# Turkey Decoys...



## Kevin (Jan 28, 2016)

Mods if this is in the wrong forum please move it.  

I don't know scratch about turkey decoys. Any pointers are appreciated. Are some designs/brands better than others? Is there a best source for them? How many should I set out? How should I arrange them? I plan to set up inside the treeline and get them into this clearing.

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## ripjack13 (Jan 28, 2016)

Kevin said:


> Mods if this is in the wrong forum please move it.


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## ripjack13 (Jan 28, 2016)

@Tclem will do it....he's a good turkey decoy....

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## Mike1950 (Jan 28, 2016)

personally I am not sure if you need a decoy!! just fluff up!!

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## Tclem (Jan 28, 2016)

A turkey hunting turkeys hmmmmmm

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## JR Custom Calls (Jan 28, 2016)

My favorite two combos are avian x breeder hen with a quarter strut Jake and the same breeder but with a flextome funky chicken. Everyone will have their own opinions of decoys. Some say none, some say a flock. Lol. But even the cheapies from Walmart works. I feel like a hen and Jake really works to get them fired up though

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## gman2431 (Jan 28, 2016)

I say get some real turkeys, and no not @Tclem , and tie them to a leash. They will do all the calling and everything! Just hang back until its time to shoot!

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## kweinert (Jan 28, 2016)

gman2431 said:


> I say get some real turkeys



Not from the freezer section of your local grocery store though.

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## Bigdrowdy1 (Jan 28, 2016)

The avian X's are excellent decoys. My favorite is a cheap inflatable that packs and carry's real well as long as I don't have to blow it up to may times( Watch it).Young Jake works better as the tom's wont feel intimidated by a larger tom. During mating season birds like open ground to strut their stuff and they feel better being able to see their surrounding's. Coyotes can ambush them in tight courters corners and tree-line fringes are more appealing. Though they are turkeys with a brain the size of @ will you get the gest. They still do what they feel most comfortable with.

That's my penny's worth

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## JR Custom Calls (Jan 28, 2016)

The funky chicken definitely has a love hate relationship with hunters. I had mine set up with my breeder hen this past spring with him just right behind her and had 5 birds come in to it. Could have just been my sexy calls, but i'd say the decoys had more to do with it.


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## KYTURKEY (Jan 28, 2016)

Don't use them. Learn to call. I have used decoys all of maybe 2 times in all the years I've been turkey hunting.

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## Kevin (Jan 28, 2016)

KYTURKEY said:


> Don't use them. Learn to call. I have used decoys all of maybe 2 times in all the years I've been turkey hunting.



That's my nature too - to keep hunting simple. I'm not saying it is right or wrong but I agree the most important thing is learn how to fit in to the environment, then use the calls. When my dad taught me how to take ducks he started with gun safety and shooting targets, then shooting ducks by calling them in. The next season he took me to blinds out in the Laguna Madre with a dog I still love to this day. The best days of my life in some ways.


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## KYTURKEY (Jan 28, 2016)

Some guys love them. I carry them with me every hunt. The ones I have are collapsible foam decoys. They are good padding for your back when leaning against a tree. Haha. I run and gun too much to fool with setting them out.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Bigdrowdy1 (Jan 28, 2016)

I was gonna say how does that work for you if they aint set up!!LOL


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## Mabren2 (Jan 29, 2016)

I don't know what your experience level with turkey hunting is, but it can be a lot like woodworking. I recently posted about wanting to learn pen making, and through research and suggestions found out that I can either keep it simple and learn the trade, or spend a grand buying do-dads before I make the first pen. A shotgun and a call that you can use somewhat proficiently is all the gear you really "need". Decoy suggestions always range from: lone hen, hen and jake, hen and strutter, two hens and jake or strutter, etc. It can get expensive quick, and I personally don't feel like a few hundred bucks in decoys will improve your chances much. I'm sure sometimes they seal the deal, but I truly believe that most birds can be killed without dekes. I know they use them a lot on TV, but keep in mind most of that is for show. Notice how they always let the Tom flog the decoy before shooting; it just adds to the production.

