How many use decoys?

[Hoyt03]

Are decoys a pretty important part of turkey hunting, or do not all of you use them. I'm looking at buying a 3 piece decoy set with two hens and a jake. Do they work? Who all uses them? Thanks

[Leo]

I have put out as many as seven but the situation and what the birds are doing dictates this.

When you stop seeing flocks, stop putting out multiple decoys.

[Rhino]

I'm old school I guess. Decoys weren't available when I started turkey hunting so I don't use decoys very much. The 4 birds I've called in this year for myself and a friend of mine were without the use of any decoys. I do think they will sometimes tip the scales in your favor but sometimes birds can get decoy shy, especially after the 1st week or so of the season in areas that get pressured down here. If you're hunting from a blind and prefer not to try to relocate while trying to work a gobbler, I'd suggest you use decoys. I just prefer to have the option to be mobil and prefer not carrying decoys around with me.

[Ironranger]

Guess it all depends on where you hunt. Where I hunt in Wisconsin, the birds aren't as pressured as the surrounding landowners don't let alot of people on to hunt and we have access to over 1000 acres. There, I will try decoys in a certain honeyhole where I've had success before. I go with two hens and a buckwing jake...set one hen off on her own and I put the other hen close to the ground like she is ready to mate. Then set the jake on top of her. That has worked well. In Minnesota where I hunt, the area gets pounded hard throughout the season and although I've got alot of land to hunt, I've had too many gobblers look at decoys and either ignore them or run the other way. So I usually give them a shot in WI for awhile but once I have a gobbler hang on them I put them in the truck. Also, if I know the gobbler will be coming from a certain direction I put the decoys about 25 yards past me so that if the gobbler hangs at 50 I'm still at 25 away and have the shot.

[buckchaser]

i use them extensively they seem to work quite well this spring i'm going to try a photo sillouette decoy

[maytom]

I use them as well. Another tool for the turkey hunter. It also adds illusion to the hunt!!!

[deldeer]

i use them all the time. i use 2 hens & a jake. i will put the hens out at about 20 yards in front of where im going to sit, & put the jake about 5 to 10 yards off to one side of the hens. i hunt mostly field edges here so it seems to work really good....... http://www.realtree.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[AdvantageTimberLou]

I got some Deltas, a feeding hen, attentive hen and jake. I use them alot and haven't had the turkeys scared off them yet, then again the hunting pressure for turkeys in my area is not that bad.

I sometimes position my attentive hen in the breeding position with the jake righ behind her. http://www.realtree.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Lou

[mo_hunter]

I like to use them first thing in the am. If things don't work out I'll put them up and go to them (try to anyway.)

[redbeard]

Not I and haven't for the last 74 toms I've taken, but sometimes I think hard on it.

[MrWiggely]

I have for the last 23 toms and probably always will. I use 2 hens sometimes 3, no jakes. Too many hunters around here for a jake.

Wigs

[maddhunter]

I use them most all the time unless I don't have time to set them out.

[bigmacz71]

I personally use decoys everytime at least one. Befor i got my decoys i could get the bird to come in but as sone as the bird got in sight he seemed to be looking for something and would never come any closer even if i was the best caller in the world. This happened for about 5 times and as soon as i got back to town i went to academy and bought that three piece set and the next time in the woods i got a bird to come right in with no problem and there has been one time that i could not get them set up and the same old thing happened to me again and so i am a strong believer in decoys they in my opinion they are a good investment.


Good luck I hope I helped

[IowaDeerHunter]

I try to put them out when I hunt, especially in the fields. I use the one jake and one hen, sometimes I put them on top of each other. Usually it depends on the situatuion.

[RJK]

A tip I picked up along the way. When using decoys, which I do if I have time to get them set out, make sure the jake decoy is facing you. When the long beard comes in he will want to go beak to beak with the jake decoy, this will allow you some time to shoulder your gun or draw your bow as the long beard will have his back to you and if he is fanned out there is no way he will see you move. Worked last weekend for my bro when he shot his turkey with a bow, without a blind.