Decoys

[nickhrp]

I been turkey hunting for 6 years now and one thing still makes me wonder when is the best time to use strutting decoys and hens or early season is best just to use hens alone or wait till mid to late season to use strutter and hens like I said I'm still learning and self teaching by trial and error I'm from west middle tn not sure if different areas have turkey with different behavior patterns do any advice or help would be greatly appreciated

[jhcats10]

My opinion is to use a strutter or semi-strutter in the early season, and hens in the late season.  Late season gobblers have already either got their butts whipped all season or whipped butts all season and tend to be looking for a fight less.  Early in the season is when they tend to fight more and more willing to commit to a strutter.


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[nickhrp]

Ok thank you and would you recommend putting the strutter and hen in a mating position or separate them a little

[jhcats10]

Ok thank you and would you recommend putting the strutter and hen in a mating position or separate them a little

If you can lay your hen decoy in front of the strutter, that's what I would do


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[nickhrp]

Ok thanks for the help

[sixbird]

I've had mixed results with jake and strutter (actually half strut) decoys. Lots of times a tom will have been beat up by a group of jakes and he'll duck out any time he sees one. I suppose also, some toms are reluctant, just like some people are, to be involved in a fight.
I witnessed a striking manifestation of this one day...I had a tom in front of me, focused on a live hen that I had managed to call in. The hen was rubbing up one side of him and down the other and he was in his glory...Suddenly a group of jakes showed and he folded up and started hightailing it in the opposite direction. I was on him so he didn't make it far but I can tell you, he was scared and was more than willing to surrender his hen and he was no small bird...
I'll use hen decoys all season. Sometimes flat in a breeding position and sometimes feeding or semi alert. That seems to be the most consistent for me...

[turkey harvester]

Only time I use them is when I'm hunting those evil field turkeys. Ive had more luck without it than with it. But I like to hunt the hard woods too.