Youth Weekend****NO DECOYS****

I just got off the phone with the guys in Montgomery and they verified that there will be no decoys used during the youth weekend the enforcement officer stated. I then called The Montgomery office of game and freshwater fisheries. I asked to speak with Mr. Sykes they said he was unavailable but Fred Harders, Assistant Director was in (334) 242-3465. I said that sounds great. He also confirmed that no decoys will be used during you season this year and told me to send a letter to my CAB advisory representative. I can understand some of the regulations that they have made changes to but this is utter ridiculousness that when taking kids we cannot use decoys. They are the future of hunting and if we cannot make it fun I doubt they will be interested. Try getting a five-year-old or seven year old to be steel with no decoy in front of them for the Tom to lock onto. Slim chance at that. Below are the CAB Congressional districts and who your rep is. Please do as I did and give them a call, email or send a letter.

https://www.outdooralabama.com/site...0addresses%20rev%204-12-2021%20w-map.pdf

It’s either bad for the resource or it isn’t. Doesn’t matter who’s using them.

Ive taken plenty of kids, some as young as 4, never used a decoy. You don't need a decoy to take a kid hunting.

If it’s that bad of shape that the kids on youth weekend can’t be able to use a decoy then drop the limit to 3 or even 2. I would gladly search for someone to take to introduce them to turkey hunting just so I could go. Just makes it that much more difficult for younger kids to have success. Sad times.

This...I never used them as a kid and don't want my kids to learn on them. Sure it's tougher but need to learn sometime and why not start early.

I don't use decoys and haven't when youth hunting either. However, I hunt timber and I know a lot of guys that like to hunt fields that will need to learn some new strategies.

I think I would sell my shares in Pop-up blinds in the state of AL this spring.

Maybe everyone will get upset and quit.
Lease prices are too high and there’s too many decoy hunters anyway.

I hope they outlaw foodplots, box stands, cell cameras, and corn feeders for deer too.

Seriously though, I’m not calling them about the outlaw of decoys. Just go and enjoy hunting with the kids.

I wish they would outlaw decoys again.

Agreed.

Doesn’t MS have the 7 day youth season? I’d like that - and have decoys legal for youth season only.

Cause decoys are about money now. Money > management.

Ive only killed one bird with a decoy, and I felt like I cheated. Had to kill another one quick to wash that bad juju off me.

Yes their season isn’t just a weekend.

I’ve never killed a turkey with a decoy out… yet to kill one…

I never have used one. Woodsmanship....Calling Ability.....and just plain learning to understand the habits of Turkeys is how I was brought up. They NEVER should have been legalized in the first place. Do away with them and that will slow down "Still hunting Deer Style" on green patches by folks that can't kill one any other way.

Good. Decoys are stupid 😀

Asking for the kids - are fans considered decoys?

Those old lady revival church fans? Naw man.

All of the above…..

Yeah ... those.

Corn works better than decoys anyway

Ill take a sack of three way scratch and a couple of decoys too, thank you

I hav taged out public WMA w out decoy - nobody gives a crap - if u killed every turkey w out a decoy - nobody is impressed - nobody
If u hunt fields r clear cuts - u May hav to change strategies - turkeys get hung up in wide open ground - unless u hunting some tame bird

I agree - for a kid- prob b good to hv - our hunters are shrinking in #

If u don’t want u r your kid to use one 👍

But nobody is impressed w decoy vs no - kill the freaking thing legally if u can - it ain’t a hero story

Hold on. So you think turkey hunters are shrinking in numbers? I wish that were true but it’s far from it.

No doubt. Maybe in other states, but ours are just growing from what I see. 15 years ago you could get all the property you wanted from deer hunters for little to nothing. Now, every club out there has at least a few. Most people laugh in your face if you even ask about PAYING to hunt turkeys.
And I don’t see anyone trying to be a hero. It just takes away from the sport to sit there on your phone until one spots your decoy from 500 and runs up there to flog it.

I got a headache just trying to read that chit. If someone can't spell you, they're probably not worth arguing with

I could care less about what Chuck Sykes says.

