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?

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.

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!

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."

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

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

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

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

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

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