woodswise said:
hardly use a decoy unless setting up with the grand kids and mobility is a factor. Having said that have seen some pretty awesome things happen with them. I have had toms attack, investigate, lay down beside and race across a field to a decoy set up. I am sure we would never had the opportunity had it not been for the decoys. Take the grandkids out of the picture and I probably would not have made the set ups that produced these reactions. Everything has to do with how you like to hunt.
I understand what you are saying, however...
Yesterday morning I sat in a tupelo swamp bottom in the south. Spanish moss hanging from the trees, and at daylight positioned myself in between two groups of gobbling birds. One on my left 100 yards or so and one in front about 100 yards. After a short series of calls from me, birds began to pitch down in front of me at about 75 yards, which spurned the birds to my left to pitch down at about the same distance to my left.
Shortly after hitting the ground, the birds in front were on their way, in the group was roughly 20 hens, 4 strutters, and a handful of pestering jakes. The group to the left consisted of 3 lone longbeards who also were headed my way. Before either closed into my killing range the 3 longbeards decided they liked the looks of the hens the 4 strutters had secured. What ensued was the dangdest gobbler fight I have ever seen which lasted almost 20 minutes. While they were fighting the hens broke into their own semi-fight purring and flapping at each other, while the jakes just stood to the side looking on in fear they were next.
Eventually, the fight ended with the 3 lone birds being beaten and run off down the swamp. Shortly after the 4 strutters returned and I proceeded to call the entire wad inside 30 yards and crush the lead strutter with a load of #5's.
To me that is the essence of turkey hunting, watching it unfold in those terms. There is nothing exciting to me about watching a bird fight a plastic turkey, nothing. I don't doubt it's exciting for some, and it's up to the hunter to decide what gets them excited.
I sort of understand the kid thing, however when I was a kid I had to learn the hardway with no blinds or decoys, decoys were illegal, and if I moved or didn't get well hidden the hunt was over. I didn't quit the sport, I learned to be a better hunter, and not make the same mistakes.
This is just my view of turkey hunting, not running down what you like or enjoy. Just stating the things I enjoy and my perspective on this stuff.
