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How stupid are turkeys?

Turkeys seem to be suckers for a groundblind. It wasn't there yesterday or earlier today, but that's cool...and they walk right by it. :smiley_chinrub: Goofy! I plan to purchase one before next year's turkeys season, as it's just not in the budget for this year.

However, I do have a Cabelas Ice House, ice shelter. There are no "shoot through" windows, but I could leave the door unzipped, the air vents open for some air and wear some black. The thing is...the blind is black, all black. There are no ties or loops to hang brush on, to brush it in, like normal groundblinds have. A few branches could be leaned up against it, I suppose.
This is the model that I have:
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabe...=ice+shelter&WTz_l=Header;Search-All+Products

Are turkeys stupid enough for me to set this ice shelter up, like a normal groundbling and hunt out of it with my decoys? :smiley_confused_vra

Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated.
Thank you, Bowhunter57
 
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Jackalope

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I say go for it. Turks care about movement more than anything. Let Jd tell you a story about some birds that pitched the wrong way from the roost and landed not 20 yards from his truck that he just parked there that morning. Lol
 

JD Boyd

*Supporting Member*
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Urbana
I say go for it. Turks care about movement more than anything. Let Jd tell you a story about some birds that pitched the wrong way from the roost and landed not 20 yards from his truck that he just parked there that morning. Lol

My thinking was park the truck there to keep them over where I was at. Should of sat in the truck...lol
 

Diablo54

Senior Member
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Outside
They never seem to be skittish of old cars,houses,junk. Id say like an earlier poster that as long as it never moves they won't care or maybe even notice.
 

Gern186

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NW Ohio Tundra
They are stupid, but they aren't dumb....if they were dumb then the success rate would be higher than 25% on a single bird and way less than that on 2 birds in a year. :smiley_crocodile:


I see no reason why the shanty won't work. You might want to trim a few leafy branches and place them around and on top of the shanty for a little extra.
 
Well, it was a thought and that's all it was, but I appreciate all the input from you guys. I set up my ice shelter this evening and the zipper door has to be opened too much to shoot out of, in order to not hit the blind itself. Plus, with the door that open there's too much light allowed inside and it's clear as to who/what's inside.

I'm just going to continue to hide in blow-down trees and set my decoys in a way to keep the turkey's eyes off of my position. I just ordered 3 more hens, which will be here tomorrow when I get off work. All total that will give me 4 hens, 1 jake and 1 strutting tom. This small flock of birds should give any approaching tom some feeling of safety with numbers. Hopefully, I can take advantage of the situation, before he figures it out. :smiley_blink:

Bowhunter57
 

hickslawns

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Well, it was a thought and that's all it was, but I appreciate all the input from you guys. I set up my ice shelter this evening and the zipper door has to be opened too much to shoot out of, in order to not hit the blind itself. Plus, with the door that open there's too much light allowed inside and it's clear as to who/what's inside.

I'm just going to continue to hide in blow-down trees and set my decoys in a way to keep the turkey's eyes off of my position. I just ordered 3 more hens, which will be here tomorrow when I get off work. All total that will give me 4 hens, 1 jake and 1 strutting tom. This small flock of birds should give any approaching tom some feeling of safety with numbers. Hopefully, I can take advantage of the situation, before he figures it out. :smiley_blink:

Bowhunter57

Doh! You mean you didn't just drive over to MC Sports and buy the $20 HS "Sweet Sally" hen decoys on sale for $11.99ea?

You need a blind to use? Give me a shout. I don't intend on using mine in the next week. Pretty sure that is all we have left in the season. Good luck my friend.
 
hickslawns said:
Doh! You mean you didn't just drive over to MC Sports and buy the $20 HS "Sweet Sally" hen decoys on sale for $11.99ea?
You gotta be kidding me. I ordered them from Roger's Sporting Goods, out of Missouri, for $9 ea. + S&H was only $30. Plus, the decoys that MC Sports carries sucks! They are either inflatable, which is only a matter of time until one of them spring a leak and it's done...or the rubber ones which never seem to recover their original form from being folded up from at factory. :smiley_arrogant:

hickslawns said:
You need a blind to use? Give me a shout. I don't intend on using mine in the next week. Pretty sure that is all we have left in the season. Good luck my friend.
Thanks, Phil, I'll be texting/calling you later this a.m.

Bowhunter57
 

hickslawns

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I agree with most of the decoys MC had. Most of them looked horrible. These did not look too bad though and I snagged them.