Originally Posted by
StruttinGobbler3
this thought just struck me when i read somebodys post about decoys a few minutes ago.....i live in south georgia and i hunt eastern birds, and its been my experience that they don't seem to care for decoys all that much. i've used decoys only three times in the past, and each time i called up a gobbler, only to have it spot my decoys and turn around and vanish. i know the birds didn't spot me, as i was using a mouth call and not moving a muscle. has anyone else had this happen to them, or know the reason why?
I hunt easterns in MI and over the years I've learned that the MOST important thing is NOT calling or how expensive your decoys are. I've heard the best callers have birds hang up just out of range, and I've seen a dark wind sock bring turkeys in while I was goose hunting
I believe the most important thing is Knowing what part of the breeding season their in!!! Is it still the pecking order?? If so I use a strutting Tom only no hens. If their in breeding phase I'll use either a tom and breeding hen or a jake and a breeding hen if the hen chase is over (early-mid May here) and the hens are nesting I'll go back to a single tom or jake with standing hens The toms will start to group up again they'll look for a buddy after the hens go to nest late morning.
The thing to remember is nothing is going to work every time!! And sometimes no calling or minimal calling is best. Sometimes I'll only tree call twice and not call again till 10-11 am. Couriousity doesn't just kill the cat. Good luck. I hope this helps.