I was always a run and gun hunter and enjoyed that style of hunting in the larger tracts of land, lately Ive been hunting smaller parcels setting up with Avian X decoys but would like to get back to run and gun in bigger country but this time with decoys. Are there any high quality decoys that are lightweight and easy to pack ?
I also use the Avian X decoys and they are great but they are hard to pack around. What I wound up doing is buying a duck decoy carry bag and throw them in there with my pack and just go. It will hold three blown up decoys andy pack in it. I did see some hunter specialties decoys that looked pretty good that were hollow/foldable.
https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/game-winner%C2%AE-mesh-duck-decoy-bag#repChildCatid=314102
I do the same as rakkin6. Just get a nice decoy bag and its not unbearable to pack a few avians. If i run and gun i tend to just take a single hen and call it good enough. Most of the time i dint even put it out.
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I am not opposed to decoys... But have found that decoys and run & gun hunting does not necessarily go well together.
I want to move quickly, and set up quickly, and all too often I end up a lot further from the truck with a dead bird than I hoped... I have also bungled more opportunities trying to set up decoys, when birds were far closer than I thought (or different birds than I was calling come running in).
To me, decoys with running & gunning add more stress than benefit.
That being said, I purchased a DSD hen, and an Avian X jake for running & gunning... The DSD hen is certainly light enough, and the DSD jake is certainly lighter than the DSD jake... Were I to run & gun with decoys today, it would be the DSD hen and the Funky Chicken though.
The amount of cover will dictate whether I deploy a decoy or not. When I do tote one, it's a single hen. Have had birds in the past shy away from jakes. I also attempt to set up in such a way that the bird has to come looking.
I have a hen hs strut that kinda collapses. If I use it I usually put it behind me hoping that by the time the Tom can see it I can already get a shot at him
More just a diversion to keep his eyes off me
I may buy a funky chicken for run and gun!
My Run & Gun pair is a DSD 3/4 Strut Jake & DSD Upright Hen, I do not usually set in timber unless open enough for them to be seen, otherwise I want him looking for me. Easy enough to carry as they both fit in the same bag.
MK M GOBL
If I'm running and gunning, I typically don't use decoys...it's all about moving quickly and setting up instantly at times. Although, if I wanted, the DSD leading hen or upright hen would work - come with a good bag that's easy to carry and the ACE technology allows for much less noise from the decoy when moving.
Montana Purrfect Pair would fit your needs
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I appreciate the responses, before I found the Old Gobbler forum I used to grab a couple diaphragm calls and my vest and gun and be done with it, now I got long boxes, short boxes, pot calls, strikers, diaphragm calls decoys etc...For me taking the Avian X on a true run and gun hunt where I may cover 5+ miles in a morning is not enjoyable, I looked at the Montana Purrfect Pair after reading the suggestion here and they seem like the ideal setup, while not as realistic as a DSD or Avian X they sure are more portable.
Quote from: gdc23 on March 08, 2020, 05:34:28 PM
I appreciate the responses, before I found the Old Gobbler forum I used to grab a couple diaphragm calls and my vest and gun and be done with it, now I got long boxes, short boxes, pot calls, strikers, diaphragm calls decoys etc...For me taking the Avian X on a true run and gun hunt where I may cover 5+ miles in a morning is not enjoyable, I looked at the Montana Purrfect Pair after reading the suggestion here and they seem like the ideal setup, while not as realistic as a DSD or Avian X they sure are more portable.
Are you hunting really open terrain? Open areas are where I see decoys benefit for Run & Gun hunting...
No doubt I have seen decoys be of benefit in other situations, especially right off the roost with henned up birds. Jake and hen decoys, and sometimes the hens will come in to challenge the hen decoy, and sometimes the toms will come in to challenge the jake decoy...
But running and gunning is usually later in the morning, and (hopefully) drumming up a lonely bird. I get way more "hang-ups" on decoys than I do without decoys... And I have been busted too many times trying to set up decoys, when I should have simply sat down.
I tend to cover more ground, set up more quickly, and screw up less opportunities running & gunning without decoys.
Use the terrain so that incoming birds cannot see where that hen should be... I am generally hunting more "wooded areas" and if I am hunting a large trail or logging road, I avoid setting up on the straights of a logging road, and try to set up at the bends (or at least slight curves). I try and set up with the bird hopefully coming to my left (as a right-handed shooter), but making sure I can still switch and shoot to the right.
That is not to say that there are times when I would not haul decoys while running & gunning, but in the past few years, I have simply become too lazy to do so, and have found that decoys probably would not help me much on those later morning birds anyways...
I really dont need them that much as I am usually in the woods around fields, but occasionally I will get a gobble along a tote rd or at the edge of a field where I think they help. When Im in the timber I wont bother putting them out
I've had really good results with the Miss Perfect decoys. They fold up tiny, weigh very little, and hardly take any room in a pack! I usually don't use decoys very often while running and gunning but once in a while when I want to take a break from hiking or find a good spot I set up a couple hens and sometimes a jake. I really like the ability to adjust the heads to a feeder or upright....or even a breeder hen with jake immediately behind her. The price is also right!
