This technique is nothing new, but it’s all the rage among modern turkey hunters. Here’s a first-timer’s perspective.
Jeremy McCarty refuses to call what we’re doing turkey hunting. According to him, we are “turkey reaping,” and, unlike turkey hunting, where concealment is key, when turkey reaping, you want the gobblers to see you — or at least see the decoys you’re using to close the distance.
The Mojo Scoot & Shoot decoy is specifically designed for turkey reaping.
I’ve turkey hunted a lot. But this is unlike anything I’ve ever tried. It’s intense, aggressive, and at times, exhausting. There’s no sitting and waiting and there’s very little, if any, calling. When Jeremy is out to reap a turkey, he drives past agricultural fields where he has permission to hunt until he spots a strutting tom. Then, with a decoy in one hand and his gun in the other, he crawls toward the bird, challenging it to a fight. When it works, and it usually does, the tom will charge in, sometimes getting close enough to reach out and grab it.
This is an ancient hunting technique, once practiced by Native Americans. Bored with sitting in a blind and calling, Jeremy and his friend Chancy Walters decided to try it several years ago, initially using just a dried turkey fan. The results thrilled them. The toms, especially the aggressive ones, would not only stand their ground but they’d often charge in toward the decoys. Shooting distances were measured in feet, rather than yards.
Stephanie with her Iowa gobbler.
It’s not a new thing among modern hunters, of course, but Jeremy and Chancy did recognize that it’s still widely unknown. They decided to share it with the masses, dubbing it “turkey reaping.” They began filming their hunts for DVDs and YouTube and launched the Turkey Reapers website. They enlisted a pro staff and moved forward with establishing the Turkey Reapers brand. Their success has been outstanding. Jeremy even worked with Mojo Outdoors to develop the Scoot & Shoot decoy, which is designed with a handle and ground stake specifically for the turkey-reaping method.
Of course, not everyone is in favor of turkey reaping. There is the real threat of getting shot if another hunter mistakes you for a strutting tom. Turkey reaping could be especially dangerous if performed on public land or near dense vegetation where your presence is not obvious. Some “turkey purists” are adamantly opposed to it, claiming that it is not only dangerous, but unsportsmanlike. Finally, in some states, stalking turkeys is illegal.
