how far out are your dekes?
 

Up til this point all the birds I have gotten I have taken without dekes. A few days ago I had a tom hang up thirty yards away from my decoys. The decoys were twenty yards out for a total of fifty yards. This is a shot some guys would take but I am uncomfortable with. Despite my soft purring he slowly strutted away.

I am thinking I should move the decoys closer to my blind, like 5-10 yards away. I am also thinking of getting some A way turkey skinz to make my dekes a little more realistic. Any thoughts?

RE: how far out are your dekes?
 

I don't often use decoys simply because when I run and gun I usually don't have the time to set them up. For some reason I got both my 2009 birds with a decoy spread this year. I had some birds located and figured out the perfect location for decoys and myself based on where they would want to go. I was about 15 yds inside a wood edge with the decoys about 20 yds off my left in the field andaway from where the bird would come. They were visible in the field and the birds came in range well before they got real close to the decoys. The second bird came from the other direction the next day and that one strutted right up to the jake. Some times it works like that and you feel real lucky.:D

RE: how far out are your dekes?
 

I'm sure it comes from the fact that I bowhunt most of the time, but these days, even with a gun.... I set up my decoys no more that 10 to 12 yards in front of me and I ALWAYS make suremy Jake or Strutter is facing my location. The Jake/Strutter facing me will ensure that the approaching bird tries to position himself in front of the decoy to establish eye contact with the fake.... this always gives me the kind of shot I'm looking for.

A good example of this is the Tom that my Daughter took this season. We had a big mature bird that had given other hunters fits. We slipped into within 80 yards of his roost and set up a Double Bull blind and 2 decoys. One DSD Hen and a Peep'n Tom strutter with a Jake fan and beard on it. After watching this wise bird circle our entire location, he ended up sneaking in behind us and eventually offered my Daughter a point blank shot at only 8 yards..... he dropped only inches from the beak of our fake jake decoy! :)

RE: how far out are your dekes?
 

We always set up our dekes with-in 10 yards of the blind. Usually makes the bow shots much more do-able. Over the years, we have taken some fall birds(hens) and have self mounted them and they most certainly will hold a gobbler better than any fake decoy ever will. Even had toms try to mount our decoys, and that right there is having him "hook, line, and sinker."

RE: how far out are your dekes?
 

I usually put my decoys between 10 and 20 yards in front of me.

RE: how far out are your dekes?
 

15-25 yards, depending on what I'msitting againstfor cover

RE: how far out are your dekes?
 

15 yds or closer and facing towards me or slightly behind me.

RE: how far out are your dekes?
 

10 yrds max w/bow .......make it easy

RE: how far out are your dekes?
 

For me it depends really. It depends on the situation and the set up. But as a general rule i go around 20 yards.

RE: how far out are your dekes?
 

Generally....if I use them.....15-20 yards with shotgun, and 5-10 with the bow.

RE: how far out are your dekes?
 

I will usally put them 10-15 yards behind me. putting me in between the dekes and the tom.

RE: how far out are your dekes?
 

Me no farther than 20 yards...

RE: how far out are your dekes?
 

Funny you should ask as I played with the setting of decoys probably far closer than you think.

Want to know why I could take shots at 11 and 8 paces? Because my decoys where at 5 paces or approx - 5 to 6 yards!

I experimented on how close is too close this year. So far close don't mean squat as far as spooking birds.......it didn't.

I had Jakes what felt a matter of inches from me and had no problem at all. It is fun to see the fuzz on theur heads!

Now I blind sit - and the blind sticks out like a sore thumb to the sight of man! I am safety concious for sure!

So my decoys - are less than 5 yards and no more than 10. Get them too close and they are hard to see! :)

JW