Setting out both a Strutter and Jake Decoy

[tman74]

Hi,

Does/has anyone used both a strutter and jake decoy and experienced positive or negative results?

[HookedonHooks]

When using a 1/4 strut jake and a strutting decoy on three occasions this year in all instances the angered longbeard greatly preferred attacking and messing with the jake decoy over the strutter.

I don't ever run the the strutter but real early or youth type situations so don't have a lot to compare it to.

[OJR]

I have done it with good results. I put a hen and the Jake within 3-4 yards of each other and The Strutter  another 10 or so yards away from them. Longbeards will beeline for the Jake decoy.

[spaightlabs]

I've had strutters scare off as many or more birds than they've brought in...sold mine.

[nitro]

Learn where to set up and how to call .

[tman74]

Learn where to set up and how to call .

Never had a problem there. I picked up a strutter decoy and was thinking about trying the both of them this weekend.

[tman74]

I have done it with good results. I put a hen and the Jake within 3-4 yards of each other and The Strutter  another 10 or so yards away from them. Longbeards will beeline for the Jake decoy.

Good to hear thanks for your input.

[tman74]

When using a 1/4 strut jake and a strutting decoy on three occasions this year in all instances the angered longbeard greatly preferred attacking and messing with the jake decoy over the strutter.

I don't ever run the the strutter but real early or youth type situations so don't have a lot to compare it to.

Thanks for weighing in. What was the decoy placement of the strutter vs Jake vs hen?

[tha bugman]

all depends on the bird.  sometimes they work sometimes they don't.

I have had gobblers come charging in when the jake is placed just behind the hen.

[tman74]

Well at 5 am last Saturday my 13 year old boy and I set up on a hill in an old wheat field facing the hardwoods about 180 yds away. I set the strutter and 3 hens to our right, the jake and 1 hen off to our left. Didn't see or hear a peep until 11 am. We were just getting ready to go fishing and heard a gobble in the woods straight ahead. Within a minute he showed himself on the old railbed and began heading for the strutter and hen decoys stopping to strut a number of times along the way. When he got to the strutter he got nervous and turned his attention to the jake and seemed to get confused. I told my son to shoot whenever he's ready and it was lights out without even a flinch at 12 yds. It was my son's second turkey hunt and his first bird.

[tman74]

Here it is.

[bonasa]

Learn where to set up and how to call .

Wow, just wow....

Good job Tman74, on your son's first bird

[tman74]

Learn where to set up and how to call .

Wow, just wow....

Good job Tman74, on your son's first bird

Thanks very much bonasa.

[Zobo]

I'm not against using decoys on some sort of philosophical level, but I would be very careful in the field with them, especially the male ones, and even if you're sure you're alone. When my boys were younger we used an upright hen on occasion. But even then I was paranoid some idiot would sneak up and take a shot at it and us. However, congratulations to the boy on his first turkey and nice picture!

[tman74]

Thanks Zobo I've been really looking forward to that moment.

I'd never use the Tom or Jake on public land that's for certain. This hunt took place on our acreage and we were on top of a hill that allows us to see in every direction for a great distance so I felt safe using them on this hunt. My wife shot her first turkey in the very same spot years ago and the funny thing is that I did run a couple of idiot trespassers off about 10 mins before we had 3 birds march in from the opposite side of the property. I could hear the birds gobbling while I was hollering at the 2 guys, lol. Some days the birds are on fire someday not a peep.

I'm not against using decoys on some sort of philosophical level, but I would be very careful in the field with them, especially the male ones, and even if you're sure you're alone. When my boys were younger we used an upright hen on occasion. But even then I was paranoid some idiot would sneak up and take a shot at it and us. However, congratulations to the boy on his first turkey and nice picture!