The question is both a hen and gobbler avoided my decoys this morning but came to my investigate my calls. Given my lack of experience I did not call heavily when I could see the birds I was sort of relying on the decoys. What sort of decoys are people using? I think they are put off by my cheap decoys. The details Got in the blind 0545 for a 0630 sunrise had out three hen decoys and a strutter. The blind was on the edge of the field with a large hill behind it where they roost, took my work laptop with me so I can kill two birds with one arrow (OK bad joke sorry). Gobbles started around 0600hrs, behind me and too my right. I call they gobble but all at a distance of about 1/2 a mile, I don't call more than one every 10 min. The Tom to my right enters the field on the low side (I'm on the high side) and he walks across the bottom. I call (Yelp gently, it is about the only call I can do reliably). He walks until directly beneath me and stops and struts, a one of my calls does get him to gobble but only one. All other calls are ignored. He struts and walks and struts looking up at my decoys and his Fan is facing me. I can see he has a really long beard and a full fan but he never comes up the hill never closed beyond 100 yards. Things die down and I break out the work laptop, I am meant to be working so I knocked out some jobs. I get distracted but stop every 10 min and call a bit louder as there is nothing on the field. Next time I look up there is a hen moving along the tree line I'm on, she stops about 15 yards shy and turns and walks around the blind to the rear I have the rear window closed but she is close I can hear her purring gently to herself, I estimate less than 5 yards. She walks around the back and come back down to the tree line and continues on her way. My diagnosis of the morning, my calling was OK as it got them onto the field but my decoys suck, the gobbler was not interested in looking at them and the hen went out of her way to avoid them. They are cheap walmart decoys... upgrade the decoys??? Clem
One thing you could try is putting some nail polish on the decoys eyes to make them shine.Shiny eyes make a big difference in a decoy. And like most everything else,you get what you pay for so yes better decoys make a difference. I personally don't usually use decoys because I hunt a lot of pressured public and I'd rather have them not see decoys vs have them see some crappy looking decoys and spook.
What decoys are you using? Not the brand, but what type of birds? Hen, jake, full strut gobbler? People have killed turkeys for decades with cheap foam decoys so I doubt that's the entire issue. Just like buying a $1,000 bow won't make you a better hunter, buying $100 decoys won't guarantee a turkey kill. Also keep in mind that turkey hunting isn't a gimme. Just because a bird sees your decoys doesn't mean he's going to rush into them. Some birds are more cautious than others. Or they just aren't in the mood.
Thanks Mate, I'll give that a try I might try painting a few other places too. I have a strutter I think it was a primos with a silk fan. I positioned it so a bit of grass was at its back so it covered up the open side of the decoy. I had three hens two with their heads down feeding and one upright as a look out. The three hens were the cheapest thing I got a few years back. True, I know I'm not the best caller, can turkeys tell I have an Australian accent? But seriously last year I hunting Turkey season a bunch with a shot gun and every time they turkeys were really cautious of the decoys. Most of the time they ignored them and came for me calling them. One gobbler came off the roost and nearly landed on my Son and me flew right over the decoys and landed on the other side of us at about 5 yards. This is what makes me think they aren't even close to looking like a turkey. I bought the strutter hoping to get some aggression from these birds something to take their eyes off the Muppet sitting in a blind trying to draw his bow without hitting the blind. Thanks for the input
One thing I've learned mainly from waterfowl hunting is that while, yes realism and detail means alot, sometimes you can't dictate what the animal wants to do. Sometimes you are doing everything right but they just dont feel like cooperating. That Tom might have just been too lazy to come up that hill. Also this is a very hostile time of year. That hen might have gotten the crap kicked out of her by another hen recently and just didn't want to have another confrontation. You never know and it doesn't help to scratch your head too long. Just get out there again! I doubt the decoys scared them away. Unless they don't look like turkeys.
Agree 100%. One thing to add as well. Most turkeys from my experience like to take the easiest damn route they possibly can. Alot of birds will hang up at a creek or a bunch of deadfalls for example. He mentioned that he was downhill so its possible that the bird didnt want to climb the hill. I'm more of a run and gun type turkey hunter and not a blind sitter so usually when i setup for first light sits I sit in the spots where there are really no obstacles for the bird to get to me. Just food for thought and something to think about. We call them dumb birds, but they can be ooooh so smart when your hunting them
Yeah I moved my blind down hill to an opening in a tree line. I had my blind where I shot my bird last year. Last year when I was using a shotgun I was mobile but I'm so new to bow hunting them I'm playing it safe. I made a bunch of make shift blinds around where I have seen turkey this year and last year so I can change plans depending on where I hear them first thing in the morning. I love turkey hunting, so much going on! Clem
Turkeys don't care about your decoy brand, and a real turkey will never win a turkey calling contest. I've killed a bunch over a feather flex foam hen with an aluminum arrow as a stake. I use a dsd hen now, but the old foam hen got it done for me for years and still makes an occasional appearance. I'm personally not a fan of strutters or jakes. I think they send as many birds running away as they bring in. A timid bird will lock up and turn if he sees a strutter and he's had his butt kicked a few times. Try using a single hen. Use a stake that allows it to swing in the breeze "i.e" an old arrow. The motion is a big draw and may be enough to bring in a locked up bird. Also don't be afraid to put your blind in the middle of the field. Turkeys aren't like deer when it comes to a blind.
First off, shame on you for bringing your work with you. Enjoy the time in field leave that work crap for the office LOL..
The secret to killing turkeys is: right bird, right time, right place. There is no sure thing when it comes to turkeys Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm no turkey expert by any means, but I've rarely had luck with a full strut decoy. All of my birds have been killed over a hen/jake combo which has done me well so far. I believe the full strutter can intimidate some birds which is why they lock up out of range or don't pay any attention at all. A jake is much less intimidating and will bring in both younger and older birds. If you aren't too picky and any bird will do that's the direction I'd go.