I talking about kids

Yea adults are growing the sport - not from kids though

Younger generation shrinking

Good post
Apparently some folks have never hunted field birds that won’t get even remotely close to the wood line but will hang up mid field and gobble at every call you make

One of my finest hunts was on a field bird that whipped me 3 times and it took a deke to bring him in….got this hunt on video too

You can quite often pattern a field Turkey. They will enter the field from the same spot....or fly from a tree out in the woods to a tree on the edge in the same location. Bushwhacking....Maybe....BUT....You have to be a Stealthy S.O.B. to pull it off without getting Busted.

If I was tasked with simply killing a bird, I’d take the one I could put my eyes on vs. the one in the woods 100% of the time.

Not to say a field bird is always easy, but on one that wont cooperate the field bird is like fish in a barrel vs one in the timber. But being able to see the reactions to calling makes it a lot easier.

I have used decoys on tough field birds in kansas, nebraska, oklahoma, and missouri. No calling just let them get curious. Kind of like call shy ducks.

That’ll preach!

Yes sir!

They may be headed in that direction

I wish they would do one r the other and I don’t care which

I wish they would outlaw turkey hunting without decoys

Them decoys just scare them around the scratch pile anyways 😎

Good Lawd..I cant make out a thing he said

Jeez a bunch of dems on here wanting to make anything they DONT LIKE illegal. If you dont like them..then dont use them. Thats what freedom gives us. The ability to make our own choices.

Why should you give a flying phuck about what others use or how they hunt? I say let people hunt how they want with both deer and turkeys. If they want to use decoys good for them. If they want to manage deer, good for them. If they want to shoot small bucks well good for them too. They want to just bow hunt? More power to you. Just gun hunt, the same thing.

A lot of yall need to stop worrying about what others do. They dont need to conform to how YOU like to hunt. This is exactly what is wrong with the whole freaking nation these days. A bunch of morons trying to make people do things the way they want as "they" know what is best for all of us.

Yall got way too much time on your hands. If you think its a good idea to limit how a dam kid can hunt or if he can use decoys because you dont like them then youre pretty dam selfish and short sighted.

By the way..the dems dont like GUNS and want us all to not use them. Some of you guys would fit right in with your attitudes, but how would you like that same logic applied to your firearms.

Yall need to step back and think. Youre either for Govt regulations and more rules or not. Most republicans say they arent but lord help ya if your kid wants to shoot a field gobbler.

Talk about hypocrites..SMDH!

They are giving the kids a weekend to hunt before the adults did you thank em for that? I dont think there should be a youth weekend or decoys but thats just me.

Again you dont sound like you are here4fun.

Crawl up to him and shoot him. Dont need a decoy for that

Ben2 you make good argument except for the crawling part in open field 😂

Yep, I’ve hunted them. Never seen one stand out there in the heat all day either. Just because he stays there the first few hours, doesn’t mean he lives in the field. And I actually do pretty good on field and cutover turkeys. Without decoys. May take more time, but eventually they’re exiting and gonna be killable.

I hear what you’re saying, and can’t say that I disagree with most of it. If only there wasn’t people on “every ridge” in a blind with a decoy spread like they’re hunting mallards, just waiting on a turkey to walk into their decoy spread. It takes the sport out of it…..it drastically reduces numbers of gobbling turkeys in areas which makes for a less than desirable hunt for all, which then makes chucky want to IMPLEMENT MORE RULES! Like shortening days, reducing the number a hunter can kill, drastically reducing days on land that We The People pay for!! See where I’m going with that?? Or am I still just a hypocrite??

Only a suggestion

So you have the skills to move on a bird coming from open field to the woods or know where he’s going to go into the woods and be there waiting
Impressive is all I can say

I can see where it’d be hard for someone to understand that sits with their legs hanging out in the field. And how in the world could u get the decoys out of the field to take and reset it up where he heads to?? 😱

When I started turkey hunting 48 years ago we didnt have any of the fancy crap yall use. We had No Camo. We wore Green CPO jackets and brown pants. Heck if you were lucky you got a hold of some OD Green Army clothes .

We didnt have production made fancy calls. No Fancy mouth calls and custom boxes, or glass calls. You had a chunk of raw slate, a dang corn cob striker you made on a wood lathe, a snuff can call with Saran Wrap , a Wing bone and if you were lucky you had a Lynch Fool Proof Box call.

We did not have fancy "Turkey Rounds" or special "Turkey Chokes". We had single shot 12 Gauges Break opens or "Sweet 16's" and you had to call turkeys within 30 yards to kill them with 6,7, or 8's. That is where running out and jumping on their necks came from, as half the time they werent neck broken, they were just stunned.