I have the Montana decoy Jake and I also have the Avian X LCD Jake.
I plan on using my Montana decoy for quick set ups. Keeping the avian X Jake in the truck for when I need it.
Primos gobb stopper pair best decoys for the money :z-winnersmiley:
Montana Jake perfect and Miss Perfect. Light and compact.
Quote from: model94 on April 05, 2020, 12:38:18 PM
Montana Jake perfect and Miss Perfect. Light and compact.
Yep. They aren't the most realistic decoys but they are light and I fold up small enough to stick into a vest or satchel. I carry the hen in my Glenda green bag
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Quote from: wchadw on April 05, 2020, 02:16:19 PM
Quote from: model94 on April 05, 2020, 12:38:18 PM
Montana Jake perfect and Miss Perfect. Light and compact.
Yep. They aren't the most realistic decoys but they are light and I fold up small enough to stick into a vest or satchel. I carry the hen in my Glenda green bag
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Have you had success with these? I have the Jake but I'm concerned it's not real enough. But it's so great to have something that's light and just folds right up.
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Quote from: Mossberg90MN on April 05, 2020, 07:56:21 PM
Quote from: wchadw on April 05, 2020, 02:16:19 PM
Quote from: model94 on April 05, 2020, 12:38:18 PM
Montana Jake perfect and Miss Perfect. Light and compact.
Yep. They aren't the most realistic decoys but they are light and I fold up small enough to stick into a vest or satchel. I carry the hen in my Glenda green bag
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Have you had success with these? I have the Jake but I'm concerned it's not real enough. But it's so great to have something that's light and just folds right up.
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I really only use the hen. But I have had gobbler and hen check it out
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Quote from: wchadw on April 05, 2020, 08:31:37 PM
Quote from: Mossberg90MN on April 05, 2020, 07:56:21 PM
Quote from: wchadw on April 05, 2020, 02:16:19 PM
Quote from: model94 on April 05, 2020, 12:38:18 PM
Montana Jake perfect and Miss Perfect. Light and compact.
Yep. They aren't the most realistic decoys but they are light and I fold up small enough to stick into a vest or satchel. I carry the hen in my Glenda green bag
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Have you had success with these? I have the Jake but I'm concerned it's not real enough. But it's so great to have something that's light and just folds right up.
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I really only use the hen. But I have had gobbler and hen check it out
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Did they seem convinced?
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Quote from: Mossberg90MN on April 05, 2020, 08:51:52 PM
Quote from: wchadw on April 05, 2020, 08:31:37 PM
Quote from: Mossberg90MN on April 05, 2020, 07:56:21 PM
Quote from: wchadw on April 05, 2020, 02:16:19 PM
Quote from: model94 on April 05, 2020, 12:38:18 PM
Montana Jake perfect and Miss Perfect. Light and compact.
Yep. They aren't the most realistic decoys but they are light and I fold up small enough to stick into a vest or satchel. I carry the hen in my Glenda green bag
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Have you had success with these? I have the Jake but I'm concerned it's not real enough. But it's so great to have something that's light and just folds right up.
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I really only use the hen. But I have had gobbler and hen check it out
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Did they seem convinced?
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Not really but my if it's a gobbler it's close enough to shoot. Back 10 years ago all the decoys were brown rubber blobs with a red head and it would bring them close enough to take a look
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Quote from: wchadw on April 05, 2020, 08:59:19 PM
Quote from: Mossberg90MN on April 05, 2020, 08:51:52 PM
Quote from: wchadw on April 05, 2020, 08:31:37 PM
Quote from: Mossberg90MN on April 05, 2020, 07:56:21 PM
Quote from: wchadw on April 05, 2020, 02:16:19 PM
Quote from: model94 on April 05, 2020, 12:38:18 PM
Montana Jake perfect and Miss Perfect. Light and compact.
Yep. They aren't the most realistic decoys but they are light and I fold up small enough to stick into a vest or satchel. I carry the hen in my Glenda green bag
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Have you had success with these? I have the Jake but I'm concerned it's not real enough. But it's so great to have something that's light and just folds right up.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I really only use the hen. But I have had gobbler and hen check it out
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Did they seem convinced?
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Not really but my if it's a gobbler it's close enough to shoot. Back 10 years ago all the decoys were brown rubber blobs with a red head and it would bring them close enough to take a look
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True
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I have piles of decoys but find myself using a single feeding hen that has a self contained stake the snaps into the base of the decoy I believe its made by flextone affordable realistic and does what I need it to do. There was a time when I would have multiple decoys quarter strut jakes etc and try to pack them all around. I did not kill more birds by doing this. All that said from time to time I will take out a jake or strutter if I have a location that is relatively easy to get to or plan to hunt open fields.