Scouting and woodsmanship will kill more turkeys than calling and decoys combined, imo. Go out a few days before the season and listen, and see if you notice a pattern in their movements. Don't limit yourself to the spot you circled (although that looks like a fine spot to kill a turkey). Get out there early and locate a gobbler on the roost and get in close before sunup (75-100 yards is typically the best I can do, but I know guys that are far better at that than me). At that point a few clucks and purrs will often kill that bird, with no competition calling skill, or decoys needed. 

I'm not one of the traditionalists that detest the use of decoys, I'm just a tight-wad that hasn't seen enough benefit to justify the expense in my turkey hunting experience. That being said, the two that I see suggested the most are Avian-x and Dave Smith, and both are kinda pricey. If I had to use decoys I would have a hen and a strutter. I pick the strutter over the Jake simply because you can crawl behind them and pop a bird hung up in the field ( I've seen it done, and I admit it's pretty dang cool to watch). 

I only say all of this because I don't want you to think you have to go to the expense of a set of decoys to have success (especially if you're just getting started). You can kill a lot of birds with very little investment, or you can spend thousands on all of the cool gear that is out there, and there is a lot of it, haha. Choose what is best for you and your budget, and have fun. Good luck!

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## hmmvbreaker (Jan 29, 2016)

The Indians didnt use decoys or calls that I know of. My 2 cent.


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## JR Custom Calls (Jan 29, 2016)

hmmvbreaker said:


> The Indians didnt use decoys or calls that I know of. My 2 cent.


To be fair, the indians didn't use shotguns, camo, or have the types of calls we do today either. lol. 

I'm a decoy advocate for new hunters, as well as seasoned hunters. I wouldn't dream of going out without them. I like that they give gobblers a point to focus on, rather than looking around and noticing every tiny movement. Sure you don't 'need' them, but I feel like they really give you an advantage. I've also seen a lot of guys call turkeys in, but never could get them in range. With a decoy, that could have been a totally different story. I do agree that there's no need to go buy a bunch of avian x decoys when you're starting out. The cheap fold up foam decoys that are $10-20 work just fine. I may have fallen in to the trap of the decoy appealing more to me than the turkey when it comes to avian x, but I buy mine at the end of season on 75% clearance and feel a lot better about it.

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## hmmvbreaker (Jan 29, 2016)

JR Custom Calls said:


> To be fair, the indians didn't use shotguns, camo, or have the types of calls we do today either. lol.
> 
> I'm a decoy advocate for new hunters, as well as seasoned hunters. I wouldn't dream of going out without them. I like that they give gobblers a point to focus on, rather than looking around and noticing every tiny movement. Sure you don't 'need' them, but I feel like they really give you an advantage. I've also seen a lot of guys call turkeys in, but never could get them in range. With a decoy, that could have been a totally different story. I do agree that there's no need to go buy a bunch of avian x decoys when you're starting out. The cheap fold up foam decoys that are $10-20 work just fine. I may have fallen in to the trap of the decoy appealing more to me than the turkey when it comes to avian x, but I buy mine at the end of season on 75% clearance and feel a lot better about it.


I hear you. I admit to being a bit of a smart alik. Personally I think my wife has the best method for deer or turkey. Just hit them with your car!

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## myingling (Jan 29, 2016)

walmart cheap ones fold up when not needed ,,,, I have used them with success and had birds shy away from them ,,one hen one jake set behind hen ,,, I mainly like them at day break ,,, after that when moving around I don't set them up ,,, use whats legal every one has their own opinions on how to hunt ,,,just like blinds,, me no way ,,,,,,get your back against a tree have at it

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## Kevin (Jan 29, 2016)

Great info guys thanks. I think I am just going to start going out with a call and try to get one talking back to me before I do anything else. At some point I may try to put up some wood-for-deke trade and see if anyone has any spares they're willing to part with. 

