Syracuse.com - Guest columnist: Think about safety when prepping for wild turkey season opener on Wednesday

[HuntingNY-News]

Listen to a video on calling in a turkey during the spring hunt, plus see a quick review of the regulations governing the hunt.

By Tom Adessa

Contributing writer

With the regular turkey season kicking off Wednesday morning, many hunters are concentrating this weekend on scouting, practicing calls and patterning their shotguns. It’s also a good time to review safety practices.

Turkey hunting raises the excitement level during a hunt because the birds are so vocal, or they can be heard drumming and strutting. This anticipation can lead to mistakes. According to statistical research by numerous fish and game commissions in the United States, most turkey hunting accidents happen while the hunter is moving. Picking a safe and stationary position is the best bet.

Tom Adessa 

Here are some other tips for a safe hunt:

Know your target and beyond. Never shoot at a sound. If you hear a turkey, think twice. It could be another hunting answering your calls.

Never wear red, blue or white clothing while hunting turkey – and that includes white socks. These colors mimic the head and neck colors of a tom.

Invest in a hat that is reversible with camo/blaze orange and use the orange while walking. Your head is the highest point whether you are sitting or walking and the orange will be visible. Even if you forget to reverse the hat back to camo, the turkeys won’t care and you will be that much safer. Also, you can carry orange or green flagging tape in your vest and wrap a nearby tree with it to alert another hunter.

When you sit down to call a bird, always pick a tree that is wider than your body. Should someone shoot at you from behind, the tree will absorb the shot pattern.

If you encounter another hunter sneaking on your position, do not answer back with calls but rather talk in a loud steady voice to alert him/or her. Make certain they acknowledge you before standing up. Do not wave at them to show your presence, either.

Never try to stalk a turkey. This practice statistically leads to more accidental shootings and is not a sound hunting practice in general.

If you use decoys, have some way to mark them with orange while carrying them so as not to attract another hunter. The same goes when you’re carrying a harvested bird back to your vehicle.

If you are hunting with a partner, it’s best to talk on the way back out of the woods. Once again, it alerts other hunters to your presence.

Finally, as with every other type of hunting, always handle your firearm safely and cautiously -- particularly when carrying it.

Adessa lives in Auburn.

Listen to a 2009 video I made of veteran turkey hunter/guide Jim Montanaro demonstrating spring turkey calls.

KNOW THE LAW:

*Hunters must have a turkey hunting permit in addition to their small game hunting or sportsman license.

*Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to noon each day.

*Hunters may take two bearded turkeys during the spring season, but only one bird per day.

*Hunters may not use rifles or handguns firing a bullet. Hunters may hunt with a shotgun or handgun loaded with shot sizes no larger than No. 2 or smaller than No. 8, or with a bow and arrow

* Successful hunters msut fill out their tag which comes with their turkey permit and immediately attach it to the harvested turkey. Hunters must report their birds within seven days of taking a bird. Call 1-866-426-3778 or go online at dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8316.html.

-- Source: DEC

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View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog