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How much does decoys help turkey hunters #6509173
04/03/19 04:05 PM
04/03/19 04:05 PM
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 16,951
OH
Catch22 Offline OP
trapper
Catch22  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 16,951
OH
I have said on numerous threads that I have the turkey curse lol. It's true. I'm not sure why because I do well with everything else. Perhaps in another life I was cursed by a witch or a gypsy, to never get a Tom Turkey, IDK. This year, in my low bird populated county in the pathetic district 3 of Ohio, I want to get serious and break the curse. So, will decoys increase my odds, or is this not important? Calling out to the Turkey whisperers.....


I wonder if tap dancers walk into a room, look at the floor, and think, I'd tap that. I wonder about things.....
Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Catch22] #6509177
04/03/19 04:07 PM
04/03/19 04:07 PM
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,594
KY
A
AnthonyT Offline
trapper
AnthonyT  Offline
trapper
A

Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,594
KY
Depends on the day. Some days you can't keep the birds away from a decoy and others they could care less it was there. I like to use them as it gives the turkey something to focus on other than you.

Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Catch22] #6509178
04/03/19 04:11 PM
04/03/19 04:11 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 34,766
Central, SD
Law Dog Offline
trapper
Law Dog  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 34,766
Central, SD
Some places a single decoy will scare a gobbler away depending on the pressure they get. I prefer to be on the edge of thicker cover so the bird has to search for that hen he cannot find!


Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!

Jerry Herbst
Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Catch22] #6509181
04/03/19 04:12 PM
04/03/19 04:12 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
T
The Beav Offline
trapper
The Beav  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
That's about It In a nut shell.
I have several permanent blinds set up and they all have decoys stored In them. I never use a decoy when I'm running and gunning.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Catch22] #6509187
04/03/19 04:18 PM
04/03/19 04:18 PM
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 912
North Carolina
DaYooper14 Offline
trapper
DaYooper14  Offline
trapper

Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 912
North Carolina
If you have a low population density and a good amount of hunters, depending on the size of land you have access to I'd start with the decoy and an extremely subtle calling sequence. Everybody and their brother will be out there hacking away on their calls. Be subtle. Learn the purr. Don't go cheap on the decoy, get a good one or 3. React to the what you hear from the birds. If they're aggressive in the morning, you can adjust your strategy accordingly on what you are or are not hearing. If you hear of anyone doing spring burns on their land - run and beg and to get access. Toms and shoots are a beautiful thing.


-- It seems all of Greece knows what is the right thing to do, but it is only the Spartans that do anything about it. --
Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Catch22] #6509188
04/03/19 04:18 PM
04/03/19 04:18 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
T
The Beav Offline
trapper
The Beav  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
Check out Mojo scoot and shoot. They have some great flicks about shooting turkeys with the use of a decoy.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Catch22] #6509190
04/03/19 04:21 PM
04/03/19 04:21 PM
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 829
Maine
S
SleekOtter Offline
trapper
SleekOtter  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 829
Maine
If it's safe enough to use a fan or attach a fan to a strutting decoy, find a nice Tom and crawl right at him. Whack him when he's within 10 yards.

Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Catch22] #6509197
04/03/19 04:26 PM
04/03/19 04:26 PM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 6,117
Northern Wisconsin,Rhinelander
Hodagtrapper Offline
Muskrat Master
Hodagtrapper  Offline
Muskrat Master

Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 6,117
Northern Wisconsin,Rhinelander
For the spring season I always set up with a hen and a jake decoy. Close together with the jake behind the hen. The old toms can't stand that so it has worked for me on numerous occasions.

Chris


>>In God we trust<<
Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Catch22] #6509198
04/03/19 04:27 PM
04/03/19 04:27 PM
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 557
WV
G
garymc Offline
trapper
garymc  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 557
WV
I have used decoys for years with mixed results. Three seasons ago I upgraded my 20+ year old feather flex decoys to Avian X decoys and they have been deadly. I really think it has to do with the realism. They are pricey, but the difference in the interaction between the Avian X and the older decoys have been night and day. All three years I have had the jake decoy severely attacked by jakes. One jake flogged the Avian jake for a good 5 minutes last season before he finally rode it over. I called in two doubles on mature birds last year and after the shot I was able to get the other bird to stay around and not spook. I typically use a jake and hen, but do change it up from time to time.

The only downfall the Avian X is bulky and heavy.

Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: SleekOtter] #6509204
04/03/19 04:31 PM
04/03/19 04:31 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
T
The Beav Offline
trapper
The Beav  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
Originally Posted by SleekOtter
If it's safe enough to use a fan or attach a fan to a strutting decoy, find a nice Tom and crawl right at him. Whack him when he's within 10 yards.


What I did was get a regular umbrella, It's black and I painted a turkey head on It. Last year I crawled right up on a flock of hens and got with In about 40 yards when they got a bit spooky. No gobbler around.
This year I'm going to set up before day light close to the roost. I'm getting to old and stove up to be doing much crawling around any more.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Catch22] #6509206
04/03/19 04:33 PM
04/03/19 04:33 PM
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 4,951
rogers city mi.
J
jeff karsten Offline
trapper
jeff karsten  Offline
trapper
J

Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 4,951
rogers city mi.
IMHO no, hangups once they spot the decoy if they come in anyway they probably would have come in without the decoy let the bird do the talking low purrs and occasional clucks or yelps have sealed the deal more for me then anything that gobbler knows exactly where that call is the first time you use it when he comes in and hears all noise and no action he's gone


olden tyred
Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Catch22] #6509208
04/03/19 04:35 PM
04/03/19 04:35 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 2,400
Morgantown, WV
D
Dfabs Offline
trapper
Dfabs  Offline
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D

Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 2,400
Morgantown, WV
Sometimes they will come all the way across a field to them, and other times, they will turn their skin inside out getting outta there when they see one. Just depends how pressured your birds are.

Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Catch22] #6509210
04/03/19 04:36 PM
04/03/19 04:36 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,432
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,432
Georgia
It's against the rules as I was taught.


[Linked Image]
Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: jeff karsten] #6509214
04/03/19 04:38 PM
04/03/19 04:38 PM
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 882
pennsylvania
R
rick brocious Offline
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rick brocious  Offline
trapper
R

Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 882
pennsylvania
Originally Posted by jeff karsten
IMHO no, hangups once they spot the decoy if they come in anyway they probably would have come in without the decoy let the bird do the talking low purrs and occasional clucks or yelps have sealed the deal more for me then anything that gobbler knows exactly where that call is the first time you use it when he comes in and hears all noise and no action he's gone
X 2

Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Catch22] #6509219
04/03/19 04:46 PM
04/03/19 04:46 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 19,932
SEPA
L
Lugnut Offline
trapper
Lugnut  Offline
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L

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 19,932
SEPA
I used them a couple of years with limited success. Sometimes they did more harm than good. I have much better success running and gunning, my preferred method of hunting spring gobblers.


Eh...wot?

Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Catch22] #6509225
04/03/19 04:49 PM
04/03/19 04:49 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,347
New Mexico
C
Chamacat Offline
trapper
Chamacat  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,347
New Mexico
Yep..I bumped a flock of 6-8 birds on horseback..never knew they were there...I went another couple hundred yards parked my horse and came back. I set a hen decoy up on a dirt water tank that was empty..Never called made a peep or nothing..a couple toms seen the hen and came in on a string..That was the only time I ever had that happen..Nothing but decoy


I can catch them here...I can catch them ANYWHERE
Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Catch22] #6509227
04/03/19 04:52 PM
04/03/19 04:52 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
T
The Beav Offline
trapper
The Beav  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
if I'm hunting with another person and If possible I'll set them up about 10 yards from the decoys then one of use will drop back about 50 yards and do the calling. This way you don't get all those 40 yard hang ups. Well most of the time it works.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Dfabs] #6509228
04/03/19 04:53 PM
04/03/19 04:53 PM
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 12,109
South Ga - Almost Florida
S
Swamp Wolf Offline
trapper
Swamp Wolf  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 12,109
South Ga - Almost Florida
Originally Posted by Dfabs
Sometimes they will come all the way across a field to them, and other times, they will turn their skin inside out getting outta there when they see one. Just depends how pressured your birds are.

This has been my experience too.

Nothing beats learning the land and the birds where you hunt.

Get to where they want to go undetected, set up and call from there. It'll work so well that you wont understand why you aren't on Primos' Prostaff.


Thank God For Your Blessings!
Never Half-Arse Anything!

Resource Protection Service

Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Dfabs] #6509248
04/03/19 05:16 PM
04/03/19 05:16 PM
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 645
N/E Il. NOT Chicago!!
S
squacks Offline
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squacks  Offline
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Joined: May 2018
Posts: 645
N/E Il. NOT Chicago!!
Originally Posted by Dfabs
Sometimes they will come all the way across a field to them, and other times, they will turn their skin inside out getting outta there when they see one. Just depends how pressured your birds are.

My experience exactly. In the timber, I never use them. Hunting fields, they may work sometimes.
I have had gobblers coming in hot and as soon as they spotted a decoy, they made a big WIDE circle around them and kept going.
It's like any other kind of turkey hunting I've done. Sometimes it seems purt near impossible to get anywhere near one. The next day one walks in and surrenders. The main thing that works is NEVER GIVE UP!
Best time of the day to actually shoot a turkey in spring(in my humble opinion) is between 10am and 2pm. You can catch more LONELY gobblers around that time and they will be looking for company.

Re: How much does decoys help turkey hunters [Re: Catch22] #6509313
04/03/19 07:14 PM
04/03/19 07:14 PM
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 1,539
Saucier, Mississippi Harrison ...
T
turkn8rtrapper Offline
trapper
turkn8rtrapper  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 1,539
Saucier, Mississippi Harrison ...
First if you are hunting on public ground or a place where others have access be VERY careful with decoys. A lot of turkey hunters get shot or shot at by yayhoos sniping what they think is a turkey. Second if you are alone in an area void of yayhoos I use a 3 decoy set. It very seldom fails to produce and I have pulled a pile of 3 and 4 year olds off hens and killed them. I use a Pretty Boy with a real adult full fan (except in Texas) and 2 hen decoys. The one squating that comes with Pretty Boy is 3 feet in front of him and an alert hen is about 10 feet to the side looking in a different direction. An adult gobbler is not going to tolerate another gobbler breeding hens on his turf. I.ve had them come over 100 yards to it. When they see it it is over. I've had them fly over creeks to get to it. In Texas adult Rios will not aproach an adult decoy for some odd reason. A jake on the other hand is a whole different matter.


"Skin that smokewagon and see what happens"
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