When you call a gobbling turkey, that tom knows precisely where you are. I don’t mean your approximate location, but the exact tree you are sitting against or the bush that conceals you. Rumor has it that laser-guided munitions were developed from the senses of a turkey, but that may be a slight exaggeration. Although the approaching tom may circle or deviate slightly, if you draw your bow in plain sight, you’ll get busted.
Distraction Works
One tactic to avoid detection is to wait until the strutting tom turns with its fan facing you and its rear vision obstructed, or wait until the gobbler passes behind a sturdy tree. A better way is to use a decoy, especially a jake decoy. If you have a jake decoy staked 10 yards in front of you, an approaching gobbler will most likely head directly toward it. Allow the tom to attack the decoy, and once engaged, you can draw your bow or raise your crossbow. Even if the turkey sees the movement, it’s likely to stand erect and still, allowing you time for a stationary shot.
Match the Broadhead to the Shot
If you use large fixed-blade or “lopper” broadheads, a jake decoy is your best bet because the tom is unlikely to approach a jake decoy and strut. Most likely, it will attack and often stand with its neck fully exposed. If that does not occur, use a diaphragm caller and make an alarm call. Usually, this causes the gobbler to disengage from the fight and look for danger with its head and neck exposed. If you plan to take a body shot, a hen decoy will often cause a tom to strut in front of it, frequently standing motionless.
Dump the Deke
Don’t feel pressured to use decoys if you don’t have confidence in them. Southern turkey seasons are about to close, and those in mid-latitude are in their final weeks. If the turkeys you hunt have been pressured, they may have had bad experiences with decoys and will shy away from them. Highly pressured birds must be hunted differently from those on opening day—Scout for strutting zones and set up without a decoy or calling. If a tom is gobbling on the roost, sneak within 100 yards and use leaf scratching to lure it in. Pack your patience and be assured that toms will strut and gobble well into summer.
