Team 1 "We don't need a flocking team name, we're #1! "
04-06-2009, 07:21 AM
#221
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Cogan Station, PA
Posts: 2,298
RE: Team 1 thread
Geez, JW! Save some for the rest of us
Nice work! I'm hearing birds, guys. Problem is, I think they're roosting primarily on the other side of the road off our property this year for some reason. Our neighbors are putting out lots of corn, so that may be what's drawing them to that side. It's a bit frustrating to say the least, but we'll see what opening day brings. April 25th...get here already!
Nice work! I'm hearing birds, guys. Problem is, I think they're roosting primarily on the other side of the road off our property this year for some reason. Our neighbors are putting out lots of corn, so that may be what's drawing them to that side. It's a bit frustrating to say the least, but we'll see what opening day brings. April 25th...get here already!
04-06-2009, 07:25 AM
#222
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location:
Posts: 435
RE: Team 1 thread
Had a good weekend. Didn't kill a bird but took the nephew out again and we a nice tom at 41 yards but I made him hold off. He's not experienced enough to make that shot with his 20 gauge yet. He was dissappointed but that's how it goes. Saw a few birds but the weather didn't really cooperate too much with us. Gonna be back at it this weekend. Shotgun opener here but I'm gonna stick with the stick and string.
04-06-2009, 11:19 AM
#226
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location:
Posts: 435
RE: Team 1 thread
Yeah he was a little bummed out but when I explained the situation to him he agreed. It was a hard decision because that bird had an 11 inch beard or better and I could see his spurs with the naked eye from 40 yards. He's still there though. My buddy is on team 4 and just called me just right now as I type this to tell me he had a bird at 15 yards but just behind a pile of brush. He said that bird took the only route around him that he could without being shot. Smart ole toms are slick! Can't wait to get after it this weekend.
04-07-2009, 10:25 AM
#227
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Western Massachusetts
Posts: 7,168
RE: Team 1 thread
you guys are driving me nuts w/ all of this turkey talk...
We don't start until the 27th!!! Been seeing 2 nice tom's in my usual spot... one is very large... for around here anyway...
Can't wait... just playing catch up at the office now...
We don't start until the 27th!!! Been seeing 2 nice tom's in my usual spot... one is very large... for around here anyway...
Can't wait... just playing catch up at the office now...
04-07-2009, 01:02 PM
#228
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Florida
Posts: 485
RE: Team 1 thread
Hey guys, just checking back in with ya after working some crazy days I am finally getting back into the woods tomorrow. Wish me luck. Good going for all those that have scored on some fine birds.
04-07-2009, 05:51 PM
#230
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 7,437
RE: Team 1 thread
Okay
I have been playin around with strutting type decoys for a quite a while. Thought I'd share my set up with you as it worked for all but one bird out of the 7- I either shot or filmed.
I have gotten old and really don't care to run and gun so I use a blind. My decoys are placed rather close - less then 10 yards in front of me for several reasons to which I will list. I pace from either 5 to 10 of my normal steps - I am 6-5 - to set my Tom and ground hen.
The hen which is an old full body Carry lite with a 4 inch metal stake in her belly is placed 10 to 16 inches in front of my strutin Tom right on the ground - B-Mobile is a far better decoy than Pretty Boy and I will talk about that later.
The Tom is placed in Strutt and I do not tighten the tail fan wing nut assembly all the way on B-Mobil. I leave it so the tail can or will flip up and down a bit with a breeze - the body ground stake is also left loose so it will swivel easily in slight winds and grasses/brush arepulled away to allow it to move easier.
I use a 2nd hen which is a Bobble-head hen in a feeding position. She is placed left or right about 10 yards paralel to the Tom.
Now I call as any of you would call a Tom - but birds especially jakes will come running to purring or did. Occasioanly I gobble if needed and it is rare. I have never had so many real birds smack in front of me. Nor have I had them actually attack Vern (my Tom's name) as much as they did.
Safety
I do not brush my blind in ever = I make itvery obvious it is a blind
That is why I place that Tom in front close - no one can sneak behind me
Off to my sides I can see clearly - again safety using a strutting tom decoy is my purpose.
Ikeep the back of the blind totally dark. If I can't get the bird in front they win - some did on this trip.
I do not wear a face mask as the blind is in the shadows.
You would laff at the size chair I carry out but it is worth it for comfort. I do take naps!
You would be surprised how much you can move easily in that blind and whipser if needed.
