I had success using cheap decoys for years. Then had three years in a row of toms avoiding them. So last year decided to try more realistic dekes. DSD are great but lil too steep for me so I got 2nd best Zink Avians last spring. Got better results with them, harvesting 2 mature toms off Wisconsin public. My birds came in #1 and #9 in the Huntingnet contest last year. Both late season leftover tags in early/mid May.
One interesting encounter was with a lone hen who became buddies, chest bumping and hanging around my Avian hen decoy for 3 full hours. Even got video of it making a dust bowl directly next to it maybe 2 feet. Haha the company might like that for advertising.
Anyway I can't say the dekes made much difference. I think it depends much more on hunting pressure. But I hunt exclusively public land, and I've found dekes mandatory because no way the toms are coming in to any call. Huge difference there. Years of encounters taught me that.
Last edited by Zim; 01-01-2013 at 08:23 PM.