No fanning or reaping in SC WMAs starting this season- reminder

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
ATTENTION WMA TURKEY HUNTERS ⚠
A new WMA regulation is in effect prohibiting the practice of fanning or reaping turkeys.
Fanning/reaping is defined as hunting or stalking wild turkeys while holding or using for hunter concealment any of the following items: a tail fan, a partial or full decoy with a tail fan, or a tail fan mounted to a firearm.
Tail fans include those made of real or synthetic feathers or an image or likeness of a tail fan applied to any material.
This regulation does not prohibit the use of male decoys or decoys with tail fans that are placed away from a hunter.
This regulation DOES NOT APPLY ON PRIVATE LAND. However, this is an inherently risky practice that can be dangerous. If done on private land, all precautions should be taken to assure other hunters know your whereabouts and techniques.
Be safe out there!

From SC DNR
https://www.facebook.com/SCDNR/phot...LKbOw3f9dtp0WGdqI3uTq9ul24AwulE_w_x-aZZIxDMtQ
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Just for you WM.


I may,,,just may mind you,,,may get out of the house Sunday morning for a hunt,,,,I think my middle daughter may come to be with my wife,,,,if so,,,and the stars align,,,I will be in the SC Pee Dee river bottom listening,,,hoping,,,,and hunting,,,,

not had a chance to scout this year due to so many things,,,,but I have a spot or 12 that may,,,,just may,,,have a bird,,,
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
I may,,,just may mind you,,,may get out of the house Sunday morning for a hunt,,,,I think my middle daughter may come to be with my wife,,,,if so,,,and the stars align,,,I will be in the SC Pee Dee river bottom listening,,,hoping,,,,and hunting,,,,

not had a chance to scout this year due to so many things,,,,but I have a spot or 12 that may,,,,just may,,,have a bird,,,
Good Luck, I'll be down river. I hope.

I have a special lady that may be joining me as well. My Mom. We used to go every opener until she started feeling guilty leaving Daddy.
She has a keen eye on the weather though and has told me it may be "too cold" for her. :) We'll see.
 

rodman

Ten Pointer
I may,,,just may mind you,,,may get out of the house Sunday morning for a hunt,,,,I think my middle daughter may come to be with my wife,,,,if so,,,and the stars align,,,I will be in the SC Pee Dee river bottom listening,,,hoping,,,,and hunting,,,,

not had a chance to scout this year due to so many things,,,,but I have a spot or 12 that may,,,,just may,,,have a bird,,,
After staying in by your brides side the way some of the statements you have made I hope you kill one of the biggest turkeys ever taken in SC. Good luck
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
They had to do that because turkeys are so stupid. :ROFLMAO:
that is exactly right. and sc is getting very concerned about leveling the field back to the turkey.
they have no defense against a properly displayed fan. it triggers a reaction over which the turkey is helpless ; a reflex if you will.
i could cite it letter and verse because kenny morgam spells it out with a professor's official terms in his second book.
he used one decades ago and the professor who he hunted with told him the turkey was helpless in that situation so he quit using it.

that being said it does look like fun to me.
and i dont want to argue the ethics of it and dont want to have to look it up and transpose it here. Just sayin it's a weapon that they have no defense for.
but if someone goes all BS about it I will quote him. but he's dead now so you cant argue with him. :)
 

Downeast

Twelve Pointer
Turkeys are birds. Have you ever heard of the term "bird brains"? But I do agree that this is a bad law. Turkey hunters by and large need all the help they can get. Oh my, the next thing you know they will be outlawing corn for deer!

And yes, I am a turkey and deer shooter. But to be honest I can't remember the last time I hunted either one of them. I just go out and shoot them. :)
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Pretty sure the safety issue was the only reason they did this.
i dont think you are thinking deep enough. But no use in arguing.
But i say again SC is committed to changing seasons, limits ,methods to help turkey populations survive the decimation we can put on them now.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Except it doesn’t apply to private lands where the vast majority of the turkeys are.

