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re: Had a public land turkey make a fool of me...what did I do wrong?

Posted on 4/8/18 at 7:00 am to
Posted by celltech1981
Member since Jul 2014
8139 posts
Posted on 4/8/18 at 7:00 am to
I couldn't see him clearly. Just his movement and head every now and then. One open glimpse. It was pretty thick. The decoy was just to the side of us. Like you said I don't think he ever saw it. I'm wondering if I should have just shut up and made him search. Thanks for the advice everybody. This was my first turkey hunt since I lost access to Texas (5 years) and if that bird was a rio Grande he would be dead
Posted by Clark8907
Stonewall
Member since Oct 2017
104 posts
Posted on 4/8/18 at 7:56 am to
If he gobbled 70 yards away, I wouldn't have ever made another sound besides scratching in the leaves and maybe a couple purrs. Don't ever put your decoys right beside you. That is a sure way to get busted. If anything you should have put your decoy right where you were standing when he first gobbled and eased back about 15-20 yards and set down. Also, if you were just running a hen decoy, chances are, even if he did see it, he wasn't going to come in. I have had many birds, when I used to only put out a hen, that would see the decoy and strut and gobble back and forth for a very long time and never budge. However, this early in the season, if there is a jake decoy with her, its usually game on. Late in the season a single hen will work. You know the area he is in now and slip back out there set up and kill him.
Posted by baldona
Florida
Member since Feb 2016
20550 posts
Posted on 4/8/18 at 3:00 pm to
Op as said that's normal for Easterns especially public land birds. If they are pretty sure where you are, they hold up at 60-75 yards and just strut.

You have to call them through you. As said, have one guy sit behind you. Or call and then move forward, or call very quiet in front of some vegetation and make them think you are further back.

I've had birds hold up at 75 yards 4 times this season. I did all the tricks in the book, it just happens if they catch you out in the open or they aren't horny enough like in the late season.
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