I’ve had mixed results with a Jake decoy, so I normally don’t chance it and just use a single hen feeder decoy. I keep her close and face her away from me. Had the last three gobblers get between me and the decoy and look away from me, giving me a close shot.

 

DSD jake solo is deadly! Occasionally it can intimidate a tom but not usually. When you have a lot of jakes running around is when it seems to be an issue.

I also use a single hen, but it is a mounted bird and works quite good! Realistic decoys just work better!

 

I agree!
I’ve killed several per year with a DSD half strut jake. And one or two feeding hens. If you’re in a blind, set the jake at 10 yards from the blind, not further. Set the hen (s) 5-6 or so from the blind. The gobbler will go to the jake 99% of the time. I’ve bowhunted turkeys about 30 years, and have found that decoy quality/realism makes a difference.
I also have a monofilament line tied to a hen and I’ll pull ittoadd a little movement to the set. That can help if you have a gobbler that won’t commit.

 

Everyday is different. One day they may like what you did yesterday, you can NEVER be sure. it ain't like setting out duck decoys. I like 2 hens, one feeder, one alert. I have used Jakes, Toms a whole flock of em before. I've had Toms come in and beat up my Decoy. I've had Toms run from my decoy. Your best bet is to find where they want to be naturally, and then set up there. Also a Toms vitals are really small, be prepared for you shot. Never look them in the eye, I've had them see me blink. Good luck.

 

Everyday is different. One day they may like what you did yesterday, you can NEVER be sure. it ain't like setting out duck decoys. I like 2 hens, one feeder, one alert. I have used Jakes, Toms a whole flock of em before. I've had Toms come in and beat up my Decoy. I've had Toms run from my decoy. Your best bet is to find where they want to be naturally, and then set up there. Also a Toms vitals are really small, be prepared for you shot. Never look them in the eye, I've had them see me blink. Good luck.

My experiences with decoys is summed up in the opening sentence.......you never know with turkeys. Some say the more realistic the better with decoys, so the most expensive are the best. Then someone who paid $20 for a Walmart clearance "funky chicken" will chime in and relate success with their cheapie version as well.

In regards to jake decoys, I have found that they work better earlier in the season than later. When toms are fired up and ready for mating, they are much more prepared to battle and run off a precocious jake who is above their pay grade. As mating season is winding down, toms seem less interested in fighting and will sometimes turn away from a jake encounter.....so a lone hen or pair of hens seems to work better. At least that is my experience.

One of the keys to success in the turkey woods is mentioned in the second underlined sentence.....setting up where turkeys are natually going rather than trying to pull them away from hens or their preferred travel area. That is when a tom comes part way and "hangs up" or comes in suspiciously rather than marching in to dominate the situation. I have a shaker gobble call and can get a gobbler to respond as a challenge, but they go silent and approach with more caution to avoid a battle or beating. So light and moderated hen talk with a favored call and patience is often a missing link. Some don't care for "hunting turkeys like deer" and that is most certainly their prerogative......I just like to hunt them and shoot them with my bow.

 

I always have a Jake half strut out with a bedded hen or feeding hen. Killed a lot of birds over that setup.

 

One hen and one 1/4 strut Jake, I have had great results with this set up. Lone Toms shy away from groups of jakes as they act like a gang looking for a fight. I set the hen quartering to the blind at 5-7yds and the Jake is approx 2-3yds further and facing her so the Tom has room to get between them. Have had the Tom hold up strutting where the hen can see him but he gets to the point where he can't take the Jake having a lady.
I have had Toms attack my Jake decoy on a few occasions or they have gone straight to the hen. My strutter decoy has pushed Toms off so I do not use it any longer.

 

I use 1 laying hen and a funky chicken behind her. Seems to work best early season before the birds get too educated.

 

DSD.
I use 2 hens, one is a lead hen and the other is a feeding hen. "Almost" all the time I use a 3/4 strut jake as well..unless I have toms in close but shy away, then the next day/setup I'll just use the two hens. Set them up at 6-8 yards from your blind.

 

I've harvested most of my gobblers with NO decoy... I do rarely use a AvionX laying hen, and my only male decoy is a real Jake fan I made fanned out on cardboard then bondo the feathers in place, attached a old carbon arrow and done. I place that fan close to me or behind me, and it works well. Obviously you want the incoming birds to see what would be the back of the fan not the colorful front because there will be no body or head. If you make this fan move with string I think it would bring in just about any bird..

 

You never know with decoys. i have watched birds all morning while they look the other way from my DSD picture perfect spread from 100 to 400yds away.

Other mornings they come running in

I have had the most luck with a single DSD hen. I hunt mostly with shotgun and am looking for a 30 to 45 yard shot, not a 5yd bow head shot

I have a small jake strutter thunder creeper I will try some more this spring too. Smaller seems to be better with jake decoys or strutters

turkeys don't have good depth vision, they see flat objects. Thats why you can sneak up on them in wide open fields with a fan or flat umbrella like fan that sort of looks like a strutter. A big full body strutter seems like overkill from my experience and is a pain to carry

 

It should be more fun you. Try being more mobile & not using a decoy at all. I have more success without them.

Once you break free from the mentality of thinking you need a decoy, things get a lot more fun. You don't need a blind either.

Just you, some calls & being able to sit still when needed is all you need. Bonus is you don't have to carry so much crap like you already hate.

You'll most likely be more successful as well.

Good luck this year. Hope ya knock em dead.