I've never used decoys but tempted to try Saturday. Any reccs - say 1 gobbler plus a hen, good brand that has good price etc thanks
Turkey decoys
I've never used decoys but tempted to try Saturday. Any reccs - say 1 gobbler plus a hen, good brand that has good price etc thanks
Avian x pricey but look super
~~1995 Gambler~~
Mercury 250 ProXS
Bobs 10" AJ
Dual Power Poles
2-HB 1199's HB 1158 HB 597 in dash
Ultrex 112
"Runs like a cheetah... with his @$$ on fire"
Thanks- don't know how that prayer icon got on there. Those are pretty high dollar but are definitely nice
I too am very new to Turkey hunting. Took my 15 year old son 2 weeks ago during Youth weekend. That's when I saw first hand that we needed decoys. We had a Gobbler about 125 yds. coming in, it was just a matter of time, then all the sudden a Hen about 300 yds away started clucking for about 3 minutes non stop, that Gobbler made a U turn and went straight for the Hen.
Anyway I ended up ordering 3 new (But expensive) decoys from Macks Prarie Wings. I ordered the Dave Smith Decoys brand, 1 Jake and 2 Hens. It was an expensive Investment, but I hope to keep these for Life, so it was an investment just like a good quality Rod/Reel or a nice shotgun, etc.
I ordered them on Friday and they arrived today, plus we got a free mouth call with each decoy. Hope the investment helps us get our 1st Gobbler.
I have just as many turkeys spook because of decoys as ones coming to them. Seems like it is a toss up to me whether they work or not. Calling is the trick, when to call and when to shut up.
One live hen trumps a dozen plastic decoys...Originally Posted by spinningreel
I've turkey hunted many years, usually in woods / mountains ; this year I'm hunting a farm I bought few months ago- got 2 groups nesting -separated by 30 acre open field - thought might put decoys in said field but never had trouble when I hunted in the woods so never tried decoys
The only time I use a decoy is field hunting. I have the stupid looking funky chicken jake decoy. In woods I never use one, makes the tom come looking for you and you can get up close and personal with him.
As with any rut hunting honestly that's what spring turkey is same as bugling elk time. You have to get their temperature just right for decoys to work. I had two gobblers and 5 hens walk right by them on Sunday at 30 yards and could care less. Two weeks from now it will be a different story the Tom's won't be buddies and will be looking for monkey love.
A few years ago I thought I'd be real smart. I shot a bearded hen in Kansas. I'd get her mounted and use her for a decoy. $300 later I got this awesome looking decoy. Used her a few times and had to be real gentle with her.(not easy for me) she didn't work any better then a plastic one.
~~1995 Gambler~~
Mercury 250 ProXS
Bobs 10" AJ
Dual Power Poles
2-HB 1199's HB 1158 HB 597 in dash
Ultrex 112
"Runs like a cheetah... with his @$$ on fire"
I use 6 DSD decoys. The full strut with a breeding hen under him with the rest spread out works like nothing else. Dominant toms want to fight and subordinate toms come in looking to steal a hen away from the busy gobbler.
"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."
Nothing more realistic than Dave Smith Decoys...
i use them ol cheep feather flex decoys and have for years.. and iv killed a bunch of turkeys with them and never had one spook because of the decoy,, i killed one last sat and went again this morn and got my second one,, i guess im done this year
I bought one of those ugly little decoys after a friend encouraged me. It is silly looking, but every gobbler/jake that comes by wants to whip it. Had a jake yesterday afternoon beat on the decoy for 30 minutes and finally bent the stake. Yesterday morning had a swinging beard nose to nose with it; my daughter missed that one.
Had a similar situation except had a Gobbler mounted that I used ,was hunting horse pasture and yep you guessed it ,one of the horses grabbed it up and took off with it!! Tore it up pretty good!!Wish I had that on video my cousin couldn't hunt for laughing all day!!
JAM'D Outdoors-sponsored by PAPPAWDAD and MIMI!!
I love my Avian -X decoys. The best luck I have had lately are just 2 hens. 1 look out and the other feeder decoy
So true had it happen many timesOne live hen trumps a dozen plastic decoys...
Avian X - Is there anything else? You spend so much time doing what ya love so get the best!! My 2017 Bird = 21.5lb, 10", 1 1/8"!
Put then where Birds can see them- If not in field then In sun-light rays in woods. BOOM!
Last edited by BOW4UM; 04-21-2017 at 07:58 AM.
2008 ChampioN 198 / 225 Opti ProXS! 1999 187 DC Elite / Merc 175 efi & 1989 184 DCR /Merc 175 xri
Got 2 gobbstoppers as all I could get at 5 am Walmart -biggin strolled by without a look but of course out of gun range- I had same bird in Saturday without decoy to 50-60 yards but he wouldn't come in- he had a bad limp that was much better today, figured he d been for fighting. Tuff pressured crew out there
I've had mixed results with decoys over the years. I too have Avain X hen decoys, pricey but good decoys. Hens seem to be leary of them though, IMO they are to big. It seems I read or saw on tv where avian x has some new smaller ones out.
I killed a lot more turkeys ( and honestly still do) before I started hunting with decoys. The problem I have with decoys is that I put them out and sit and wait for a turkey. When I don't have decoys, I use my woodsmanship skills to slip around and get ahead of a turkey if I don't get close to him on the roost. I am much more successful that way.
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