Since when did hunting turkeys without a blind or decoys become “old school”?

It’s the only way I hunt and personally, the most fun. It just frustrates me that now it’s the norm due to tv and media pushing people to believe the only way to kill a Turkey is with a decoy, cell cam, drone, or blind. They push it’s also the only way to hunt with kids as well which is not the case and by no means will my son learn that way. Yes, more birds will be spooked, but he will be a better hunter and woodsman for it. I had a buddy watch me kill one earlier this year who I told him to leave the decoys at home…after the hunt after being so blown away at how much fun it was tricking the bird, he has yet to pull any of his decoys out to hunt with. This “old school” phrase is something I’ve seen being thrown around on social media and tv a lot now is why I bring it up.

I think you answered your own question....you just about can't watch turkey hunting on TV anymore without seeing folks get in a blind or at least set up some sort of temporary blind, and usually at least 1 goober is carry around some lifelike decoy in a big bag slung over his shoulder, looking like Santa Claus in camo. I get why they do it.....it makes for better tv (at least in their minds and to the casual viewer).

I briefly tried using a cheap hen and jake decoy early on but in the few interactions I had with turkeys and decoys, I don't think they helped and in a couple of cases I'm convinced it hurt. I couldn't even tell you where they are now....

Because that’s what guys in the Midwest do. They know nothing about the southern tradition of pursuing turkeys.

I can see the occasional need for it if you were hunting a bunch of primarily wide open ag land. Just don't see any use for it in the woods

Because the people on the shows promoting that are sponsored by the blind and decoy companies. I've also noticed much more aggressive calling on these shows but as they are calling, a link pops up to buy the calls they are using. I've always been taught, once he responds to your call, he knows where you are and just wait. Those You Tube guys call until they shoot.

Nailed it. Because they are selling a product(s). Half the hunting show these days is ads for the equipment they are sponsoring. That’s also how they sell people a deer view mirror and acorn cruncher. I honestly can’t stand to watch most hunting shows.

Now, now..... Don't lump those of us in the Ozarks and the Ozark Highlands in your decoying club.

I agree. But Ive been super agressive for several years on my calling. Mostly because I want to kill gobblng turkeys. It isnt as fun to only hear them a few times. Now, I act a little different on public because I have to.

It definately makes it easier when hunting big fields. First time I really used them was in Kansas when guiding. I didnt use them for myself, but when taking others it sure makes the success rate go up.

I remember Pitman phrasing the run and gun method. That was around the time I started chasing. It worked until everyone else started doing the same thing.

I quit using them and started smoking cigars after I kill one. I also wear the same thick long sleeve Mossy Oak green leaf shirt all year without washing the blood stains off. I also got a leather shotgun strap with my nick name on it ordered. I'm new school acting old school. 😎

Best turkey hunters on earth come from alabama..most come from south of birmingham…thats a fact…Mississippi got alot of gooduns…an georgia has some too..but we invented what turkey hunting is supposed to be..cause we hadem when nobody else did.

Oh I’m not! Lol. The Ozarks and TN hill country folks hunt similar to us. 😂

Bunch of birds live to see another day because of this strategy too.

I just lov to chase em and glad i still can. Wish i had way better spots. Most mornings i hear 0 and many would stop going but i hard headed

Been doing it for 40 plus years so i gonna b good by default - hard not to be

I try not to get caught up w what everybody else does. I around bunch younger dudes w great spots and they like to brag 😀. Hunted with them - they make plenty of mistakes - i just keep my mouth shut

Having the turkeys is the key!!

Sat down with a lot of “old school” killers. Every single one had different mindset. One that comes to mind, didn’t call until the bird hit the ground, if multiple birds were heard he would say to pick out the “oldest” sounding one… of course no decoys, blinds, belly crawling shenanigans. 30 yard shot max… all while calling with homemade calls…

Is this movement about some young guns wanting to go old school for clicks?
Old school to me was the guys that said you go and sit, call a series of breeding yelps and wait 45 minutes before doing anything while keeping eyes wide open.

I’ve never heard anybody call that old school.

