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Well......do I need to bust out the hand painted strutter for this guy???

Started by Coroner01, April 16, 2018, 05:50:00 PM

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Coroner01

It is so cold here in Northern Illinois.  Here is the scenario.  The local flock I am on has mature birds, and I see an average of 16.  There are four jakes, three mature birds, one really mature dominant bird, hens and jennies.  Early today they did venture into bean field, walked the edge of woods as of course, snow and wind.  I had two jake decoys, two hen decoys, spread out heading toward the farm road which is this flocks normal travel.  They went back into the woods, I called minimal, I think the weather and wind effected them today. Late morning, old strutter following two hens around in full strut......open field, he was focused on strutting, and following.....saw no more flock, they stayed on the edges 400 yards away fighting the snow.  I have four days left to hunt.  SNow showers Wednesday and Thursday.   DO I bring the strutter, and only one hen to set him off??  Its hard hunting these birds when its too cold for hens to lay eggs.  I am on far end of the field, blind brushed in, they are moving left to right. I always put decoys to my far right so they pass in front of blind.  AL

MK M GOBL

Just from my experience, I never put out 2 jake decoys... I run into Jake "gangs" that will beat down toms so I will only ever set one. At times (early season) I will use a jake as a sub to my strutter. I am still seeing winter flocks and matching my sets to that.
I developed/designed a White Headed Strutter Decoy back in 1999 and he works! I have since updated, in 2012 I painted my DSD Strutter to this design.

MK M GOBL

Coroner01

WOW.....your right, I had two jakes......so submissive jake and strutter with two hens....think that will do it??  I love your strutter....

MK M GOBL

Thanks DSD is awesome decoy!!

So my basic early season set is... Strutter next to Upright or Breeder Hen, Jake set as sub. I have a Feeding hen set and a Leading. I always leave "elbow room" when I set decoys, I want tom to be able to approach all decoys. My dominant decoy is set at 15 yards (in this case Strutter) and to strong side. I have set of "rules" I follow to hunting decoys "right". Would need to know more about your set...


MK M GOBL