Hunter Shoots Two Partners Who were Hiding Behind Turkey Fan
Dave Maas 04.18.17
Just a few days ago I shared with you a Throwback Thursday video that showcased a DIY turkey fan system that mounts to the stabilizer of my bow. Click here to read my article and see the video. The topic of safety was a big part of my article.
We’ve also covered many stories through the years that highlight the turkey hunting tactic called “reaping” or “fanning,” and one of the most amazing featured an entire hunt filmed by a drone.
At the end of my DIY fan article, I wrote: “To my knowledge, no turkey hunter has died while reaping, but I don’t think it’s a matter of ‘if,’ it’s only a matter of ‘when.’ ”
Well, it almost came true last week in Kansas.
According to this report from The Joplin Globe, three buddies were hunting new land. Two of the shotgun hunters began searching for turkeys on one side of the leased private property, and the other man started hunting elsewhere on the land. Somehow they ended up moving into each other’s space. It appears likely that they were calling to each other, both parties thinking that the other was a real gobbler. While two of the hunters hid behind a turkey fan on the edge of the woods, the third man shot at the fan, hitting his hunting partners.
According to the news story: “Sheriff Dan Peak said the sheriff’s office learned of the matter when the shooter drove the two injured hunters to the hospital in Girard with potentially life-threatening shotgun wounds to their faces and upper bodies. They later were flown by medical helicopter to Freeman Hospital West in Joplin.”
This story serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of reaping/fanning a turkey, even on private land. Be careful out there!
