Turkey decoys for trad bow??

[Msbow]

I've only killed a few turkeys and none with trad equipment but this year I've gone full blown trad only. Out of the few I have killed once they got close to my decoys they would quit strutting and look all around and walk away real fast. Most of them would never get that close. They would get within 30 yards or so see the decoys and just leave. I've been using HS strut decoys and I've been thinking about getting some Dave Smith ones I just don't know if ide be wasting my money or making a good investment??

[AkDan]

The only deke better than a DSD is a real live turkey LOL!

I posted in another thread about dekes....they are not fool proof and don't work all the time.   I've had mature paint brush toms turn tail after seeing a jake deke in a non dom posture with a hen deke nearby.  Heck I've had full blown toms turn tail on a single hen, but more often than not day in and day out, you're going to kill birds more often with a  single hen non looker type deke!  

The tom/jake dekes do work....to a degree.   There's a time in the season where they work REALLY well, when the birds are just coming out of winter flocks establishing dominance, well if you call winter winter in Mississippi LOL!  There's nothing like early season bird hunting with a strutter/jake deke in hand! It seems to slow down until they hen up again but works to a lesser extent.  

I used to be a feather flex guy when they came out, and than delta picked the design up with a light rubber version.   Typically when I hunt with my old man I'd guess 70% of the birds would skirt my dekes and go to his jenny vanes (silhouettes).   That was the tip off for me on bad dekes.   Being a traveling guy its the ONLY reason I don't carry the DSD, though I'm contemplating getting one for the home in MN for our hunt this year.

I've ditched the jake/strutter deke and went back to strictly a  single hen.  Dad told me this in my early days, it only took 25 years to relearn it lol.   I'll be honest, I really HATE sitting in a blind all day for birds.  I've done it successfully but to me its not as much fun as running and both with the black powder and the longbow in hand.  

I will say when they come in doing the mean walk ready to blast your tom/jake strutter....its the highlight of turkey hunting career.   I spend more time cracking up than trying to shoot when it happens.  It just seems to happen so infrequently that I don't believe traveling and than carrying it is worth it.   It does bring in hens like you wont believe! This is when it really seems to work well when they're henned up, but for me at least the toms generally hang up out of range when coming with their own hens.   They end up skirting instead of coming in and flogging.

By the best deke you can buy, or don't by anything!     They only keep getting better and better!

[Shakes.602]

I have and use them, but I haven't had much luck, either hunting or drawing in the Sharp Eyed Little Monsters.        

[AkDan]

Shakes,

Google

"Bowhunting for turkeys" by Jack Brobst with Dr David Samuel.

This will help you along the way....it really doesn't get better on running and gunning for toms!

[old_goat2]

Avian X decoys are real close to being as good as the DSD's but they are cheaper and transport better because they are collapsible. DSD's are a hard shell. Before I got the Avian X I could get turkeys in but they would do just like you described and not come into bow range.

[tracker12]

MSBOw
Not sure how far your decoys are from you blind but mine are within 10 yards.  If the bird gets close he is in range.  I'm still using the old Feather Flex Decoys I have had for probably 20 years.

[TradBrewSC]

Avian X decoys are amazing.

I highly recommend giving them a try.

[Roger Norris]

I have decided to quit using decoys. NO decoy can't hurt, and having decoys can sometimes hurt. I have never had a bird run away because there was NOT a decoy.

I think 20 years ago they were pretty innovative and helpful. Now turkeys get decoy wise.....It's like the bugling elk call....critters learn....

[dbd870]

I use AvianX myself however a stuffed hen is probably as good as it gets.

[AkDan]

I'm also running avian x hen dekes.   They are nice but I will admit the competitions catching up fast!  There's some aweful let nice dekes coming every year!

i threw my deltas in the trash and had a patterning day on the feather flex after the last time a pair of toms completely went around my dekes into those Jenny vanes.  I'd rather not use one!   When they're hot enough to come into a bad deke, they'll more often than not come into nothing!  Dad still talks about shooting the had off foam lol.  

There's another deke on the market that has s foam core and a skin over it.  Heck if I can remember the name.   They looked pretty good as well but honestly the dsd isn't far and away tops.

[Longbow58]

Avian X for me. Got a taxidermist friend that has a mounted gobbler and hammers them. Would like to try that but I like to troll and it's not to mobile. Killed a longbeard right off the top of my Avian jake last spring at 7 yards. He was kicking the crap out of it! Wish I would have had video. Good luck.

[AkDan]

In pa?   Man those birds in micheux are scared silly of themselves.   I resorted to clucks and purrs and more often than not they turn around and leave.     We've had them come into to my buddy's looker avian x and he cleared the tree tops like it saw a ghost!    I can't see spending the $ to hunt central pa again anytime soon!

[Stixbowdrew]

Bestturkeydecoy.com

[centaur]

Montana deeks. Easy to carry, easy to set up, and sponsors here.

[Msbow]

Thanks guys for all your input!
AkDan
So you think it's best to just use a single hen decoy?  Do you think hen/jake combo in the begining of the year then switch to single hen? The only reason I was thinking of DSD decoys is because a few people told me that they will hang around them longer and closer for bow hunting, but I dunno.

[RC]

I have used the same flambeu ever how you spell it dekes for near 20 years. There are some things that work better than other and some better dekes no doubt but this works for me.
  I use two hens and never a jake. The times I had birds spook I had a jake out I face both decoys toward me and have them about 5 yards apart.
 They must be kinda low no matter if in feeding position or mating.
I have used other types of decoys and if they shine in the sunlight they won`t work. at least for me. the two flam I have do not shine and I always try to set them in shadows.
 I don`t hunt field Turkeys because they are tough . a Turkey in the woods feels safer I believ and will come in.
  Of the 20 Birds I have killed with a bow all were close and all but 3 were focused on the dekes and strutting up to them.

[acolobowhunter]

I have been using the Avian for a few years now.  I have a hard time getting them set up, as the jake wants to stay at home.  Every year he gets his butt whipped.  It has really been amazing to watch.  One time the tom whipped on him for over 30 minutes - I had walked back to camp to a sandwich and watched through the bios.

[Littlejake]

Flextone Funky Chicken goofy looking but it sure does work.  

[Bernie B.]

When RC talks - I listen.  He seems to have this down to a science.  I'm getting excited about turkey season just by reading this thread.

Bernie

[Msbow]

So for the most part, if I'm getting this right it's probably best to just use hens with no jake and it's more about the way your decoys are set up rather than how realistic they look??  That's what will bring them in close and stick around long enough to get a shot?