Strutting Decoy...Good or Bad????

[Cobie33]

I always use a strutting jake or posturing jake in my set-ups until the later end of the season.  Very rare is it that a bird hangs up on my set-ups since I made the change from the using mature strutters.  Jakes don't seem to be too intimidated either.  I found that the hang ups I had in the past when using mature looking strutter decoys was due to the phase the turkeys were in at the time and the particular gobbler(s) status in the pecking order.  Those gobblers that had been recently whupped were reluctant to come in, but would strut at what they felt was a safe distance from the decoy.  This is was always out of range.  

Since making the change to the strutting jake and posturing jake a few years ago I don't have those hang-ups hardly at all since it is obvious that the decoy is smaller and less intimidating.  Therefore, even the subdominate gobblers aren't going to shy away from it, but relish in the fact that they too can chase him off (the decoy) and have his own hen(s).  

I have had success with the B-mobiles, Pretty Boys, etc, but have had more consistant success throughout most of the season with the jake decoys.  Now with that being said, I will still move to a gobbler decoy toward the end of the season when the gobblers begin to group back up due to lack of hens.  They seem to like to come to a lone strutter to see who he is.

[wapiti792]

Personally mine has hurt me 10 to 1. I tried painting my Bmobile with a little more red and using a real jake fan with a beard cut to an inch or so and that helped some. I have since gone with a lone Avian X hen and now picked up a half-strut jake.

I think alot of 2 year old birds or younger will not like a big strutter and jet(or it seems that way to me) where as an older dominant bird might give it a go. The only time I had a decoy to really work was last week when a lone, dented decoy did the trick.

[Birdbow]

KTJ,
  Have had the same experiences. The best/most consistent set up I've used is a hen set on the ground and a non-strutting jake decoy standing over the hen as if ready to breed her. Any mature tom cannot seem to stand that! Good hunting! Todd

[meathead]

I use mine for only the first week or so of the season.  They seem to shy away after they have seen it a couple times.  I put the most beat up jake fan I have on it.  It still isn't a sure thing but not much in bow hunting is.

[Looper]

The most effective decoys I've used, by far, are by Avian X. I've got the Breeder hen and the 1/4 Strut Jake. That combination pulls gobblers in like nothing I've ever seen. My Jake has been mauled by several gobblers so far this season. I've yet to have a gobbler spot it and not come in to it. A buddy of mine has shot 4 gobblers over the pair this season already, using a shotgun.

[hitman]

I have never had luck with a big tom strutter. My setup is a jake and single hen. Have had great luck with this.

[smoke1953]

I've been thinking about two hens with a Montana whitetail decoy at a bit of a distance just for another distraction since I'm not using a blind. Worth a try anyway.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I hear a taxidermied hen works nearly every time!

[Yohon]

I hope you guys are right. Ive used a full strutter for 2 seasons and didnt have any thing come into range, alot at 50+yards but nothin in solid bow range. I switched out this year with the Avian jake/hen combo so Im excited to read these posts. I was just out back and heard 4 different gobblers sounding off the AM!!! Love listening to spring time gobbles!!!!

[KentuckyTJ]

John, Do let us know you findings after some time with the new setup.

[Whip]

Interesting idea Bruce. Kind of a confidence decoy set up. Seems to me that turkeys pay less attention to deer than deer pay to turkeys, but it never seems to bother them if deer are out in the field.

[Friend]

Hind site is 20 - 20.

KY's turkey season is short and if six birds are taken over the same strutter in one season then there is plenty of room to ponder.

Having said that, my set-ups are such that the decoys stay home.

[KentuckyTJ]

As in whitetails, herd or flock balance most likely plays a roll also in your area. A high concentration of males brings more aggression, if there are plenty of hens does a gobbler really need to fight for love?