We certainly didnt have fancy handloaded TSS reaching out 60 to 70 yards.

We didnt have Burris Fast Fire red dot sights or any such stuff. Heck all we had was a front bead!

I know some of you old timers can relate.

We certainly did not have fancy arse turkey Vests, or Gobbler seats or "Blow up" Inflatable seats or stake up blinds. You stuck your calls in your pockets and went and sat on the bare ground leaning against a tree..

We didnt have decoys or blinds. But guess what? It doesnt make ANY of those things bad . But they all make it a heck of a lot easier to kill turkeys thats for sure. Guess what? All yall acting so superior use ALL that crap dont you? But wait! Yall are purists! You do it "Old School".

But I guess yall want to pick and choose what should be "Legal" based on what you personally use. Thats a crock a BS, Sorry to tell ya.

Thats called being a totally subjective person and not seeing things objectively. Pretty dam sad when Yall are for new regulations and more BS, especially ones that make it harder for a darn kid. But heck its aldeer. What can you expect but hyopocritical BS being spouted?

Guess what? I am for all those new things. I like camo, and vests, and calls , and my over 60 yr old butt likes a gobbler seat, and yeah Ill throw up a stake up blind in front of me, and yeah, I use an extra full choke and fancy turkey rounds.

Yep, and if it is raining Ill go into a pop up blind and still be able to hunt, and Yeah I might even throw a decoy or two out but to be honest I generally dont use or like them, but I like having the option. After all it is freaking America isnt it? Sorry to tell you, it is called innovation but yall dont get to pick and choose what innovations should or should not be used based on YOUR personal preferences of what you like. Pretty sad.

I guess some of yall better re register as democrats move your arses to Cali if you so much into the Govt regulating everything. Jeez

Ok then

Since we are talking about hunting the way we want to hunt, I’d like to add milo trenches. It would make it easier for the kids.

They obviously know that decoys result in a lot more dead turkeys with the new 10 day rule. If we have a low number of turkeys why no make them illegal again all season?

Yep! Where’s that pic of that huge corn pile with a turkey strutting on it. 😂

Too much lobbyist $.

Blah blah. Uphill both ways in the snow. I’ve got almost 30 years of hunting them and hunted before super duper shells and still use the first slate I ever owned that’s not fancy at all. Had camo, but it makes zero difference if you sit still and pick a good spot to hide. Mouth calls have been around as long as you. Although the first ones did use lead for the frame. I know several guys that hunted back then. It was different times. When turkeys made they’re comeback, they had practically the whole state to themselves. Nobody cared if you turkey hunted. If you did run into somebody, you just went to the next spot to hear 10+ a morning. Let’s not act like back then was so tough as far as turkey hunting goes.

As far as calling names like democrat and whatever else….. how you gonna be bragging about being 60 then act like you’re 12?
You can take everything from those decoys to those paper shot shells and shove them right up your ass. 👍

say

I can see where it’d be hard for someone to understand that sits with their legs hanging out in the field. And how in the world could u get the decoys out of the field to take and reset it up where he heads to?? 😱

Heck I’d like to see someone do that too

And you can kiss that arse Sonny

We dont have a low number of turkeys where Im hunting. LOL..this is all from ONE guys theory on dominant gobblers. And if you kill THE "Dominant Gobblers" No hens get bred. It is a load of BS.

I have shot dominant gobblers many times with boat loads of hens and less than 5 days later theres another gobbler with them banging them like no tomorrow.

Dr Fauci had a Theory too. Hows that working out for you?

And democrat isnt a name sonny, it is a political party that loves big govt and more regulations. Kind like you guys are asking for. Quacks like a duck, walks like a duck , acts like a duck..well its a duck.

I believe you said you’re in one of the few areas that hasn’t suffered from population decline like the majority of the state, correct? So you support what’s good for you, and not for the majority, regardless of how it affects the outcome, correct? What was that hypocrite thing you were talking about again?
And only an ignorant person can’t see the turkey hunting population grew right after decoys were legalized and people found out thru videos that they are dumb enough to run up and try to fight one. Even just a fan. Now that ”everybody” is a turkey hunter, populations start to decline, more and more people in the woods causing shortened numbers of days, fewer turkeys that can be killed and significant cuts to days on public property. Along with several other rules created with no decoys for 10 days, blah blah blah. So which one creates more regulation again??

