Turkey decoy setup questions
 

I have hunted over different combinations of hens, jakes and full size toms and anytime I have a male decoy out there I have NEVER gotten a bird to come whether it is early or later season.

I have only had luck with one or two hen decoys usually feeding.

I am thinking of putting one hen feeding and the other submissive without a male decoy.

What are your thoughts on that type of setup?

If anyone has tried this and did work for you, or is it just a bad idea, like I said if there is a male the birds no jakes or tom just will not come in, I don't understand it. But these birds are pressured pretty heavy when the first weekend comes in, our season starts on Monday so I have several days before they get really spooked.

I understand what works one day may not work the rest of the year but year in and year out if I have a male decoy out there it has been a waste of time.

Thanks

Couple years back I hunted a bird that I watched several guys hunt to no avail. When I finally hunted him, he had a bunch of hens with him, and would not respond to any decoys or calling. Then, after watching him for several hours, I witnessed another tom, and jake enter the pasture, making their way toward this tom and his hens. Then, all at once, he took off after the 2 newcomers, and ripped into them, and chased them off the pasture. He then gathered up his hens, and exited the pasture in the far corner. The next morning, I set up in that corner. I used an old jake fan I had cured and mounted on a stake. I set the hen out 30 yards from the corner, with a jake following her, and the fanned tail pinned right behind him. Maybe 10 feet apart from each other. When it got first light, the tom was roosted in a tree to my right about 15 yards, and I could tell he could see my set up, because he never stopped gobbling. He flew down in front of me at 10 yards and just stood there gobbling at my set up. After ten minutes or so, I dropped the firing pin on him. I never even pulled out my calls, because I knew he would not respond, but he would be fired up if he thought a jake was moving in on his territory. Long story I know, but my point is, knowing your bird, and how he reacts will go along way in carrying him to your tailgate.

I have hunted different places and every time I put a male decoy out with or without female decoys the jakes or full grown toms will just hang up and never come in, I have tried this for many years and it has held true.

SO back to my question if I put out a feeding hen and a submissive hen with no male decoy would the bird I am trying to call in notice the submissive hen and be more likely to come in or would he be more cautious with a gobbler not being there?

I know this is hypothetical and all I want is what you think would happen.

Interesting. I have never heard of a tom or jake turkey being turned away by the presence of another tom or jake all the time. In fact I have found the opposite to be true they will eventually come in to mess with the other male turkey intruding on their territory its how they are wired. However to answer your question I have tried many decoy setups and of those I did try a feeding hen with a hen sitting on the ground. I did have toms come in most times they hung up. However if they were with hens 9 times out of ten the hens would come in and show aggressive behavior towards the hens and the toms would follow.

I have had great luck with decoys. I have had them come in and beat the snot out of them. I like the Zink line of decoys. Me and my buddy tagged out last year using the jake and hen decoy from zink. Had to jakes come in and beat up the jake decoy as well. Check out my video i posted and check out the rest of my videos from last year on my youtube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/user/kyhunter26/videos

My best guess would be, if the gobbler is henned up, he probably won't come in. If he's alone, he might, but he might well hang up out of range. Let us know your results! I bought a submissive hen this summer (hen laying down), and plan to use it this spring, along with a jake decoy and more hen decoys. I know you have had consistently poor results with a jake decoy in the mix, but I have had such consistently good results, I just have more confidence with a jake decoy out there.

Decoys can work well and then other times will give you negative effects.
Watch the birds in your area and adapt your set-up to their normal field arrangement. tightly bunched decoys gives the appearance of danger........spread them out a bit.

Here pick out the decoy(s)!


And another this one is easy......great picture for new hunters to identify if the bird is a Jake or a Tom.


And after he was done with the above decoy this guy went over and wiped out my standing hen.


This is one of my favorite set-ups. Actually I have been using strutting Tom decoys way before they ever got popular. Sometimes they work and sometimes the bird is sub dominant and "hangs up" well out of range....
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There is more information in the Tactics sub forum.

JW

I think that jake in the last picture is about to attack your decoy ! :biggrin: