That is going to be a kind of ridiculous apples-to-oranges analogy, however hear me out: You most likely wouldn’t put out a thick-necked, ears-pinned, posturing buck decoy to start with of September. Certain, you would possibly lure in a moody fighter to scrap, however principally you wouldn’t as a result of the timing wouldn’t be proper.
We inherently perceive that about deer, however we don’t actually give it some thought as a lot with turkeys. And why ought to we? You possibly can stack up sufficient gobblers with a single hen decoy and the precise calling to assist an argument for not overthinking your unfold.
You’d additionally not kill as many toms with that transfer as you’d with a extra strategic, seasonally based mostly technique. It’s because there are phases to turkey season. Your unfold ought to replicate what the turkeys anticipate to see from their fellow birds. This issues, and it’s all about setting an applicable scene given the timing of the season.
Early Season
Calendar-wise, there may be clearly a distinction between the early season in Alabama and the early season in Michigan. Primarily, we are able to name the early season the primary week or two after an opener. Whereas that is perhaps early March in some states and mid-April in others, the final theme of turkeys at the moment is to be extra concentrated.
That is when the winter flocks begin to fracture, the birds typically have extra firm on meals sources, and in roost bushes. That is additionally the time you may hunt them after they nonetheless is perhaps determining their dominance hierarchy.
What this implies for hunters is that that is prime time for a full-strut decoy. It’s additionally prime time for a jake decoy and as many hens as you may put out as a result of turkeys anticipate to come across small flocks of actual birds, and so they journey in teams. When you can definitely kill a chicken with a single strutter, or actually any combo of dekes, the very best guess is to attempt to mimic what the birds anticipate to see.
My private desire for the early season goes one in every of two methods. If I’ve birds scouted out, and there may be an clearly dominant tom hanging with a harem of hens, he will get a full-strut decoy with a full fan and several other hen decoys. If I’m simply hoping to reel in any longbeard or group of jakes, I am going with a quarter-strut jake and an entire bunch of hens (a minimum of 4). As soon as that preliminary part of the season comes and goes, it’s time to change issues up.
Photograph Courtesy of Tony Peterson
Mid Season
That is the time for the birds to begin cruising, the bugs to impression each day feeding patterns, and the strain to get to the flock. It’s additionally the time to begin paring down your unfold.
Whereas that is up for debate, I nearly at all times go away the complete strutter within the storage and go along with both a quarter-strut jake or a breeding jake with a white head. The quarter-strut jake might be the very best decoy to ever hit the market, and is actually good all season lengthy however superb for the center a part of the season. Each chicken on the market thinks he can kick his ass, in contrast to a full-strut decoy.
It is a decoy that simply doesn’t discriminate and actually cuts down on 75-yard, cautious drive-bys with jakes and two-year-olds that haven’t received a variety of cage fights just lately. I by no means put this decoy out and not using a laydown hen and a minimum of one or two stand-up or feeding hens as effectively. I prefer to current a small flock heading in a particular path, with a teen who seems like he’s about to get fortunate.
To me this is a perfect setup for smaller clearings and meals plots, logging roads, and any time I arrange within the woods. A breeder jake will get the identical hen remedy, however he’s extra prone to spend time in a good-sized subject with me. The white head of the decoy indicators that precise breeding is imminent, and it might probably draw a violent response from birds that may in any other case be content material to strut 250 yards away within the reverse finish of the sector.
Photograph Courtesy of Tony Peterson
Late Season
That is essentially the most troublesome a part of the season for many hunters. The birds are totally cut up up, the hens are nesting, and the meals sources are plentiful. The birds don’t need to work too onerous to outlive, and the majority of the breeding has handed.
After I’m shotgun searching, I’ll usually cut back my unfold to a single head’s up or main hen. I simply wish to present one girl after which promote her presence by calling like she actually needs firm. Like perhaps a raccoon acquired to her nest the evening earlier than and she or he actually must get one other boyfriend earlier than the window closes.
If I’m bowhunting, I’ll both use a standup hen for visibility after which a laydown hen that he’s prone to discover as quickly as he approaches the opposite decoy. Nearly at all times, they’ll flip their consideration to the laydown hen and place themselves for a shot.
A jake decoy can clearly work within the late season too, however I might go along with the least intimidating setup you will get. Assume quarter-strut jake right here, pushed manner, manner low to the bottom, once more to attract a chicken into an actual spot for a shot. The concept is to acknowledge what’s happening with the precise turkeys and promote a scene round it.
