Looking for input on a tough bird

[Tail Feathers]

I've got this tom who is triple and quadruple gobbling at me but won't budge out of his little area.  He's roosting in a 30 yard wide strip of pine timber surrounded by a clearcut.  Getting into the timber strip isn't good, it's so narrow and filled with junk and a small creek I don't see hunting in there.
He does come out to a narrow pipeline and the head of the strip tho.  I'm going in before daylight and put a hen deke and brush in very well alongside that pipeline.  It's kind of late season here, not many hens off nest.  Should I use a breeding hen and a jake deke or just a hen decoy?  I don't know if this turkey has ever seen a decoy of any kind before.  My breeding deke looks realistic, my foam hen is meh...jake is a somewhat beat up foam folder too.  I have a strutter deke but don't want to risk scaring him off.

[Candyman]

I don't use decoys so not much help there with your choices other than I wouldn't use one.  Just a guess but it sounds like you may be calling too much which is causing him to gobble more and wait on "you".  Try to sound disinterested and make him wonder why the hen isn't interested. Very soft clucks and a yelp or 2. Also try using a call he hasn't heard.  I firmly believe less is truly more when it comes to turkeys. Of course as with all rules there are exceptions.

[deerpoo22]

Agree with candyman. Don't sound like a bird who is looking for love but rather a bird who's just making small talk as she's feeding. Try some soft yelps and purring. Rake some leaves with your hands too and he may just sneak in to check it out without saying a word.

[1iagobblergetter]

If you have him patterned be where he likes to go before he usually is with no decoys or calling.

[Yoder409]

That's a bird I'd wind up til his spring was just about busted, then I'd shut up, turn the red-dot on and keep the gun pointed his way.

[RED NECK]

I would go in and not make a sound.I would ambush him and enjoy being a ghost while doing it.I killed one of mine last year,I didn't make a sound,I knew he was coming up the same field edge the previous few days and wasn't coming to the call.He went for his last ride and was killed by a ghost.

[dutch@fx4]

Why Not go in late afternoon and wait for him to come back to roost

[RutnNStrutn]

If you have him patterned be where he likes to go before he usually is with no decoys or calling.

If you know where he's going, and he generally follows that pattern, sit tight, no decoy and wait for him to show up. I'd still have a diaphragm in my mouth at the ready, just in case.

[Tail Feathers]

Thanks guys, I'll go no deke.  I think if I set up right across from the point he should come in range.
I may have overcalled some.  I had him coming today but I up a road to a gas well and the gas guy came blowing thru and he shut up and I never heard him again.  I'd moved him about 100 yards and had another 100 to go when the truck came by.

[zelmo1]

Patience and no calling unless he skirts you. Soft and not interested. If that doesn't work, I try a strutter. If he is looking tobreed still, maybe he is the boss and not taking kindly to strangers.

[Goodtimekiller]

Patience will kill that bird. Just give him some calls, i don't think any kind would be wrong, but then shut up. If he doesn't have hens he will come to you. It may take a while. I'm probably a little more aggressive than most, i would do some soft purrs and a flydown then some scratching with just a few clucks and purrs. I just love to do a flydown.  I would hold off on the decoys the first day. If that doesn't work you can always use the good looking hen the next day. I would not put out any meh looking decoys, they can work but why risk it.


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[Coroner01]

I call it the "commitment gobble"   You call, he gobbles......I wait for two or three more gobbles, and the calls get softer as if I have decided to leave.....I even tilt my head and call so it sounds like Im on the move.....good luck, this is like a good book....I cant wait to hear the next chapter.   al

[dublelung]

If you have him patterned be where he likes to go before he usually is with no decoys or calling.

Exactly! Go where he's going before he gets there and wait, without decoys. If he's going there anyway, you don't need to put a deke out to pull him there or risk spooking him. Light clucks and purrs with a little leaf scratching is all I'd do.

[tha bugman]

put the call down and get in his head with a little leaf scratching.....but position on the bird is critical.  Less calling and no decoys IMO

[coonhunter]

 

put the call down and get in his head with a little leaf scratching.....but position on the bird is critical.  Less calling and no decoys IMO

This!!  Scratch the leaves soft and purr. I have use this an a few hung up birds and it works!