Decoy or no decoy

[holocene]

I used them my first 4-5 years of turkey hunting and killed birds with and without. I remember always feeling anxiety about where to put the decoy. I hunt aggressively, so a few times, my gut would say "make a move to kill this bird" and I'd not have time to reposition a decoy so just left it in the woods and ventured off to kill a bird. Those hunts were and remain most pleasurable -- the hunts where I'm reading the landscape and trying to lay out where I want to kill this bird as the situation evolves using terrain and vegetation to create channels for him to travel and position myself in gun range. This process is dynamic and integrated with the landscape. For me, fooling with a decoy seems to disrupt the process.

That said, I did a mentored hunt for Backcountry Hunters & Anglers last year on a small private parcel. Fella showed up with a blind and decoy, so we used it. I let him call the shots. It took until 12pm, but we killed a bird that day and that turkey put on quite a show stomping our cheap little decoy. I'd forgotten how exciting it can be to see a bird go ballistic at a decoy up close.

[Outdoorsmen]

I carry them (DSD jake and 2 hens) but n
Don't usually use them. I bet I'm about 50/50 ratio. I hate carrying them for sure.

[Goblen]

Leave them. Hunt means so much more to harvest without any dekes.

[Samm4770]

Like a condom would rather have one and not need one then need one and not have one.

[bradr3367]

I'm thinking on going "David Owens" style this spring, and committing to leaving the dekes at home for the entire season. Wish me luck.

[RBMTDJager]

For me depends on where I am. I will use a decoy in open fields. In woods I don’t
My experience is if you call on edge of a field and the bird doesn’t see a hen in the field he usually won’t commit
I have a Montana xd hen that folds down real small so I can stick it in my pack. It’s not super realistic but from far in a field it will do the trick to get them close enough. And it’s real light and packable. I put it in my Glenda bag


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^^^^^^^^^^^This 100%^^^^^^^^^^ I use hen strictly decoys only in fields never woods.
Did give both a Jake and tom decoy a try on good private land both were utterly ineffectual and failed to produce favorable results as advertised.
Decided to try a Jake then Tom decoy along with a hen decoy because the property right next to mine had a very large and hilly field that was literally crawling with turkeys quite often and even though I enjoyed success calling both Toms and Jake from that field onto the land I hunted I wanted to increase my rate of success. Bought into the BS advertising that a Tom wouldn't tolerate a Jake or another Tom with a hen and would come into exert his dominance over them.

Well I'm here to tell you tried the Jake decoy first for three consecutive hunts multiple Toms ignore the Jake decoy every time and when I switched to using the Tom decoy again the other Toms ignored it but it scared off Jakes that i called in that once they saw the Tom decoy in display mode ran off. I now have a Tom and jake decoy gathering dust in my basement.

Under no circumstances what so ever would I have EVER used a Tom or Jake decoy on public land hunting.
Hen decoys are a tool in my turkey hunting box I use when i feel they are a benefit. I have used them with enough success to know they work.

[Adamjen15]

Iam torn about this as well, I’ve carried a hen decoy a few times and never shot one over it. All mine have been shot without a decoy. Which it would make complete sense for me not to use one. But last year I was hunting a mature Tom I’m gonna guess he was at least 3 or 4, leaning more toward 4. I was up on a ridge one evening and heard him gobble so I sat up on him and had a decent knoll in front of me to the left and right thinking if he came in he would have to poke his head over the rise and boom I would shoot him. Well he shut up gobbling and worked all the way behind me and gobbled again. He came within 60 yards but I just didn’t feel comfortable taking the shot at that distance and I keep thinking that if I would have had my hen decoy made he would have closed the distance enough for me to shoot. What do y’all think?

[Dtrkyman]

Their fun to hunt over, particularly when things are quiet. Been a few years since I have killed a bird over one but they certainly can be effective. I prefer a single DSD jake but also still have a mounted hen that is pretty deadly!

Used them all the time when bowhunting!

[GLS]

Depending on where you hunt, I think once you ditch them and get used to it you will wonder why you used them to start with. Good luck

+1

[Tail Feathers]

I have some, but really prefer to not use any. They can be an annoyance, but they can sure work too. The vast majority of my birds have come with no decoys. Give it whirl without 'em for the first week, you can always change your mind. No judgement here.

[yelpy]

Ive used decoys more than not but this year I have been splitting it up because I been hunting in the woods more often and the past 3 years havent been my best seasons.. Most years I set up and sit tight close to or in a field. This year I been on the move more trying to learn more of the area. I havent shot a good one yet without them but I have had some really close encounters that should have been dead birds. Decoys arent needed but sure do make for a good show when they fool the birds. Some areas the birds seem to shy away or spook from decoys more than others for whatever reason. It can be hit and miss using them.

Anyone set up on a field with no decoys? Havent tried it myself but Im guessing you need to sit back from the edge a good 20yrds or so.

[guesswho]

Anyone set up on a field with no decoys? Havent tried it myself but Im guessing you need to sit back from the edge a good 20yrds or so.

I hunt a lot a fields every year, no decoys. I’m not talking about a one acre or less green spot, but big fields. I usually set-up on the shady side of a field which seems to be the preferred entrance and exit points of turkeys a lot of times. And I’m usually within feet of the edge, if good cover will allow it. No more than 5 yards or so if at all possible. It can be frustrating, but I love trying to figure them out and repositioning accordingly.

[decoykrvr]

Over 40 years ago, the first turkey decoy which I ever saw was a hard-bodied hen made in Italy and manufactured by Sports-Plast, but was incorrestly painted and sported a gobbler head w/ full wattles. A hot knife and acrylic paints produced a fine looking hen decoy, but it was heavy and loud to carry. The foam bodied decoys were significantly lighter, could be modified w/ markers and paints , but creased and wrinkled when folded and carried. On the advise of a friend, I stuffed the head and neck w/ plastic grocery bags to retain their shape. All was well until I was hunting a field on an area WMA and my hen decoy exploded before my eyes in a spray of decoy and white bag plastic fragments seconds before the shotgun blast. The shooter fled the field to my severe screaming and dog-cussing. To say that I have forever been extremely anal about decoy placement since that experience would be an understatement. I've made duck, goose, and shorebird decoys (floaters, full-bodies and silhouettes) for over 40 years and love decoying waterfowl, but now rely on my calling and woodsmanship skills for turkeys and am happier and more satisfied with the hunt knowing, "I did it, not a decoy".

[Stinky J Picklestein]

Anyone set up on a field with no decoys? Havent tried it myself but Im guessing you need to sit back from the edge a good 20yrds or so.

I hunt a lot a fields every year, no decoys. I’m not talking about a one acre or less green spot, but big fields. I usually set-up on the shady side of a field which seems to be the preferred entrance and exit points of turkeys a lot of times. And I’m usually within feet of the edge, if good cover will allow it. No more than 5 yards or so if at all possible. It can be frustrating, but I love trying to figure them out and repositioning accordingly.

Pretty much. The closer to the edge, the better. Field toms around here like to hang up and strut about 40-50 yards away from the edge if they don't see what they're looking for. Sitting 20 yards into the timber just makes the shot 20 yards longer.

[Goblen]

I used decoys when I first started hunting turkeys. I enjoyed it and was introduced to them by tv and a hunting partner. I saw more birds move away from them then came to them. And the last one I shot over a decoy, just didn't feel right to me. Like what have I done. I not saying I've killed a tons of Tom's. But I killed alot. So about three year ago after that last one, I decided not to ever use them again. Now I listen for a gobbler. Make a move and then find a suitable position where I believe I can get the gobbler inside 40 yards. Call and kill em. To me once you start doing it this way, you'd never go back. It just feels different. Like way more enjoyable for me. I evolved to increase my hunting experience. I'd never go back to using them now. Recently I set a shooter in position and I got behind him from the gobbler (40 ish yards) that was 120 yds or so for where he was sitting against a tree. I got that gobbler to break from the field, cross a 10 foot wide creek and come up the hill to him strutting and gobbling the whole way in some mature hardwoods. He made a great shot down through the woods and killed his fourth bird. He told me that his heart has never raced like that. I told him that you've been bit by the bug now, and you'll never want to do it any other way because it will not feel the same. Like stated above. I would never run someone down for using a blind or decoys. But here is best advice I have. Make the most of every hunt. Whatever turns you on. I enjoy the hunt 99% the kill is like 1% for me. Everybody is different, that's what makes us individuals.

[Prospector]

Hunting field birds is a challenge. Sometimes they’ll rush right in, other times not so much. Two tips: whether you choose decoys or not, the further he can see your set up the more likely he his to hang up. You want him to crest a terrain feature and either be in range or almost so. Since I have left decoys out of my arsenal this is especially important. The other tip is this: open woods or fields; if you can see him it is best to be quiet. Calling while he can eyeball your set up is going to cost you more birds than it gains….at least where I hunt anyway.

[Hammer1Down]

Seems for me they work for the first week of season then Peter out and scare more than they bring in. I say ditch it, unless you're hunting open fields.