hung up birds

[lmbunch69]

Pretty new to turkey hunting but thankful to have some great mentors. Was hunting Indiana's youth weekend today and yesterday. Saturday we had a bird off the roost come to 30 yards just below the rise but would show himself. Later in the day, had 4 longbeards get to 50 yards and strut for 45 minutes. The birds just seemed to not want to fully commit to the decoys. Same thing this morning with another bird off the roost. Skirted our setup at 50 or so yards. Any tips to get a bird to get a little closer? I know they were just being turkeys but wondering if no decoys would help.

[guesswho]

Yep, I'd ditch the deke's, especially if hunting timber.     

[bbcoach]

Sometimes decoys will work but many times birds will skirt them or stop short and want the ladies to come to them.  Ditch the dekes, stop calling when they are close and let them find you.  Good luck. 

[Cowboy]

Yep, I'd ditch the deke's, especially if hunting timber.   

Agreed. Make them look for the source of the call. Try to setup where when they get in view or close to it they are in gun range.

[MK M GOBL]

Depends on where you are setup, in the timber or ag fields/pasture open areas. Also what decoys, how many and placement. Have you scouted the area and know what these birds are doing. As I always say "There is a lot to hunting decoys right". Knowing the stage your birds are at and if you have a clue to dominance structure... 2year old's (the 4) or older birds will make somewhat of a difference as to how I set. If bird is a known Alpha I am using my White Headed DSD Strutter, no JAKE as sub in set.

My decoys are used in ag fields/pasture or "open" areas in timber, in most case in the timber I do not use a decoy and rely on that tom looking for me, those are more my late season hunts when there is cover to move, early on I am in the fields.

Need a little info to judge this setup.


MK M GOBL

[lmbunch69]

We had a strutter and a hen. All of them in the timber. Thank you guys for the replies, just gotta wait till Wednesday to get back after them in the regular season.

[Greg Massey]

Depends on where you are setup, in the timber or ag fields/pasture open areas. Also what decoys, how many and placement. Have you scouted the area and know what these birds are doing. As I always say "There is a lot to hunting decoys right". Knowing the stage your birds are at and if you have a clue to dominance structure... 2year old's (the 4) or older birds will make somewhat of a difference as to how I set. If bird is a known Alpha I am using my White Headed DSD Strutter, no JAKE as sub in set.

My decoys are used in ag fields/pasture or "open" areas in timber, in most case in the timber I do not use a decoy and rely on that tom looking for me, those are more my late season hunts when there is cover to move, early on I am in the fields.

Need a little info to judge this setup.


MK M GOBL

X2 agree , not enough information on his setup to make judgement call. Setup is the key in using decoys . Placement of the decoys , like to far out or did you need to set them pass you all this is deciding factors in using your decoys, also what decoys you were using makes a difference.

[Shoreguy]

If you know where the birds are coming from you can put the shooter 20 yards in front of the caller and now the birds are in range of the shooter. 

[Spitten and drummen]

Set up to where he has to take a peek and when he does he is in shotgun range.

[MK M GOBL]

We had a strutter and a hen. All of them in the timber. Thank you guys for the replies, just gotta wait till Wednesday to get back after them in the regular season.

So if we are talking "Timber" (Not OPEN Timber) I do not have decoys out, that bird is looking for the hen. Need to choose a good spot to sit down at.


MK M GOBL