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Q:
Opening day of turkey season is almost here, and the last 3 openers, Toms were coming in to my set-up until they saw my decoys. I thought it was something I was doing wrong, but last year I brought this up at turkey camp and everybody said the same things happen to them in the past, and most said that they won't use decoys anymore. I didn't use decoys the rest of the year and had far more success drawing in birds. It was opening day so it couldn't be hunting pressure.... any thoughts on this and has this happened to anybody else.
Question by wallofsam. Uploaded on March 18, 2009
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Answers (5)
Yes this has happened to me about three years ago, it was the most frusterating season, but I still use the same decoys and have not had the problem again. I do not know what the deal was, I was using the same equipment I always use and never had a problem.
Your problem maybe be the birds have previously made the association to decoys and humans. It could be any number of things that has scared them away. Another possibility is that they are timid around birds that they have never seen before. We will never know but those would be my guesses.
I would say that they are decoy shy, they have probably seen this set up more than once and have learned from it. I would leave them a camp for a couple of days and see what happens. I'm not saying to throw them away or never use'em again, but if it's not working try something different.
Good topic. I have never used a gobbler decoy with the thinking that one or two unmolested hens are more attractive to a gobbler on the run. I mean why compete with another bird if other hens are around.
Ive had this happen in lots of locations and weather types and at different times of year there is probably a lot of reasons and solutions you can stop calling, call more, more decoys, only hens, only a jake, and ect. ect. and you know what they all work but i still use at least 1 decoy. most of the time calling less seems better. unless you are a turkey call salesman then you call alot and loud.
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Yes this has happened to me about three years ago, it was the most frusterating season, but I still use the same decoys and have not had the problem again. I do not know what the deal was, I was using the same equipment I always use and never had a problem.
Your problem maybe be the birds have previously made the association to decoys and humans. It could be any number of things that has scared them away. Another possibility is that they are timid around birds that they have never seen before. We will never know but those would be my guesses.
I would say that they are decoy shy, they have probably seen this set up more than once and have learned from it. I would leave them a camp for a couple of days and see what happens. I'm not saying to throw them away or never use'em again, but if it's not working try something different.
Good topic. I have never used a gobbler decoy with the thinking that one or two unmolested hens are more attractive to a gobbler on the run. I mean why compete with another bird if other hens are around.
Ive had this happen in lots of locations and weather types and at different times of year there is probably a lot of reasons and solutions you can stop calling, call more, more decoys, only hens, only a jake, and ect. ect. and you know what they all work but i still use at least 1 decoy. most of the time calling less seems better. unless you are a turkey call salesman then you call alot and loud.
Post an Answer