Removal of the "T"

[SaginMerusan]

The real problem as I see it is the section of the hunting community, who have never taken the turkey course, nor will they be exposed to the safety concerns through the additions to the revised hunter safety course.

This. +1.

This is what I am concerned about. From what I understand, turkey hunters should best sit with something on their backside, such as a tree, I suppose in order to prevent wayward pellets/arrows/ammo from hitting the hunter by accident? There will be no hunters - or not too many hunters - wearing the orange vests and the like, and my impression is that veteran hunters will not wear it if they do not have to. Just my impression, mind you - I have no experience about this.

So... if the course kind of goes over these points quickly without making sure new hunters understand the differences between turkey hunting and other prey, then this is an issue. Yes, safety is safety when it comes to hunting, and yes, all shooters should know what is behind their target, but we all know that no one can be 100% here.

I do hope the course covers it in detail but I am cynical and I expect it will not be. I will report back here on what my course does and how much detail and if it concerns me or not.

So, as one who will be a new hunter, I will be trying to understand all the differences. But I am just one person who cares to do this. My cynicism also expects that many new hunters will not care to go this extra measure, and so there will be veteran hunters who will experience newbies doing unexpected things that other veterans do not do out in the field. This is a valid concern IMHO.

[SaginMerusan]

I disagree. Safety is Safety when hunting. Know your target 100%. A slob hunter is a slob hunter no matter what they are hunting.

I agree.

However, I also do not want to be one of those hunters who gets shot because of these slobs.

However, I understand that no amount of education or warning or re-education will be enough for these slobbery fools.

[welsh]

I disagree. Safety is Safety when hunting. Know your target 100%. A slob hunter is a slob hunter no matter what they are hunting.

The safety aspects of the course go beyond "know your target" and extend into "how not to get shot by a goof." You're kind of proving Gun Nut's point.

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[werner.reiche]

I disagree. Safety is Safety when hunting. Know your target 100%. A slob hunter is a slob hunter no matter what they are hunting.

The turkey course points out a few safety things that are a bit unique to turkey hunting:
- dangers of stalking a gobbling turkey
- the colours red, white and blue

It also covered things you can do to increase your safety:
- sitting with your back to a large tree
- ways to alert other hunters which may be zeroing in on your calling
- bring a blaze orange vest for hiking in/out
- covering your bird when you carry it out over your shoulder

They also covered things you wouldn't expect:
- hunting ends before dusk + 30
- only one bird per day even when you have two tags

The also heavily emphasized calling as being the preferred way to hunt (vs run and gun or stalking birds in fields).
That was presented as both a more sportsman-like way of getting your bird - I'd agree there - but also as a safer way of hunting particularly on public land.

I think everything could have been put into a 30 minute presentation though.

But - they did manage to sell me an OFAH turkey hunter hat, a box call (which I still use) and a tape on how to call turkeys (of debatable use).

Not sure how much the course has changed over the years - I took it in 1992.

[RiverRat88]

I for one am also new, never took the turkey course and will defenitely be going for them this spring. It's up to every hunter to educate themselves and not just rely what you learned in the course. I've learned enough from this forum, reading stuff online and watching videos. Of course there is always the risk of guys who don't care and just go for it. But I'll be doing my turkey hunting on private property where I'll be the only one aside from the possibility of trespassers. Whatever you do in life there is goofs who break the rules or think it doesn't apply to them. Just educate yourself as much as you can, have questions, follow the rules and guidelines and laws. I'm sure the turkey cours/dvd is educational and helpful, but I doubt it's information that's impossible to get elsewhere if you try.I for one Iook forward to taking advantage of these changes, and will do what I can to prepare myself and be safe

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[SaginMerusan]

I had promised to relate my experiences with the new hunting course that includes the Turkey aspect to the veteran hunters here and so here it is. At the end of this is post will be a "TL;DR" section.

I have watched the DVD course from the previous year (2016) and compared that to the course I took Late January of 2017. That is to say: I bought the DVD from a fellow course taker who bought it late 2016.

One final caveat: the teacher did say that he added a more (than what he was instructed to do) to the course in regards about Turkey. To what extent I have no idea! Please remember this.

So, while the course is still fresh in my head...

