Body
When turkey hunting, know and obey all wildlife laws. Hunters must always use good judgment and take responsibility for their actions.
Title
Safe Equipment and Gear
Body
- Make sure your equipment is in good working condition and properly sighted in.
- Know the effective range of your gun. Pattern your shotgun before turkey season.
- Never use shot sizes larger than No. 4. Larger shot is restricted and increases the chance of serious line-of-fire accidents.
- Dress defensively. Never wear red, white, blue, or black while hunting turkey.
- Wear hunter orange when walking through the woods.
- Use hunter orange to identify your hunting location.
- If hunting from a tree stand, always wear a safety harness.
Title
Safe Hunting Practices
Body
- Scout the area you plan to hunt so you know where the boundaries, houses, roads, fences, and livestock are located on the property.
- Be cautious when approaching wild turkeys. Any calling you hear may be another hunter.
- NEVER wave, whistle, or make turkey calls to alert an approaching hunter to your presence. Shout to reveal your presence.
- NEVER identify a turkey by - or shoot at - sound or movement.
- Positively identify a turkey before aiming.
- Identify what lies beyond any turkey in your sight. Other hunters could be beyond the target.
- Wrap a bagged turkey or decoy in hunter orange while transporting it.
Title
Report Accidents
Statistics Elements
Text
If you are involved in a firearms-related hunting accident, the law requires that you identify yourself and render assistance. Failure to do so is a Class A misdemeanor.
Title
Basic Turkey Hunting Ethics
Body
- Before hunting private land, obtain permission from the landowner.
- Respect the property you are hunting on as if it were your own.
- NEVER shoot at a turkey beyond the effective range of your shotgun. Remember that 30 to 40 yards is about the average limit for a clean kill.
- If you do not kill the turkey instantly, make every effort to find the wounded animal. Permission is required to enter private land.
- Pick up litter, including spent ammunition.
- Clean and care for your game properly.
- Report observed violations of the law to a conservation agent or local sheriff as soon as possible.