sense, you will eventually reach a point where you derive the most hunting satisfaction from introducing others to the sport.
It may be acquainting a friend with hunting, taking a boy or girl on their first turkey hunt, or volunteering to be an instructor in a hunter education program.
Talk with the new hunter about hunting, the hunting tradition, game
laws,
and the ethics that all hunters should abide. Show respect for the game by never taking a
chancy shot, by making every effort to recover a wounded bird, and by never wasting bagged
game. Show them how important it is to treat landowners and the general public with
respect, to prevent prejudice against hunters. Instruct new hunters early on firearms
safety, hunter safety, ethics, and responsibility because their respect and appreciation
of our hunting heritage will determine the future of hunting.
You might want to become involved with a Local Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation and do your part to put something back into your sport. Local Chapters conduct hunter safety seminars, participate in hunter education courses, provide free hunting literature and wild turkey material to local schools, and work on habitat improvement projects on public ground. They attend and support local sports shows and provide information on safe and successful turkey hunting.
The Pennsylvania State Chapter - National Wild Turkey Federation would like to thank the National Rifle Association, Quaker Boy Turkey Calls, Winchester, and the Pennsylvania Game Commission for providing their support to educating turkey hunters and the general public on safety and ethics. Their influence and association has led to several partnership programs conducted by the Pennsylvania State Chapter and its Local Chapters that help educate the hunting public through hunting seminars, hunter education programs, and distribution of firearms and hunter safety material.
Send mail to panwtf@go2pa.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2000 Pennsylvania Chapter- National Wild Turkey Federation
Last modified: November 20, 2003