Some differences, or details not covered in the regular hunting course as opposed to the DVD (and these are mostly nit-picking):

1) Explanation of the mixedwood vs boreal shield ecozones. along with maps. Also, the management plan for such. This is a nit-pick for those who are interested in the natural aspect.
2) Behaviours: how and when Turkeys flock (aka during the winter). The fact that males will strut. Their want to congregate and flock was also new to me.
3) Identification: the caruncles/snood. These appear in the regs, however, and so it is left up to the hunter to know this via the regs. Uneven tail feathers between jake and adult male was not pointed out. Also, the DVD has colour pics of male vs female feathers, which was nice.
4) Habitat: the more detailed features, such as their ideal habitat as being 1/4 crops and 1/4 grasses, and 1/2 open land and 1/2 forested. This is not so much a nit-pick, however, as this is important to know in locating where turkey may reside.
5) Tracks: although the general hunting course tells you to learn identification and tracking via third party sources and/or from experienced hunters, so this should not be a surprise. However, the DVD does display these tracks and goes into some hard detail - so this is a huge bonus (for me anyway). Pics of turkey sign and droppings were also displayed in the DVD. Also, the shape of dropping can show sex.
6) Hunting: the "Rush and Flush" technique was new to me.
7) The "Shoot/Don't Shoot" portion of the DVD was an awesome surpise. Nice!

I should point out that much of the general history of Turkey in Ontario was indeed covered, and the related points about ecosystems and ecologies.

I know that these points of interest was of concern to some here, and so I'll point them out.

1) Turkey Identification (i.e.: beard, feathers, colouration), plus age/sex ID features - covered.
2) Turkey Calls: my teacher did have these and displayed them and used them. Your course/teacher may vary.
3) Hunting: the fact that Turkeys have good eyesight and hearing was pointed out many times, and the reasons why camo and not the orange is used when hunting. Also, a minmum of 5 shots in critical head area made for a good shot pattern was pointed out. Arrow broadhead hunting regulations was covered, along with other body target areas when bowhunting. Of course, hunting hours was covered.
4) Safety: some points that were brought up: if you see another (stranger) hunter, call out and let them know you are there. Don't move so much as this will draw attention (from other nervous nelly hunters who may point their firearm at you; but another reason why not as that Turkeys will likewise notice you and avoid you). Using background behind you (wider than your shoulders, taller than head) was covered. Use of blinds was covered. Decoys and locating them safely was covered.
4a) Positive Target Identification (This deserved it's own heading): this was covered both in course and in my particular exam - and I wouldn't be surprised if this question was in all exams. No doubt this is copied over from gun safety, and I was personally glad to see it revisited. The big take away from the course was to always assume all sounds - not just for Turkey! - are made by another peson. Another big take away from the course was to generally make sure you can make a clean, lethal shot which can only really happen after you have positively ID'd your target. Don't let excitement make you take hasty decisions.
5) Spring vs Fall season - definitely covered. In spades. Use of hen calls in spring was pointed out.

- - - - -

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read): so... you have no time to read, eh? Then why are you here? Get back to work. *elbows ya inna ribs* Come back when you have time, fool!

TL;DR 2:
OK, so as a refresher I can see the DVD as a great tool. I can see how this would be good for hunters who haven't gone in years and want to get back into it.
For veteran hunters who are mentoring new hunters: this is an great leg-up for newbies for teaching the ropes. So if you still have the DVD then it was not money wasted - use it for teaching. Crack open those beer and the nachos and have at it.
For veteran hunters, generally: well, I guess you could feel like you have been victimized by a government money grab, but I can assure you that the DVD taught you a lot more fine details than what was taught me via general course. If all you wanted was a general hunting course and be able to hunt everything: then yes, you've been had. A lot of what the Turkey Course offered was already in the General Hunting course, and common sense and safety would have been sufficient to make hunting safe if all hunters practice both. As you already know, no amount of education will fix stupid.

- - - - -

One final word: this is my experience. I am very certain I had a teacher who was equally concerned about nature and ecosystems as he was about hunting itself and took the care to include more than the bare minimum. YMMV.

- - - - -

[SaginMerusan]

Thanks werner.reiche! These are good details. Your points were also covered in my general course.
I should point out something, though...

- hunting ends before dusk + 30
- only one bird per day even when you have two tags

This is not entirely accurate. Close, but not 100%. Please check the regs, page 31:
https://dr6j45jk9xcmk.cloudfront.net...ns-english.pdf

I think everything could have been put into a 30 minute presentation though.

I agree. Especially with the "Shoot/Don't Shoot" portion, which showed situations where they showed Turkey in various settings and asked if you should shoot or not. Then they gave you why or why not. Plus, if they did that with all large game as well, and did it all for lethal shot placement. It would be a longer presentation but worth it IMHO.

[rick_iles]

Congrats on your course. Now be prepared to enjoy the addiction that is turkey hunting !!!
You have apparently learned a lot, now the turkeys will teach you a lot more, and will teach you something new every time you tangle with them, if you pay attention !!

[SaginMerusan]

Congrats on your course

Thank you.

I certainly won't go in thinking that animals will not surprise me. Even the teacher remarked that Turkeys once in a while and uncannily seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Certainly this is not an activity for those prone to drug use and hysteria. LOL.

[123chadder]

It is dumb, you need to have a small game license to buy a turkey hunting license. If you do not hunt small game then hunting one turkey in a year comes out to almost $60 due to the mandatory small game license.

the small game license is mandatory anyways