what is your choice of calling device.... slate, box, diaphragm, and decoys and etc.??? my arsenal is an old box call and slate. dont use a decoy but might invest in one this year, havent made up my mind though.
I usually mix in a slate call with the mouth diaphragm so that I can produce a couple of different pitches at the same time. The only time I use a box call is if I'm not getting any response, or if it's really windy. Decoy wise I usually use a jake and a hen.
My jackpot slate call is awesome, a few different strikers and I'm good to go! I didn't even get a chance to bust out the mouth or box call last season, we were always on Turkeys! As for Decoys, a jake and a hen worked last year. The year before I didn't use one and shot a beast! Ya just never know!
I think I'm gonna use my cody slate and a really great sounding diaphragm call I got from Hunsucker a couple years ago. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to use a blind or dekes, this year.
If you want to be serious about turkeys you want at least one of each. I've had many times when just one or two calls don't work and going to a third or even fourth fired the gobbler up and brought him in. BHF also offers some great advice about having multiple strikers with your pot calls. I've walked a woods with a glass and a mouth call not getting a response only to hit a box call and have one pound behind me. He let me walk by without a response until I hit the box call. I've done the opposite as well, walked a woods with a box to only have one sound off to a mouth call etc... I'd recommend a good box call, a good slate and glass along with learning to adequately use a mouth call, particularly if you opt to go without a blind because at some time your going to have to have your hands free for your weapon and you won't be able to call other than with a mouth call. Decoys are a tricky thing really. I've seen gobblers run right in to pounce on decoys and I've also seen gobbler turn tail and run once they spot decoys. Really depends on how hard they've been hunted and pressured with the likes.
I have learned to put my setups in the way of turkey's. I pattern them just like deer and setup where I think they are going to walk by. I put out T.O.O.D(Traingle Orgy Of Death) decoy set. 6 decoys in a tringle pattern, I group a hen and Jake together. I call very little, I just let them know where I am and then shut up. It's worked for me.
Germ, I like the idea of the TOOD, I might try and carry a few extra Decoys in the truck just in case, a small flock if you will! Ya just never know what's going to work in a decoy set up!
I am hurt:p I cannot go on. Hey at my new Job I am working my tail off, no time during the day. At least 1 or 2 guys would miss me.
I carry my trusty slate and a few mouth calls at all times. I never really was a fan of box calls, but that is just my preference. For dekes, it depends upon the pressure they have seen IMO. If they haven't been hunted I won't be scared to put 5 or 6 dekes out there (The triangle formation is also an excellent suggestion that has already been mentioned). BUT, if they have been pressured, I usually leave the decoys in the truck and stick with strickly calling and moving toward them, instead of waiting for them to come to my calls. One thing I have learned...once you see that you have their attention and they are moving your way, just shut up and get your bow ready! They'll be there soon enough without you calling anymore! :D
Come on Will, tell them what else you learned!!! :D For calls, I generally carry several different ones but for bowhunting (especially the run and gun style) The only call I can operate at full draw is a diaphragm, that makes it the most important for me...
Mouth calls. Not a fan of dekes, birds are pressured here. Used a full strutter last year with mixed results. Will/Dubbs, whatever works, keep it up
Oh Yea.....If there are high winds, make sure you steal your buddies tent stakes so you can watch him chase his blind across the field! :D It's good entertainment since everyone knows you won't call in a turkey in 40 mph+ winds anyways. :D
http://www.bowhunting.com/shopping/Products/HS-Ring-Zone-Friction-Calls__HS-RINGZONE.aspx This... This is all I used last year. I ended up forgeting my diaphragm calls in the Jp, then I broke one of my other calls somehow. But I whipped this bad boy (girl?) out, and started goin' nuts on it. I about got ran the hell over by a hen that was all huffy, then I had a couple different birds all mad, after I moved on. This call + Ghillie suit + weapon = Turk. Fun... I have a new (last year) diaphragm that I have kept in the Jp, for traveling with. I am hoping to get out somewhere this year, and give it a shot. We'll see...
I carry a limited selection of calls, more than a lot of people but not nearly as much as Rob does....simply because I like to move and get aggressive on birds and hate the extra weight. Up until 3 or 4 years ago I had killed a small mountain of birds and called in even more for others with nothing but a good selection of mouth calls. I would stick with a certain 3 or 4 calls and my go-to call was a Primos Deadly Double. Now I carry a Primos "Wet Box" (:p) box call, Primos "The Freak" glass call along with about 3 strikers, about 6-7 mouth calls with my go to being a River Valley call I purchased a couple of years ago (need to get a few more of these for this season), and I'll also carry a crow call, and owl hooter with me. I also carry 3x decoys in the back of the vest, one jake and 2x hens. As Rob said, I've had decoys help close the deal, I've also had them blow up my set before. I seem to have MUCH better luck on decoys when I'm hunting field edges, I can often get the birds to lock on to them from a long distance and then I can shut up and not give away my spot. In the timber, the areas I hunt birds can't see decoys often till they are 50-60 yards away, and if your calling them till they lock onto them......you can often give your position away. I think this year I'll be using decoys but will probably not be using them in the woods. I think I've only killed 2x birds in while in the timber and while using decoys........most of the time I've had better luck getting them under 75ish yards and then shutting up and making them look around for you.
Beginning of the season I'm loaded down with more dang calls than I know what to do with. It happens every year. By the end of the season I'm down to my favorite mouth call, my favorite box, and a double-sided slate/glass call with a couple of strikers.
I strictly use diaphragm calls along with my b-mobile and two hens. Three years in a row I've had a tom kick the crap out of my b-mobile decoy. We have very little to zero hunting pressure here in NW Mo so birds are very responsive to the calls but also when they see that B-Mobile they are out for blood.
