What would be your decoy set up of choice for an April 21st opener/early season? I'll likely be hunting with my bow from a blind to start out the season. I'll be on the edge of a cut and turned corn field. The Turkeys are already there in mass numbers as of last week.
I'm not sure if I should set out just a lone hen, a hen and the jake, or the hole 9 yards??!!
I've got these decoys to use.
1 DSD Jake
1 DSD Upright Hen
2 Inflatable Submissive Sally Hen
1 Flextone Funky Chicken Turkey Decoy (skinny looken jake!)
Jake DSD
jake , the dsd
And don't put that funky chicken thing out with it. :TooFunny:
Even if it does work, don't admit it. :lol:
It got demoted last year, as I called in zero birds the 2 days it sat out front! Might sell him!
Quote from: owlhoot on January 28, 2014, 08:21:14 PM
jake , the dsd
And don't put that funky chicken thing out with it. :TooFunny:
Even if it does work, don't admit it. :lol:
What's your farm or farms like? Fields or timber? I find strut zones, where they go first thing in the morning (usually for my son in youth season) I'll use my jake decoy and a hen. The posture of that jake is better than a strutter decoy in my opinion. When it's just me I farm hop a lot, if it ain't happening I go to where it is. Sometimes you can't get decoys out in some of the situations I get in. Hang in there man I wish ya lots of luck, don't get impatient and remember it's not always the kill it's the experience that makes a good hunt!
We've got good chunks of timber, say 30%, and then beans OR corn usually. Most of the wooded areas are in the center, which has open fields surrounding it & then edged out by mostly homes OR thin woods on the edge of the roads. The location I'm seeing them the most now is a 2 mile X 2 mile square with a river running just about straight threw the middle. The river has a couple big hard wood areas, and that is both open & very dense in spots. Cut corn that was turned before first snowfall in december.
Quote from: bigbird on January 31, 2014, 10:02:54 PM
What's your farm or farms like? Fields or timber? I find strut zones, where they go first thing in the morning (usually for my son in youth season) I'll use my jake decoy and a hen. The posture of that jake is better than a strutter decoy in my opinion. When it's just me I farm hop a lot, if it ain't happening I go to where it is. Sometimes you can't get decoys out in some of the situations I get in. Hang in there man I wish ya lots of luck, don't get impatient and remember it's not always the kill it's the experience that makes a good hunt!
It sounds like you're way too narrow in your approach to hunting.
Ain't no way I could tell you anything about my opening day set up until the nite before opening day.
Blinds and decoys have ruined the art of actual turkey hunting.
In my original question, I was thinking that there is a tendency for early season decoy use. Seems like other threads would suggest going with fewer decoys OR just one. As for blinds, I gladly go without a blind, but I plan on bow hunting & it would be pretty hard to draw back on a bird in the wide open.
So, do you have any thoughts on decoy layouts for early season, in general? Quote from: VaTuRkStOmPeR on February 01, 2014, 08:23:42 AM
It sounds like you're way too narrow in your approach to hunting.
Ain't no way I could tell you anything about my opening day set up until the nite before opening day.
Blinds and decoys have ruined the art of actual turkey hunting.
Jake above the submissive hen at your most comfortable yardage in front of the blind
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
here is what I would do
dsd jake, upright hen, and a submissive hen.
Bow hunting, i'd put the decoys about 15 steps from the blind...
If you know the area is a strut zone, than you should be pretty good. some light calling here and there and the turkeys should show up.
good luck
Quote from: VaTuRkStOmPeR on February 01, 2014, 08:23:42 AM
It sounds like you're way too narrow in your approach to hunting.
Ain't no way I could tell you anything about my opening day set up until the nite before opening day.
Blinds and decoys have ruined the art of actual turkey hunting.
:z-winnersmiley:
Take the DSDs send the rest back to China. Put the upright hen on the ground in the breeding position and the jack 5 feet behind her and get ready. Early season I normally replace the jack with the DSD Strutter. But I don't always do this. As mentioned decoys can very easily ruin a hunt so becareful and know they do not fit all situations.
Quote from: VaTuRkStOmPeR on February 01, 2014, 08:23:42 AM
It sounds like you're way too narrow in your approach to hunting.
Ain't no way I could tell you anything about my opening day set up until the nite before opening day.
Blinds and decoys have ruined the art of actual turkey hunting.
Quote from: Cove on February 01, 2014, 06:18:45 PM
Quote from: VaTuRkStOmPeR on February 01, 2014, 08:23:42 AM
It sounds like you're way too narrow in your approach to hunting.
Ain't no way I could tell you anything about my opening day set up until the nite before opening day.
Blinds and decoys have ruined the art of actual turkey hunting.
:z-winnersmiley:
Real nice!!! >:( >:( A guys asks for suggestions and you come along bashing his way of hunting. ??? ???
