by Tracy Wever

Created on: April 02, 2010

Everyone knows that spring officially starts in March. To the avid turkey hunter spring starts in April and May. Camouflaged hunters all across America will take to the field for spring turkey season. From the novice hunter to the veteran, excitement will be running high. It has been a long winter and they are ready to kick off spring by hunting long beards. It is now that all turkey hunters need to throttle back the excitement and review their safety tips for turkey hunting.

Veteran hunters need to refresh themselves on safe hunting practices. It is also the duty of veteran hunters to make sure that first time hunters have the basics down. This way everyone has a safe hunt. With all hunters taking time to learn a few simple safety tips many accidents can be avoided. You as a hunter must insist that everyone you hunt with knows and follows safe hunting practices.

The first and most important part of hunting safely is knowing how to handle and shoot your firearm before going hunting. Take the first time hunter to a shooting range or other safe place and show then the proper use of their firearm. They need to know how to load and unload it safely. Let them shoot enough that they get comfortable handling their gun. Turkey targets set up are a great way to let them practice. This paints a mental image of the correct sight picture in their minds. That image will carry over to hunting situations. Impress on them the importance of muzzle control at all times. Make sure they are physically able to handle the gun they will be using. Most of all make sure they know the most important firearm safety rule of all; always handle every gun as if it were loaded.

Now let us walk through a typical turkey hunt, touching on safety tips as we go. Before leaving home make sure none of the clothing you are wearing is white, red, blue or black. Tom turkeys wear these colors and we do not want to for obvious reasons.

We have arrived at our hunting location. We take out our guns and make sure they are not loaded. We give a series of owl calls to locate that big old gobbler. The turkey answers back with a booming gobble. Before we head off to set up our ambush spot we need to put on an orange vest.  You are ten times safer wearing an orange vest to and from your hunting spot. Be sure and take an extra vest, wrap this around the turkey you get while carrying it out.

When you get to the place you want to call from,set up with your back against something that will cover your whole

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