What are you guys seeing out there? I had some lackluster responses to decoys my past season, some were downright bad. Spooked a 2 year old bird pretty good with a full strut tom that was otherwise completely nuts and committed. Others seeing the same things? Even the hen dekes, had indifferent responses at best.
Joel
I’ll let Brad give more details, but I’m headed for Cabelas this afternoon for a couple more. We used a full strut, but for the pressured birds I’ll be targeting next weekend my focus will be to use a jake and a couple hens.
After years of this I gave decoys 1 last try last weekend and they failed again 3 Toms would gobble at every noiseand could see the strutting decoy with 2 hens but wouldn’t committ. 
I seriously doubt I will ever use decoys again
I will rel more on scouting and setup locations Being in an area they feel comfortable and were a hen could easily be unseen so they have to look for her 
But they do have there place I’m hunting with my father-in-law this week and his weapon of choice is a crossbow so may have to put them out 
We have had several mature birds rush the full strut decoy over the last couple weeks. Granted these birds aren’t pressured as much but the birds were going crazy for them.
Ive seen mixed results this year. From a winter hunt that they came just to check them out, to a hunt in Florida where the birds came running in to the DSD’s. A week ago in Nebraska we saw a bird come to our calls, and stop dead at 50 and turn around once he saw the Jake decoy.
I think it matters more on the time of the season. Florida the hens had all been bred and the gobblers were looking for the last of them to breed. When we were in Neb. they were just starting to breed and lots of hens were still availiable for the pickings. There it seemed the birds would just as well go find another hen without putting up the fight with a Jake.
CW
Just got home from South Dakota/Nebraska. They did not like the tom decoy. A couple of jakes came in and checked everything out. Our best luck was no decoys just spot n stalk.
Had two different birds hold up at 100 yards or more even though they were committed to begin with! 
Trying a new piece this week and may have to bring the strutter out to see what reaction we get! Otherwise I’ll be packing light the rest of the week!
We’ve shot 4 and missed one so far this year over decoys. 2 Jakes and 2 Toms. Longest shot has been about 8 yards. We have been using just one hen decoy. Either a DSD or a real taxidermied hen. 2 of them were actually shot off the back of the decoy.
I’m 1 for 1 this year so far SANS decoy…
Many times they work, but they aren’t always necessary…. I tend to run and gun a lot, which is much easier without the ‘coy…
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