I picked up a pair of DSD decoys to use this season, the upright hen and 3/4 strut jake, mainly because my focus this season will be filming as much as possible and hunting with my 5 year old as much as possible. With that said, on a few occasions I will be hunting public land. Do any of you use your DSD/similar decoys on public land? I think it may be asking for trouble, but just wanted to see some real world experiences.
That would depend completely on the public land your hunting. Some places are over run with people some not. The more people the higher the chance of a problem. I know several people that have had there hen decoys shot, a hen not a Jake or gobbler. How someone can mistake a hen for a Gobbler is beyond me but it happens. Were I hunt in La I would not sit anywhere near a decoy especially not a Jake or Gobbler too many desperate wanna be hunters in the woods. Do you really need to ask if sitting your 5 year old near a Jake decoy on public land is asking for trouble? At 5 there's no way he could really care if he shoots a turkey or not he definitely would care if he got some pellets in the face from some idiot.
Idk what state you're in or how crowded it gets but id not use the jake and even the hen I'd be careful with.
Of two of the fellows I mentor with one was shot in the head. He lived but has issues. The other had his deke shot by a hunter sneaking in.
Both happened on private land not even public. Be careful
I'll agree w the above post about your child
Quote from: LaLongbeard on March 04, 2019, 12:23:58 PM
That would depend completely on the public land your hunting. Some places are over run with people some not. The more people the higher the chance of a problem. I know several people that have had there hen decoys shot, a hen not a Jake or gobbler. How someone can mistake a hen for a Gobbler is beyond me but it happens. Were I hunt in La I would not sit anywhere near a decoy especially not a Jake or Gobbler too many desperate wanna be hunters in the woods. Do you really need to ask if sitting your 5 year old near a Jake decoy on public land is asking for trouble? At 5 there's no way he could really care if he shoots a turkey or not he definitely would care if he got some pellets in the face from some idiot.
Just to clarify, my son likely will not even hunt public land with me, much less around decoys.
Lots of stupid people out there. I personally wouldn't use a jake and if you use a hen have a good wide tree behind you and set up where you can see someone sneaking in.
Never Jake or Tom, hen with Caution...
MK M GOBL
I use,stuffers,Deception decoys and DSD on public land in the Fall and Spring.
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I use them on public land, too. Always set up so there is no way I could get hit if some fool tried to shoot the 1 legged jake.
I don't use any tom or jake decoy on public land, the risk is not worth it and to tell the truth I am nervous about using hen decoys as well, to many meatheads out there.
Never had problems on public. Private on the other hand, had some road hunters stop to take a shot in KS.
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I've been using my 3/4 strut jake/upright hen combo on public land the past 8 seasons with no issues. Having said that, I will also admit that I have only encountered one other turkey hunter in the woods over that entire time so I'm not surprised that my experience seems to be much different than some others who have responded. Don't know why but the public land I hunt gets very little pressure.
I don't use them on public land around here, have to run and gun to find them. I have used on private land and luckily I have not been shot...
Some states offer rifles as legal weapons during fall turkey season....which ought to be even more spooky!
I think you deep down know the answer to your question,but if you don't I wouldnt do it. It only takes one idiot..My luck he'd be shooting Tss..
I had some one actually shoot my jake decoy once. If taking a kid with you, i definitely would not use one on public. Just my opinion. Safety first so you and they have many more years to get a gobbler.
Its pretty much been answered already but even on public land that is not really crowded, I wouldn't use the decoys in a field or near a road where somebody can see it from a long way away and mistake it for a real bird. People walk roads, and they glass fields!!
I would say in the hardwoods may be alright, odds are you would hear somebody coming before they are too close plus I would say 75% of public land turkey hunters just walk the roads and either scream on a crow call, owl hooter, or yelp on a box call as loud as possible to get a shock gobble, and if one don't gobble they don't go trekking through the hard woods
I think using decoys on public land is like those guys hiding behind a turkey fan. Forget what its called.
Quote from: mtns2hunt on March 12, 2019, 09:41:42 PM
I think using decoys on public land is like those guys hiding behind a turkey fan. Forget what its called.
Reaping
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The only time I had a long beard come in on a Jake decoy, he froze up out of shooting range.
Now I just use hen decoys...
Thanks for all of the feedback guys.
Honestly, I've never used a decoy on public land because of all of the reasons mentioned. I have however seen a lot of videos lately and read reports of people doing it successfully, so I wondered how much of the feedback I've seen was "scare tactics" vs actual real life experience. We'll leave them in the truck...I don't want to carry them as far as I walk anyways! :icon_thumright: