All,
I know this may cause a drastic fight but in your real world experience, do you REALLY see a drastic improvement in your success when using the higher end more costly dekes out there such as the DSD. I currently have the low end lodge outfitter decoys from dicks sporting goods. They were dirt cheap and light. I got 2 hens and a jake for 35 bucks. Now comparing them to the higher end ones in person, yes I can definitely see a difference but will it really matter? I don't mind spending the cash on higher end ones but have other things on my list id prefer to buy before dumping money into higher end decoys. Thanks all!
Started with the walmark specials then the primos decoys and now DSDs. In all honesty the turkey's have treated them all the same.
My *personal* opinion -- not all that realistic. I've used my FeatherFlex foamies since the late 90's, and jakes & gobblers still love to bash that fake-arse lookin' jake every single year. He's certainly worse for wear, and ... dunno how I'm gonna repair him this year, but I sure hope to; they *HATE* that thing! My "theory" is that it's a) size and b) posture & positioning to the hens, during MAXIMUM tom horny-age, that makes a jake deke (at least) very effective (in my woods)... As with anything turkey hunting related, you've got to "use your imagination" & "guess" on how the tom will approach your dekes; what I always try to do is position the jake deke so that he's kind of ... "corral'ing" the hen decoy; that REALLY pisses the tom's off (and other jakes, too, ironically) 'cause they think this clown jake is trying to steal his ladies... I mean, they've knocked it off the stake & bashed his head so many times, I've lost count. I had to re-paint him last year.
BGD
I have inflatable ones and they work just fine. I don't alway use them but I carry them with me so these ones are easily packable. I'm just trying to get a turkey into the magical 40 yards. I think color has more to do with it than detail.
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2
Quote from: eddie234 on January 09, 2015, 09:43:12 AM
I have inflatable ones and they work just fine. I don't alway use them but I carry them with me so these ones are easily packable. I'm just trying to get a turkey into the magical 40 yards. I think color has more to do with it than detail.
^^^ +1 :icon_thumright:
I used an old FeatherFlex hen in a field setup last year with one side caved in (stayed folded up in my vest too long), and it held birds in the field for over an hour. From what I've seen, as long as the wind isn't spinning them in circles like a kids toy, turkeys don't care.
I hunt most of the time with decoys. My success rate has gone up over the years, and I have steadily upgraded my dekes to get them more and more realistic. This year I am upgrading once again, and going with some DSD's.
So to answer your question, yes, I believe it does make a difference. As I've improved the quality and realism of my dekes, I've gotten more turkeys to come in and hang around with them. And more gobblers to commit, and be killed.
Some days it won't matter, other days it will. Then agian the same can be said for decoys themselves. I've seen them spook birds.
(http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/Gobln2/881b7753-64c0-4563-87ee-789108452f3f_zps9c3c8804.jpg) (http://s844.photobucket.com/user/Gobln2/media/881b7753-64c0-4563-87ee-789108452f3f_zps9c3c8804.jpg.html)
Spend the extra cash & get DSD's !
I have hunted many years with the cheapies with some success. Early season I don't think it really matters. Last year I switched to DSD decoys and every tom that saw my decoys came right in - although I got an "assist" from a live jake on one occasion. I don't expect that to happen all the time (or even most of the time), but I think the added realism on a quality decoy can only help. I felt kinda dumb when I spent the money on a DSD flock, feeling like I somehow got suckered into buying the latest "fad." I do not regret my decision at all!!!!!
Turkeys are a hard bird to fool. Excellent eyesight and equally good hearing. There's no substitute for a high end decoy. Their worth every penny.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/olesixbeards/WGI_0053_zps53c0cf25.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/olesixbeards/media/WGI_0053_zps53c0cf25.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/olesixbeards/P2090224_zpsf1aa12b9.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/olesixbeards/media/P2090224_zpsf1aa12b9.jpg.html)
Quote from: guesswho on January 09, 2015, 07:25:14 PM
Turkeys are a hard bird to fool. Excellent eyesight and equally good hearing. There's no substitute for a high end decoy. Their worth every penny.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/olesixbeards/WGI_0053_zps53c0cf25.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/olesixbeards/media/WGI_0053_zps53c0cf25.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/olesixbeards/P2090224_zpsf1aa12b9.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/olesixbeards/media/P2090224_zpsf1aa12b9.jpg.html)
Hahahaha, that's a good one
OMG!!!!! LOL - I think I just threw up, laughin' so hard... THAT is the funniest thing I've seen in a LONG time; oh my!!! hahaha... I've gotta build one of these things!
Is that an Elmo toy on the front of that??? HA!
Quote from: bamagtrdude on January 09, 2015, 08:02:55 PM
OMG!!!!! LOL - I think I just threw up, laughin' so hard... THAT is the funniest thing I've seen in a LONG time; oh my!!! hahaha... I've gotta build one of these things!
Is that an Elmo toy on the front of that??? HA!
That is my prototype Badonkadeke from a couple years ago.
Quote from: guesswho on January 09, 2015, 08:09:28 PM
Quote from: bamagtrdude on January 09, 2015, 08:02:55 PM
OMG!!!!! LOL - I think I just threw up, laughin' so hard... THAT is the funniest thing I've seen in a LONG time; oh my!!! hahaha... I've gotta build one of these things!
Is that an Elmo toy on the front of that??? HA!
That is my prototype Badonkadeke from a couple years ago.
Where do I submit my application for a pro-staffer with Badonkadeke??!! I'm serious, I've gotta try this out!!! hahaha!
I remember seeing a decoy finely crafted using a garden rake. That had to be from the same great mind that brought us the Badonkadeke.
Then again, Badonkadeke BBQ Strutter Edition could be a little sumpin' sumpin' like this (exhibit A) or the Badonkadeke Funky Cold Madina Chicken decoy (exhibit B).
Quote from: guesswho on January 09, 2015, 07:25:14 PM
Turkeys are a hard bird to fool. Excellent eyesight and equally good hearing. There's no substitute for a high end decoy. Their worth every penny.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/olesixbeards/WGI_0053_zps53c0cf25.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/olesixbeards/media/WGI_0053_zps53c0cf25.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/olesixbeards/P2090224_zpsf1aa12b9.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/olesixbeards/media/P2090224_zpsf1aa12b9.jpg.html)
Greatest post in Old Gobbler history.
Quote from: Gobble! on January 09, 2015, 10:05:08 PM
Greatest post in Old Gobbler history.
Without a doubt!!! ha!
Meanwhile, BACK AT THE RANCH ... ;)
In ALL SERIOUSNESS (not that GuessWho ain't serious), a complete NOOBIE last year that I helped "train" in turkey huntin' TAGGED OUT (yezz'ir, he killed 5 gobblers, one even with his compound bow) with the El Cheap-O Wal-Mart foamies... I don't remember who makes 'em, but they were like $10...
The other reason why I'm such a big fan of foamies is -- they make darn sweet cushions when you're sitting on top of them 90% of the time!! No joke; I always bring my old FF foamies w/me to the woods, but 9/10, I end up sitting on top of the backpack they're inside, next to a tree...
I wouldn't spend a DIME more than $20-30 on dekes; but, that's just my personal opinion... Maybe I can give GuessWho $10 for his Badonkadeke Elmo Strutter this year; I love that thing!
BGD
PS. see attached pic of my now Vintage late 90's FeatherFlex foamies, along w/a wing off a bird I use for fly-down/scratchin' nonsense... And, furthermore, here they are IN ACTION on a hunt last spring in S. Alabama: http://youtu.be/G2ycn5spTR4
:TooFunny: That is a neat decoy! Start production immediately!
Realistic decoys are a must have . look at the original funky chicken. Many have said it works on here.
I still wouldn't use that thing though.
Now this one on here , i might use. :morning:
Back when I started noticing all these "fanned out" dekes hitting the market, I took one of my jake fans I had kept, used zip-ties to mount it to one of my plastic stakes, and poked holes in the "butt" of my jake decoy, and tried it out the following turkey season. See exhibit photo A.
What I determined was -- didn't make a hill of beans bit of difference. The gobblers hated the foamie deke "about the same" whether he was fanned out or just -- standing tall, looking stupid, around "his" ladies. Given that it was significantly a) harder to carry and b) longer to setup my dekes in a real hunting situation, I ditched the fan "add-on" & just carried the foamie jake, sans fan.
YMMV.
BGD
Through the years I have used a pair of the early foamys. Except for a few battle scars and #5 shot impacts (OOPS), they still work ok. Although my better half has furnished a new pair of really good looking decoys for 2015, I will drag along those ol foamys .... just in case, ya know!