Thanks for all the great info. @Mabren2 Matthew reading your post made me want to get out there right now!

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## KYTURKEY (Jan 29, 2016)

Kevin said:


> At some point I may try to put up some wood-for-deke trade and see if anyone has any spares they're willing to part with.



Dang now I'm gonna have to go buy some decoys just to have to trade you for some wood. Hahahaha

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## Kevin (Jan 29, 2016)

Do turkeys tend to stick more when it's really windy? I never had much luck with dove/quail when the winds were quite high as they are today. Never seemed to matter as much with duck but don't know if Tom likes to stay put in high wind or not.


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## JR Custom Calls (Jan 29, 2016)

They tend to get out in the open more when it's windy and/or raining. I always hunt fields when it's windy or raining.

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## Mabren2 (Jan 29, 2016)

Kevin said:


> Great info guys thanks. I think I am just going to start going out with a call and try to get one talking back to me before I do anything else. At some point I may try to put up some wood-for-deke trade and see if anyone has any spares they're willing to part with.
> 
> Thanks for all the great info. @Mabren2 Matthew reading your post made me want to get out there right now!



Me too, I can't wait to get out there! Probably why I was so long winded about it, haha.



Kevin said:


> Do turkeys tend to stick more when it's really windy? I never had much luck with dove/quail when the winds were quite high as they are today. Never seemed to matter as much with duck but don't know if Tom likes to stay put in high wind or not.



Jonathan is right on this, especially in the rain. The good thing about turkeys is that they are moving all day. They don't bed down for long periods like deer will. You can kill them in all conditions, however I do feel that adverse weather cuts down on the gobbling quite a bit. They're still out and about, just a little harder to locate.

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## JR Custom Calls (Jan 29, 2016)

Mabren2 said:


> Jonathan is right on this


and everything else... lol

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## FloridaQuacker Game Calls (Feb 2, 2016)

hmmvbreaker said:


> The Indians didnt use decoys or calls that I know of. My 2 cent.



I'd think they learned to do a lot of the stuff we do today....necessity was a great motivator

Well maybe not foam decoys.....but think about it.

No doubt in my mind they understood their language and imitated it to gain an upper hand.

Whether it was blowing thru a blade of grass, or accidently making a noise they had heard before when sucking the juice out of a wing bone....

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## FloridaQuacker Game Calls (Feb 2, 2016)

Kevin said:


> Mods if this is in the wrong forum please move it.
> 
> I don't know scratch about turkey decoys. Any pointers are appreciated. Are some designs/brands better than others? Is there a best source for them? How many should I set out? How should I arrange them? I plan to set up inside the treeline and get them into this clearing.
> 
> View attachment 95941



I'd pull in the driveway and stop...hr before sunrise and get out and wait for 1 to gobble. Then I'd know where to put a single hen decoy.

It's probably going to be along the edge of the woodline in the open.

In fact, I'd do that 1 or 2 times before hunting season. Having that prepositioned idea of where you want to go is a bad idea IMO.


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## frankp (Feb 11, 2016)

Great thread! As a new turkey hunter I didn't hear or see anything in the fall season and was considering buying some decoys for this gobbler season starting in April. I really appreciate the pros and cons you folks have laid out.


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## JR Custom Calls (Feb 11, 2016)

frankp said:


> Great thread! As a new turkey hunter I didn't hear or see anything in the fall season and was considering buying some decoys for this gobbler season starting in April. I really appreciate the pros and cons you folks have laid out.


Fall hunting is a totally different ballgame, as I'm sure you've read. I don't enjoy fall hunting... didn't even go this year. I live for spring though. Fall just isn't exciting because there's no gobbling, the birds are all flocked up, and they're a lot harder to find IMO.

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## Kevin (Feb 11, 2016)

JR Custom Calls said:


> the birds are all flocked up



_Watch your language young fella this is a public market ...





_

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