A therma cell works great in there! And you are water proof pretty much
Again I started this strutter things years ago and made my own. I then went and got both for comparison. Pretty boy is a big darn decoy hard to carry far. Is easier to set the fan in but the fan is not foldable tho the Primos fan system will work in PB.PB come with its own laying hen tho, a DVD on set-upsand a nice darrying bag. The ground stake for PB is platic and is foldable. I don't like plastic on hard ground. I did repaint PB as I didn't like it. Comes with a cardboard fan. You can add your own real fan and I suggest it. Does move nicer in the wind than B-Mobile. The hen came with a wooden dowel to which I broke the first time tyring to ush it in the ground. I now have metal.
B-Mobile is just that mobil - very Mobil. Fan is foldable andPrimos gives you a nice plastic bracket to use real feathers. I USE REAL Fans - BOTH JAKE AND TOM.
Am trying to see if the high 4 center tail feathers on a Jakes butt is a visual que to a Tom = so far not enuf data.
B-mobile also comes with a carry bag - come with instructional DVD, has metal stakes and one part I leave connected to the decoy. Also come with a silk fan.
Now the cheapest anywhere -s Rogers Sporting goods on line - Google it.......Kinda fun seein some birds kick the snot outa my decoys!
Drawback = a Sub-Dominant Tom may not come into range but shy away = so this set-up does have it drawbacks
JW
I have been playin around with strutting type decoys for a quite a while. Thought I'd share my set up with you as it worked for all but one bird out of the 7- I either shot or filmed.
I have gotten old and really don't care to run and gun so I use a blind. My decoys are placed rather close - less then 10 yards in front of me for several reasons to which I will list. I pace from either 5 to 10 of my normal steps - I am 6-5 - to set my Tom and ground hen.
The hen which is an old full body Carry lite with a 4 inch metal stake in her belly is placed 10 to 16 inches in front of my strutin Tom right on the ground - B-Mobile is a far better decoy than Pretty Boy and I will talk about that later.
The Tom is placed in Strutt and I do not tighten the tail fan wing nut assembly all the way on B-Mobil. I leave it so the tail can or will flip up and down a bit with a breeze - the body ground stake is also left loose so it will swivel easily in slight winds and grasses/brush arepulled away to allow it to move easier.
I use a 2nd hen which is a Bobble-head hen in a feeding position. She is placed left or right about 10 yards paralel to the Tom.
Now I call as any of you would call a Tom - but birds especially jakes will come running to purring or did. Occasioanly I gobble if needed and it is rare. I have never had so many real birds smack in front of me. Nor have I had them actually attack Vern (my Tom's name) as much as they did.
Safety
I do not brush my blind in ever = I make itvery obvious it is a blind
That is why I place that Tom in front close - no one can sneak behind me
Off to my sides I can see clearly - again safety using a strutting tom decoy is my purpose.
Ikeep the back of the blind totally dark. If I can't get the bird in front they win - some did on this trip.
I do not wear a face mask as the blind is in the shadows.
You would laff at the size chair I carry out but it is worth it for comfort. I do take naps!
You would be surprised how much you can move easily in that blind and whipser if needed.
A therma cell works great in there! And you are water proof pretty much
Again I started this strutter things years ago and made my own. I then went and got both for comparison. Pretty boy is a big darn decoy hard to carry far. Is easier to set the fan in but the fan is not foldable tho the Primos fan system will work in PB.PB come with its own laying hen tho, a DVD on set-upsand a nice darrying bag. The ground stake for PB is platic and is foldable. I don't like plastic on hard ground. I did repaint PB as I didn't like it. Comes with a cardboard fan. You can add your own real fan and I suggest it. Does move nicer in the wind than B-Mobile. The hen came with a wooden dowel to which I broke the first time tyring to ush it in the ground. I now have metal.
B-Mobile is just that mobil - very Mobil. Fan is foldable andPrimos gives you a nice plastic bracket to use real feathers. I USE REAL Fans - BOTH JAKE AND TOM.
Am trying to see if the high 4 center tail feathers on a Jakes butt is a visual que to a Tom = so far not enuf data.
B-mobile also comes with a carry bag - come with instructional DVD, has metal stakes and one part I leave connected to the decoy. Also come with a silk fan.
Now the cheapest anywhere -s Rogers Sporting goods on line - Google it.......Kinda fun seein some birds kick the snot outa my decoys!
Drawback = a Sub-Dominant Tom may not come into range but shy away = so this set-up does have it drawbacks
JW