You’ve never heard that’s how you’re supposed to hunt them. That’s all I heard when I started back in the early 90s. Said all these young guys running and gunning is gonna ruin the sport. I was told this over and over, specifically had to use a box call, a Lynch was best. That’s how all the old timers killed em

Marketing overruling common sense

Wingbones, homemade slates, and lynch box calls were the standard. There were also these little cedar boxes that you would strike against a peg. The box was 3 to 4 inches long by 2 to three wide and 3/4 inch thick with a lip. The peg was 2 inches long and you held it still and moved the box against it. I have a few my grandfather made. Maybe it is time to go old school and pull those out of a storage box.

I’ve got an old frictionwood that is my go to in a bind. Had a friend that carried a Turpin that his granddaddy died still holding it in a turkey blind. It’d strike birds nothing else would. I forget how much it as worth but Rob carried every hunt.

im old school and i like it

I’m probably a solid mix.

I was taught by the guys that yelped 3 times and never made another call. I was taught to under no circumstances do you ever spook a Turkey.

That said, I call to move a turkeys feet these days. It drives the old guys I grew up with hunting crazy, but the don’t complain when that tail fan appears.

I love the game. I want to beat to beat a mature tom on his terms. I don’t want to sit in a blind over decoys and deer hunt a Turkey. However, if that’s how you hunt I am not going to berate or dismiss you. I just don’t get a thrill out of it.

I am teaching my kids to hunt now. They are 4 and 8. Baby girl just wants to ride the 4 wheeler and sit on the rack and listen to gobbles at this point. My boy is fully engaged. He called in a gobbler by himself this season and learned the hard way about not being hidden well. His exact words when we got home - “Mom I thought I was going to be sick my heart was beating so hard. I couldn’t make my hands and legs quit shaking!” He gets it….

Back when there weren’t any turkey hunters I think this may have worked. In today’s turkey woods these birds have been called to way too much, bumped, shot, shot at, etc. I don’t think 3 yelps and sitting on a gobbling turkey will work like it did 40 yrs ago. These Alabama turkeys today seem they just want you to give them a reason to walk away. Giving them only 3 yelps seems like a recipe for a long morning in the woods.

Oh I completely agree.

I haven never been one myself to do it, but my mentors taught me that’s how to do it. Honestly, it worked. They killed the 5 bird limit in Alabama and the 3 bird limit in Mississippi every year.

Back when the old timers were doing the 3 yelps every 45 minutes and wait. Hitting them hard and keeping the gobbling hard worked well for years. I rarely yelp at a bird and I mean rarely. I’ll let out a series on the Billy White if nothing is gobbling but that’s about it. Purrs, whines and light cuts/clucks is about all I do now.

I don’t use locater calls early. I wait and listen

The game has changed thru the years and there is always exceptions but that’s what I do now.

I miss the ole running and gunning and wearing a call out. Trying to get him to pass out from hard gobbling and never letting up. Those were the days.

I grew up with a different set of old timers, I guess. (1970’s) They weren’t one trick ponies for sure sitting around and clucking 3 times every so often. If the bird needed a lot of calling, they called a lot. If a little, a little. If he wanted a box, they called with a box, or a slate or a wing, a snuff box, a scratch box, a willow leaf (exaggeration) or a little later a diaphragm, whatever they had and needed too. And they would walk your legs off looking to strike a bird. About the only thing they wouldn’t do was crawl to one. They were sportsmen when it came to turkeys. They had seen some rough population swings and loved hunting them. They wanted more for tomorrow…

Or even call with two calls at one time too. I've called with one call then right behind it with another . You can take some two Reed mouth calls and flip them in your and make two total different calls . I've seen hens yelp a couple times I've seen hens yelp over a dozen times ...

And yes gobblers are different . Some like different sounds better I've heard hens that sounded nice and clear others that sounded bout like a dog barking . Why calling contest never impressed me. calling people is one thing calling a turkey is another thing

Just to add ... the flow of the call is what matters . You can call with a clear call or raspy but the flow need to be right . You mess up just blend it in . I've seen one hen call and the one beside her slap her around. So if you screw up a call don't worry that much about it hens ain't perfect either.


Its the flow

Turkey kills just don’t count unless you call him in to 15’ or less and flip him with a.410. Anything else is lowdown scumbag outlaw new school YouTube shenanigans.

I like them 12-15 feet with my 3.5 inch #6 nitro mags....but only if they will strut.