RIStrutStopper

I have a delta jake. Its basically the same deke as the hen, but with a different paint job. It also has a puny beard that has been replaced by cat whiskers (the kind you put on your bow string to make it quiet for those who don't know...) Any respectable bird would be much bigger than my dekes, so I don't think they spook from them.

HeyMan

I hunt easterns in MI and over the years I've learned that the MOST important thing is NOT calling or how expensive your decoys are. I've heard the best callers have birds hang up just out of range, and I've seen a dark wind sock bring turkeys in while I was goose hunting
I believe the most important thing is Knowing what part of the breeding season their in!!! Is it still the pecking order?? If so I use a strutting Tom only no hens. If their in breeding phase I'll use either a tom and breeding hen or a jake and a breeding hen if the hen chase is over (early-mid May here) and the hens are nesting I'll go back to a single tom or jake with standing hens The toms will start to group up again they'll look for a buddy after the hens go to nest late morning.
The thing to remember is nothing is going to work every time!! And sometimes no calling or minimal calling is best. Sometimes I'll only tree call twice and not call again till 10-11 am. Couriousity doesn't just kill the cat. Good luck. I hope this helps.

Champlain Islander

I think turkeys remember a bad experience. I have had birds run across a field to get to my decoys and at other times are coming in hot until they see the decoys and then putt and go the other way fast. I have probably taken more birds without setting them up because I like to run and gun and often don't have time for a set up. Just like others have said either they work or they don't and you never know. The last bird gave me the slip 2 days in a row when he saw the decoy. The third day I set up in an ambush spot without a decoy and with minimal calling after he heard me and was coming in.

JW

Get rid of the Jake, use just the hen.
Jakes are angry teenagers that usually travel in gangs.They will torment mature birds. Witnessed it
a lot.
And most Jake decoys produced are postured wrong. The only Jake decoy I have seen work consistently is All because or his posture. As Arrow said. I've got Jake decoys used only for flower bed enhancements.

Second not all strutting Toms are dominant. As others have said he may had his hind end whipped. You see that also using a strutting decoy. You always have a 50-50 chance the Tom will stop short.

And some Toms just stop short. They will strutt, do their dance hoping to lure a hen or two their way.

After all why do Toms strutt?
They want to get laid. And if Jenny hen says not today,
maybe tomorrow the Tom follows dutifully along , in strutt until Miss Jenny changes her posture and lays down.

My two cents
Watch how birds react with each other and place your decoys similar.
AND YES you still will have times leaving you scratching your head.

JW

DaveH

My experience is mixed when using a lone hen. Sometimes the gobbler will hang up just out of range and strut. Other times, I've had them approach fairly close. When using 2 hens and a jake, all of my experiences have been bad ones. I've had several very large gobblers spook at the sight of them ... so I use just the hen.