MAXIMIZE YOUR ODDS OF BAGGING A LONGBEARD WITH THESE DECOY STRATEGIES
Turkey decoys can be a blessing and a curse. All of us who enjoy turkey hunting have watched in amazement as a decoy brings a longbeard in on a string. If you have turkey hunted long enough, you have also watched in amazement as a decoy ruined a hunt. I can’t tell you how many times I have watched a tom come running across a field to my setup only to turn around and run away when he saw a decoy. Below are a few tips to ensure a decoy works well for you this spring and help you put Mr. Tom in the freezer.
- Realize that turkeys can be extremely claustrophobic. One mistake many turkey hunters make is placing turkey decoys too close together. When a tom approaches the setup, the hen decoys are bunched together in a small group so the tom can’t easily strut around each hen. Real hens don’t often feed within inches of each other. As a result, the tom feels uneasy and he spooks
2. Some hunters love using strutting tom decoys. These decoys work well if you know you are dealing with the dominant bird in the area. If a two year old tom approaches a large strutting decoy, he may feel intimated and turn tail and run. Use a jake decoy for best results.
3. When people goose or duck hunt, they often put out dozens of decoys. Many decoys often makes the set up seem more realistic. When turkey hunting, try using three or four decoys instead of just one. A few decoys will make a tom more comfortable. I hunted in Florida and my guide put out eight decoys. It was a lot of work, but the tom’s flew down and ran into my setup. Having several decoys out can really help.
4. When placing decoys, put them less than 20 yards from the tree or blind where you are sitting. Toms will often hang up 10 or 20 yards from a decoy. Many hunters set their decoys at 20 yards or further which makes the shot opportunity a little on the far side, especially if a youngster is the hunter.
5. If you can’t afford expensive decoys or don’t want to spend a small fortune on a stuffed decoy, check out Turkey Decoy Wraps from A-Way Hunting Products. The wrap is an actual turkey skin complete with real feathers that you quickly wrap around any decoy. Turkey Decoy Wraps come with velcro so attaching them is a piece of cake. The real feathers make any decoy look like a real hen and it eliminates the shine and fake look that often spooks real turkeys. “The natural iridescence of the real feathers found on the Decoy Wrap does a great job of outsmarting longbeards,” said Greg Abbas of A-Way Hunting.
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