Do you use a decoy for fall turkey hunting?

[Lifelong Learner]

Most of my turkey hunting experience is springtime after a gobbler. I have 4-5 hen decoys of different types and poses, plus a Dakota jake to fire up a dominant tom. Most of my fall enounters with turkeys have occured by "accident" while whitetail hunting......the majority of which I didn't even have a tag. Two years ago I killed a big fall hen from a ladderstand and that got me more interested in pursuing them more intentionally. Been doing some reading on various approaches for fall turkey hunting and not really keen on the flock breakup idea, as I don't have a really large area to hunt. Opinions on using a hen deke has varied, so looking for some knowledgeable input.

 

[Kootenay Hunter]

IMO, tough to hunt turks without the mating season in full swing. In my area gobblers shut the heck up after Spring.

You can use predator calls to try and rile them, owl, hawk, or crow/raven, sometimes it gets them talking to each other.

I'd only shoot a fall turk as bycatch while hunting deer. If I found a roost, I might swing by the next morning at the start of a hunt.

 

[RichP]

I've bagged 2 with my bow while deer hunting

 

[W1bowo]

IMO, tough to hunt turks without the mating season in full swing. In my area gobblers shut the heck up after Spring.

You can use predator calls to try and rile them, owl, hawk, or crow/raven, sometimes it gets them talking to each other.

I'd only shoot a fall turk as bycatch while hunting deer. If I found a roost, I might swing by the next morning at the start of a hunt.

+1

 

[pahunter3]

Have some really good success in the spring with my dekes but not so much in the fall. I hunt big woods and have room for the break up technique. Very successful with that as long as you can locate the birds. Even if you have limited room as long as you break them up where you are able to hunt you should be fine. I always sit down right where I break them up at

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[Lifelong Learner]

I tried the lone hen gig and heard some hen talk in the surrounding woods, but nothing came to investigate. I'm using a slate call very sparingly with the Avian-X Lookout.....supposed to be good both spring and fall. Going to keep experimenting and see what happens. I will probably end up killing one while sitting in a treestand whitetail huning.....if it happens.