basic decoy set up.

[jumpacablez]

What is your favorite set up for decoys, and Patterns. DO you face them into the woods or accros the field. How do you like to set up your turkey spot?

[DonBo]

I always face the decoys towards me. A tom coming into them will want to get in front of the ladies to show off. Likewise they will get in a jakes face if looking for a fight. Either way the tom will be closer to you as long as your decoys are facing you.

[jumpacablez]

thanks donB, how many decoys do you put out, and of what?

[DonBo]

It can vary depending on what they want. This may change during the season. I typically use a jake and two hens, but later in the season one hen may be better. Earlier in the season a whole big flock may work. Sometimes none is the way to go.

Let the birds tell you what they want. If the first few that see your spread shy away, try something different. Ain't hunting grand?

[GatorBait]

Depending on the time of the season I use a couple different setups. When the toms aren't henned up, I'll be using a jake over a hen or simply a jake accomanying a hen, sometimes I throw out an extra hen or two also. Donbo shares a great tip with facing them towards you.

When the toms are henned up, I stricly use a loan hen. Then I switch over to calling in hens. The tom is going to go where the hens go, so I simply start getting all nuts with the calling to where the hens get ticked off and come in to try and drive me away from their man. Thus, bringing their boy to me. Works great most of the time, but you want to keep ur decoy close enough in case the tom hangs up past your distance.

To be simple, turkey hunting can be the most frustrating sport of all. These birds can pick a mosiquito out at 100yds, if they even think something isn't right they leave, you could be the best caller in he world and that big ol'tom will still hang up. The list goes on, but that's the great challenge of this sport. Patience, Adapt, and Conquer.

[jumpacablez]

so that being said, should i use a ground blind or sit back in a few rows of trees.

[DonBo]

Either way's fine. Blinds are nice when using archery tackle, or if the weather's less than perfect, or if you don't have much room to move around.

Lot's of birds have been killed by just sitting up against a large tree. Whatever you're must comfortable doing.

Me? I love to set up in a pop-up blind and stay for the day, but hey, I'm getting older and enjoy the comfort of a nice chair a good book and a thermos full of hot coffee.

[Wallydog]

Here is an option...........

[DonBo]

That's a nice big flock you goy there Wally, but to be honest those Merriams are pushovers compared to the Easterns around here.

[Wallydog]

Don,

Interestingly there was a single transplant of easterns in Idaho in ~1988, literally a mile of 2 from the places I hunt. I have called in quite a number of them to meet their waterloo. The rest of the birds in that area I fondly refer to as "mutts" showing neither tru eastern or merriams markings.

These 2 bad boys were whacked shortly before the flock picture was taken. Note mixed markings.

[delzz7]

Hey Wally Do you have a certain calling seqence to call in the hens. I have tryed trying to yelp louder, try cutting off the boss hen and aggressive purrs with out any success last year in Nebraska. We usually go when the Toms are henned up.

[Wallydog]

Delz,

I usually try mimic her....exactly. Sometimes it works, sometimes a gobbler can't stand the exchange and chimes in.

You'll find out nothing works ALL the time. When the toms are with ladies make sure you hang around the turkey woods at least until 1 or 2pm because often times the boys will have done their thing with the ladies they hook up with early and then go on the prowl for other ladies.

I've had gobblers gobbler from my exact calling location an hour or 2 after I've vacated it. They have some memory of where they've heard hens calling.

WD

[engfish]

I'm with Don Bo for the blind if you're going to sit all day; it's great for riding out the rain showers especially if you know they're going to clear mid-morning. The birds seem to come out right after those heavy morning showers. But if you've just got the morning to hunt, or you're forced to run and gun, the tree's the place to be. Just make sure you've got a low chair or a good pad on your hunting vest to sit on, especially early season when the ground is still cold. You'll be less inclined to squirm if you're comfortable.

[Jim916]

When I first started turkey hunting I had 2 hens and a jake decoy. I would have birds come in but they would stay about a 100 yds away. I could not figure out what the problem was. This went on for 2 years until a friend said my jake decoy might be alarming the birds. The jake decoy looked like he was in an alert position. I have since stopped using him and my luck has changed. We have shot 1 each year for the last 5 years without him. Now I just use 2 - 3 hens.

[DonBo]

For bowhunting, I set my decoys close. This BMobile is 15 yards, the hens less than 10.

[engfish]

Jim916--I wish I would have read your post about three years ago. I didn't want to carry the darn thing anyway! I'm thinking about adding another hen, but my late season hunting seems okay with a single hen set. Got lucky last spring when the Old Lady dragged in two nice gobblers with her trying to chase off my hen decoy. My only regret was that I didn't have a flip cam to shoot a little video.

[jumpacablez]

donbo, THats a sweet looking set-up/spot.

Lucky you, and thanks for the tips.

I love learning how to hunt just as much as i love hunting!

THis HSOforum is great, along with the people.

Thank you all!