Quote from: kevin2 on January 31, 2014, 11:48:56 PMMost of the wooded areas are in the center, which has open fields surrounding it
Kevin, first of all, don't mind the guys that get down on you for using dekes.
With that said, early season is an
excellent time for using decoys!! It sounds like the farm you hunt is an ideal set up! I'm no expert, but if I were you, I would spend some mornings before the season locating favored roost sites, and then trying to pattern your farm's flocks movements.
Then on the afternoon before the opener, I would roost some gobblers. The next morning, get there very early, and set up near the roosted birds. Put out your DSD jake with one of the Submissive Sally's under him, on the ground like he is ready to breed her. Then put the DSD upright hen off to the side. Leave the other submissive Sally and the funky chicken at home!! :lol: ;D If you can call a gobbler into visual range of your setup, or they see it from the roost when it gets light, there's a good chance for him to charge in to whip some jake butt!!
Good luck this spring! :icon_thumright:
Quote from: Gobble! on February 02, 2014, 11:53:32 AMEarly season I normally replace the jack with the DSD Strutter. But I don't always do this. As mentioned decoys can very easily ruin a hunt so becareful and know they do not fit all situations.
:agreed: x2 :icon_thumright:
Quote from: captpete on February 02, 2014, 01:33:34 PM
Quote from: VaTuRkStOmPeR on February 01, 2014, 08:23:42 AM
It sounds like you're way too narrow in your approach to hunting.
Ain't no way I could tell you anything about my opening day set up until the nite before opening day.
Blinds and decoys have ruined the art of actual turkey hunting.
Quote from: Cove on February 01, 2014, 06:18:45 PM
Quote from: VaTuRkStOmPeR on February 01, 2014, 08:23:42 AM
It sounds like you're way too narrow in your approach to hunting.
Ain't no way I could tell you anything about my opening day set up until the nite before opening day.
Blinds and decoys have ruined the art of actual turkey hunting.
:z-winnersmiley:
Real nice!!! >:( >:( A guys asks for suggestions and you come along bashing his way of hunting. ??? ???
How's he bashing his post? Looks like an opinionated statement, one I agree with.
I like 2 hens and a jake in a triangle setup . All facing the blind with the jake the tip of the triangle at about 20- 25 yds away.
Ain't nothing wrong with blind hunting or using deeks.
Quote from: ccleroy on February 02, 2014, 02:51:11 PM
Quote from: captpete on February 02, 2014, 01:33:34 PM
Quote from: VaTuRkStOmPeR on February 01, 2014, 08:23:42 AM
It sounds like you're way too narrow in your approach to hunting.
Ain't no way I could tell you anything about my opening day set up until the nite before opening day.
Blinds and decoys have ruined the art of actual turkey hunting.
Quote from: Cove on February 01, 2014, 06:18:45 PM
Quote from: VaTuRkStOmPeR on February 01, 2014, 08:23:42 AM
It sounds like you're way too narrow in your approach to hunting.
Ain't no way I could tell you anything about my opening day set up until the nite before opening day.
Blinds and decoys have ruined the art of actual turkey hunting.
:z-winnersmiley:
Real nice!!! >:( >:( A guys asks for suggestions and you come along bashing his way of hunting. ??? ???
How's he bashing his post? Looks like an opinionated statement, one I agree with.
Bashing is a little strong and I apologize for that. My point was that the guy asks for some help. You guys come in and basically tell him that if he is using decoys & a blind he isn't actually turkey hunting. At least that's the way it reads to me.
Sometimes we as fellow hunters, are our own worst enemies. We already have enough opposition from the anti's, the tree huggers and other liberals. The way I see it is, if you don't agree with a style of hunting, don't do it!! I mean seriously, we have baiting vs. no bait, shotgun vs. rifle vs. muzzleloader vs. pistol, longbow vs. recurve bow vs. compound bow vs. crossbow, still hunting vs. dog hunting vs. deer drives, and old school turkey hunting vs. run and gun turkey hunting vs. sitting over dekes - with or without a blind vs. stalking and fanning turkeys, etc, etc. My take on it is, if it is legal, and it makes you happy, I'll support your right to hunt that way. Now I may not join you if that's not my style of hunting, but I'll support your right to hunt that way. Hunters need to support other hunters.
Wait until it's closer to opening day before choosing your setup location...like within one week of it. The closer the better. Scout smart, but be careful not to spook 'em.
I plan on doing some scouting a few days ahead of time. I'm hoping that I get lucky again this year & a few birds are in trees that I can set up on really easy. Can't wait!
If I don't bag a turkey early on the opener from my blind with the bow, I plan to not box myself in with the blind & go out after them. I've got the 12g patterned and all ready to go as well. We shall see how it all plays out...
Quote from: stinkpickle on February 04, 2014, 01:36:59 PM
Wait until it's closer to opening day before choosing your setup location...like within one week of it. The closer the better. Scout smart, but be careful not to spook 'em.