Phil from Maine

Well I didn’t actually do a lot except loan them my DSD submissive hen decoy and explained how I use it. I also told them to find an opening in around the hardwood trees. Well they used the decoy the way they normally use decoys and nothing. So my nephew called me and I explained again along with very little calling. Well they continued with their own ideas and the same results. Then last Friday they decided that they had nothing to loose and set up as I had mentioned. Well they had a nice tom come strolling in from the hardwood trees going straight towards the hen. While I don’t know what it weighed it had 3/4 inch spurs and a ten inch beard. A nice bird by all means and they brought back my decoy. Now they are trying to decide on getting a decoy like me mine.. I was quite happy to have helped them out..

CalHunter

What? No video of your decoy in action?

Phil from Maine

Sorry but I wasn’t there but did encourage them on and they got a pretty decent bird just the same..

elkman30

So how do you use your submissive hen decoy?

Phil from Maine

I had them set it up close to the woods with a hen out around ten feet or a little farther from it. The turkeys here don’t like to venture very far out in the open for some reason. So by keeping it closer to the woods or even in the woods is a better option. Also with very limited calling to get the tom to come looking. For me it made for some long days of hunting because they never gobbled back any. They had their bird come in after he gobbled a few times. The submissive hen is a very good attractant..

mrbb

the last few decades I think I enjoy helping others get game, than I do getting it myself!

and it is rather rewarding to know you were PART of the kill , even if NOT there when it happens
or I think it is!
so good for you for helping them!

Strut&Rut

Phil - I just need to ask - but if the birds don't like to enter the fields - then why do you even hunt in the fields?

I don't think this is overly unusual in the Northeast. In all of the Northeast, the fields in May and June are usually more than tall enough to hide a coyote - I mean, most farmers try to harvest the first-cutting of hay before school gets out in the middle of June.

When I lived in CT (almost 20 years ago now), the birds would gobble their brains out in the timber and immediately shut up as soon as they hit the fields. In the 8-10 years I hunted there, every time I was on the edge of an ag field or clearcut (pipeline or electric) I was always watchful for coyotes - and over the years I called in almost 2 dozen yotes to those setups. Every bird I killed in CT - except 1 - I harvested in the timber, and they all gobbled into the gun.

It would seem more productive to set up close to the roost and/or at least stay in the woods. I know you like to use a bow - but portable blinds work just as good in the timber as they do in the field, turkeys will usually walk right by them...

Phil from Maine

I stopped that practice this year and was very satisfied with the outcome. Although the ones I got never even gobbled for me. I would see a couple of hens moving into an area so I would setup there the following morning hoping for a tom. The one my nephew got gobbled up a storm as he came in for them..