Spring Turkey Season is fast approaching! Make sure it is a safe one with these turkey hunting safety tips.
Spring Turkey Season for Youth will take place April 13-14th, followed by the regular season which goes from April 17 – May 28th
This means the perfect time to go over safety is now.
If you will be aiding a youth in learning to hunt or an old pro hunting on your own it is always great to refresh yourself on hunting safety.
What sets Turkey hunting as well as all fowl hunting apart from other types of hunting is that the primary clothing color is camouflage, this is a contributing factor in most Turkey hunting accidents. Often other hunters are not sure of their target when they shoot.
Follow These simple steps to have a safe and successful Spring Turkey season.
- Wear a blaze orange hat and or blaze orange gloves while in the woods.
- Find a tree or others structure that is at least as wide as your shoulders. This not only can protect you from stray shots, it also makes it harder for even the sharp-eyed turkey to spot you.
- Gobble calls can be a great tool in finding the big Toms. But to stay safe only use them for this purpose. If a Gobble call used to call in a Tom, other hunters may think YOU are a turkey.
- Never stalk a turkey
- Do not get any closer than 100 yards from a turkey or a group of turkeys.
- When selecting a site to call turkeys always be sure you have a clear view for at least 40 yards in all directions.
- Always be sure all turkey decoys are completely covered before moving or carrying them for any reason.
No matter what activity you are involved in, when using a firearm ALWAYS follow the 4 basic rules of firearm safety!
TABK
T = Treat Every Firearm as if it is Loaded.
Treat every firearm as if it is loaded! Never assume it isn’t. Even when you unload it or watch it being unloaded still treat it like it is loaded. By doing this you will create a habit and taking these precautions will become second nature.
A = Always Point the Muzzle in a Safe Direction.
Unintentional self-inflicted injuries account for approximately one-third of all reported hunting injuries. This means the muzzle of the gun was pointing at part of the hunters’ body. Point the muzzle of the gun in a safe direction. In other-words be aware of where your gun is pointing. A safe direction is defined as a direction in which the bullet would do no harm to anyone if there was an unwanted discharge. An accidental discharge is not a thing and unwanted discharge due to negligence is and can always be avoided.
B = Be Certain of your Target and What’s Beyond it.
There is never a reason to not know exactly what you are shooting at. If you can not be entirely sure that you are aiming at a legal target, then don’t ever shoot. To shoot without being positive is reckless and negligent as well as being a gamble. Never gamble with human life. This is exactly what you are doing when you shoot at something without complete certainty that is it a legal target. In addition to being sure of what you are shooting at take into consideration where the bullet will go if you miss or if the bullet goes through the target. When scoping out hunting areas look for safe backstops so if you miss the bullet can’t continue to go for long distances.
K = Keep your Finger Outside the Trigger Guard until Ready to Shoot.
When we as humans fall it is a reflex action to catch ourselves on something. When a hunter is carrying a gun in one hand and nothing in the other the body will automatically move both arms in unison. When a hunter has a finger or fingers inside the trigger guard the hand will reflexively close around the gun and the trigger this will cause an unwanted discharge, and it could be deadly!
By following these simple safety tips, you can make this turkey season a safe, fun and productive experience for everyone.
