to decoy or not to decoy

  • chippee
    sw wi
    Posts: 488
    #210932

    That is my question. While I am not real long on turkey experience some observations have come to mind this year. After a successfull youth hunt in which 6 toms practically raced to our decoys, I sat through a scoreless 3rd season having 2 toms hang up at about 75-80yds. Would i be correct in assuming that as the seasons progress and birds wise up that tom is going to wait for her to come to him as it should be rather than racing in and that I might be better off not using decoys to keep him coming in and looking for her. We have one more season left next week to try and drop the hammer on one more.

    lick
    Posts: 6443
    #51462

    if only we knew why or why not turkeys come to decoys sometimes they work sometimes they dont its all personal preference myself i very rarely use decoys but when birds hang up because i believe they wanted to see a hen then i wish i woulda had them out sorry i dont have a clear cut answer for ya this is one of the hardest turkey questions to answer

    kevinbrantner
    West Central Wisconsin
    Posts: 244
    #51464

    I had decoys out yesterday and 3 jakes came in and all but destroyed my tom decoy! It was so comical it took everything I had to keep from laughing out loud. The sad thing is I had a bunch of toms coming in from behind me and all the noise the jakes made scared them off. I’ve got good video of it all so I’ll get it posted as soon as I can.

    stickerpoint
    Posts: 135
    #51465

    Ive only turkey hunted for 3 years but from my experience with decoys are that they are hit and miss. i think it all depends on a toms mood. I usually use decoys 100% of the time in the early season. when it comes to be late in the season i use them less often because i have to be completely mobile to adjust to the turkeys. but still if i am just going to sit in a blind all day i always use them because you never know when a decoy can pull in a tom from a long distance. my biggest bird, the one i killed this year, ran from 150+ yards from hearing a little yelp and seeing my decoy. I am a big fan of decoys, but when i have to adjust to birds, they can become a hassle.

    protourbaits
    stillwater, MN
    Posts: 2466
    #51466

    I have always hunted the last 2 weeks in May for the archery season for a few reasons, 1. im at school and don’t have the time to really go home and hunt 2. I enjoy a longer season 3. the birds that i have hunted the last couple years still respond to calling. Yes it is true that as the season progresses Tom’s become less and less interested in breeding but depending on their mood, personality and other confounding factors that they will be aggressive enough to be physical with a decoy. However, last season i noticed that Tom’s are less interested in a full strut decoy or Jake. I had a few hunts where the gobblers came within 50 yards but then either turned around or kept on moving
    I always use a decoy, hen that is because i only bow hunt and that eliminates the chance of being mobile It can be done, but chances are 1 in a million. I would say use a hen decoy and limit volume and calling once you see how a gobbler. There are better answers than mine but i would say bring one every time but keep it in the blind

    turk2di
    Western, Ky
    Posts: 58
    #51472

    If your hunting fields, a decoy(s) are a must. Good luck! If the bird continues to stay out there at 75yds, then you can

    Joel Nelson
    Moderator
    Southeast MN
    Posts: 3137
    #51487

    End of season gun hunting I wouldn’t use decoys at all. If you like to sit tight in a blind or something, you might want to try them. Pay careful attention to how any approaching bird reacts, and strip them at the slightest hint of spooking!

    Joel

    protourbaits
    stillwater, MN
    Posts: 2466
    #51491

    what do you think about the last two weeks for archery from a blind using only a hen decoy Joel?

    Joel Nelson
    Moderator
    Southeast MN
    Posts: 3137
    #51493

    Archery is a different ballgame. I almost always use dekes when bowhunting them. I like two hens and a jake, maybe even two hens and a strutting tom decoy. That strutting tom is a homerun/strikeout move. You score big or you scare ’em big. It’s capability to draw birds from distance is worth having one IMO. Whether they eventually commit or not is a different story.

    Footage from the morning of our video hunt (footage we didn’t get well as it was behind the blind) had an old, cool-customer of a tom come in from behind. He roosted separate from the rest, he gobbled thunderously from the highest point in the valley, and came in silent (of course). He looked at the strutting tom deke for all of 5 seconds before going right back where he came.

    A single hen is a real stealth play. I’d do that if the birds have been hunted before. Also wise if you’d take a jake. In certain situations like that, I like to use one or two hens slightly hidden on a field edge or meadow edge. Lots of times when a turkey sees them, then doesn’t see them, then sees them again…..I think that gets them to come in pretty close.

    In all reality, during the last two weeks of the season, many of the toms will want to be with hens that don’t want to be with them. Getting them to check you out usually isn’t too bad on good property with enough days. This time of year I consistently call in more birds (within gun range) than any other time of the year for me. You’re also way more likely to be able to draw a tom away from his hens during this time of year. The trick is always getting them to get within bow range at this stage of the game.

    Narrows in fields, bottlenecks like ravines/draws, and or field entry/exit spots pin them down to a certain yardage which I think is more critical than decoy number or placement. Also, use that blind to corner them into a field or setup mid “structure” to get 20 yard shots on either side. The more I bowhunt them, the more I respect the guys that pick one or two setups that are turkey killin’ spots and stick it out. I have a hard time doing that personally as it’s not as fun for me. I enjoy the cat/mouse game with the shotgun too much, even if I know the former is more likely to fill my tag at the end of the season.

    Good luck!!!

    Joel

    Joel Nelson
    Moderator
    Southeast MN
    Posts: 3137
    #51506

    Quote:


    If your hunting fields, a decoy(s) are a must. Good luck! If the bird continues to stay out there at 75yds, then you can


    Turk – Interested more in your experience with fields and dekes. I’ve been unlucky just as many times, if not more, than lucky with decoys.

    Joel

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