I seriously need some of that sort of training soon! Really! YOU or anyone else that is into that, I'm game.Quote from: bamagtrdude on January 10, 2015, 04:56:25 AM
Meanwhile, BACK AT THE RANCH ... ;)
In ALL SERIOUSNESS (not that GuessWho ain't serious), a complete
NOOBIE last year that I helped "train" in turkey huntin' TAGGED OUT
(yezz'ir, he killed 5 gobblers, one even with his compound bow)
with the El Cheap-O Wal-Mart foamies... I don't remember
who makes 'em, but they were like $10...
The other reason why I'm such a big fan of foamies is -- they make darn sweet cushions when you're sitting on top of them 90% of the time!! No joke; I always bring my old FF foamies w/me to the woods, but 9/10, I end up sitting on top of the backpack they're inside, next to a tree...
I wouldn't spend a DIME more than $20-30 on dekes; but, that's just my personal opinion... Maybe I can give GuessWho $10 for his Badonkadeke Elmo Strutter this year; I love that thing!
BGD
PS. see attached pic of my now Vintage late 90's FeatherFlex foamies, along w/a wing off a bird I use for fly-down/scratchin' nonsense... And, furthermore, here they are IN ACTION on a hunt last spring in S. Alabama: http://youtu.be/G2ycn5spTR4
Quote from: kevin2 on January 10, 2015, 09:37:43 PM
I seriously need some of that sort of training soon! Really! YOU or anyone else that is into that, I'm game.
How much money you got?
For calling...... Sound like a turkey (authentic )
For camo ... Look or blend into your surroundings
For a decoy.... Look like a turkey
The better you can do these things ... Well the better , sometimes " good enough " is good , bet your often times not going to know what is good enough the morning before - I've used the cheaper of everything and and had success , but I like to use the best I can get , and can't claim it's ever hurt my success ever
This thread keeps getting better and better. Love the pix.
Quote from: Halfski on January 11, 2015, 11:25:53 AM
This thread keeps getting better and better. Love the pix.
x2 :popcorn:
Whole lotta flocka badonka dekes; thx GuessWho!! I'm ready to HIT THE WOODS now!!
And, a short video of Badonkadeke jake & FeatherFlex foamie, chillaxin' together in the backyard... http://youtu.be/djQkCz35F6Q
Looks good. I may have to make you an offer and hire you as my product control manager at RCD.
Quote from: guesswho on January 17, 2015, 08:11:00 PM
Looks good. I may have to make you an offer and hire you as my product control manager at RCD.
Sure, just as long as I don't have to submit to a background check or drug test! :wave:
Quote from: bamagtrdude on January 17, 2015, 08:15:44 PM
Quote from: guesswho on January 17, 2015, 08:11:00 PM
Looks good. I may have to make you an offer and hire you as my product control manager at RCD.
Sure, just as long as I don't have to submit to a background check or drug test! :wave:
As long as you can hit the cup you pass.
I used the foamers for years. I bought a DSD to test it and won't be going back. I've never seen turkeys respond to decoys like they do these decoys. Sure when you catch them on the right day they come to the cheap ones, but Ive had them come and hang out for an hour around the DSD. And it happens more often.
I use a stuffer hen, before I had that decoy I rarely used one, now other I simply will not hunt without it, they absolutely respond better to this decoy.
Never had much success with the cheapos, I know they can work but if you think they are as good your kidding your self.
This past spring I had my stuffer out with my friends dsd flock, called a long beard in and he went directly to the stuffer despite the 3 dsd dekes that were right there.
I primarily bowhunt anymore and most of my birds are shot within a couple feet of the decoy which I place 5 to 7 yards from my blind or wherever I am hiding, my wife bow killed her last tom as it was breeding the decoy!
I used the cheep foam decoys for years with no big problems, if the birds responded it didn't matter. I first got the up right DSD hen and WOW, have had more fun just watching the old boss hens pick fights with that I will never go back to cheep. I have the flock now but use only the hen decoys most of the time because I hunt too much public land. Besides it so funny watching them toms try to get up top of them hen decoy to breed them, worth every penny.
Quote from: guesswho on January 09, 2015, 07:25:14 PM
Turkeys are a hard bird to fool. Excellent eyesight and equally good hearing. There's no substitute for a high end decoy. Their worth every penny.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/olesixbeards/WGI_0053_zps53c0cf25.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/olesixbeards/media/WGI_0053_zps53c0cf25.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/olesixbeards/P2090224_zpsf1aa12b9.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/olesixbeards/media/P2090224_zpsf1aa12b9.jpg.html)
As soon as I read the title of this post, I knew this was coming...... Still think the top pic is priceless.....LMAO