What are your decoy recommendations?
 

For those of you that hunt often or exclusively with dekes, what are some of your favorites currently on the market?

I'm always looking to add to my arsenal of decoys, and therefore I was just wondering what other people are using with success. Anyone have any success with the newer dekes by GHG?

DSD are the best, but they are are awfully expensive. I have had good results with Avian X, but they won't stand up to stray shot hitting them.

I use the Avian X

I've used all brands at times.
Pros and Cons on any brand you choose.
But if I use a decoy or decoys I prefer DSD. They can take a hit.....had a buddy hit em twice with really no ill effects. Always keep their shape. Easy to deploy. Swing life like in any breeze. Metal stake which is stored in the body. Other than some shot embedded in the body. I show that goofball that each time I take him with me.
And the paint has been awesome. I give them a Dawn dish soap bath and they look brand spanking new. Going on 6 yrs.
Only thing I add and that is to any decoy, I clear nail polish the eyes.

Con....they are heavy.

JW

I agree with JW DSD are hard to beat. I have carried them in the mountains of New Mexico, plains in Montana, Forests in Alabama and every where in between there are great especially if you are archery hunting. I have had mine since they first came out and they are still in excellent condition and I have carried them in some pretty rough country.

For the DSD (set of 4) I bought a Avery four slot goose decoy bag. Has a great shoulder strap. Which makes carrying the flock far easier than the provided single storage bags.


JW

DSD here as well. Bit the bullet about 5 years ago. Very good product

will not use them, after 4 years came to the conclusion they will not work here
RR

I must admit I have never hunted in West Virginia for spring turkey although I do have a standing invite some day so I can't argue if you say they don't work there but I do know they work in Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Alabama, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Kansas, Michigan, Iowa and Ontario. :biggrin:

yes they work in ky, I know that. I used a decoy in wv for over 4 seasons, once had a gobbler respond to it. all the rest of the time they either immediately walked the other direction upon seeing it, or they lock into a strut as soon as they see it, strut back and forth 5 minutes, then just walk off. the one gobble that came into the decoy had a death wish, he would have died with just scratching in the leaves. They may very well work in other parts of the state, I have hunted most of wv, and a lot of Virginia, these here in Hardy County WV are a lot different, they act totally different for some unknown (by me) reason.
RR

You say you used a decoy but was it a DSD ? That could be the difference. I to have had some birds come in and show no interest and some even start to putt. But since using DSDs more come than don't.

I use Avian X but if I had the money I would upgrade to the DSD. As far as the avian X not taking a shot when it starts to deflate you can cut a hole in it and use that spray expanding foam. Works wonders lol

came to the conclusion I don't need dekes, have killed more gobblers than most folks see in their lifetime.
RR

Just left the DSD website. No way I am paying that much for a turkey decoy.

I agree with RR. Oftentimes, the lack of a decoy makes the tom more curious causing him to search vigorously for the calling source.

Run and gun I usually leave the decoys (el cheapo's but have good shape and coloring) in my bag. If a midday, cold setup on a field, I will deploy a flock of decoys and take a nap.

Decoys
 

In my opinion any decoy will work if set up right I use the cheap ones that all the other expensive ones put to shame and they work great. If I use them I put them in a clearing just far enough out so the gobblers can see them from the hill they travel and it works great. I use decoys other places once in a while, 20 yards from me with the Jake always facing me so if need be you can move with the gobbler facing away.

Called up a bird in 2016 that me and a buddy had roosted. Set the decoy up 30 yards in front of us. Bird hit the ground coming right in. Got to the top of the hill where he could see the decoy. We were sitting on the other side of the dip so we weren't in his line of sight. The second he saw the decoy he folded up and walked off gobbling every so often.


Had another bird that that came all the way across clear cut gobbling. We were caught between him to our left, a strutter just over the ridge about 100 yards, and birds to our right about 120 yards. We had a dogwood tree about the size of a man's calf to set up on. Bird decoyed in to 30 yards and the other end of a load of Nitro.


Some days it works. Some days it doesn't.

I have had turkeys walk right into no decoys just calling and also hang up at 50 yards and strut! I have had the same thing happen with decoys but since I started using the DSD decoys there are way more that come right in than don't ! I have had hens strut and try and gobble at the DSD hen and stay in the decoy set up for a half hour just working over that decoy purring and yelping until along comes old tom wondering what is happening. I have had 3 jakes take turns one after the other on the decoy and even had one of them squat down and fall a sleep for 15 minutes next to it. Several toms as well have hung around even after shooting their buddy. Now that I am doing more bow hunts I would't be without one !! You can say they are expensive but if you are like me and do alot of turkey hunting they are cheap. I have had them for about 5 years and they are still like new while all the cheap ones lose their shape bend etc in a year or even before the season is done. I have even shop my jake and just a small touch up and you would never know it . Only problem is if you fall asleep and then get jolted awake for some reason don't shoot them lol !!