[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/blog\/turkey-hunting-indian-style\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/blog\/turkey-hunting-indian-style\/","headline":"Turkey Hunting Indian Style","name":"Turkey Hunting Indian Style","description":"Here is a quick tip for some of you turkey hunters out there \u2013 when the calls aren\u2019t working, don\u2019t...","datePublished":"2015-05-06","dateModified":"2018-11-15","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/author\/hagosto\/#Person","name":"Hector Agosto","url":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/author\/hagosto\/","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7bfedbdc5ef3ed8f8df91eb37e1ffbe?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7bfedbdc5ef3ed8f8df91eb37e1ffbe?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Legendary Whitetails","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/logo-legendary-whitetails.png","url":"http:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/logo-legendary-whitetails.png","width":522,"height":226}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Turkey-Success-_10_01-e1430941445470.jpg","url":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Turkey-Success-_10_01-e1430941445470.jpg","height":405,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/blog\/turkey-hunting-indian-style\/","about":["Hunting"],"wordCount":791,"keywords":["Deer","Hunting","Tips","Turkey"],"articleBody":"Here is a quick tip for some of you turkey hunters out there \u2013 when the calls aren\u2019t working, don\u2019t be afraid to get out and tango with some turkeys. \u00a0It’s a not a new technique, but it has stormed back to popularity the last couple of years\u00a0\u2013 it’s called turkey reaping and uses the same techniques Native Americans used while hunting turkey, deer, and buffalo. \u00a0Instead of hiding under an animal hide, you hide behind a fully expanded turkey fan and stalk your prey.Despite the beautiful weather Wisconsin had early this spring, the turkeys were still flocked up pretty good.\u00a0 This severely reduced the effectiveness of calls and decoys.\u00a0 Toms simply were not leaving their hens for some yelping decoy.\u00a0 I typically like using a strutting tom decoy with a breeding hen early on in the season because the boys are usually trying to sort out their dominance and hate intruders.\u00a0 The first couple of mornings, I was counting on being in the game the first 15 minutes of daylight.\u00a0 The gobbling was intense, but those smart old birds managed to fly down onto neighboring properties every morning.\u00a0 Having to go to work, I couldn\u2019t sit and wait them out\u2026until Saturday that was.Another 4:00am wake up call, a new set-up spot, and the same results.\u00a0 Unfortunately, twenty minutes after first light, 20 \u2013 30mph wind gusts swept in and kept the birds from strutting in the big open field they usually did.\u00a0 After the decoys blew over from the wind, we decided to follow some gobbling up through the hardwoods into a smaller, secluded field.\u00a0 Sneaking around a thick point, we caught a glimpse of a group of birds which included three strutting toms!\u00a0 We managed to set up our full-strut tom decoy with a breeding hen on the edge of the field unnoticed and began calling.\u00a0 After initial interest from a few jakes, they turned back to be with the group.\u00a0 Time was closing in as they were less than 50 yards from making it onto another property.\u00a0 With nothing to lose, and the calls and decoy clearly not working, it was time to become an intruding tom.\u00a0 My buddy slipped back, grabbed the turkey fan out of the decoy and handed it over to me.\u00a0 As I began to belly crawl with the fan in one hand blocking my body and the gun in the other, I had no clue as to what was happening with the birds in the field.\u00a0 I slowly made my way around the corner and all of a sudden I heard my buddy say, \u201cHoly cow!\u00a0 Get ready to shoot, they are coming fast!\u201dBarely catching a few glimpses through the wind-blown feathers of the fan, I scooted my legs up under my body to prepare for the shot.\u00a0 Three jakes were leading the charge with the three toms following up 25 yards behind.\u00a0 The jakes were storming me and I thought I was going to have to shoot one of them in self-defense!\u00a0 I had to keep letting them come so the toms would eventually be in range.\u00a0 Finally, with the jakes at three yards (no lie), I dropped the fan, shouldered the Benelli and flopped a beautiful longbeard!WHAT A RUSH!So as you see, sometimes actions speak louder than words\u2026or yelps.\u00a0 In farm country, there is nothing more frustrating than watching toms strut around out in the middle of field while your calling is ignored.\u00a0 Day after day of this gets old, so now I always have a turkey fan by my side in case I need to close the distance.\u00a0 Some don\u2019t always agree with this method of hunting, and it\u2019s certainly not my go-to method, but it sure is exciting! Not to mention effective.*Disclaimer*This method of turkey hunting can be extremely dangerous.\u00a0 Hunters should avoid using this method of hunting on public or leased lands, or anywhere that there may be other hunters in the area.\u00a0 Hiding behind a strutting tom decoy or fan should not be done in dense forested areas.\u00a0 Use extreme caution."},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/#breadcrumbitem","name":"Legendary Whitetail's Blog"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/community.legendarywhitetails.com\/blog\/turkey-hunting-indian-style\/#breadcrumbitem","name":"Turkey Hunting Indian Style"}}]}]