ryansullivan
Member
Just curious on what brand people find work the best for turkeys, and what kind of set up do you run? Jake or hen or a combo? Or does it depend on the situation? Thanks!
Turkey Decoy Question
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MThuntr
Well-known member
mostly use a hen sometimes with a jake...sometimes go without both. I have cheap Cabelas brand they seem to work
Summitthunting
Well-known member
I just finished this up tonight. Bought the body on clearance at Cabelas and started hacking at it. I’ll find out if it works in 10 days! I also ordered two of the Avian X LCD hens from Scheels, they are on sale.
While hunting public land I generally use hen decoys only. I don't want to give some dude an opportunity to shoot at a decoy and get me down range. This is why even when using hen decoys I make sure that line of sight beyond the decoy(s) is open enough that a turkey ninja isn't trying to Apache sneak my decoy.
I do have a Primos B-Mobile tom decoy, that I have set up with a jake style fan, and several other hen decoys by various makers. Due to Kansas gusty winds I make sure to set up the decoy stakes FIRMLY into the earth, as I have lost opportunities to decoy birds in when an errant gust blew my decoy over.
My favorite jake decoy sports some hefty spur marks from an angry tom who came across an open field unbeknownst to me as I was watching birds in a lower field so I had my back turned to my decoys. My first clue as to what was going down was when I heard the spitting tom start his fighting purr/yelp and then the decoy flogging commenced. I decided that I couldn't dare turn around to bring my gun to bear, as there were hens in front and behind me, and would have been busted for sure. I guess I'm happy that I have yet to have a tom attempt to leave some Lewinsky blue-dress-evidence of his presence on any decoy.
I do have a Primos B-Mobile tom decoy, that I have set up with a jake style fan, and several other hen decoys by various makers. Due to Kansas gusty winds I make sure to set up the decoy stakes FIRMLY into the earth, as I have lost opportunities to decoy birds in when an errant gust blew my decoy over.
My favorite jake decoy sports some hefty spur marks from an angry tom who came across an open field unbeknownst to me as I was watching birds in a lower field so I had my back turned to my decoys. My first clue as to what was going down was when I heard the spitting tom start his fighting purr/yelp and then the decoy flogging commenced. I decided that I couldn't dare turn around to bring my gun to bear, as there were hens in front and behind me, and would have been busted for sure. I guess I'm happy that I have yet to have a tom attempt to leave some Lewinsky blue-dress-evidence of his presence on any decoy.
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ryansullivan
Member
That looks pretty dang good! Good luck out there!
I have that exact decoy (without the added wing feathers), and it has been the best tom/jake decoy I've used. I set it up with the head facing away from where I think the turkeys are, and have probably shot 5-7 toms off of it.
Rzrbck918
Well-known member
Ive had good luck with Primos decoys. They are easily accessible and relatively inexpensive. I have a Jake, tom, and hen and most often I use the hen and Jake together. I regularly place the hen in breeding position on the ground in front of the Jake. Drives the Toms crazy.
406LIFE
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I have a hen stuffer that I made myself. It isn't pretty as far as taxidermy goes, but next to a live one, its the best decoy I've ever seen.
TheBenHoyle
Well-known member
One note I could add from my own mistakes, pay attention to where you put your decoys in relation to yourself.
I once had a tom show up 10 yards away from me out of "nowhere" right at my jake decoy. But dummy me I had put the jake at a pretty hard angle on my right. It was only then that I realized that A) the decoy was too close and having a tom that close affectively pinned me in place and B) I'm right-handed, meaning that to shoot a bird on my right, I have to turn my body. Bad placement = lost bird.
Another time I had 2 travel corridors that I thought a turkey would take, and since I couldn't decide which to favor I put a couple decoys on one and a couple decoys on the other. Problem was, when the tom came down one corridor to a spot where I could see him, he saw the birds on the other corridor, effectively turning him in my direction. So he was looking right at me and I was pinned down until he decided that there were too many decoys... Another lost bird.
Try to put your decoys in a spot that allows you the best shooting angle and is least likely to put you in the background of what the turkey is looking at as he approaches.
Good luck!
I once had a tom show up 10 yards away from me out of "nowhere" right at my jake decoy. But dummy me I had put the jake at a pretty hard angle on my right. It was only then that I realized that A) the decoy was too close and having a tom that close affectively pinned me in place and B) I'm right-handed, meaning that to shoot a bird on my right, I have to turn my body. Bad placement = lost bird.
Another time I had 2 travel corridors that I thought a turkey would take, and since I couldn't decide which to favor I put a couple decoys on one and a couple decoys on the other. Problem was, when the tom came down one corridor to a spot where I could see him, he saw the birds on the other corridor, effectively turning him in my direction. So he was looking right at me and I was pinned down until he decided that there were too many decoys... Another lost bird.
Try to put your decoys in a spot that allows you the best shooting angle and is least likely to put you in the background of what the turkey is looking at as he approaches.
Good luck!
NEWHunter
Well-known member
I’ve had a few different types and brands and all seemed to do OK, except for the foam decoys that never seemed to work too well.
Sold them all on Craigslist and utilized a cabelas coupon and turned them into two Dave Smith hens and a jake. The dsd decoys work well and are extremely realistic. However, for that price you’d think every Tom that’s seen them would come running, but that’s not quite the case.
With as realistic as some of today’s less expensive decoys are, I think set up, calling, and the mood of that particular bird are bigger factors in filling a tag.
Sold them all on Craigslist and utilized a cabelas coupon and turned them into two Dave Smith hens and a jake. The dsd decoys work well and are extremely realistic. However, for that price you’d think every Tom that’s seen them would come running, but that’s not quite the case.
With as realistic as some of today’s less expensive decoys are, I think set up, calling, and the mood of that particular bird are bigger factors in filling a tag.
WildWill
Well-known member
I do the same thing with the same decoys sometimes add a extra hen feeding has always worked well for me.
Kansasdad had some great advice! Be careful of using a Jake or Tom decoy on public and getting yourself peppered. Also not sure where you are hunting but I've had a hunt or two ruined by high wind whipping the decoys around in western Oklahoma. So whatever decoy setup you go with make sure they have a good staking system.
NEWHunter
Well-known member
One thing I like to do with my decoys is to set them on the stake so that they can spin in the wind. I will then drive a couple of small twigs in the ground a couple of inches on either side of the tail. This way the decoy will move back and forth slightly (not spin all the way around) - seems to add a bit more realism to the set up without much effort.
Hem
Well-known member
Pretty cool.
You must not be walking too far to hunt.
Brian in Montana
Well-known member
I haven't seriously hunted turkeys for about a decade, but I've often thought people tend to over-think their decoy use. They certainly can help, but I've never seen anything that made me think it was more effective to use a 2 hens and a Jake than just one hen. For the decoy to really be an integral part of your plan, it should be set up some place like the edge of a field where it can be seen from distance. I also used to carry an old featherlite hen rolled up in my pocket when just sneaking through the woods throwing out locater calls. But I also got busted a few times messing with that thing when a tom wan coming in, therefore I don't recommend that method.
One thing I'm convinced of, decoys can be useful but your calling is far more important. Regaless of your set up, you have to be very cognizant of what you're saying in turkey-ese. Listen very careful to what the hens are saying and how the toms seem to respond both to you and to them.
One thing I'm convinced of, decoys can be useful but your calling is far more important. Regaless of your set up, you have to be very cognizant of what you're saying in turkey-ese. Listen very careful to what the hens are saying and how the toms seem to respond both to you and to them.
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
Public land = run and gun
