Field Turkey Logic?

[vaturkey]

  If you're skeered, say you're skeered !   

[RutnNStrutn]

I ask a lot of questions about vasectomies too, but that don't mean I'm going to the snip and clip.

Don't knock it 'til you tried it!!! There's something to be said about no worries!!!

[guesswho]

I might would consider it "not deke's" if I could find a girlnocologist but the only Doctors around here are guynocologists.  I ain't letting a guy with a knife and scissors around big Jim and the twins.

I killed birds over Deke's years ago.  I quit using them and the success stayed the same but my enjoyment of the hunt increased.  I have no problem if someone wants to use them, I was just trying to figure out the logic that people use when it comes to using them.

[Chuck1443]

Same here as many without as with , the show is better with , my Jake has buckshot in his head from beak to beak encounters

[Chuck1443]

And vasectomy's hurt like a hog bite,specially the square needle used to numb, at least 20 yrs ago they did lol

[Neill_Prater]

I'm guessing that most hunters tend to hunt they way they learned or were taught. You guys in Alabama couldn't use decoys, so you have no confidence in them based on past experience. That said, I own several decoys, but don't use them on a regular basis. As to the original question posed in this thread, I hunted a lot in Kansas for several years, and a few times I believe using a decoy definitely got me a gobbler, when I probably would not have killed him otherwise. When you have a 200 acre field, and are sitting in the edge of the timber, or a fencerow, a bird might be interested in your calling, but unless he is really hot, he'll just stand in the middle of the field and look. If he sees a hen, he might come in close enough for a kill shot. Still no guarantees, but it does increase the odds. I recall one situation when I spotted a tom briefly in the edge of the timber across a large field. Over two hours later, he slowly crossed the field and walked up to the jake decoy, where I shot him. I honestly don't believe he would have ever come to calling only.

In my experience with dekes, it is more often the hens that spook when seeing them. Toms won't always respond, but I don't recall ever having one actually run away from a decoy. Hens, on the other hand, often get nervous and at least putt around them. However, I have also had hens feed within inches of a decoy for half an hour, and never even acknowledge it is there.

And, all that aside, the person I personally feel is the best turkey hunter I've ever known, lives in New York and never used a decoy at all until the last few years when hunting with a bow. Neill

[RutnNStrutn]

I'm guessing that most hunters tend to hunt they way they learned or were taught.

Good point! The guys I hunted around down here in Florida used dekes, so I did too when I started out. Another thing is I almost always have to hunt public land here in Florida. Because of that, being highly mobile runs you into other hunters. Also, the Osceolas I have hunted gobble their butts off in the trees, but on the ground the gobbling drops off dramatically, or even ceases. So while I will definitely go to the gobble if given the opportunity, I tend to do a lot of sitting and waiting over dekes in Florida.
When I went to Ohio and WV and hunted private land with friends, it was completely different. They are run n' gunners, with no competition on the land they hunt. They don't use dekes, and if a bird doesn't come in within 15 or 20 minutes, they are up and off after a more cooperative bird. I killed birds in both states and really enjoyed that kind of hunting, but it just doesn't work where I hunt in Florida.
On my trips around the country to hunt, I've used a combination of both styles of hunting, and killed birds both ways. Same thing with the land I lease in SC. I much prefer to run n' gun, but will sit over dekes without a second thought to it. I also won't hesitate to put the sneak on a bird. As long as its legal, I say to each their own.

[guesswho]

I prefer to call field birds into the woods with me and kill them there.

Scary!