Thinkin Bout Some New Gear

[clrj3514]

After turkey season, I think I am going to start adding some new gear to my arsenal before next turkey season. I'll hagve all the way to next April to get what I want. I have some stuff in mind that I'm wanting to buy and want to see what you guys think. I've been hunting with my daddy and graddaddy since I started going turkey hunting 4-5 years ago, but I'm getting my driver's license soon so I'm going to hunting on my own and I want to be ready. Here's some gear I was thinking about buying.

1. Slate-Surface Pot Call

2. Jake-Mobile Strutting Decoy & a hen decoy

3. Gobbler Shaker Call

4. H.S. Strut V-Pod

5. Some new diapragms

6. New Camo

7. Some things you guys suggest

Do you all have any suggestions as to which brand to purchase of the calls I want to buy, what camo pattern to get, or anything else that I may need and if any of you have experience with the Jake-Mobile decoy. All together, by next hunting season I intend to have $200 or so in new hunting gear. Thanks in advance!

[craig mack]

That looks like a good start. I dont know if you need anything else. Our opener starts tomorrow and I cant wait!!!! Good luck this season.

[Rhino]

Slate-Surface Pot Call - I'd go try some out and choose the one that's the most forgiving. You can always add more slate calls in the future. The most forgiving production slate call I've bought before is a Cody II. With that said though most of the time I use custom made calls while hunting. I do prefer a slate surface over glass, etc. I've killed birds using Strut10's slate calls and redbeard's (Madhatter) slate calls. I know some forum members really like Andy's slate calls too. I just don't happen to have one yet except for one of the one's Andy made in memory of Exturkinator. I don't want to scratch the surface up on that beautiful call or risk loosing it in the woods.

Gobbler Shaker Call - I've been using the Primos Gobbler call since they came out with it years ago. It reproduces the best sounding gobble from any shaker call I've used before.

Some new diapragms - Diaphrams are really a personal preference thing. Some seem to fit and sound fine from one person and don't fit or sound worth a flip from another. I personally like the Woodhaven (Stinger) Red Wasp best out of the Woodhaven line of diaphrams. I also like the Preston Pittman Lightning. I'm told that's the same diaphram Preston Pittman uses when he's hunting.

New Camo - I'd choose your camo to best blend in with the terrain you hunt. Here at home spring green up comes early so I prefer as much green in my camo as possible after the 1st week of the season. Choose yours to best fit your home turf, not mine.

Some things you guys suggest - Extra strikers for your slate calls. One I picked up this year that I really liked was the Primos Lucky Striker. You can probably get some other extra strikers from forum members here that make custom calls too. Each time you switch strikers you can get a different tone out of the same pot call. Using 2 different strikers with one pot can make a gobbler think there's 2 hens calling instead of one.

[clrj3514]

Thanks Rhino. Anybody else?

[rhine16]

Shoot Andy(bowhunter56) a pm about a slate..... you won't be disappointed.

[GWSmith]

In my opinion there are so many things you could get the combinations can be overwhelming.

Some of the questions I believe you should be asking yourself should be...

"What will I actually carry with me when I hunt"?

"What are the basics I need to kill a bird"?

"What do I need with me to enjoy the hunt"?

As far as decoys go my biggest question is this:

"Am I willing to send the shot if my only possible chance is the Gobbler standing close to my decoy"?

Seriously..Have I spent so much money on a decoy that I'm not willing to put some pellets into it?

Probably the best 2 suggestions I could give you is:

1. Buy a good Topo Map and Aerial Photo's of the property your going to hunt.

2. Buy a GPS that you can afford and use it to mark places when you go scouting.

I believe the last two suggestions have made the biggest difference in my success. In the Topo pic below I learned, from previous scouting trips, the birds like to roost near where the "First Setup" is marked. Flydown is usually to the "South" towards the creek. In later hunts I've also learned they like to travel to the "SouthEast" along the creek after flydown. I've adjusted my setups in this area since and have been more successful due to the information I've been able to gather and then later study in more detail.

Being able to upload the GPS information to your Topo maps will bring it all together;)

I like the freedom as well in being able to just take off in any direction and always be able to find my way back to the truck!

Edited April 19, 2009 by GWSmith
added topo map

[Flintlock1776]

What I recommend

1. Slate-Surface Pot Call I used the Cody Drop Dead Slate Call, expensive but nice

2. Jake-Mobile Strutting Decoy & a hen decoy I used a Primos B-Mobile and hen decoy yesterday and brought in a nice 3 year old Tom (story posted elsewhere here)

3. Gobbler Shaker Call - I have a Quaket Boy Boss Gobble, it helped yesterday

4. H.S. Strut V-Pod - I don't use gun pods

5. Some new diaphragm - with a good box and slate call I have not needed to use a mouth call although I do have some custom Tom Teaser calls just for the heck of it, very nice

6. New Camo- use Camo Restore and keep your duds good

7. Some things you guys suggest

B-Mobile is on sale now at Cabelas $58

What you did not mention was a new vest. I got the Cabela's Tactical Tat'r Turkey Vest and man does it protect your back and keep your gear handy.

That and the B-Mobile and you would hit your budget

Let us know what you do! Good luck

[Flintlock1776]

In my opinion there are so many things you could get

Agreed, I just ordered the Garmin eTrex Vista HCx Handheld and MapSource TOPO U.S. Mac/Windows DVD for Garmin GPS.

I have older GPS but I wanted updated maps, color, and USB connectivity.

I like how the GPS devices I have can give you the best day to fish/hunt. That feature is so accurate it is scary!

[Leo]

If I was just going to take one "pot" call into the woods it would be Perfections Screaming Demon II. Like Rhino I was an adamant slate only fan until I got this glass call. This thing works birds from amazing distances. I rough mine up with 3M metal grade scotchbrite and turkeys seem to love it. Different strikers are a good tip. One good pot call and several strikers is deadly. If you don't want to shell out as much cash for a call. Knight and Hales Yella Hammer and Woodhaven's friction pot are good too.

I agree with Rhino about gobble calls. The Primos is THE one to get.

Get some kind of quick deploying camo blind that you can put up in a hurry. Not necessarily a full pop up but a short wall kind of blind to mask hand and feet movement. Just pinning up 18 inch high camo material in front of you makes an enormous difference over getting busted.

Try and get your gun to put at least 80 pellets in a 10in diameter circle at 40 yards. I believe that's bare minimum for an ethical 40 yard shot. A good turkey choke and good turkey loads are worth the money. Some combos are capable of putting 200 pellets in that 10 inch circle at 40 yards. At 50 yds that combo is still a head shredder! All the best calls and decoys aren't worth a thing if your gun can't produce a killing pattern on the bird at the moment of truth. So get your gun right first! Choke, load, sights and pattern. This is crucially important!

[longbeardfever4ever]

Shoot Andy(bowhunter56) a pm about a slate..... you won't be disappointed.

[clrj3514]

any more advice?

[Flintlock1776]

any more advice?

Start buying to help the economy!!