It’s been pretty frustrating Turkey hunting the last decade plus. In fact, I can’t remember when the last time I caught up to a spring Turkey was. Might have been 2010 or 2011. Between high school and out of state college athletics, it was hard to find the time for more than one or two hunts. We only hunt turkeys in the spring in the ranch and have great population. When they flock to the multiple winter roosts it’s not unusual to see 40-60 turkeys while we deer hunt. Unfortunately that makes it much harder than you think to spring hunt as there are plenty of real hens to compete with and the gobblers you’re calling at usually find a real hen on their way to you. I had earmarked this season and I purposely made sure I would have multiple weekends to hunt. My first two weekends were spent guiding and I was able to get a friend connected with his first ever bird.

After two unsuccessful hunts where birds got locked up and I couldn’t close the distance, I finally caught up to this old Tom this weekend. Called off his roost about 200yds away and came in hot. Saw the decoy set up and didn’t love what he saw and was lingering at about 40yds not wanting to commit. That was close enough for me. Got him plucked and quartered and ready for some gravy!

Enjoy your success - great bird!

Nice Tom!

Congratulations! Not a fan of decoys, I have had them cost me more birds than they have helped me. Can't tell you how many times I have had them blow over about the time the gobbler was in sight. Also cases late in the season where anything just a little out of place, puts them on edge, causing them to hang up.
Set up in scattered brush so that the gobble has to come looking for you and when he appears, will be in shotgun range. The ONLY time I use a decoy is when bowhunting.
Adios,
Gary

Nice!

I haven’t had a Turkey straight up balk at a decoy yet, but could tell they didn’t help in this instance. The times they do work like when I was guiding my buddy are just too fun to not hunt with them some of the time. Watching two Toms try to destroy a hard rubber decoy at 10yds is special. They are staked into the ground so won’t blow or get knocked over.

Congrats!