1 rule - no decoys
Decoys — Aid in part of multiple rules, shortened seasons, etc. etc.

Something tells me you’re not real smart. Maybe you can grasp this. If not, I’m sure you’ll start rambling and calling names again. Damn, I swear you were calling others democrats…..

I agree..the Turkey population GREW after decoys were legalized...LOL. And you were saying something about "intelligence". Yep, a dumbarse dem for sure. You Mad bro? You mad?

Oh absolutely not! I’m having fun. I thought one thing and typed another (which isn’t surprising to me or the few reading all this bs that know me). I still think you’re taunting, and name calling like a kid, and totally blind (or don’t give a rip) to what has help cause a decline in the turkey population. Just go sit in your blind with your decoy spread and read cnn until a “Tom” walks into your “setup”. Then make up the best story you can about how you “worked” him for 6 hours and been trying to kill this same turkey for the last 5 years. Most here will tell you congrats and move on and the world will be fine. Right??

LOL. Did you miss the part where I dont use decoys much if at all. However, I like to have the "right" to if I choose. And I think everyone should.

I still dont even wear a vest much. Just one of those inflatable strap on seats. I like to travel light. Im too old to carry a bunch of junk.

I stick a dam slate in one cargo pocket and four mouth calls and four strikers in another..(2 of them mouth calls made by a backwards "turkey" from here by hand he was kind enough to mail me a few years back ..sadly half of you dont even know what THAT means ) ,..and I kill 4 to 5 gobblers every year in Alabama.

And used to travel to Texas, Nebraska, MS, MI, GA, SC ...heck anywhere they are turkeys.

For over 25 years I hunted them all over the country from Early March in Florida to New England / Maine. NH VT NY and Pa Ohio in late May. Heck Ive hunted turkeys in about 30 plus states for three months a year. If we werent hunting we were drining to hunt. And I outfitted for turkeys in four states including SC and for Osceolas in FL

But I have never seen such a screwed up thing as "no decoys for 10 days and only one Gobbler in the first ten days. "

Its a democratic "feel good , sounds good " Bullchit law..Sorry to tell you.

I dont know where you live but shoot a gobbler on day one and not hunt for nine days? Dont worry, no trespassers are going to hunt your land. You know how well a turkey hunter respects property lines. Bout as much as a deer dog!


Ive hunted all over the country and Ive killed more Gobblers than Blackhead disease and Chicken litter added together. And thats a fact. Hundreds of gobblers.

But I never have seen such BS as this last thing with the later season, no decoys and no hunting except one gobbler for the first ten days. You think thats a great idea? Really?

Because last time I checked this was America,..where Conservatives and Republicans were for Small Govt. Less Governmental overreach, rules, regulations and laws made every year because unless the dam politicians are making "New laws for the better of us all" they dont really have much of a job.

But the dems were for more laws, regulations, Mandates without real logic (kind of like this one) and POWER?

:And that is called by definition: hypocrisy. Yall whine about rules, mandates, regulations and big Govt. And then ASK for the same thing.

Smaller Govt doesnt just mean the federal Govt. It means the state too.

You guys cant see the hypocrisy of your stance. Pushing for more rules and regs while crying and bitching all day about the dems doing the same thing.

And as for Having fun. Heck, Im here4fun. Lol.,,But I wasnt always.

Im having fun and drinking Titos now In a toast to a good buddy! The guy who introduced me to it. Good old Feller too. A bunch of yall know him.

Turkey killing SOB too. Heck, "hes quietly killing turkeys when Yall aint"

What is the reason behind them banning decoys for the first 10 days? We have a limit and the limit does not change wether someone uses a decoy or not still the same limit. So my question is why ? And why are some people against it ? Interested in knowing y’all’s opinion. I’m for anyone doing what’s legal to enjoy themselves in the outdoors.

Look up “dominant gobbler theory “. That’s their justification for all these “sky is falling “ changes.

From what I found, really doesn’t make sense to me. There will always be a dominant bird. To me it goes back to natural selection. When that dominant tom gets killed there is always one that will take its place. And that’s in any species. So if I’m missing something enlighten me please.

I didn’t say it made sense. You asked the reason, that’s all I had.

