Strutter question

[skimerhorn]

I picked up a Avian-X strutter and want to put a real fan on it. My question is should I use a Jake or full fan?

[fallhnt]

Use what you have or what you want. If a bird wants to come in it will.

[WNCTracker]

Use a Jake fan


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[MK M GOBL]

Been hunting a Strutter Decoy for a long time and a "Full Fan" will not hurt you once you learn how to hunt him right, and ANY bird will come to a Dominant Tom/Strutter Decoy once you've  learned it. I/We kill everything from a Jake to the "Boss" with him and have great success doing so!!

It takes some time but if you really understand how the social/dominance structure works in a flock of turkeys you can use this to your advantage, still confuses me when someone thinks just because you put a decoy out you will get a bird. Not so... and there are definitely wrong ways to set decoys. And when it comes to a strutter decoy I always hear the "he just chases birds off", yup there again you have not learned how to hunt him right.

DSD & Done!

MK M GOBL

[WNCTracker]

in my limited experience ....when I used  a strutter for the first time i was successful with a Jake fan. When I put the big Tom fan on, birds started holding back and seemed less interested instead of coming in. I replaced it with a Jake fan and the next time out a Tom came in fast. Maybe it was my decoy formation using the Tom fan, I'm no decoy expert.


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[MK M GOBL]

in my limited experience ....when I used  a strutter for the first time i was successful with a Jake fan. When I put the big Tom fan on, birds started holding back and seemed less interested instead of coming in. I replaced it with a Jake fan and the next time out a Tom came in fast. Maybe it was my decoy formation using the Tom fan, I'm no decoy expert.


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Yup, "Jake" fan is a sub-dominant trait that the other bird (Toms) will recognize as a jake, and yes Jake fan does not hurt. Now I never set more than a single jake out in any decoy set. When you get 2-3 jakes together they will Dominate over some toms, even the boss and will drive other birds off/out, then this trio of jakes are then the dominant "bird" in this situation.

MK M GOBL

[Planner]

Been hunting a Strutter Decoy for a long time and a "Full Fan" will not hurt you once you learn how to hunt him right, and ANY bird will come to a Dominant Tom/Strutter Decoy once you've  learned it. I/We kill everything from a Jake to the "Boss" with him and have great success doing so!!

It takes some time but if you really understand how the social/dominance structure works in a flock of turkeys you can use this to your advantage, still confuses me when someone thinks just because you put a decoy out you will get a bird. Not so... and there are definitely wrong ways to set decoys. And when it comes to a strutter decoy I always hear the "he just chases birds off", yup there again you have not learned how to hunt him right.

DSD & Done!

MK M GOBL

I've used a strutter successfully quite a bit, but I'm curious to know how you hunt one. Any suggestions on how to use them and not scare birds off?


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[2eagles]

I don't even use a full fan on my jake decoy. I hot glued seven feathers on a little cardboard piece because I want him to look like a bird that has been beat up, but still strutting. I think it makes him appear weak and easy for another tom to chase off. I know I'm over thinking this, but it makes me happy.   

[MK M GOBL]

There is a lot to this but I can cover a few key points, so a lot has to do with approach of the incoming bird and what he sees as your flock, you need to match what you are seeing and in what part of the breeding cycle you are in. So I will go over the start of season where birds are coming together and you have numbers of birds. So here I will have my setup as such

(I do hunt DSD's and in part this has a lot to do with the interaction I get from birds, notice I say interaction not reaction... there is a difference)

This is a set for shotgun, bow is a different game...

And this is a field set for a righty (lefty just in opposite)

So in the start of season I will have my Strutter, Jake, Upright, Feeding and Leading hen out. I am matching to what is going on with birds at this time. First do you know where birds enter field? is field flat? or hilly? and shape of field. each of these make a difference in set. So lets say I am in a slightly hilly field (enough so I wouldn't bee seen if I am in a low spot unless a bird was on ridge in field. So let's say I know where birds are typically entering this field. I am a righty and want the birds to approach from my right, I am set (will use the clock as positions) facing 2:00 and Strutter decoy is set 11ish so this bird is crossing my path to get to decoy. So in this situation my Strutter is (dominant decoy here) will be set on the hill crest and where he can be seen best within that field and out from at (in a blind 15 yards) sitting on the ground/chair (slightly tucked in to wood line) at 20 yards. The decoy next to him is my upright hen and she is off set to him and slightly further out 4-6 feet (What I call Elbow Room) now I will set Jake to the right of strutter and 5 yards back and at least as far out and plus 5-10 feet. We are going to place a feeding hen next and she is out from the upright hen and maybe about another 5 yards, last one to set is the leading hen she is farthest from strutter and in front on other hens "Leading". 

So part of this is as a righty you face 2:00 and can shoot till 9:00 pretty easily (strong side)and  "Lefty would be 11:00 - 3:00" that way if a bird approaches from left you can still get on him at decoy set as he reaches the Strutter, the 20 yard deal for the strutter is also a marker you can easily double his range for the 40 yard mark... I will kill him right at the Strutter decoy and we are usually at 15-17 yards. Make sure your gun is on at this range, tight chokes can make for a miss when up close.

This is one of many, many, many scenarios, and even more goes into these sets, experience will help you learn how to read a field, scouting will prepare you for where your set is made and the rest is some patience As you go through the breeding cycle and your flock changes you need to match what you are seeing.

Hope this helps, I made somewhat of diagram below of what this set would look like...

MK M GOBL 

xxx
xxx
xx                                                                                             Feeder
xxx
xxxxx    If satellite Approaching Tom -->                       Leading                                        (12:00)
xxxx                                 Strong side)                                                                              Jake
xx                                                                                                 Upright      (11:00)                                           (2:00)
xxx                                                                                                                 Strutter                       <---  Tom from right
xxx                                                                                                                                                             Setup is for this
xx
xxx
xxxxx                                                 (9:00)
xxxx
  xxx                                                                                                                               Hunter (righty)
  xxxx                                                                                                                            **Crest**
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[Planner]

Thanks for the explanation! Very helpful!


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