Decoy scared him off....

[cozy23]

Went to some public land this morning. Sat in same spot as last weekend where I heard some gobbles but didn't see anything. I heard 3 gobbles from the same direction as last time. I was really patient with any calling and he eventually came to the edge of the field. He was alone and stopped,looked at my decoy the turned and ran off. Anybody had this happen? It was definitely frustrating. Seems like every year I get them close but not close enough.

 

[Setterman]

..... :whistle:

 

[redblood]

i truly believe decoys scare more birds than they kill

 

[pathfindr92]

Never had a postive experience with decoys. Several negative ones, though. Stopped carrying them 3 seasons back.

 

[Setterman]

...... :whistle:

 

[cozy23]

That settles that. No more decoys.

 

[Gravey]

Were you on Priest by chance? Was it a hen decoy, Jake, or tom? Just curious as I have a pretty boy I bought several years ago and every bird that saw it would go the other way. I even cut a full fan down to a Jake with the same result. Havent carried it in several seasons now. I still use a hen or two some on fields but that's about it and not always even then.

 

[Tennessee Lead]

Never had one come in to a decoy had a few leave. I have a friend who killed his third one in a field thus morning he just sits over a decoy works for him. Never worked for me.

 

[cozy23]

Were you on Priest by chance? Was it a hen decoy, Jake, or tom? Just curious as I have a pretty boy I bought several years ago and every bird that saw it would go the other way. I even cut a full fan down to a Jake with the same result. Havent carried it in several seasons now. I still use a hen or two some on fields but that's about it and not always even then.

Yep. On priest with a hen decoy. Only put it out because no one was in the area when I got there. I guess those birds out there see lots of lone hen decoys.

 

[Gravey]

Were you on Priest by chance? Was it a hen decoy, Jake, or tom? Just curious as I have a pretty boy I bought several years ago and every bird that saw it would go the other way. I even cut a full fan down to a Jake with the same result. Havent carried it in several seasons now. I still use a hen or two some on fields but that's about it and not always even then.

Yep. On priest with a hen decoy. Only put it out because no one was in the area when I got there. I guess those birds out there see lots of lone hen decoys.

I only asked because i went down 840 this morning to murfreesboro and saw somebody set up in a teepee blind and had 3 decoys (2 hens with what looked like a full strut tom). When I came back through there were 4 or 5 birds feeding out in front of him. I assumed they were hens.

 

[deerhunter10]

that's the main reason I don't use them. ive seen more birds turn and run at the sight of a decoy. im not taking the chance on them.

 

[duckhunter38135]

Same thing happened to me on priest last week. Birds have been real quiet latley

 

[catman529]

Public land... Seen the people set up on field edges with decoys. Sometimes it worked, I've seen it work firsthand but i'd imagine the more wary birds would recognize decoys.

 

[Setterman]

Serious question regarding decoys.

With so many things that could already blow a turkey hunt why add another one to the list by using a decoy?

If I ever decided to use a plastic turkey and it cost me a bird I would be furious knowing that I didn't probably need it in the first place.

Not judging just curious

 

[cozy23]

Serious question regarding decoys.

With so many things that could already blow a turkey hunt why add another one to the list by using a decoy?

If I ever decided to use a plastic turkey and it cost me a bird I would be furious knowing that I didn't probably need it in the first place.

Not judging just curious

I just figured that since I am probably not the best caller, the sight of the decoy would help entice a bird in. As I know now, my calling was good enough to call him in and the decoy did nothing to entice him in. Lessons learned.

 

[redblood]

i have only used them but a handful of times, but one time was memorable. set up on a farm and put a lone hen out. had turkey goblin several groups but none real close. there was a lone gobble in the woods closest to my setup but he quit right after fly down. about 300 yards i had two birds goblin hard so i decided i would go there way. couldn't pinpoint their location so i came back out. wouldn't you know, 2 toms trying to breed my decoy. that one time, they would have worked great-if i had any patience (which i do not)

 

[stik]

I know of no instances where the decoy has spooked a tom. I know of 2 instances where I believe it helped and another where a decoy may have helped when we didn't use one. the tom heard the call but saw no hen so he left.

 

[Grizzly Johnson]

I/we had a semi-strut jake decoy out yesterday with a bird coming towards us... on an old access road.... I was blind calling when one answered back from 100 yards and once more as he closed the distance. He gobbled at about 50 yards, when I yelped to him, letting us know to get ready. I could finally see his blueish white head coming through the pine tree saplings... as he was strutting towards our direction. When he got to the curve in the road where he could see the decoys, he got nervous and skirted us in the thick stuff. Seen him in the woods about 100 yards out and heading away from us.

 

[deerhunter10]

The thing is you don't have to be a championship type caller to call turkeys. If you listen some of the worst sounding turkeys are indeed turkeys. Just need to know when to call when to shut up IMO that's why more important then being the best caller in the woods.

 

[Mike Belt]

It all may depend on if a bird has been previously spooked around dekes. I've used them often and had many more birds respond to them than have been spooked by them. Occasionally no calling is required if they can spot the dekes from a distance.