I will guarantee that the folks at DCNR never considered NO DECOYS FOR YOUTH SEASON until someone brought it up. I don't use decoys except when bow hunting. I personally don't feel they should be legal for gun hunting, just me.

what dumb sob would think outlawing decoys to handicap youth hunters was a good idea??? we need to add youth hunters, not make it harder on them

With that reasoning why not allow someone to use a 243 as long as they stop at the limit.

So I’m assuming your against the decoys ridgesralker? If so why ?

They became legal around 2005 and the perceived decline started about the same time. Folks that couldn’t kill a turkey if their life depended on it ride around looking for a field bird and slip in and fan him to death. Use to a field bird with hens was the hardest to kill now they’re the easiest. I can only speak for Skyline WMA being that’s about the only place I hunt. We don’t have 1/3 of the birds we had 20 years ago. I believe there was more hunting pressure back then when we had a lot of birds. It’s really the only thing that changed law wise and it happened about the same time. My daughter hunted 4 years before getting her first and I could have easily fanned her one when we started. The first year it was legal I fanned 3 in the first week and it just didn’t feel right. I also believe it leads to a lot more trespassing by folks riding on rainy days and fanning them regardless of who’s land it’s on.

From my experience in my area in the late 90,s early 2000 we had a lot more birds on our property we only let three people turkey hunt on one of which in the late 90s was Ben Lee and two other locals from Coffeeville. They were die hard turkey hunters. Once them three gentleman passed on our land wasn’t turkey hunted for years. And we started seeing less and less turkeys. The only thing that changed was the habitat. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry that owned a tree started cutting and the timber company’s cut everything, they used to leave the timber along the drainages and creeks now they cut every damn thing. You can ride around parts of Clarke co and it looks like a bomb was dropped. Also we allowed one man to trap predators year round. In my opinion decoys are not the reason of our turkey decline. I believe more hunters, more predation, and less habitat is the reason for our decline. I can only give my opinion on my area and what I see.

By that logic, we should be able to shoot turkeys over bait, milo trenches, with no limit, with rifles all year round. If you don't agree that we should be able to do these things, you are a liberal, hypocrite democrat. I mean it's about "The ability to make our own choices" and "let people hunt how they want with both deer and turkeys". So are you the hypocrite democrat you accuse the rest of us of being? I would say if you don't think turkeys should be able to be killed over bait then "youre pretty dam selfish and short sighted". If you think baiting turkeys should be regulated than Im not sure if "Youre for Govt regulations and more rules or not". So, which is is - Hypocrite or not?

You can’t come on here using logic. Liberals hate that.

The turkey forum has come back to life 😀

Crawled up on a pile of them in open fields

No. That's baiting and Illegal. Decoys still aren't illegal. Just for 10 days and the Youth season .

Using the bait and rifle analogy is stupid. Sorry gobbler.

Most states allow decoys. Their turkey population did not decline radically over decoys. And people acting like turkeys just run into decoys like kamikazes crack me up. That just isn't the case.

It is legal to use decoys most places . Baiting and rifles generally arent except in a couple states. Not Alabama. That's a silly comparision

And when I said people should be able to hunt as they like with deer I was meaning shooting any buck they want if it makes them happy. Managing if it makes them happy. Nice selective editing and taking my words out of context. You should go work at CNN and with turkeys if they want to use decoys good for them. Like I said I don't generally use them but if it's legal I like to have a choice. I don't care to infringe on others using any legal method they like.
That's what I was saying. Making a plastic freaking decoy not illegal but only for ten days is moronic.

They were illegal, and gonna be again for 10 days. What does it matter what other states do? We gonna just follow everything they do regardless of their outcome? Which right now is declining turkeys and increased turkey hunters. Kinda like the cwd crap?? Well, these other states killed all the dang deer and didn’t help at all. I say we just follow suit.

No. Actually they did not.

I guess you guys missed the point. It's a stupid reg just passed over a stupid theory and is a joke. Stopping the kids from using them is even more moronic. But from fish and game these days I would not expect anything else

Look, I’m not opposed to going to great measures to ensure we get kids involved and let them pull the trigger. You won’t hear me say a thing about it. But every man,18-80 out there in a blind with his decoys hunting for him is not what turkey hunting is about. It has evolved into “look how many I can kill”, and IMO most of those types are using decoys to aid them and has helped tremendously in reducing the population to a point where our days are cut down, and a lot of days are spent not even hearing a turkey, much less getting to fool with one.

