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What would you have done?

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What would you have done?

Old 04-08-2017, 05:42 PM
  #1  
neb
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Default What would you have done?

Today I went out late afternoon and called a mature tom in close but not close enough. He was gobbling his head off and he would come 40 yards to one side of then he circled around the back side of me. I'm in a blind bow hunting so I always am very picky what shot I take when I bow hunt. He came around the other side and stayed about the same distant not a shot with the bow but shotgun would of been an easy shot from either side and from the back side.

I gave him all the tools in the bag and he wouldn't commit to come in the decoys of one hen and a jake. I turned the box call upside down and used it as gobble call nd he would hammer right back every gobble I made.

What could I have done different and what is your thinking why he wouldn't of come in front of me to the decoys? Decoys were out there at 20 yards.
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Old 04-09-2017, 02:04 PM
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JW
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Wasn't a dominant bird.
Get rid of the jake.

JW
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Old 04-09-2017, 02:19 PM
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Some days the same bird will hold up and the next day comes in like he is on a rope. That walnut sized brain acts differently from day to day. At times they seem so smart and at other times dumb as a rock.
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Old 04-09-2017, 02:41 PM
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What CI said. I have seen turkeys do some stupid things and I have see some that seemed unkillable. Some days you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you.
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Old 04-09-2017, 02:47 PM
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Agree with all of the replies.I would give it a couple more tries and if he keeps hangin up in the same general location and distance I would then move your setup closer to where he is hangin.Good luck.
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Old 04-09-2017, 02:54 PM
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neb
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Originally Posted by JW
Wasn't a dominant bird.
Get rid of the jake.

JW
Thanks everyone.

He was a great Merriam and he was alone so that could very well be!

I will get rid of the jake and use a couple hens. I have used that jake in every setup I have ever hunted in but that could be why I have had some issues in the past. Thanks
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Old 04-09-2017, 03:10 PM
  #7  
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Single good looking mature Toms with no harem more than likely got his butt kicked.
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Old 04-09-2017, 05:35 PM
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neb
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JW >>>> thanks and I have hunted a lot of turkeys but he did act very odd. Usually a good tom and being alone would of come to the decoys. We went back and forth for over an hour. I never heard so much gobbling from one bird and was all right beside me or behind me. He had a full fan and I would say a 8 to 10 inch beard.
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Old 04-10-2017, 04:04 AM
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I'd have brought a shotgun (if legal in your state). Bow hunting can be heart breaking.
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Old 04-10-2017, 06:16 AM
  #10  
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lose the decoys... just one more thing to potentially ruin an otherwise successful hunt.
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