Will be hunting the Hico area for Turkey this Spring. Been hearing tale that strutting toms are being spotted in the area. After hunting this area for 4 years - we have only had luck once, and it was without a decoy.

We have used decoys every year, and for whatever reason, have never been able to call a bird of any kind in when a decoy is out. This includes a number of different kinds of decoy setups using 1 to 3 decoys each time. This year, I am considering goin no decoy, scratch plate only.

Looking for advice or guidance on this, and also any updates from those who live in or around the area!

Happy Hunting.

Gobble,

HTCTexas

I’ve turkey hunted around Menard, Rocksprings, Abilene, Iraan, and Junction over 25 years and have not personally killed a Tom when using decoys. BUT, others have while taking others out on hunts at least a half dozen times.

I just think, for whatever reason, I just haven’t connected when I use a decoy. Personally, I found myself overthinking and second guessing when using a decoy so I rarely try anymore. I have good luck without a decoy, so why try? Lol

If there’s enough cover to get within 100 yards of a gobbling bird, I don’t typically use them. If it’s super windy though or wide open, I’ll deploy a jake and hen and wait them out in an area I know they frequent. Not how I like to hunt them though. The pricier/more lifelike decoys are worth it in my opinion.

I have killed turkey with decoys and without decoys. most successful times I have had with the decoys were with setups where the gobblers did not see them until their last 100 yards or so of approach. less time for them to see those turkeys are not really moving around much I guess. I think more times than not a hen or two will help pull in the turkeys but works better if they do not see them for that long. A Jake helps if they are mature gobblers but if the gobblers are not dominate I have seen any gobbler hang them up and they leave.

this time of the year the gobblers will be henned up the first part of the morning so do not be surprised if they do not come in early. A lot of the time hens will go to the gobblers early and the gobblers will follow them around for a few hours. Once the hens go to feeding and not paying attention to the gobblers they Toms will be easier to call in looking for different hens. I have killed a lot of gobblers between 10 and 12. Had 5 mature gobblers leave 4 hens and come to 2 hen and one jake decoy after they entered the field about 1000 yards from us. Never called to them until just before the girl I was guiding on a youth hunt took her shot. One of them bustedus with her getting the gun into position, but on the shot she dropped 3 with the one shot. Never will forget that hunt. Shot was fired at 9:50 in the morning.

Good luck with this season and let us know how it goes

I've had good success in the early season deploying multiple decoys. It seems to relax the incoming flock seeing the additional decoys and keeps them focused.

I've hunted around the Iredell area the last few years and have had some success using a decoy, but the set ups have been where the Toms don't see the decoys until they are almost right up on them.

This is a tactic I tried last year - sadly, without success. The birds were all around us, with our decoys set up around the corner from a larger clearing, but they never came. This is most likely due to my calling skills - I believe I tend to overcall, but then again it seems everyone and their mother have their own opinions on how much you should or shouldnt call. We have a larger group hunting this land this year, so we are going to split up into two groups on either side of the property - one with decoys and one without. See what happens.

The only Turkey I have killed came from running and gunning. Heard a gobble right when we were packing up (as usual), and saw two big ol' Toms strutting solo in the middle of the most open field on the property. Got behind some trees, scratched a bit at him - each scratch got an immediate reaction from both Toms as they honed in on my location. From almost 300 yards out I called this Turkey to within 15 ft. of me before I had a good shot. That day was when I fell in love with Turkey Hunting. And I have been chasing that high ever since.....

That hunt was 3 years ago. But this year will be different!