When I was in walmart today I saw a bunch of those $9.98 foam decoys. It triggered me and I had to go to seek a safe space.

Ben I’m sure you know a turkeys eyes are keen on movement but if you have to skill to beat them in open field then I take my hat off to you
For me dekes are only used when a bird constantly hangs up out of range while craning his head around looking for the bird that’s been talking to him
This is the tell tale sign that lets me know what to do with him

Some guys feel comfortable using dekes and ground blinds all the time….as for myself I don’t, it just depends on the situation with the particular bird im hunting as to what when and how I hunt him

Some mean folks in here too…

I understand but turkeys can absolutely be crawled up on and killed. I would take my chances everyday on killingvone crawling vs decoying. I have spooked a bunch of turkeys both ways but have killed more crawling than decoying by a large margin

But at various points in time (some pretty recently) all these were legal. I remember well shooting turkeys legally with a rifle in deer season. And decoys were illegal a couple years back. I am sure when the GFC proposed to make it illegal to - kill turkeys over bait, kill turkeys with a rifle, set season dates, and/or have a limit on the number of turkeys a hunter can kill, there was some angry cuss complaining about "let people hunt how they want", "these regulation changes are selfish and short sighted" and "the government shouldn't propose more regulations in hunters". So I guess you are saying the regulations currently in place are fine and not government overreach but any changes to them are ..... Hmmm, question still stands - Hypocrite or not.

What Deadeye said!! 97% of time I hav my back to tree - usually in the dark. I hav hunted w guys that hav killed 100s of birds - and if they ever wanted to use a deke - who gives a crap. One guy that’s Kin to me - he use to kill 30-35 a year in Bama - i told him that was bull crap and wrong several times - kin to me so I couldn’t turn him in - every once in a blue moon - he would use a deke on an open field bird that hung up and I hv seen him use a strutter on really old bird - he could hunt most of u guys under the table - but who cares and if he wanted to use a decoy r a blind - so b it. He awesome at killing either way. I hav hunted all over the country w tons of people and I never seen so many people concerned on how somebody hunts if they doing it legal. To say it looks and sounds ignorant is an understatement. Here is a tip - you got an outlaw law breaker - there something to get pissed about. Anybody abiding by law - get over it or tuff titty r suck it
It’s a freaking bird - we not splitting atoms r launching rocket ships - we just fooling a freaking bird. And when I tagged out on wmas w out dekes or killed one on private land w a deke - it all the same to me - nobody impressed - it freaking hunting - do it legal - last tip - stop being Dick head if somebody abiding by law - u ain’t that special anyway !!!!!

Depends on the situation and what the heck I want to do if it’s legal

^^^ lol knows a guy that kills 35 legal birds in Alabama and then goes on a legal rant.

I know right. 😄

Decoys have done the same thing to turkey hunting that crossbows have done to deer hunting. You used to never see many people bownhunting. But now the woods are full of people. Same with turkey hunting. You hardly seen many folks in the woods chasing them longbeards. When you dumb down any game or sport and take the competitive challenge out of things you're gonna bring in more people who thinks it's easier now. It happens in everything and not just hunting. Now everybody thinks they can kill a deer or turkey and all they do is phuck up the woods.

Exactly how does a deke mess up the woods ??
Biggest thing to ever mess up the turkey woods is amateur calling and walking around calling when you don’t hear a bird at all
Dekes will give two reactions
1 the birds will come in
2 the birds will run away
As far as the crossbow remark, I can’t figure how a crossbow will mess up the woods either ???

You missed the point. The decoys won't mess the woods up. The dumbass that doesn't know how to turkey hunt that thinks the decoy is going to turn him into Eddie Salter will.