[Dirtybird]

Tom the farm I hunt has way more hens than gobblers.  Last year I probably saw 10 hens to 1 gobbler.  I had three gobblers come in in spank my jake decoy last year over a two week period.  I believe alot depends on the mood of the bird.  JMO

[bkbk12]

best decision I have ever made was buying a full body mounted strutting jake killed my first turkey this AM with it.

[Guru]

Sorry fellas, just saw this....

I'm glad Mark(bluegrass) saw this and commented...he's a serious turkey slayer!

I can't believe more guys aren't killing more gobblers over strutting deke's!

I first got my b-moble strutter before the 2007 season and immediately had success. Should have had my 2 bird limit in two days had I done my part shooting. But I did get my two birds within a week.

The next spring I again used it as a full fan, long bearded tom deke and again should have had my season done in the first two days I hunted. Both toms came strutting right in...Missed the first day, killed one the next time out.

The next year, before the season started, I got to thinking.....

Even though my strutter "Floyd" had been deadly...why not make him into a strutting jake to make him even more irritating to to both mature birds and other jakes.

I changed the tail to an exaggerated jake tail with even more of a difference in the long feathers in the middle than the outer feathers.
I shortened the snood to jake length. I also made the beard length adjustable and shortened it to about 2". I've also painted mine to look more realistic.

Opening day that year, 2009, I killed the first bird that I called to as he stood side posturing trying to intimidate "Floyd".
Two weeks later I killed my second bird over a standing jake,hen combo. I have no doubt Floyd would have worked as well, but I had a long walk that morning and left him because he's a little bulkier and slightly heavier.

Second day 2010, I killed another bird over Floyd in my most memorable turkey hunt with Cade.

Yes earlier is better, and I find myself not bringing Floyd with me as the season goes on.

For me, they flat out work!

Heck there's 2 video's right now on the Pow Wow of TG members killing birds over strutting deke's.

Like Mark said, if they aren't coming in, I believe it's because of something else they don't like in your set-up. maybe they just got their butt handed to them by another bird,etc...

[joebuck]

Kentucky TJ.....my 3 cents.......change blinds.....look at your set up.....that blind looks like a leafy Monster with 2 eyes ready to eat those decoys...if you have a tight fabric blind, use it.....those gobblers may see something in that blind they do not like and i believe that is what is happening......i like others on here has had great success on strutting decoys.....get a Double Bull would be my suggestion....i have your same exact decoy.....good luck

[KentuckyTJ]

Joe, I don't think its the blind. I've had many walk around the back of it just as this bird did this weekend. It was 15 or so yards behind me at one point.

[Whip]

Is there any chance that someone else hunting near you is using a similar decoy?  I think birds get smart very quickly, and at least where I hunt seem to identify a fraud very easily once they have been spooked from it.  You might fool them once, but I have had terrible luck trying to get the same bird to commit to the same setup a second time.  If your neighbor is using something similar he might be doing the educating for you.

Have some different decoys in your arsenal.  Full strut, partial strut, erect.  Feeding hen, upright hen, etc.  Vary the positioning as well, and switch up the calls you are using.

[joebuck]

The reason i suggest that is i ripped my first Double bull. it was the original in Predator around 95ish...so i threw an army surplus Shaggy Tank cover over it.....it did not work well....T-5 came out and i was back in business..I am not a fan of shaggy blinds in general.

second possibility...when i blind hunted, i learned to never call at a gobbler while he was within 80 yards or so looking at me( in the tent) and the decoy. They learn quick "something is making a turkey noise inside that fabric tent and i am going to stay clear"...now i may do a soft when they are occupied strutting or looking off,,......but they will hang up and skirt your setup very very frequent if you call out of that blind too much.  especially older birds.....there are exceptions......but my 4 cents....when u see a gobbler in view and he goes into strut approaching your strutter, be quiet....let it happen...it's hard not to call becasue thats why we love to hunt these birds but go silent on him and let the decoy do its work...point the strutter head away from where you think the bird will come from....Sell the fan to him as much as possible...

or

borrow you buddys tight fabric blind

good luck