gmil6184

I think a decoy can be helpful when you are set up on a field edge or other really open area, but even then it is possible to call them in without it. I fact i've had turkey's get spooky around decoys and actually stop coming in once they saw it. Other times i've had birds who didn't really want to come in see the decoy and come running...go figure. As for which calls to pick the options can be overwhelming especially at first. The good news is that most turkey calls out there today are good. I'm partial to primos myself but you can call birds in very successfully with almost any call you pick up off the shelf. If you have limited funds I would pick out one friction call (box or slate), a mouth call (probably want to stick with a plain double reed..not one with fancy cuts or tons of reeds), and some type of locator (crow call or owl hoot...I prefer the crow). In 15 minutes you can learn to make pretty much any turkey sound you need on the friction call. The mouth call has a much steeper learning curve but in a few minutes you can learn how to do the basic cluck sound. the locator calls are also very easy. Then when you are hunting I would use the friction call (generally the "easier" one to use) to call until the bird is on its way. once he is coming in get your gun up and have your mouth call ready to go. If he starts to hang up give him a couple clucks to keep him coming or settle him down if he gets spooky (also good to give a sharp cluck or putt to get him to break out of strut and stick that neck in the air). To be honest that is all you need, but if you are anything like me once you get the basics down you will want to try more and more types of calls and before you know it you will have more then you know what to do with haha