What is everybody's thoughts on using decoys in the hardwoods? I have had birds hang up out of range when seeing my decoys or just flat out run when they see it. Do you think it would be more beneficial to hunt without one in the woods so they have to "find you", instead of seeing the decoy (hen) and expecting it to come to them?
Hey Moose,
I can only speak for myself, but my property is dense hardwoods and cedar wetlands with an old logging trail running down the center. By dumb luck I have drawn late season tags in WI (Mid-late May) for the last 4 years. Tried a hen decoy a few times on the logging trail and a few small relatively "open" areas. The Toms would come to my calls but checked up well out of shooting distance upon spotting the decoy. All my success came from calling and waiting without a decoy. Typically in late morning and afternoons. Guessing the Toms where seeking out that noisy hen while the harem was sitting on nests or something. That said, your results may vary LOL!
Good luck
Leave the decoys at home and concentrate on sitting down in the correct spot, one less thing to carry too. I think too often folks try to get where the decoys will be seen instead of getting in the spot to kill the gobbler. Imo
I rarely use decoys in the timber, unless it is "Open" such as Pastured, Oak Savanah, or Mature Pine Planting. As far as in the timber I let the bird seek me out and look for a spot for him to come to and I set to that spot, try to find a "clear" area with a number of shooting lanes for his approach.
MK M GOBL
In my experience, decoys used in the heavy cover are not nearly as effective.
I wished i had out out this morning at 11am when a longbeard comes walking by kinda looking for my calls but never comes close. Maybe a decoy would have completed the scenario. He never made a sound and seemed like he didnt really care what i had to say.
What about a jake decoy?
Always a toss up when using decoys. I like them along the edges of timber bordering on fields but not in the timber unless there is a large opening. In timber or woods its usually close up as the turkey moves in and a decoy will, in my experience cause him to hang up.
In open areas, I do think that decoys can be beneficial... You are calling in the middle of the pasture, and the bird you are calling at can see that there is no hen there... A decoy might give him the confidence or incentive to carry on...
In the woods, if a bird has moved towards you without seeing you... My thought is that without a decoy he will continue forward motion, looking for that hen that called him.... But he very well could hang up on a decoy if he sees it.
Of course there are exceptions, but when hunting in the woods, if I can see the turkey, I do not like to call... If he stalls or changes direction, I wait till he is behind an obstruction to call, so that he cannot pinpoint me at the time of my calling.
In a normal year I almost never use a decoy in the timber. This year is so late the hardwoods still look like December they are so open. I've had way to many gobblers come to within 100 yards and circle completely around me looking for the hen and not seeing what the expect to see. They will rarely come in range in wide open timber like that. As much as I dislike carrying decoys I will be packing them this year.
Here's when I use a decoy in the "Open" timber, this was my first longbeard.
MK M GOBL
Quote from: MOOSE on April 12, 2018, 01:48:49 PM
What is everybody's thoughts on using decoys in the hardwoods? I have had birds hang up out of range when seeing my decoys or just flat out run when they see it. Do you think it would be more beneficial to hunt without one in the woods so they have to "find you", instead of seeing the decoy (hen) and expecting it to come to them?
You've received good advice so far.
Basically, I try my best not to use decoys. It is more of a convenience thing than anything else. It's one more piece of luggage, and I found that if I set up decoys, I was more likely to stick it out in a bum spot, just because I didn't want to go through the hassle of dealing with the dekes.
In dense hardwoods, the one way I might use a deke is to put out a hen off to one side and behind me. If the gob sees it, he may stop worrying about me and concentrate on the goofy hen. I've used that to good effect on a couple of occasions, but mostly I've kept the dekes at home.
Decoys work as well in timber as they do in fields.
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I haven't used decoys in hardwoods very often, but they were effective when I did. The woods I've used decoys in have not been extremely open mature timber, but there were trails or logging roads for the turkeys to move around on or see down. Each gobbler was already coming long distances in response to my calls. The decoys definitely gave the gobbler something to focus on and diverted attention away from me. Every time I had gobblers coming to decoys in timber, all were killed and provided easy shots under 30 yards.
To echo others though, it is a p.i.t.a. to tote multiple decoys through the woods and they are not necessary to succeed. I've killed way more without decoys than with.
Jim
Quote from: Candyman on April 12, 2018, 02:53:41 PM
Leave the decoys at home and concentrate on sitting down in the correct spot, one less thing to carry too. I think too often folks try to get where the decoys will be seen instead of getting in the spot to kill the gobbler. Imo
IMHO..... the best answer.
You have got some great answers. Here is my opinion. It seems to me a decoy has hurt me more than helped in the woods. I have had a bird come in and see the decoy then just hang up right there. My thinking is that once he sees the decoy he expects the hen to come to him. If you dont use a decoy he actually has to come and look for the hen that is calling. Its also just something else to carry. I will admit that I always have a decoy in the truck but unless its pouring rain or very windy,thats where it stays.
An ole timer told me years ago you are cheating if using a decoy and I try to not use them, as others have said. But have no problem if someone uses them, and more young hunters are using them it seems. I believe if a gobbler is coming and each goggle getting closer most of the time if you are set up in the spot to see him and he not be able to determine you are there...pick you out among the limbs, leaves, whatever is helping you conceal your position so as to call to him as he goes behind a tree, brush, or spins in a strut....then you do not need a decoy and in many cases you will get your shot. These are the times that are much more satisfying to me...I fooled him completely with only my calling, him hunting me (the hen he hears) and will not have to wonder if he sees the decoy and hangs up out of range. That is always on my mind if using a decoy....will he hang up when he sees it. So, I rely on my calling, my correct setup, and hope to work him if he is committing.
