I really did know better . . . .

[jblackburn]

So Saturday was the opening day of the Louisiana turkey season.  A co-worker and I camped out at a WMA that I have been scouting.  He is very green, he has only hunted a few times, and has take one turkey that I called in for him when we both lived in Oklahoma.  We had a decent morning hunt, found one one on the roost that gobbled his head off until he flew down and walked directly away from us.  He was still excited and remarked how he sounded so different that those Oklahoma Rios!  I have been trying to explain the Rios versus eastern to him, but that is another story . . .

Fast forward to the evening hunt, we went in early, and went in about as deep as we could go, judging by my poor map of the area, somewhere around 1 mile in, unfortunately, there are some locals that access the place from private ground. . .  Anyway, there was only one truck in the parking lot when we got there, and he was leaving.  My friend asked if we could use the decoys.  Now, he has been spending time watching turkey videos, even some of mine where I have a decoy out. He has never hunted over decoys and really wanted to see turkeys interacting with the fakes.  I told him I am pretty nervous about decoys on public land and told him about people sneaking around and shooting decoys.  He didn't want to believe me, he said, but they don't move and they don't look that real. 

For what ever reason, I gave in and took the decoys with  us.  We hiked way back, past where they roosted that morning in hopes of catching them coming back to roost.  I told him that if we are going to set the decoys out we have to make sure we can see in front of use to make sure we see if someone is walking, and set to the side enough that if someone sneaks behind us that we don't catch pellets if that mistake the decoys for real birds.

We sat there for a couple hours, I would call a little bit here and there, suddenly, I heard something right behind me walking.  I shift eyes left and there is a hen in the path 10 yards from me.  I whisper to him that there is a hen here DON'T MOVE.  I could tell when he saw here because he was visibly shaking.  She walked straight up to the decoys and began aggressively purring and pecking at my DSD hen.  My friend was wide eyed and grinning, he had never had one that close to him before.  At this moment, I was happy I set out the fakes so that I could give a new hunter this feeling. Suddenly, the hen scurried off and that happy feeling was replaced . . .

BOOM!!  A guy walking the path shot my jake decoy!  I immediately stood up to let him know they were decoys.  Scared the crap out of me, my buddy was ghost white . . . A few words were exchanged and we parted ways.  He was at least 60 yards from the decoys and barely peppered it.

So, lesson learned, the hard way.  The decoys will stay in the garage until I go on my Oklahoma hunt on private land.  You never think things like this will happen to you, but things can go bad in an instant.  Luckily, I was forward thinking enough to make sure we were out of the line of fire, but it is not a good feeling to hear a load of copper plated 5's (one is stuck in my decoy) fly by at 15 yards.

Stay safe you all! 

[captin_hook]

Geez. Some real brain deads out there. I'm glad you guys didn't get hurt.

[zelmo1]

Glad you are ok. This is what we all fear, not the decoys, but shot flying by us. I got some #5's in the face many years ago while pheasant hunting, scary deal. I am lucky that there is a lot of open land up here and for the most part people respect other hunters. Good luck and be safe.

[snapper1982]

Glad you are ok. I am not sure I wouldn't have said a few explicits and a whole speech about how unethical they was.

[jblackburn]

Glad you are ok. I am not sure I wouldn't have said a few explicits and a whole speech about how unethical they was.

Like I said, there were words exchanged . . .  OG is family friendly, so I did not type about our "conversation" 

[zelmo1]

Happened to me when I was "using the facilities", no good rat was gone when I got back. I heard the shot, scared me to death.

[WV TURKEY THUG]

jeez glad it didnt turn out worse that guy must of been awful trigger happy

[WV TURKEY THUG]

and how in the world did this guy think he could sneak that close to turkey  what a dummy

[guesswho]

Wow! 

I don't deal with Stupid very well.  I'd probably have made the local news.

[TauntoHawk]

I'm mad just reading about this... I agree and leave the decoys at home when on public land

[WV TURKEY THUG]

maybe u should fill them decoys with some tannerite and stay a safe distance away i bet he would think twice before he shoots a bird he walked up on again

[jblackburn]

maybe u should fill them decoys with some tannerite and stay a safe distance away i bet he would think twice before he shoots a bird he walked up on again

lol, I may do that myself!  Sounds like fun!

[Marc]

and how in the world did this guy think he could sneak that close to turkey  what a dummy

I have done it, both incidentally and purposefully...

Still no excuse for taking such a shot, but some of these decoys are pretty realistic...  And, seeing a live hen scurry away from a jake, might have made the scene a bit more convincing for a hunter.

Glad everyone is ok, and that no damage was done, (except to the decoy and possibly some underwear).

Jblackburn, what kind of Jake decoy were you using out of curiosity?

[Dr Juice]

Wow. Good thing you didnt get hurt.

[WV TURKEY THUG]

and how in the world did this guy think he could sneak that close to turkey  what a dummy

I have done it, both incidentally and purposefully...

Still no excuse for taking such a shot, but some of these decoys are pretty realistic...  And, seeing a live hen scurry away from a jake, might have made the scene a bit more convincing for a hunter.

Glad everyone is ok, and that no damage was done, (except to the decoy and possibly some underwear).

Jblackburn, what kind of Jake decoy were you using out of curiosity?

with that tailfan thing? lol jk i guess it all depends on the terrain ur hunting