Hunters shooting decoys

[quiksilver]

Man, I just picked up a Flambeau Master's Series Jake decoy. The blasted thing looks so real I would probably shoot it if I didn't know any better.

I've had another hunter blow one of my decoys off the pole in the past and while the new decoy looks like it will be very effective, I'm a shade wary of using it. My old decoy looked more like a foam sponge that you'd wash a car with than a turkey, and he still got blasted. That was a scary scene that I don't want to revisit.

Sometimes, animals and hunters sneak into range undetected. I always flag my orange at approaching hunters, but sometimes you just don't see 'em.

Anyone have any recommendations for making another hunter think before he shoots it?

I don't want to get sprayed by another hunter who thinks my decoy is real.

I was thinking an orange sticky dot placed on both sides of the decoy or an orange ribbon hung nearby. Would those spook the birds?

[slicendice]

I would think orange tape tied to the pole would be effective and I don't think it would spook the birds, but I can't say for sure that it wouldn't.

[Hawgnman]

I think they should make a decoy with hunter orange legs (pole) and call it "HOT LEGS".

[hawglips]

This thread is an effective argument against the technique of sneaking up and shooting turkeys.

Hal

[ShotGunEd]

quicksilver, in PA don't you HAVE to put some sort of safety orange marking where you set up (like on a tree)? i know when I lived in PA ya had to.

[quiksilver]

You sure do, but that's a little flag or ribbon that should be near the hunter.

What happened in the past is that the approaching hunter stalked my decoy and blasted it - he wasn't looking around for me. Luckily, I was off to his left, and not in the crossfire or in the overspray.

At that time, I had my orange hat laying on the brush behind me, and evidently it didn't slow him down (he probably didn't see it, as I didn't even see him). I'm not worried about a hunter shooting at me, per se, but more worried about someone shooting my decoy and create another dangerous situation where I'm stuck in the crossfire.

[Tree climber]

had a guy shoot my hen decoy a few years back with a rifle.[:@][][:@].
that could have been a big problem for me if I had been in line of fire!!![]. I would say put an orange ribbon around a tree above you head.if that doesn't work ; just shoot back and next itme (IF THERE IS A NEXT TIME) he will look closer befor he shoots.[&:][8D]

that is why I don't use decoys any more.[&:]

[hawglips]

ORIGINAL: hawglips

This thread is an effective argument against the technique of sneaking up and shooting turkeys.

Hal

And its also an effective argument against hunting turkeys with a rifle.

Hal

[Champlain Islander]

I like the idea of putting an orange dot on the decoy's sides or use an orange stake. Has anyone ever done any studies to see if it makes any differance to the birds?

[StealthyOne]

Just a guess, but I think that orange would spook them. They see colours well.