Otherwise you would have a point
 
Last edited:

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Except it doesn’t apply to private lands where the vast majority of the turkeys are.

Otherwise you would have a point
dang CRC you are usually able to get past the obvious. guess you've locked up on this one. No worries. safety it is. ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: CRC

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
You would be pretty sure to be wrong! they are one state that is investigating the removal of dominant birds that used to live up into season

No safety was the reason they passed this or at least the reason they gave or sold to hunters
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
No safety was the reason they passed this or at least the reason they gave or sold to hunters
CRC you need always remember more than one thing can be true and trust me SC has much bigger issue with declining numbers than hunters shot. Can accomplish more than one thing with a rule change
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Last year SC passed a law limiting hunters only 1 gobbler during first 10 days of the season ( kids might be excluded)

That will do more than a reaping ban and applies to private lands as well
 
Last edited:

Buxndiverdux

Old Mossy Horns
Any of you guys ever tried it? I've tried it a few times with some friends and it hasn't worked a single time for us. Maybe it's just me, but most of them seem scared to death...
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Last year SC passed a law limiting hunters only 1 gobbler during first 10 days of the season ( kids might be excluded)

That will do more than a reaping ban and applies to private lands as well
well yeah BUT ...... i cant believe you missed this one crc.
You do know why they passed that law? and reduced the bag limits?
and didnt start letting you use rifles? :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: CRC

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Any of you guys ever tried it? I've tried it a few times with some friends and it hasn't worked a single time for us. Maybe it's just me, but most of them seem scared to death...
I've talked to fair amount that have but I haven't tried it. From my understanding it works best on the dominant birds that will meet the challenge doesn't have to even be older one just one that is in right frame of mind. I know fella that does it regular out west said works about 1 out of 4 tries but when does its like the videos can get to within feet
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Last year SC passed a law limiting hunters only 1 gobbler during first 10 days of the season ( kids might be excluded)

That will do more than a reaping ban and applies to private lands as well
Won't do more than not removing a bird that should live longer to breed. You need read up on it. Its very interesting subject and one I find to be full of common sense
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
well yeah BUT ...... i cant believe you missed this one crc.
You do know why they passed that law? and reduced the bag limits?
and didnt start letting you use rifles? :)

Yes but the reaping ban wasn't for that reason

It will be interesting to see if the 2019 changes have an impact.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
At least they are doing something about their declining deer and turkey populations, even if it doesn't ultimately work.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
At least they are doing something about their declining deer and turkey populations, even if it doesn't ultimately work.
I do agree with that. They really have took some strong unpopular steps on turkeys.
meanwhile other southern states wont bite the bullet.
Charles Ruth knows his business. imo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CRC

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
The changes could not have been that unpopular, they were passed by the state legislature
 

Brad_Colvin

Eight Pointer
Any of you guys ever tried it? I've tried it a few times with some friends and it hasn't worked a single time for us. Maybe it's just me, but most of them seem scared to death...
Years ago when I was new to turkey hunting I bought one of those pretty boy decoys. I put a real jake fan on it. One day after an uneventful morning hunt I went and got the decoy and set it up on an intersection of 3 roads that turkeys liked to frequent. I found a huge oak tree that had roots that mimicked my recliner at home. I sat down and ran a couple sequences of calls and before long I started to nod off. I sat my gun to the side and fell fast asleep. I don't know how long I was asleep but when I woke up there was 4 gobblers standing over the jake decoy. Now my gun is beside me and I have 4 longbeards standing less than 15 yards from me. They let me reach to my side, grab my gun shoulder it and turn my red dot on and they never looked at me. I shot one and racked another shell and killed the second one and could've killed all 4 if I would have had enough tags. In fact the other 2 didn't even want to run off when I stood up to get my birds. That "hunt " left me with an uneasy feeling and I vowed from that moment on I would never use a strutter or fan again. I also will never intentionally double anymore. It doesn't work on every gobbler but the ones it does work on are helpless to it. I'm not big on any new laws but sometimes we hunters are our own worst enemy and we need to self regulate.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
Top