I Think I got It!

[guesswho]

I've been reading all these tip and strategy posts and I think I have me a plan for opening day now.   See if you think this will work.   If I'm going about it wrong please put me back on the right path, I really want to kill one opening day.

I get out of the truck opening morning and do one of the following,owl hoot, crow call, hawk scream, coyote howl, woodpecker call, peacock call, goose honk, rooster crow, duck call, dog bark, cow moo, blow a fog horn or truck horn, or slam my truck door.  Then when I hear one gobble I go and get close to him and sit down.  After sitting down I give a tree yelp so he'll know I'm there.  Once he fly's down I beat my hat on my leg and do a fly down cackle.  If he gobbles I yelp back and scratch in the leaves.   Then every now and then I give him just enough to keep him interested, a mixture of low yelps, clucks and purrs should work from what I've read.  When he shows up I cluck, he raises his head and I shoot him somewhere between the waddles and his head.  Then I run and put my foot on his head until he quits flopping.  

Nothing against dekes and blinds, but if I wan't to bypass all this nonsense I get me a blind and a full strut decoy and set on a field.  I'm likeing my odds this year!      

[timbrhuntr]

Now you got it. And don't forget you can sleep in until noon !

[TnTurk]

   You got it, of the 20-25 birds I kill each year, that is exactly how I do it. It don't get much simpler than that.   

[redarrow]

You got it bro. But one word of advice since your a newbie. Dont slap your leg too hard cause that little button on top of the hat hurts like heck when you do and you will let out a scream that sounds like a coyote fighting a hooty owl and your gobbler will be gone like last weeks wing dings. Other than that I think your good.

[paboxcall]

You forgot to spread out your 10-15 decoy flock, complete with feeding hens, breeding hens, half strut jakes and a gobbler, all tied to strings which you pull on as the gobbler makes his way into your choice set up.

That's a true story guess who...I was picking my way through the pre-dawn darkness, in the middle of a MD state forest couple years ago when I crested a small, narrow finger ridge.  In the gray light, I suddenly found myself standing in the middle of a dozen or so turkey decoys spread over a 30' square area.  Couldn't believe it.

I knew I had to be within shotgun range of the guy who carried all those dekes into the woods, never been more afraid of getting shot than that early dawn morning.  I've seen guys hunt ducks and geese with less decoys than this guy had spread out in front of him.  

[hookedspur]

YEP, thats exactly how you do it . 

[Shotgun]

Sounds like you got it...Did you ever figure out how to use that mouth call so your belly moves?

[timbrhuntr]

You forgot to spread out your 10-15 decoy flock, complete with feeding hens, breeding hens, half strut jakes and a gobbler, all tied to strings which you pull on as the gobbler makes his way into your choice set up.

That's a true story guess who...I was picking my way through the pre-dawn darkness, in the middle of a MD state forest couple years ago when I crested a small, narrow finger ridge.  In the gray light, I suddenly found myself standing in the middle of a dozen or so turkey decoys spread over a 30' square area.  Couldn't believe it.

I knew I had to be within shotgun range of the guy who carried all those dekes into the woods, never been more afraid of getting shot than that early dawn morning.  I've seen guys hunt ducks and geese with less decoys than this guy had spread out in front of him.  

Stay out of my decoys this year eh !!   Your just lucky I fell a sleep waiting for all them toms they told me would come a runnin in

[TRKYHTR]

Somebody call the pharmacist. Ronnie is out again.

TRKYHTR

[timbrhuntr]

Sounds like you got it...Did you ever figure out how to use that mouth call so your belly moves?

Ya Roy showed him how to use one the right way.

[handcannon]

Holy Crap. Your serious about locator calls!!! Sounds like you got it going on. Think I may have to follow your strategy.

paboxcall, sounds like you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Must have been a newbie thinking bigger is better. Never know, it might have brought him in the mack daddy of them all.

[Old Gobbler]

I will kill a turkey anyway a Indian would with the exception of shooting one out of a tree - I like hunting them - call, crawl, hide or shoot its all turkey hunting

I know some folks love decoys , and some don't .... I use one because they work , and I have seen too many hunting accidents to realize that if I put one out in the field they will gladly take one for the team - I know of several champion callers that use a decoy for whatever personal reasons  , and I have to agree with them

Blinds , I shot a few dozen turkeys with a bow and arrow long before the newer blinds that are very popular came about -I have never used one to kill a turkey... yet... I wish they had them back in the 80's , I think they are a god send to bowhunters - I am smart enough not to turn my nose up at them for this reason . The only problem with them is they are very hot for Florida heat , and are impractical for this reason- The OG forum has provided me with the ability to know many turkey hunters nationwide  , and quite a few tell me that because of terrain disadvantages they are a must for particular wide open areas -  that or dont get to hunt a area at all - if anything they are a disadvantage in most other  areas because  of the size and  mobility restrictions , but who am I to judge ? people make fun of me cause I wear a Guillie suit and crocs --

I think know TV shows are portraying the usage of decoys and blinds as being a cure all for for turkey hunting , its been explained many times before that TV hunting shows are bordering on fantasy , because they typically are in better areas with a abundance of wildlife - they like to use blinds to hide the film crew , they like to use decoys because it gets them turkeys right where the camera is set up with a clear shot , and they get lots of usable footage - the problem with that is that hunters see these shows and relate the use of a blind or decoy as some kind of advantage because they see the ease a how these fantasy shows get game -

Food for thought .... Goose layout ground blinds and very realistic goose decoys have utterly kicked down the goose hunting world in the last 10 years , it has provided goose hunters with the ability to hunt these geese that would otherwise go un-hunted  - I can draw a similarity between the geese and some area that have turkeys but zero coverage -  Goose blinds are widely accepted because they allow folks to hunt habitat and game they would other wise would never get the chance to -



 

[mossy835]

Sounds like you have all of the bases covered but leave the pink turkey decoy at home!!

[HARDCORE]

Whatever it takes...

Giving a longbeard a ride in the truck never, ever gets old.

...and if you play your cards right, they'll be dying for that ride. 

HC

[guesswho]

Sounds like you got it...Did you ever figure out how to use that mouth call so your belly moves?

I gave up on that.   I just got me one of those old Pump Action Yelpers.   That whole belly moving thing just didn't feel right.  This pump action routine seens like more of a natural movement.