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Decoys or no decoys

Remington700

Remington700

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I have hunted both ways. Do you use them? What scenario do you use them in? Personally I do not use them most of the time. Curious if people are more successful with or without.
 
Using this year some since tryin get my son his first bird. Need all help we can get. It depends on where/what type area I hunt usually
 
Never use them, I have been very fortunate over the years and I have never killed one over a decoy. Last Saturday my son killed one in a field and we just set up using the terrain to our advantage. We set up on the other side of a hump in the field, in other words he had to top the hump to see if there was a hen and at that point he was at 40. Be patient right now a lot of them have hens but if you catch him without, you certainly will not need a decoy. Good luck! Also in the woods remember terrain when you set up!
 
deerfever":3tzfonx4 said:
Never use them, I have been very fortunate over the years and I have never killed one over a decoy. Last Saturday my son killed one in a field and we just set up using the terrain to our advantage. We set up on the other side of a hump in the field, in other words he had to top the hump to see if there was a hen and at that point he was at 40. Be patient right now a lot of them have hens but if you catch him without, you certainly will not need a decoy. Good luck! Also in the woods remember terrain when you set up!
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Iagree.... i try to set up to make the bird come up hill to me looking also. The bird I got yesterday was on the other side of a knoll from me. He had to come over the knoll to find the hen.

Only downside to that is ( in my experience ) usually you don't get to see a him strutting and putting on a show. I'll hear the gobbling as he's coming to me and I'm already aimed in that direction so I'll see his head periscopeing looking for the hen. If he's a little to far I'll let him walk in a bit.

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I've seen 4 eat some TSS this year so far (including juvenile). I had a jake and a hen out all 4 times. First one was in a field. I called a lone gobbler in. He saw the jake and came to him. Second one I called out of field to the woods. He came to 20 yards, but not sure if he ever saw the decoys. Both of these were in juvenile. 3rd one came in hot to the jake and tried his hardest to kill my DSD. 4th never saw the decoys (in woods). With that being said, I like to use them when I have my boys with me, just to give the turkeys something to key in on. When I use them, I never use a strutter anymore. I always use a 3/4 strut jake and a hen. I've never had one spook from this, but the one opening day of juvy didn't try to fight it. He just walked circles around it.
 
I have some in the back of the truck but rarely even take them out. First, they are a pain to carry. Second, they often end up spooking birds or they don't even see them. Third, it could cause him to hang up out of range.

I only have them if I'm going to set up on a field edge and blind call. This is rare for me so they mostly collect dust. But, I like to be prepared for anything.
 
I think the most consistently successful Turkey hunters are mobile. Decoys absolutely slow you down. I suppose if you just have a small parcel of land to hunt, you plan on picking one spot for the morning, then leave the woods at 830 to get breakfast, decoys might be helpful. But trying to reposition on a bird and having to set up and take down a decoy several times just exponentially increases your chance of spooking birds.

They are extremely valuable with fidgety ADHD kids (or a blind.... just not my thing)

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I use them when I know my first set is in a bigger field.. Then I leave them and get them later..
 
I've never killed a turkey with a decoy, don't even own one, but I have killed a couple with the ole tail fan.


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I use them if I'm hunting on the edge of a field but, in the woods never. The 2 birds I've killed this season so far, I didnt use any.
 
I've sworn by them until this year, now they are being spooked by them so I'm leaving them in the side by side.
 

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