This ^^^^. The same idiot that starts every hunt with non stop owl calling from his “listening tree” followed by a double dose of crow calling only to bitch and moan about the gobblers being “henned up” again and not wanting to cooperate. You know, Tommy Turkey with the 30lb vest stuffed with 8 pots, 12 strikers, 43 mouth calls, 4 Lynch boxes. Avian flock & an ol’ wing bone for Hail Mary shituations. Ain’t killed 5 birds in the last 10yrs but damn he looks good trying don’t he? 🤣🤣🤣

I didn’t miss you point because your post clearly says people that use dekes or crossbows are only out there because they’re stupid and sport has been cheapened to suit them

Posted this in the deer forum thought it fit here also

The State of Alabama sold 452,400 hunting license in 2021. The State only consists of 33.5 million acres, that also includes all cites and water ways. When you take that in consideration that’s only roughly 73 acres per hunter and way less then that when you consider the less acres the cities and waterways take up, not to mention all the exempt hunters and outlaws that don’t buy licenses. We all say we like to see more kids and young adults get involved in the outdoors me included, but honestly can we afford it ? Looking at those numbers I don’t think a decoy is our problem.

Only person here that used the word stupid would be you unless your reading comp is as bad as some of the others here. When somethnng is made easier more folks will get involved even if they don't know what the hell they are doing. And for the killers, it allows them to kill more or kill em quicker.

When you refer to someone who uses dekes as phucking up the woods you’re saying they’re stupid

I’m sure everyone on this site started off knowing everything and made no mistakes while in the turkey woods
Instead of backstabbing and bad mouthing folks who are learning….why don’t you take them under your wing and teach them the fine art of turkey hunting

I'll continue to let you put words in folks mouths. As to taking them under my wing, how bout you take em since you don't make any mistakes. I'm not gonna take em cuz i don't want em phucking up my hunt.

Nah , you said that , not me. Grasping at straws now aint ya? Hmmmm.....

So we change the regs based on one mans " Dominant Gobbler THEORY "?

Webster definition of a THEORY:

: an idea that is suggested or presented as possibly true but that is not known or proven to be true

So we all should just blindly agree with the moronic Dominant Gobbler Theory? I guess the "not known or proven to be true doesnt mean a thing."

Yeah, Dr Fauci had a theory too. Several of them. That masks stop the spread of COVID, that shutting down the country and locking down would stop the spread of COVID, that getting an experimental vaccine will stop the spread of COVID, that mandates were what was best for us all to stop the spread of COVID...and the list goes on and on. How has those "Theories" worked out?

But like YOU said ,I guess we all just need to blindly agree with and follow all these "Experts" and their " Theories" So sit down shut up and get yer dam mask on!

I for one have had enough of idiots with their silly arse Theories. Especially when they fly in the face of all known observations. But go ahead, go right along with them.

But then dont complain about the ones YOU dont like ; like masks , lockdowns, mandates and vaccines. As from your applied logic we all just need to listen to these ONE arsehole and their silly theories and follow them blindly because the govt says so. So you better have your mask on when you leave your house today. It is for public safety for goodness sake!

Pretty sure the state had a "theory" too that we all needed to kill as many does as possible to better the hunting and for the well being of the deer. Hows that worked out? People complaining about not having any deer because they listened to that theory and decimated their deer herd.

Yea...the state and federal Govt has a steller record with their theories dont they.

Whos the hypocrite now gobbler...hmmmm...

If you’re only taking them to stop them from messing up your hunt then you’re missing the opportunity of educating a Hunter new to the sport and the satisfaction it brings to see them grow in the knowledge of the hunt

Oh I’ve made plenty of mistakes and will continue to make mistakes because every bird is different and responds and reacts differently than the bird from yesterday
I hope I’ve educated you a bit during this back and forth because I’ve certainly learned from you

Hey fellas, y’all quit hitting the turkey forum with these negative waves. It’s almost spring for goodness sake!!

Rule #1 of turkey hunting----Dont tell other hunters where there are turkeys.
Rule #2 of turkey hunting----Dont tell other hunters where there are turkeys.
Rule #3 of turkey hunting----Dont tell other hunters where there are turkeys.
🤫

I've learned from you as well. If I wanna locate more turkeys, I'll send an inexperienced hunter to you to relay back to me where there are more turkeys. 😉

Bud I don’t mind telling folks where turkeys are (do it all the time) because I’m confident enough in my skills with or without dekes to kill a bird
Send all the uneducated hunters my way and I’ll be glad to help them instead of Lie to them

Daylight saving time screwed Turkey Season

I don’t remember anyone saying anything about agreeing with the dominant gobbler theory. I sure didn’t. It’s the amount of turkeys being killed. Has nothing to do with the “dominant” turkey.

Well it is the basis and reason the Dept is using for the regulation changes we are discussing. And yes, it was mentioned in this thread a few times.

