"Running and gunning" is a popular method of hunting spring gobblers. In short, it's the practice of hunting turkeys by calling and moving spots every so often until you engage with a tom. It's effective, and offers a certain freedom that many hunters relish. But there are some things that can go wrong with running and gunning, so spring turkey hunters should keep these things in mind while using this tactic.
Do these things
Know who is allowed to be on the land
When I run and gun on private land, I make a point to be sure I know who is permitted to hunt the property with me. Once I know this information, I make a plan with that person to either hunt in tandem, or to hunt on a day they will not be using the property. This eliminates most safety concerns while out in the field, and creates a cooperative agreement to keep everyone happy ... and hopefully going home with a bird too.
Post Private Land
It goes without saying that if you have a place to hunt, particularly east of the Mississippi, it is wise to POST the boundaries. This is not to be mean or ugly to fellow hunters, but it cuts down on trespassing and poaching. It also makes poaching or trespassing easier to prosecute when necessary. Posting the property also lets law-abiding and ethical hunters know where the boundaries are. (That said, don’t assume that just because you posted the land that people won’t trespass. Sometimes even considerate hunters do make mistakes and miss signs!
Go as Remote as Possible
When hunting public land, it is wise to hike as far as you can from the parking area. This increases your odds of tagging an animal, and it also decreases the odds of running afoul of another hunter. Let’s be honest, most of us take the path of least resistance and will do the minimum to be successful. If we can resist the temptation to be lazy and (literally) go the extra mile, success is that much closer to reality.
Set Up Decoys Wisely
This is important not only to be successful, but to make sure you are out of the line of fire. When a hunter hears a gobbler sound off and needs to scramble to set up a decoy, they should take those extra 10 seconds to think about where another hunter may possibly approach from (think of a skidder trail, path, or dirt lane nearby). Be sure the decoy is not directly between you and that location. Should some other hunter come from that direction and mistake the decoy for a real turkey, it's possible that they will shoot right in the hunter’s direction. Set up the decoy off to the side, and keep in mind that if there's an easy passage nearby, some other hunter may use it. Always be aware of your target and what lies beyond!
Wear blaze orange when on the move and when carrying your bird out
Most turkey vests have a pull-out blaze orange section for this purpose. When carrying a bird out, others may catch a glimpse of it through the greenery. This will excite anyone that heard the recent gobbles, and they may not think or look as closely as they should.
When moving between spots more than a short distance, pull out that blaze orange until you hear a bird and need to set up for the close encounter. This is particularly true on public land, or land where trespassing has been an issue.
Yell, don’t move!
If you see another hunter approaching, yell. Do not move. We teach this in hunter safety classes because some people hear a turkey, move towards the sound, see movement and assume the movement is the gobbler in the bushes and shoot. Don’t move. Yell out to get their attention.
DON’T do these things!
Fanning turkeys
This tactic has its fans, no pun intended, but it can be dangerous, especially on public land. Fanning is where a hunter takes a decoy turkey fan and puts it in front of themselves. Then the hunter positions it right in front of themselves and moves it a little bit while calling the bird. This often draws an aggressive response from a gobbler defending its territory or hens, and the gobbler will often charge the fan thinking it is a rival tom.
The problem is that it is so realistic-looking that some people will shoot at a moving fan without seeing a turkey body or beard in hopes of killing a turkey. If the hunter is right behind the fan, serious injury is a certainty.
Use of gobbler calls
I love using a gobbler call on a hung-up turkey. However, when using a gobbler call, you are also calling other hunters towards you. Use the gobbler call sparingly and wisely. If you suspect other hunters are nearby, it is probably not worth using a gobbler call.
Wearing red, white, or blue
The turkey woods in spring are a bad time to display your patriotism, particularly when running or gunning. Those are the colors of a turkey’s head. Don’t do it.
This season, keep safety at the forefront of your mind as you hunt. Hunting is one of the safest traditions we have and it is that way because we all have a responsibility to be safe while afield. Good luck this season!
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