Bye bye dekes

[34NY]

Been at it all year, in the timber and fields. Have been within 75 yards of 19-20 birds and have spotted 11 or so. I'm bow hunting and not one bird has closed the distance. One guy said they might be seeing the hens, waiting for them to come, and when they don't they get bored and leave. Haven't punched my first tag yet so I have nothing to lose. Time to drop those dekes and give that a try. Can't wait to get back out there!

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[34NY]

Those 11 have been within 30 yards just never gave me a shot.

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Edited May 20, 2014 by 34NY

[Lawdwaz]

Those 11 have been within 30 yards just never gave me a shot.

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30 yards?  You can't blame the dekes for not killing a gobbler.  Maybe your placement of the dekes or blind is the issue.

[Lawdwaz]

Have you killed a gobbler in the past with a shotgun?

[34NY]

I've had them facing away from the toms every time with me facing the toms from every direction. Same thing happens everyday. They come in, whether it be from in front of me, behind, or the sides. Get to 30 yards get hung up and leave.

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[34NY]

Have you killed a gobbler in the past with a shotgun?

No. Its my first year hunting decided to bow hunt (I know I heard I'm nuts) but I've been shooting my whole life and just thought bow would be more challenging. A bit too challenging I think Lol.

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[Meat Manager]

No. Its my first year hunting decided to bow hunt (I know I heard I'm nuts) but I've been shooting my whole life and just thought bow would be more challenging. A bit too challenging I think Lol.

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Just keep it up...you're getting more consistent action then just about anyone here.

I've had success getting them in close by setting up so the hen faces the corner of my blind between the left side widow and front widow and inside10 yards.

There is an open area out my left side window and an open lane out my front window (I only hunt out of these windows)...

But behind the hen is brush so to get a good look the boys have to come around to one of my clearings...now he's already inside 20 yds.

Side (deke not visible, it's on the right):

Front...deke is on the far left:

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Edited May 20, 2014 by Meat Manager

[RTGobbler]

One thing we have done with dekes in the past is to put them behind you. So even if they see them they are 20 or 30 yard behind you and when the real birds hang up at 50 yards then they are only 20 yards from you. This works best when you know or have a good idea of what direction the bird will come from.

 

If there are more than 2 people it works even better because you have the call setup behind you as well and pull the birds right past the shooter. But even if you don't you can try to throw your calls behind you, or muffle them with your hand. If you in a blind then just throw the calls out the back of the blind towards the dekes instead of the front of the blind towards the real birds.

[34NY]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Meat Manager. Yea with all the research I did on turkey hunting this year I never read a thing about using the terrain to my advantage while in a blind and I never thought about it. As in using an obstacle they need to clear putting them in range when they do. I've learned so much this year and I'm definitely hooked. Even if I don't get a bird I've had a great time out there.

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Edited May 20, 2014 by 34NY

[Meat Manager]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Meat Manager. Yea with all the research I did on turkey hunting this year I never read a thing about using the terrain to my advantage while in a blind and I never thought about it. I've learned so much this year and I'm definitely hooked. Even if I don't get a bird I've had a great time out there.

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If you like this just wait til whitetail season....if you're married you might want to prepare your wife.

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[34NY]

If you like this just wait til whitetail season....if you're married you might want to prepare your wife.

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I am and she is not prepared whatsoever Lol.

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[whaler]

I would recommend ditching your blind. Something is not right. The odds of having that many birds hanging up like that is pretty ridiculous. If you ditch the decoys and they come right in to your calling, thats great. But I have a feeling you conditioned these birds with your repetitive hunting setup.

 

I dislike blinds so much so I may not be the best person to listen to. Maybe its because I get claustrophobic.

 

Oh yea, get a shotgun and use that for the first few kills. The bow is a challenge! I got one last weekend with it and it was a lot of luck.

[Woodjr55]

Do you set up in the same location every time?

[34NY]

Do you set up in the same location every time?

Only the last two times i did. There's just so much action there. I've been moving around before that trying to get different positions on them but they're staying on a bordering property then coming to my calls and like I said 50-70 ish yards then they just keep on going.

Saturday i thought about moving on the opposite side of a small ravine they go toward. Try and get em coming up that side where I could see them coming then if they do come over the lip they would already be in range.

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[34NY]

This will be long but here's the setup.

I'm on the edge of a property I can hunt. To my East is where they are roosting a good 200 yards in. There's a field between me and them. Then on my side of that field is woods then a logging road then more woods and I'm on a game trail branching off that road. (Can't hunt the road or fields). So I'm getting them into that logging road really. The first time I was there I was facing north they came from the east and walked 30 yards to my right on that road. I was sure they were going to turn up the trail when they saw the dekes and it would have been game over. I look out the window and 6 were walking in a line away from me Lol. They kept right on going. The last time I was there I setup facing that logging road and for whatever reason 2 came in, circled around from south to west and again kept on going.

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Edited May 20, 2014 by 34NY

[34NY]

Honestly, I think the blind and the decoys have hurt me. I went on foot one time with the bow and got within 25 yards of three Jakes I just didnt have a clear shot I set up in a spot where I thought they were going to cross that road and they crossed about 20 yards further down.

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[whaler]

Honestly, I think the blind and the decoys have hurt me. I went on foot one time with the bow and got within 25 yards of three Jakes I just didnt have a clear shot I set up in a spot where I thought they were going to cross that road and they crossed about 20 yards further down.

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This is what im talking about. Ditch your setup and go stealth. You can still draw on birds you just have to be systematic about it. when they are behind trees or if they turn their back to you while strutting.

 

 

[34NY]

Yea Whaler that has given me my best opportunity, but when your new like me everyone & everything said for bows buy yourself a blind, get some decoys and get out there Lol. I just thought that's how it was done.

I'm sure it works for a lot of people but obviously I'm missing something when I do it. The only other thing you vets have turned me onto is if in a blind use a natural obstacle to my advantage.

I have 4 more times to go out before the season ends. I'll try both ways mentioned and hope for the best!

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Edited May 20, 2014 by 34NY

[Woodjr55]

Do you have permission to hunt where they roost? If so I'd try to sneak in as close as possible to the roost site

[34NY]

Do you have permission to hunt where they roost? If so I'd try to sneak in as close as possible to the roost site

I'm as close as I can get unfortunately.

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