Fanning Turkeys | Safety and Common Sense
Believe it or not, we've heard the comments a time or two along the lines: "Looks like a great way to get shot." Or some other comment related to it. Our Heads Up Turkey Decoy has been on the market since the spring of 2010. Multiple times throughout the year since, those comments continue to be posted on our social media sites and other platforms. We've heard it...and we understand that our products are not for everyone. People are entitled to their opinion.
We don't know the motivations or practices of those that are compelled to go out of their way to pronounce our products as a safety hazard. They are not our customers. Our customers are bowhunters that want an edge. Our customers are bowhunters that see the advantage or opportunity Heads Up Decoys can provide. Our products are highly effective in the hands of a good bowhunter with some basic knowledge of animal behavior and an awareness of their hunting environment. Is our turkey decoy or any other Heads Up Decoy a slam dunk? It can be, but certainly not every single set up.
So, addressing the safety issue with fanning turkeys with the Heads Up Turkey Decoy. Your greatest asset will always be your instinct and awareness of your environment. There will be times and places when having the decoy on your bow or hunting with the decoy directly in front of you may not be the best application of our product. This is one reason we offer conventional options that are effective. OurĀ bow mountable or handheld features, are simply that...features...to allow the hunters to make decisions on how best to approach a hunting scenario...the safety component should have already been addressed. 99.9% of our turkey hunts when we us a fanning style technique (bow mounted or handheld) are well away from dense cover in an open field where turkeys are out and about doing what turkeys do. Do no place yourself in harms way by chasing success no matter the cost.
Common sense, awareness, and emotional control will always be required in a hunting situation. Hunters following the golden rule which is always properly identifying their target. Be absolutely certain what you're targeting.
With a little homework on Heads Up Decoy, a critic or customer should understand that our products are mostly designed to provide a legitimate bowhunting opportunity is places where it is extremely difficult to get within bow range...0-40 yards. For turkeys, we expect birds to come into range which is 0-20 yards. Heads Up Decoys are also designed to extend your hunting day, opportunity, and provide great adventure. Essentially making the unhuntable...huntable...with a great chance of success. Heads Up Decoys are not design to put you in the crosshairs of another hunter.
We feel completely safe, but we've always been very aware of our hunting environment as well as having an understanding who has access to the property we are hunting. What season is going on (Rifle or shotgun). It is our thought that some basic homework and common sense will keep your hunt safe and full of adventure using Heads Up Decoy.