do you have to have a decoy to turkey hunt with, beacause i have spent so much money on ground blinds and other things, and i am going in april, but i will not have enough money to get no more. I just wanted to know if no decoys would have a affect on hunting, and if you have any tips on where i need to go to find turkeys.
2007-02-21 08:16:27 · 12 answers · asked by Matt S 1 in Sports ➔ Outdoor Recreation ➔ Hunting
I have taken birds with and without decoys! They are not necessary to have but in some cases persuade that goobler to come on into range so you can get the shot. Go ahead and hunt this year with out them you can always add them to your setup next season. Good Luck!!
2007-02-21 12:25:43 · answer #1 · answered by Donnie C 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
decoys help when the time is right and you have time to set them up. But the main thing is the calling and locater calls.
they have to work hand in hand.
Go out 2 to 3 weeks and scout and listen use locater call alot
but dont use turkey call very much,if you do you might have flustered gobbler in your frount door knocken. This will help you find out where the turkeys are and maybe you can figure out there daily routine.
About 1 to 3 days befor season go out at dusk use your locater call and find out where they are roosting this will give you the edge the first day of hunting season during tthe seasonwhen it wears on you will probably notice not much gobbling, this is when your decoys come into play set up your decoys use a dominate raspy hen call along with clucks and whines.
And old gobbler will slip in to investigate and not even gobble.
2007-02-21 21:52:07 · answer #2 · answered by BIG SON 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Decoys are just another tool in a turkey hunters box of tricks. Sometimes they make a big difference and sometimes not.
Turkeys like open spaces to "strut" so open pastures and farm fields. Turkeys also love to go high up and roost. Look for a stand of very tall trees or trees on ridge tops. But don't set up to close to them or they will be spooked when you morning locate call. Don't be to aggressive while early season calling and use a decoy jake mounting a decoy hen as your decoy setup if your going to use them. Dominant Toms will go crazy if they see a jake mounting a hen.
Miketyson26
2007-02-21 18:58:57 · answer #3 · answered by miketyson26 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A decoy would help. Although you may get by without it if you are in thick woods. You could even get by with a black palstic bag. Just dont let the turkey get too close cuz they will know something is up.
As for where to hunt, I have hunted them in OR, WA, ND, MT and even TX. But I dont know where you are at. One thing you can do is call your states dept of game and fish. They will be able to tell you where turkeys are located in your state. Once you have found a place, the best way to locate them is at dusk with a shock call and "put them to bed". Then the next morning, sneak in close before light and get set up for them when they come out of the roost.
Good luck, and shoot straight.
2007-02-21 16:50:33 · answer #4 · answered by ragbagz 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It all depends. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't. I have called birds up using decoys, but I think I have called more when I wasn't using them. If you want to know the best place to find turkeys, go out and scout before the season starts, or ask a farmer. Farmers always know where the turkeys are, and they will usually let you hunt them, because they hate them.
2007-02-21 21:14:01 · answer #5 · answered by esugrad97 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My Dad and I have tried hunting turkeys several times in the past WITH decoys and we used the calls and everything, and guess what, we never even saw one except on the last day going home and seeing one on the side of the road (no lie). So all in all its mostly luck if anything.
2007-02-21 16:25:12 · answer #6 · answered by Dave Grohl Wanna Be!!!! 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We have never used decoys...calls work fine on their own. My husband and I sit in a rock pile about 20 yards from the woods...they come down each morning, pass the rock pile and move into the hay field. We have a farm in Northern NJ. Most turkeys have routines and stick to their habits. Scout your area for a few days before setting up your hunt. Good Luck & Have Fun!
2007-02-21 19:51:41 · answer #7 · answered by Carla 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Decoys are a pretty recent thing in turkey hunting. I know good turkey hunters who've spent a lifetime filling their freezers without the use of decoys. If you know where a good gobbler is, let the rest of us in on it and we'll see you in the resultant parking lot.
2007-02-21 19:08:51 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I like the use of decoys but they are deffanatly not neccesary.They can wait untill your ready for em.You have to worry about time as far as seting them up before the turkey gets there.For a beginner its a bit complicated.Field turkeys or where ever its an open area come in good to decoys.As far as calling let the turkey tell ya what to do.If hes coming to slow calling keep it up.If he starts to leave crank it up a touch to turn him around.If he stays in one spot and gobbles go silent and he may come in.As far as locator calls I dont use them to pattern gobblers they could spook them.I use locators the day I seel the deal only to find where he has moved off to. Best of luck to ya.
2007-02-23 07:28:01 · answer #9 · answered by Shane Y 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Decoys can help, but I use them less than half the time.
Best tip I can give a beginner - use the calls about a tenth of the time you think you need to.
2007-02-21 18:10:38 · answer #10 · answered by pater47 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