Turkey hunters urged to practice safety first

by Rick Cooper - Idaho Department of Fish and Game

Crouching on the damp forest floor, I make a soft yelp and hear the tom turkey fly off the roost. He's finally coming, I think to myself as I bring my bow into shooting position. Henrietta is at fifteen yards, looking as attractive as any hen decoy can look.

My daydream quickly ends as I catch movement out of the corner of my eye. I suddenly realize that the movement is not a turkey but another camouflaged hunter sneaking towards me. He suddenly stops as he sees my decoy, drops to one knee and snaps his gun to his shoulder.

"Don't shoot," I yell. "It's a deco..." Boom! The blast from the shot drowns out my yell. But as I try to stand, he sees my movement and swings his shotgun directly at me. I dive to the ground, spraying pine needles and dirt as I continue to yell.

This incident occurred a few years ago, and like most hunters, I assumed that a hunting accident wouldn't happen to me. I consider myself a very safe hunter, but making the same assumption about others hunters is sometimes a mistake.

In fact, the primary cause of turkey hunting accidents is hunters not properly identifying their targets. Most accidents occur when hunters hear sounds, see movement or perceive a flash of color they believe to be made by a turkey. Before positively identifying the target as being a legal bird, they shoot.

With Idaho's general spring turkey hunting season opening April 15, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game encourages turkey hunters to educate themselves and help others to be safe.

Hunters can make hunting safer by following these safety tips:

• Never stalk a turkey. The chances of getting close enough for a shot are slim, but the chances are high the sounds you hear are from another hunter. In fact, assume that all sounds and movements are made by another hunter. Don't put yourself in danger, or ruin someone's hunt by trying to stalk a turkey.
  
  In addition, the hunter that is set up working a turkey has his thoughts focused on seeing a tom coming through the brush. He is so focused that inanimate objects and any movement, even yours, can become the turkey. Never attempt to approach a turkey closer than 100 yards. Sit down, use your call and let the turkey come to you.
• Never wear red, white or blue clothing, not even undergarments of these colors. Red is the color most hunters count on to differentiate a gobbler's head from the hen's blue-colored head. White can look like the top of a gobbler's head. Not only will these colors put you in danger, but turkeys can see them as well.
• Great care must be taken when using a gobbler locator call, as the sound may attract other hunters. As the name implies, these calls should only be used when trying to locate a gobbler. Use only in open areas where you can see long distances and other hunters can see you.
• The use of decoys can be affective, however, special care is needed when transporting and setting them up. The new foldable decoys make it very easy to carry them out of site inside a pack. Never carry them in plain view where they may be mistaken for a live bird.
  
  If you use a decoy, keep in mind shooting lanes and distances. Identify your clearest line of vision to your front and set the decoy approximately 20 yards from your position on that line. Make sure there is a large tree on a straight line directly beyond your decoy. This makes it physically impossible for another hunter to shoot directly at you if they mistake your decoy for an actual bird.
• When calling over a decoy and you want to move to another location, check carefully to ensure that no one is stalking your decoy. If you see someone in your area, don't wave, whistle or make any other movement. Instead, just remain still and call out to them in a distinct, clear voice.Don't try to hide so well that you can't see what's happening around you. Remember that eliminating movement is your key to success, not total concealment. Sitting perfectly still will help you harvest more turkeys than all the camouflage you can wear.

Though I was lucky to get that other hunter's attention before he pulled the trigger, Henrietta was not so lucky. She now carries a load of number six shot in her plastic shell. Retired from hunting, she now accompanies me to turkey seminars and hunter education classes as a subtle reminder to be safe.

When not hunting or fishing, Rick Cooper works as a senior conservation officer for Idaho Fish and Game in Lewiston.

Photo: With Idaho's general spring turkey season starting April 15, Fish and Game reminds hunters to properly identify their target. (Photo by Gabe McMasters)