I would think if you were going to carry any decoy it would be a jake. That way any gobbler that has come in and heard your calling can't "see" the hen calling but sees a young punk who has beat him there and even a subordinate 2 year old "should" not intimidated enough to want to challenge a jake looking for love.
I jumped on the wagon and bought avain x jake and hen last year and after carrying them a few times I quickly put them in the closet. Too much to carry. Now if I'm hunting a pasture or field I think they'd be worth carrying.
As hunters we are trying to reverse what nature has planned. He struts and gobbles to attract the attention of hens. Instinctively the hens want to be bred and thus go to him. Stating this is exactly why I don't use decoys in the woods often. I call to him and let him try to find me. In the past, I have had gobblers stop as soon as they seen my decoys and break into full strut and gobble just out of range. I honestly think that when they seen it they were like "ok here I am and I know you see me so come here". I think this why I like making them find me. Not sure why using decoys in the fields work for me but not in the hard woods though
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I prefer not to use decoys in the hardwoods. I work on sets ups using the lay of the land that place the Tom in range when I can initially see him
I've killed loads of birds in the woods with decoys but I like be able to see 50+ yards when setting up. My OOS CT spot is 200 acres of nothing but hardwoods and you can't trespass off the property without risking a felony, so we post up hardwoods in different sections. Been killing birds that way down there for 20+ years. My home state of NH is the second most forested state in the US at 94% so it's almost as bad but if I cut and run and strike a quick, close bird I never risk spooking him so set up quickly without them, that works too.
Quote from: EZ on April 16, 2018, 10:30:15 AM
Quote from: Candyman on April 12, 2018, 02:53:41 PM
Leave the decoys at home and concentrate on sitting down in the correct spot, one less thing to carry too. I think too often folks try to get where the decoys will be seen instead of getting in the spot to kill the gobbler. Imo
IMHO..... the best answer.
:icon_thumright:
Lesson I learned the hard way.
Very rarely will I use a decoy in timber. About the only time I will use one is when I'm set up on a logging road where a bird can see it at some distance in either direction.
Other that I usually just try for the right spot do some light calling and some leaf scratching
Decoys make nice yard ornaments !!!!!! Never had any luck with them in the wood's and very little success with them in a field situation. Best decoy field hunt i had was a coyote coming to my decoy, my little 870 20ga with Fed. HW#7's took care of him.
Quote from: Candyman on April 12, 2018, 02:53:41 PM
Leave the decoys at home and concentrate on sitting down in the correct spot, one less thing to carry too. I think too often folks try to get where the decoys will be seen instead of getting in the spot to kill the gobbler. Imo
My opinion exactly. Not bashing decoys, just think that they have become a hinderance to becoming a well rounded turkey hunter.
Quote from: EZ on December 25, 2018, 08:34:36 AM
Quote from: Candyman on April 12, 2018, 02:53:41 PM
Leave the decoys at home and concentrate on sitting down in the correct spot, one less thing to carry too. I think too often folks try to get where the decoys will be seen instead of getting in the spot to kill the gobbler. Imo
My opinion exactly. Not bashing decoys, just think that they have become a hinderance to becoming a well rounded turkey hunter.
Well said.
everytime i leave the house without one and can't get a bird to come in i kick myself for not having a decoy and everytime i sit a decoy out and a bird hangs up i kick myself for having the thing out there.
Like everyone else, I've had mixed results. I will say that I have the best success when I set the decoy up behind me or in a place where when the gobbler can see it, he's already in range.
What I'm trying to prevent is two things:
1 - Him coming in and not seeing a hen/finding me instead and leaving
2 - Him not seeing the decoy too early so that he stops out of range and waits for her to come to him.
* My apologies as I just realized this is an old thread. Nonetheless, hopefully someone finds it somewhat useful.
used one last year and made the difference had three come up right to the decoy but didn't want to shoot it so I didn't then they started to leave but called a little and they circled the decoy gave me the shot.
Open timber with no underbrush it works for me like it does in a field. Thicker areas, it's back to old school methods for me. If he shows his head, he's dead. He'll be in range from my set-up upon arrival looking for his girlfriend.
Quote from: ilbucksndux on April 22, 2018, 12:07:27 PM
You have got some great answers. Here is my opinion. It seems to me a decoy has hurt me more than helped in the woods. I have had a bird come in and see the decoy then just hang up right there. My thinking is that once he sees the decoy he expects the hen to come to him. If you dont use a decoy he actually has to come and look for the hen that is calling. Its also just something else to carry. I will admit that I always have a decoy in the truck but unless its pouring rain or very windy,thats where it stays.
This ^^^^^
Last year I had turkey gobbling as he walked down a logging road, I put the decoy out in the road and set up in the woods about 30 yards closer to him then called. He walked to within 100 yards of the stupid decoy and stood there gobbling while waiting for the "hen" to walk to him. That gobbler walked down the road away from my set up gobbling every 20 yards. I tried to call him back but he wouldn't do more than turn around and wait for a few moments then walk some more. So my decoys are in the truck except the cheapie foam one that is in the back of my vest that works great to cushion my back against tree bark, LOL.
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I always try to set up where the turkey is in range when he comes in sight. Wide open park like woods are pretty to hunt in but if the bird is at a 100 yards in wide open timber he expects to see the hen he hears.