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Turkey season 2016

I've been lucky enough to have been tagged out since the Wednesday of 1st season. Birds all over in my area. Gobbling great and all over my DSD Jake. I had 3 mature toms come in Wednesday morning right off the roost. Scout, scout, scout. That's what works for me.

My nephew and I both tagged out in Kansas too. All birds were mature. I do agree that I liked the old season dates better. I seem to remember the last day of the Masters being on the day before opener.

https://youtu.be/5gtLPwLxcuM
 
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2 Lone toms went nuts off the roost this morning, gobbled at everything under the sun (Cars with loud exhaust, airplanes, crows, geese)flew down 100 yards from setup. Perfect I think ill be tagged out by 6:30. Wrong. Let out one or 2 once they hit the ground to make sure they knew where I was, one took off running right at my setup hung up about 70 yards away and strutted there for over 2 hours. They both strutted a big U around my blind and decoys before finally moving on. Wouldnt answer a call to get them to turn around to save their lives...
 
I agree with waspsiyguy. Scouting is key. Do plenty of research on different set ups. If something isn't working you have to be willing to try something else. We have hunted 7 days and killed 9 birds out of my blind this year. 8 of which where with the bow! Good Luck!
 
I agree with waspsiyguy. Scouting is key. Do plenty of research on different set ups. If something isn't working you have to be willing to try something else. We have hunted 7 days and killed 9 birds out of my blind this year. 8 of which where with the bow! Good Luck!

Getting on them is not the problem. Getting them to commit to my decoys is (Using avian jake and hen) . Ive had 5 instances this year with toms within 100 yards. :confused:
 
Getting on them is not the problem. Getting them to commit to my decoys is (Using avian jake and hen) . Ive had 5 instances this year with toms within 100 yards. :confused:
Any movement with your decoys? I'd try throwing a strutter or fan out if you have one too. I've had a couple years where I can't do a thing wrong and come into next season super confident, only to be brought back down to earth by stubborn birds. One season I had 4+ encounters with the same two toms and could never get it done.
 
Getting on them is not the problem. Getting them to commit to my decoys is (Using avian jake and hen) . Ive had 5 instances this year with toms within 100 yards. :confused:

well if they are coming in and stop coming when they see you set up. maybe pull all ur decoys. keeps them searching. they can pin point sound well enough they just might end up in your lap. not something I would do everytime but might be worth a shot.
 
Any movement with your decoys? I'd try throwing a strutter or fan out if you have one too. I've had a couple years where I can't do a thing wrong and come into next season super confident, only to be brought back down to earth by stubborn birds. One season I had 4+ encounters with the same two toms and could never get it done.

No movement with the decoys . Thought about pulling the decoys too but seems risky . Thinking it may be with the latter with educated birds . Going to scout some stupider ones hopefully tonight
 
With 4th season starting this week what's everyone's opinion on decoys. Been using the Avian X jake and hen mostly. Stick with that? Go with just hens? Been having a heck of a time with hung up toms myself this season.
 
Scouting isn't an issue on the farms I hunt. Turkeys are plentiful and roost in the same general area every year. I'm just not getting it done. It's not my year! :) The curse continued this morning. I set up close to the roost but the turkeys I was targeting flew down and followed hens in the opposite direction. I did a little calling and got a response from a ways behind me. I waited a bit then called again and he answered and was closer but still had about 150 yards to come. About 5 min later a crow sounds off and the tom lets loose in the timber 50 yards behind me. He stayed in there a good 45 minutes but only shock gobbled at crows. It had been about a half hour since the last time I heard him so I peeked out the corner of the blind to check things out and noticed a couple hens about a hundred yards to my right. In the mean time I hear a big thud, look back at the decoys and there's three toms standing there. The thud I heard was one of them drop kicking my strutter. I shoot with my chair sitting sideways so the 3 of them snuck in silent from behind me. Evidently they seen me when I swung my head back around to see what was going on. They were still at ten yards but acting nervous. I picked up the bow, drew, settled the pin and let it fly. Now I have a new hole in my double bull! Ha, I could only laugh as the 3 of them trotted off. It was good to see the turkeys finally commit to the dekes.

 
Scouting isn't an issue on the farms I hunt. Turkeys are plentiful and roost in the same general area every year. I'm just not getting it done. It's not my year! :) The curse continued this morning. I set up close to the roost but the turkeys I was targeting flew down and followed hens in the opposite direction. I did a little calling and got a response from a ways behind me. I waited a bit then called again and he answered and was closer but still had about 150 yards to come. About 5 min later a crow sounds off and the tom lets loose in the timber 50 yards behind me. He stayed in there a good 45 minutes but only shock gobbled at crows. It had been about a half hour since the last time I heard him so I peeked out the corner of the blind to check things out and noticed a couple hens about a hundred yards to my right. In the mean time I hear a big thud, look back at the decoys and there's three toms standing there. The thud I heard was one of them drop kicking my strutter. I shoot with my chair sitting sideways so the 3 of them snuck in silent from behind me. Evidently they seen me when I swung my head back around to see what was going on. They were still at ten yards but acting nervous. I picked up the bow, drew, settled the pin and let it fly. Now I have a new hole in my double bull! Ha, I could only laugh as the 3 of them trotted off. It was good to see the turkeys finally commit to the dekes.

http://s95.photobucket.com/user/Nnn...3-4F03-930D-19594D717690_zpsihjsjzad.jpg.html

You are having a heck of a year with those birds. Haha
 
With 4th season starting this week what's everyone's opinion on decoys. Been using the Avian X jake and hen mostly. Stick with that? Go with just hens? Been having a heck of a time with hung up toms myself this season.

This morning was the first time all season I've had turkeys fully commit to the decoys. It was also the first time I've used the strutter since youth season. I usually just go with hens when carrying the gun.
 
The problem on our farm is 3 jake bullies. They are about to die. These 3 jokers stay out in the fields all day long strutting and gobbling. Every time I have a big strutter coming these birds see him and chase him off. I had two big toms coming in the other day and the 3 jakes ran them off. I had another tom at 35 yards coming right in and the jakes spotted him and ran him off. They are driving me insane!! They will hang up at my decoys 20 yards away for 1.5-2 hours and just strut and gobble and walk circles around the blind. They are scared to fully commit but whenever they see a real gobbler they run him to the ground. Crazy. I am thinking a jake eats the same. :) The other day my ole man came and picked me up in the blind with the pickup when they were 20 yards away. They barely would even budge for the pickup truck. They just slowly walked away like they were big and bad.
 
4th season starts tomorrow and IMO is one of the best season to hunt turkeys. Let the hens get on their nests late morning and then go find their boy friends! If you can get him fired up mid day he's yours!!!
 
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