What would you have done different?

[Flyinhunter]

Spring thunder is one of the many YouTube channels I watch regularly. On the latest episode, he has a few come in and keep trucking.  They apparently saw something they didn't like. This is the story of my hunting career. I've had this exact scenario play out several times. So what would you do different? Or what do you think happend? I just want to be able to close the deal when it happens to me this year. Lol

https://youtu.be/iSR2CXhxBNo

7:55 is the part I'm talking about.

Great channel by the way. Check out some of their other videos.


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[KYHeadhunter02]

There were several things I didn't like.

I don't think his calling skills are great first of all. When the birds came in he was still calling loud. I shut up when I see a bird, and only call if the bird needs more coaxing. He should have given soft purs and that's it. He continued to hammer on them after the birds made up their minds.

I didn't like his decoy setup either. I don't face a single hen pointing right at me or facing away. I angle it somewhere in between. I would probably have staked a Jake also if I were using a decoy. Those two birds would have ganged up on a Jake for sure. The decoy also seemed to be right on top of them. I pur mine a bit further out.

If you also look they were not concealed well. I like to be up in the woods if I'm hunting a small open field. They appeared to be sitting on the first or second tree on the field.

I think the while setup was bad. Your going to have times where a bird will hangup, but those things I mentioned go a long way.

Good luck



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[Hook hanger]

Well clearly not even trying to conceal himself very well. Turkey stepped up to where he could see where calling came from and sees a hunter sitting right in the open on edge of field. Poor set up on the hunters part in my opinion.

[Happy]

The turkey saw him. Pure and simple.

[Happy]

Personally I would have not used the decoy and wouldn't be sitting on the edge of a field yacking and moving around so much.
If blind calling I want to be set up calling in an area a turkey has to be in range before he sees "the source". The calling while not great was about the best thing he did in that setup. He did call to much and at the wrong time in my opininion but i have heard worse.Guess he should have used a blind. He could have hid all the decoy parts scattered around him as well. Not covering the access road into the field was an oversight on his part as well.

[bbcoach]

I agree with the above observations.  The other thing I saw was the feathers laying right next to him, out in plain view.  With no foliage around, I would have picked a better setup.  Further in the woods probably and too much movement for my liking.  What you have to realize too, he is trying to hide a camera and camera man.  Better concealment, no movement, what about the camera man's movement and concealment.  Many things went wrong IMO.  SETUP, SETUP, SETUP.   

[GobbleNut]

Those turkeys couldn't have been more than 80 yards away.  With my TSS and my fancy-dancy choke I got, I would'a just waited until they was all lined up and then mowed 'em all down.  I'm sure I could'a got at least one...   
(...figured I would try to get some snoods in a knot this morning,...really, I'm just cranky 'cause I ain't huntin' yet!)   

[TauntoHawk]

I've watched the spring thunder series so far but it's not close to what it was with A-Aron running the show.

The calling was expected they are trying to get the birds to gobble on camera so they are going to call loud and aggressive to them insight I can deal with that 

But a common theme in the first few episodes is set ups are in the wide open the youth hunt was even worse sometimes setting up feet from any trees or brush. And decoy set ups have be oddly placed or used when they shouldn't guess they might have to have a decoy out for a sponsor I don't know but on the youth hunt they had the same birds come in like 5 times and each time the second they saw the strut decoy they skirted and scooted why on Earth would you set up again on them with the same decoy after 1,2,3 failed attempts with that happening is beyond me.

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[TauntoHawk]

Those turkeys couldn't have been more than 80 yards away.  With my TSS and my fancy-dancy choke I got, I would'a just waited until they was all lined up and then mowed 'em all down.  I'm sure I could'a got at least one...   
(...figured I would try to get some snoods in a knot this morning,...really, I'm just cranky 'cause I ain't huntin' yet!)   

I was watching another show recently where I know the host shoots TSS and you can hear him wisper to the camera man "what is he 70".. "yeah that's too far".. bird starts to walk away taking at least 6 steps fuether away "I'm gonna try and take him"



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[Spitten and drummen]

I set up where the bird is in range when I see him. He has to at least peek to try to find the hen. If it is too open , he will stay out there and look. He is not the smartest thing in the world , however he has enough sense to know that he should be able to see the hen thats been calling.

[EKavanagh]

I agree. Looks like the birds busted them.

Not to hijack, but anybody know why Aaron left Spring Thunder?

EK

[POk3s]

I've watched the spring thunder series so far but it's not close to what it was with A-Aron running the show.

I was going to say the same thing. Aaron can flat call, and is very knowledgable about turkeys. These guys are sub par turkey hunters at best. Also, Aaron and his buddies are now running a YouTube channel "The Hunting Public" that is really good. A lot more laid back but with Aaron being the star and still sharing tons of knowledge. They're currently doing a day by day series in public land Alabama which has been fun to watch! 

[TauntoHawk]

I've watched the spring thunder series so far but it's not close to what it was with A-Aron running the show.

I was going to say the same thing. Aaron can flat call, and is very knowledgable about turkeys. These guys are sub par turkey hunters at best. Also, Aaron and his buddies are now running a YouTube channel "The Hunting Public" that is really good. A lot more laid back but with Aaron being the star and still sharing tons of knowledge. They're currently doing a day by day series in public land Alabama which has been fun to watch!

For sure I've been following along and keep up with Zach through Instagram dms.

The spring thunder will become another just ok video series to watch when you're bored

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[TauntoHawk]

I agree. Looks like the birds busted them.

Not to hijack, but anybody know why Aaron left Spring Thunder?

EK

Do his own thing, he was working for Midwest whitetail and spring thunder and wanted to created his own brnad geared more around the public land or small parcel everyday hunter experience and it's fantastic.

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[howl]

Busted! He had the light shining on him lighting him up like a spotlight. Something looking like a predator with a dead turkey is what that gobbler saw. The doll on the stake was not enough to distract it. All the do-dads don't make up for a bad set-up.