FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, April 4, 2005
CONTACT:  Al Bahe, 773-4506

PIERRE, S.D. – Spring turkey hunting incidents have decreased considerably over the last ten years, and state Game, Fish and Parks officials are giving some ideas to help keep those numbers low.

"Accidents when spring turkey hunting have decreased nationally from a high 8.1 per 100,000 in 1991 to a low of 2.95 per 100,000 last spring," said Al Bahe, coordinator of the GFP Hunter Safety And Firearms Education (HuntSAFE) Program. "In fact, statistics from the National Wild Turkey Federation indicate turkey hunting is four times safer than ping-pong, and one is 50 times more likely to take a trip to the emergency room if they play golf."

South Dakota has not had a single hunting incident reported during the spring turkey season for the past four years. Since 2000, there have been only two hunting related injuries reported during South Dakota’s turkey seasons, one in the spring of 2000 and the other during the fall of 2003.

"Those numbers are quite remarkable," Bahe said, "especially when you realize that the number of spring turkey licenses sold in South Dakota has increased by more than 30 percent during the same five years." Spring turkey licenses sold have gone from 8,722 in 2000 to 12, 773 in 2004. So far for 2005, 13,639 licenses have been sold as of April 1, more than a week before the 2005 spring turkey season opens.

Bahe recommends some safety tips to implement before turkey hunting:

• Check with your doctor if you have any medical concerns.
• Hunt within your physical limitations.
• Let your hunting partners know if you have physical limitations.
• Let someone know where you are hunting and when you expect to return.
• Work to have a basic understanding of first aid.

Tripp County Conservation Officer Andy Schmahl provides some other tips to include during the hunt:

• Set up against a tree that is greater in diameter than the width of your shoulders and taller than your head whenever possible for maximum safety.
• Should you see other hunters (especially close to your line of sight), call out to them in a loud, clear voice. Their presence has already compromised your location and a soft call may only confuse them instead of alerting them to your presence.
• From a seated position, identify the clearest line of vision to your front. Establish a sight line that allows you 100 yards visibility. Then set your decoy(s) approximately 20 yards from your position on the line.
• If you are calling over decoys and elect to move to a new location, check carefully to ensure that no one is stalking your decoys. Check before leaving your set up. Should you see someone in the area, call out to them in a loud, clear voice.

For more information on turkey hunting safety, contact the National Wild Turkey Federation at 800-THE NWTF or check their website for turkey hunting information at www.nwtf.org.

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