IMO and from my observation turkeys are dying from the usage of chicken litter as fertilzer. In our area we had a good flock. My neighbors and friends who are big production ag farmers used it on their land. The very next year we had ZERO turkeys and that year we found a dead gobbler with Avian pox. Sores all over his head.

A poultry disease most common in chickens.

But the fertilizer business is big bucks so..Dont look there..nothing to see. Cant be that.

Rule #1 of turkey hunting----Dont tell other hunters where there are turkeys.
Rule #2 of turkey hunting----Dont tell other hunters where there are turkeys.
Rule #3 of turkey hunting----Dont tell other hunters where there are turkeys.
🤫

I've learned from you as well. If I wanna locate more turkeys, I'll send an inexperienced hunter to you to relay back to me where there are more turkeys. 😉



Sorry, but the number 1 rule of turkey hunting is “Don’t spook the turkey”.

I get that. I’d be for doing away with using raw chicken littler also. I’m not a farmer, or even close, but isn’t there a treatment it goes thru that “cooks” all the bad stuff out of it? But what about places that are far far away from any ag?
I didn’t see anyone mention being for the dominant gobbler theory, but I think it’s bs too. I don’t think they know exactly what it is and we are all just making up theories. No decoys would save some, no doubt. No chicken litter I would imagine would save some, better timber management would make a HUGE difference in the majority of Alabama in my opinion. I’m sure there are others, but saying one thing would or wouldn’t help is just an opinion as of right now until it’s proved. I don’t think there’s one single thing that’s going to fix it, it has to be multiple things. Just so I understand correctly, do you want to outlaw using chicken litter for at least a few years to see if it helps? No more laws/rules, right? Just let it kill the turkeys off and hope it doesn’t get in the water and kill crappie too so we will have something to do in the springtime? Just sit back and do nothing.

“Well I know what’s wrong with the world today”…..

I think technology overall hasn’t been great on any of our wildlife resources. Take cell cameras. Great tool take inventory and it’s fun to watch the pics come in. But, I know people who sit on the couch and wait for a text of where the bird is before ever leaving camp. Or, will be hunting and get a text there’s a gobbler in Field A. Also know of a few who pattern birds coming to a field at a certain time every day. They slip in and kill a gobbler without ever making a call.

I’m not saying cell cameras should be illegal. That’s just dumb. But they sure don’t give a competitive advantage to the deer or turkey. I think it could be argued decoys fall under this as well.

Wow on the assumptions and misquotes.
First, the hypocrite would be you. You seem to be fine with the government having made up and enacted old laws and regulations but apparently it is government overreach for them to enact new one, or at least one you don't like - that would be hypocrisy.
Second, please show me where I said "I guess we all just need to blindly agree with and follow all these experts and their theories". Nowhere did I indicate that much less say it nor anything like it.
Third, you apparently have no idea what my opinion of the Dominant Gobbler Theory is. Whether allowing decoys in the first 10 days or whatever, has no real relationship to the DGT. I never wanted the state to make decoys legal anyway - just my personal opinion.
Fourth, you have no idea what my thoughts on Fauchi or Covid is yet you sling insults about how everyone is a liberal democrat if they don't disagree with restricting decoys (or, I am sure, any other firmly held and inaccurate beliefs you may have).
Just to be clear, I disagree with masks and the vaccine, also think Fauchi sucks. I am highly skeptical of the DGT and I believe it will be proven wrong (yet I think Chamberlain is an excellent turkey researcher) and am trying to help raise funds for Auburn to do research which will DIRECTLY look at gobbler fertility - What are you doing besides whining, bitching, insulting and calling names like a pissed off 2 year old?

Lol. Dang gobbler I didn't mean to trigger you. Lighten up Francis.

Well, I agree on all those same things. And I follow all game laws. But it certainly doesn't mean I can't voice my opinion on how stupid they are

I already stated I don't use them much. . The only decoys I own are 15 year old Carry Lite hens, and an old Buck Wing hen.

They don't look too realistic these days. But I remember taking my kid when he was young and the decoys kept him occupied and not bored. I was saying I am not for New Rules. I'm pretty sure we have enough .

I've always liked you so I don't want to ruffle your feathers and enjoy when you post on here.
Besides, what really pisses me off is the shorter season. Don't even get me going about that.

Look, never mind. I'm ready to turkey hunt.