I think it's about time the PGC did away with the put FO on, take FO off law in the spring. If a hunter thinks he needs FO, let it be his choice to wear it or not.

A hunter must identify their targets! No excuses. If a hunter shoots another hunter for a turkey, that hunter should not be hunting!

I wish the PGC would outlaw rifles for fall turkey season too.

I only wear FO when mandated and then only the minimum amount.  I have nothing against the color itself but I am a firm believer in game picking up solid blocks of the same color.  I like open camo patterns.

With that being said I do not mind wearing FO while moving during turkey seasons as it is not a good practice to be stalking turkeys anyway.  When stationary and listening or calling no FO for me.

I am no turkey hunter so it's really not fair for me to have an opinion

But here's my thoughts...

Pa has a good safety record BUT that being said there are folks shot every year with the excuse of being mistaken for a turkey.

NOW.. how ANYONE can mistake a human (stading at least 4 1/2 feet tall) for a turkey is BEYOND belief for me BUT IT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR.... and ALMOST ALWAYS has the injured not wearing any FO....

So in my opinion... to be walking in the woods without the required FO hat (AT LEAST) is also beyond BELIEF...

The thing I do not understand is why guys do not want to wear FO while moving..... you are not allow to stalk spring turkey anyhow.....

So scaring a trukey while walking is not a problem unless you are actually trying to use stalking as your method of turkey hunting in the first place...

Most folks shot are moving into an area where a hunter has already set-up and is excited by the sounds of something approaching....



I guess at my age life is still to valuable to take chances like that...

To get shot in pursuit of a TURKEY... with no FO... can't see that ever happening to this guy...

Heck... I have an orange band around the tree above my head while archery hunting in my tree stands during squirrel season.. can't see getting an elbow (sticking out beside the tree trunk) getting shot in mistake of a squirrel or grouse !!!  

--Last edited by Dr Trout on 2008-01-07 02:19:45 --

 I walk and stop and call, if I get an answer I'm figuring where to set up and at times I do forget I have my FO hat on in the excitement. This spring I won't have worry about that.

Is it safer wearing FO while walking in spring season or does it make you feel safer?

I believe in wearing orange while walking.  I have been stalked while turkey hunting whith the stalker not wearing orange.Not a fun feeling.  
  I usually hang my hat on top of a tree while calling(depending on where I hunt).  Once while working two gobblers on roost,I had a hunter sneek in to my side 35 yards away.  The birds came off the roost and in front of both of us and The first I knew he was there was when his shotgun went off.  What if the birds had come between us or had come in to my left which would have put me in the line of fire.  

    This spring I was I was moving into position on a roosted bird to get to a calling spot when I see something moving on the path ahead of me.  I stop and kneel trying to decide what to do,  It turns out to be a kid already set up where I was heading to waving his camoed arm at me.  I wish he had orange on his back, or a leat waved a Fo hat at me.   dd

Most of the shooting incdents that have happend around here that the local WCO has filled me in on all the details have been where a person was walking or standing and was shot by the hunter that was set-up....

One of the most recent where the guy got killed was such a case and the guy that died was 35 yards from where the set-up hunter fired from...

35 yards and he could not tell it was a person ??????

That's why I used the 4 1/2 foot tall example.... I was not refering to the hunter sitting although I am sure some of those have been shot too....

The young guy who died was not wearing any FO and his companion said they were following the sounds of turkey... probably the set-up hunter's callimg ..  

--Last edited by Dr Trout on 2008-01-07 20:46:35 --

He definitively did not identify it as a turkey.  That to me is the reason to wear FO while walking.

I once walked into the middle of a set of decoy(I THINK)  They were set up on the main bike trail going into a small woods.  It was still dark since it was at least 30 min before shooting time.  When I looked on the ground and saw turkeys it got me a little wound up knowing somebody probably had a shotgun pointed my way.  

    I feel much different when I hunt around camp than I do at home.  I'm much more likely to run into other hunters in the small public areas around here.   dd

I will still wear my FO hat in and at my stand I will still wrap my FO band around the top of where I am sitting. To many hunters in my neck of the woods.

I will still wear my FO hat in and at my stand I will still wrap my FO band around the top of where I am sitting. To many hunters in my neck of the woods.

Being inside a blind with my daughter , I,ll always hang some fo around . And we will always wear it while moving. Got stalked 2 years ago .Guy would have triped over me had I not waved my hat.

Years ago I did not wear FO when it wasn't required and I wasn't afraid to hunt turkeys. I won't be afraid today. If wearing FO makes you feel better, by all means, wear it. I will not be sporting FO if it is not required by law.

Never liked FO and if given the choice I wouldn't even have it on in deer season.