Failed at Lake Southerland Coral

[LeonardoLuis]

Was my first turkey hunt yesterday, went with a awesome fella that had plenty of experience from the east coast. We did our owl call and heard 3 gobblers about 150 yards away. We’re both super exited and setup 100 yards away with a jake and hen decoy. We call them some more with diaphragm calls and maaaaaaan are they loving it. We here them get closer and closer. In my mind I’m like “Sweet! If we get these bad boys now, our hunt is done and it’s still early!” We got them to come in about 80 yards they saw the decoys and bolted like lightning. Never saw them again, didn’t hear another gobbler at all
So now I’m pretty upset on how that turned out and couldn’t sleep because of it. That was on private land from the NWTF tune that I won, but now I’m begging for some help to bag one up.

 

[GUNDOGLOVER49]

Don't let it get you down. It happens to the best of us. And it will happen again. Unless you have some real sorry ass decoys, I doubt it was them that ran them off.

 

[sportyg]

It is called hunting for a reason, things don't always go the way you want. They just didn't like your decoys for some reason, you just need to find another place and keep at it. Don't get discouraged over not getting a turkey on one outing.

 

[ilovesprig]

Leonardo,

A couple of things...What kind of decoys were they?...Sometimes they just don't want to fight and they may have already had a bad experience with decoys.

The 1st bird we got this week,,,We had 3 decoys, DSD jake, laydown hen, and a feeder hen...Got # 2 this week with no decoy (I always try not to use them, if I can)...Yesterday, I went with one feeding hen only and it worked for a pair of longbeards.

Always a crap shoot with decoys, especially pressured birds...

 

[AMBUSH]

Decoys are so rightous when the birds do it right and come to fight and suck so bad the others times. Personally if i was shotgunning would not use them.

 

[HATCHET1]

Losing is all part of it...that being said..I hate to lose..but it happens...and will many more times..stay the course..tow the line..never waiver..push forward..and FINISH

 

[180ls1]

100 yards from a bird on your first time ever is not a loss! Keep the faith, you'll get it done and it'll be that much sweeter when you do!

 

[180ls1]

Also, $20 says the next time you go out (without decoys) they will hang up at 100 again because they get suspicious that they aren't seeing anything lol. It's all part of the game.

 

[GUNDOGLOVER49]

The turkeys are the only ones that know why they hang up, and they don't even know.

 

[AMBUSH]

Learn to fire birds up but not call when they are to close. Make them find you. Pick spots accordingly.

 

[HortoTheSlayer]

Ha..took me 4yrs to get a crack at one. Just hearing them is half the battle. When things don't go as I'd like it gets me fired up to get back after them. Hunting is hard because you are trying to best a creature that wakes up every day and its first thought is "don't die". Shouldn't make you loose sleep it should stoke a fire inside of you and make you want to do better next time. Just keep after it..your day will come.

 

[AMBUSH]

When the right bird, on the right day, sees the right decoy.....get ready its on......they dont play around... and they dont care about much. Find that rainbow and get some in your face action!!

Dont count on that where dudes are running around calling to each other and think they are fooling birds. Stupid is as stupid does. Find fresh birds, period!!