Pretty Boy betrayed me

[barry]

Went with my buddy to my favorite farm yesterday morning where I have killed a bunch of birds using a strutting deke. Morning started out slow with no roost gobbling. Around 7:15 I got one to answer me. A few minutes later he answered me again and was closer. Waited a bit and called again with no answer so I got ready. Sure enough in just a few minutes here comes not one but 2 longbeards strutting into the field we're set up on. I have my usual decoy spread out, strutter and 2 hens. Well as soon as these 2 birds see the dekes they go ballistic putting like crazy, one even runs from the field. The other stays about 100 yards away but keeps putting. I give him a call and he gobbles but then goes back to putting. This goes on for 30 minutes, he answers calls and acts as if he wants to come to the dekes but never does and evntually leaves the field.
Now I'm positive the birds did not see us.
After that 2 jakes come to the edge of the woods and they start putting. That's not the end of this madness. The 2 jakes move off and things get quiet, huh imagine that! About an hour later 3 jakes come into the field and start towards the dekes then they turn an run but no putting.  Before the 3 jakes even get out of the field another jake on the other side of the field starts putting.
Once again I'm positive we were not seen.
Has anyone ever had this reaction to decoys?
Why all the putting?
Could there be one super dominant bird in the area?

[redarrow]

At least you know your deke is realistic looking. Must of mistaken him for the mack daddy thats given them a beat down in the past.Try with just the hens or a jake decoy.

[870FaceLift]

Could be a really dominant tom, or could be something your not seeing or considering.  I was hunting a relative's farm last year and had the same thing happen.  I never moved and they certainly didn't see me.  Finally, after about 6-7 birds putted off, I got up to belly crawl to the field edge and look around.  Sure enough, a barn cat had followed me a good 3/4 mile and was eyeballing the field from a corner - barely visible.  Once the cat was taken care of, there weren't any more birds alarm putting.   

[drenalinld]

I have had many long beards shy away from my ole tom strutter. I quit using a strutter. I have never experienced the putting, though. I am curious what others think of this. That seams really odd to me.

[jshively]

Two days ago I had a strutting Jake decoy with a hen decoy set up inside the woods.  Called up three jakes that where putting and staying about 30 yards from the decoy set up.  They were in fact 10 yards directly behind me and I was covered completely by a deadfall.  After 20 minutes of hearing birds walk, scratch and put, I had to sneak a peak and confirm that it was Jakes.  They just casually walked off - but the leader of the group would put every minute or so.  I guess they did not like the strutting jake decoy.  Was looking for a longbeard - but they are all henned up right now.

[Hognutz]

I do not use a strutter deke. I never have, so my opinion is just that, an opinion. It seems to me that if you use a strutter, you will get the occasional big boy to come and try to whip his butt. But, if a non dominant bird is continually getting his butt kicked by the dominate bird, I doubt that he will go out of his way to get another whoopin'. I believe that a strutter deke will scare away more than it will attract. Again, JMHO and YMMV.. Mike

[drenalinld]

Something else to consider. We are way ahead in terms of breeding stage this year. Birds that might challenge or fight earlier in the breeding stages have had all they want as far as confrontations go. Does not explain the putting, though.

[barry]

The putting is what has me puzzled as well.
One thing I failed to mention is the wind was blowing and it blew Pretty boy off center of his stake where the tail fan stuck up higher, but I've used just a tail fan on a stick in the past and no problems.

[Hognutz]

I believe that they were putting because they were afraid to go near him. The strutter presented a potential butt kickin'..if they got near him..

[Jay]

Weird with the putting. I've used my Pretty Boy many times without that reaction. Either they come in or not, but they sure don't putt, ever. Why would they? I'd lean towards they are seeing something you'r not, like maybe a predator.

[ccleroy]

They seen something that stood out to them

[guesswho]

They seen something that stood out to them

Yep.  I don't have a lot of experience with decoys but I'd guess the sun may have been Barry's enemy.   There was something somewhere that they all picked up on but eluded your eyes from your location.  I'd set the same spread up at the same place and go to where some of the birds boogered and take a look.  You may find the answer.

[ccleroy]

I used decoys for the first time this season Saturday on that double I called in, and the only reason I did was to keep the birds attention somewhere else seeing how I had 3 people with me and that was a simple hen setup......I hardly ever use them

[Improvinghunter101]

Used a hen decoy this last weekend in an Alfalfa field.  Had the same thing happen.  Hen came out in the field and when she saw the decoy she immediately started putting and went back.  I hardly ever use decoys but sometimes they make or break the hunt

[HARDCORE]

Something else to consider. We are way ahead in terms of breeding stage this year. Birds that might challenge or fight earlier in the breeding stages have had all they want as far as confrontations go.

This is the right answer Barry.

HC