Live hunt spring turkey missouri

Sodbuster

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Are you guys using Jake decoys with your hens?
I killed mine this morning and my friend got his wed with mature toms slapping my Jake deke around.
 

Sodbuster

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Sorry man.Bad advice above.
I am sure you guys know not to try the Jake on public ground.

Where are you hunting?
 
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William Hanson (live2hunt)

William Hanson (live2hunt)

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Are you guys using Jake decoys with your hens?
I killed mine this morning and my friend got his wed with mature toms slapping my Jake deke around.
Actually we've tried both with and without and we are on public. Why do say not to?

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Sodbuster

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William Hanson (live2hunt)

It isn't very heavily pressured

That would be the reason.Some of the public land I used to hunt(Riverbreaks,Monkey Mountain) in Northwest MO had a lot of hunters on the weekends. Guys would get discouraged if nothing would come to them and start stalking around. Unfortuneately a realistic Gobbler decoy can become a quick target.

If you are in a place mostly to yourself then the Jake decoy might work for you as it has for me this week.I am seeing mature birds who are willing to fight.

Something else to try is,as soon as one answers your call,put one hunter there.Then the other hunter moves back the way he came while calling. Might convince him to follow a shy hen into an ambush.

Good Luck. The live hunt threads are always fun.
 
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William Hanson (live2hunt)

William Hanson (live2hunt)

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That would be the reason.Some of the public land I used to hunt(Riverbreaks,Monkey Mountain) in Northwest MO had a lot of hunters on the weekends. Guys would get discouraged if nothing would come to them and start stalking around. Unfortuneately a realistic Gobbler decoy can become a quick target.

If you are in a place mostly to yourself then the Jake decoy might work for you as it has for me this week.I am seeing mature birds who are willing to fight.

Something else to try is,as soon as one answers your call,put one hunter there.Then the other hunter moves back the way he came while calling. Might convince him to follow a shy hen into an ambush.

Good Luck. The live hunt threads are always fun.
I gotcha. Ya I knew about for safety reasons just figured you knew something I didn't about pressured bird behavior.

The seem to not want to come out of the woods or off the ridges here.

Oh well it wasn't meant to be easy. Back at it again in the morning.

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William Hanson (live2hunt)

William Hanson (live2hunt)

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Birds were much more difficult today. I was late because my phone ringer was off and I didn't realize it. My BIL called 3 in before I got there and got shot at himself, so that was exciting. I heard a few distant gobbles but they shut up when I went in.

Got tomorrow and then 3 days of bad weather, so I should probably actually go to work for a few days...

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Sodbuster

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Something else to try is,as soon as one answers your call,put one hunter there.Then the other hunter moves back the way he came while calling. Might convince him to follow a shy hen into an ambush.

This strategy tries to solve a couple of issues.
Guys will often go to public land before season to practice their calling skills. They will call in birds and then stand up and scare them off to admire their skills.They may have a bird brain but Turkeys will get call shy real quick.

In Missouri,Turkey season closes at 1:00 PM each day.. Morel mushroom hunters are often waiting for the hunters to leave so they can move in and roam around till dark.Even if you think you have a bird patterned, he could get bumped a couple hills over while you are not even around.

Finally, my thoughts are for every bird gobbling there at least two around that won't make a sound on that day.(Next day may be different)
They will quietly and slowly work their way to you. You think the birds are "henned up" or your legs are numb and you stand up and flush one just out of range. I was busted by many birds before I finally started making myself sit still an extra 30 minutes before stretching.

Hope some of this helps.
 

woods89

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Glad your getting on birds!

I'm about an hour south of Rolla and hunt public ground both north and south of home. We have been having an awful time getting birds to talk. This morning seemed like perfect conditions but we hardly heard any gobbles. All our hunting is back in the timber.

My dad thinks bird numbers are down, especially down closer to the AR line. Not sure if thats the deal or if its just an off year for us.....
 
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William Hanson (live2hunt)

William Hanson (live2hunt)

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What happened?
He shot at the bird in a tight opening between thick timber and didn't quite make the gap. The birds took off up the hill and the he heard 2 consecutive shots 20 seconds later and pellets were hitting all around him. Never did see the guy and my BIL high tailed it out of there.

Thanks for the tips.

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William Hanson (live2hunt)

William Hanson (live2hunt)

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Glad your getting on birds!

I'm about an hour south of Rolla and hunt public ground both north and south of home. We have been having an awful time getting birds to talk. This morning seemed like perfect conditions but we hardly heard any gobbles. All our hunting is back in the timber.

My dad thinks bird numbers are down, especially down closer to the AR line. Not sure if thats the deal or if its just an off year for us.....
No trouble here finding talking birds, it's giving them a ride home that's trying. We had a slow day and still heard 8-10 gobbling. C'mon up.

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Sodbuster

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woods89
Glad your getting on birds!

I'm about an hour south of Rolla and hunt public ground both north and south of home. We have been having an awful time getting birds to talk. This morning seemed like perfect conditions but we hardly heard any gobbles. All our hunting is back in the timber.

woods,it is still early in the season and when the hens start sitting on nests instead of running around, the game changes.

Where you guys hunting at? I used to hunt Swan Creek(Mark Twain National Forest) around Garrison MO when I lived in Springfield.
 

Sodbuster

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William Hanson (live2hunt)

What happened?
He shot at the bird in a tight opening between thick timber and didn't quite make the gap. The birds took off up the hill and the he heard 2 consecutive shots 20 seconds later and pellets were hitting all around him. Never did see the guy and my BIL high tailed it out of there.

Had a similar experience years ago. I got to talk to the guy. His first hunt.
 

woods89

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If I sound a little vague, its because this is the internet, lol.

Ive got a spot west of Licking I like and a couple places in the Vanzant and Dora area. On the right morning any of my spots can have a couple birds to go after but it seems like they are very tempermental about gobbling.

If I can't catch a bird gobbling I usually go somewhere where turkeys will want to be mid morning and sit down and blind call. I've killed a couple birds this way but it's definitly a lower odds game.
 
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William Hanson (live2hunt)

William Hanson (live2hunt)

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If I sound a little vague, its because this is the internet, lol.

Ive got a spot west of Licking I like and a couple places in the Vanzant and Dora area. On the right morning any of my spots can have a couple birds to go after but it seems like they are very tempermental about gobbling.

If I can't catch a bird gobbling I usually go somewhere where turkeys will want to be mid morning and sit down and blind call. I've killed a couple birds this way but it's definitly a lower odds game.
I'm 20-30 min north of licking in the woods right now

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realunlucky

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Hopefully you guys are enjoying the morning.Got a feeling today will be awesome for you. After experiencing Missouri season I'm jonesing to get back into the woods general turkey doesn't open in Utah until Monday.

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