I thought I'd start a new thread, rather than post more comments about the use of a turkey fan in the other thread. I believe in being safe, and don't take chances to do otherwise. I hunt private land 100% these days, and the no trespassing laws are strictly enforced, and I let everyone know it. I catch someone on my farm without permission, and you better have a good reason for being there, or else you will be prosecuted. I don't like being a hard ass, but I also don't like unexpected encounters. Now, with that out of the way, I would feel totally fine with using a turkey fan to try and lure a bird in, or to sneak up on one....as long as I knew it was safe to do so. I sure as heck wouldn't do it along side a property line, as there could be someone hunting there that I didn't see. But, other than that, I'd go for it. Using decoys, especially a gobbler decoy can be a hazard as well. I knew some hunters who were on their land, had a gobbler decoy set out in a field, and 2 Mennonite boys came walking around the field corner and shot the decoy. Luckily they weren't firing toward the hunters. Things can happen, even though we do everything we can think of to prevent it. I'm with some of you about not doing certain things on public land, as I'd rather come home in one piece, than be shot by some idiot. But I feel pretty safe on my own farm.
