Reaction to DSD Jake compared to other Jake decoys?

[fallsflight]

Since there was a topic regarding the DSD Jake compared to the Dakota, I was wondering what others experience with the DSD Jake is compared to others, as far as  how a tom reacts.  What I mean is, the few times I have used a jake decoy in my set up, there have been times the tom won't even approach or when he does see the jake, he decides to leave as if something he sees does not set right with him or makes him nervous.  I know how they respond to the DSD hen as I have one, but are those who own the DSD Jake seeing a lot of toms who are nervous to approach the DSD jake compared to the numbers that will actually come all the way in?  

I have always been hesitant to use a jake decoy in a set up for fear a tom just does not want to get involved (fight/compete) and leaves in search of another hen to court.  

For example, my friend threw up his feather flex jake decoy this year near my DSD hen.  It was in the woods and when the tom came in it first saw the DSD, but once it finally saw the jake nearby it started acting nervous and was begining to turn around instead of approach the jake.  A load of #6 Hevi stopped any idea of his leaving the area, but his reaction was not a positive one.

Has the reaction of a 2 year old gobbler been different from an older bird in your experience or do they both react similar?  Has the number of birds responding aggressively to the DSD gone up since you have started using one compared to the reaction to the cheaper, less realistic jake decoys?

[stinkpickle]

It stands to reason that some toms will not approach a jake.  I've seen toms get their a$$es handed to them by jakes.  The only thing you can do is make your setup look as realistic as possible, and be secure in knowing that if your dekes were real birds, the tom would behave the same way.

[fallsflight]

It stands to reason that some toms will not approach a jake.  I've seen toms get their a$$es handed to them by jakes. 

Exactly, I too have seen the same thing.   So assuming a tom would react negatively to a cheap decoy, I would assume that he is going to react just the same or worse to the much more realistic DSD jake. 

[busta biggun]

I understand your logic, but hang on just a second. There is a difference. Just want to first point out that I am no DSD employee and have no personal interest in them other than the fact that I really like their decoys. (I wish I did). Second, there are some situations where a gobbler just won't come in to a decoy set up at all. Sometimes due to being decoy shy, sometimes they just don't see any movement, and often a gobbler may shun away from another gobbler because he doesn't feel like fighting. Unless you watch the birds on a daily basis, you may never know why. I notice that late in the season they are more tired of fighting and sometimes 3 year old birds will walk away. I had an old bird that strutted the same place every day. I put out a DSD hen and jake. The gobbler came strutting over the hill, looked at my spread, folded up and walked the opposite way. He was 150 yards away and couldn't tell what kind of detail my jake had, he just didn't want to fight. The next day I put out 2 DSD hens. He came over the hill and strutted the whole way in.

As far as DSD jakes and others I think it does come down to posture. My feather flex jakes ran a lot of birds away because they look just like an adult gobbler. The DSD jake has a "confused teenager" look to it. He is in 1/2 strut and not sure what to do about his feelings. I have rarely seen a gobbler shy away from this thing. I have had countless jakes come up and flog it. I think it's because he looks like a wimp and is not as intimidating to them. ironically everything that Dakota says on their website about posture and behavioral triggers is true. i just find it laughable because they ended up copying the DSD feather for feather. The DSD boys figured it out.

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

2 year olds get just as mad at the Jake as older birds. I've seen singles commit with no reluctance whatsoever and had groups of 3 and 4 simultaneously flogging it at 6 yards ( it's always nice to have them close enough to see which one has the best spurs!)

A strutter decoy ( any manufacturer) will repel most 2 year olds like sex panther will a good looking gal (hope you get the anchorman reference).

[GSLAM95]

My experience with the DSD jake decoy has been very good since it's first introduction which has provided me with some great turkey hunting footage memories for years to come.
Here is one example...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4talDKGNso

[Hooksfan]

I hear all of the testimonials for these realistic decoys.  I am not a fan of gobbler decoys for many reasons including safety.
My theory is that a certain percentage of gobblers are going to shy away from these decoys--I think most folks would agree.  I think one of the problems with the early strutters was that their heads were painted white--which I take to mean a dominant gobbler--The longest spurred birds I have killed with the most hens usually had white heads.  Watch a tom breed a hen and I bet his head is gonna turn white--I don't have a biology degree or studies to back that up--Just huntin experience and watching.
Of the percentage of gobblers that come in and put on the show everyone enjoys, I would argue that those same birds would also come in even if you had no decoys or hens only.
So........if you could still kill the birds that you kill with gobbler decoys if you didn't use them and also kill the ones that shy away from them, then where is the benefit in using them?
I am not going to get in a heated argument either way though.  My final thoughts are if you are happy, happy, happy killing birds with them, then I am glad for ya.  I will be happy, happy, happy killing them without it.

As far as the difference between DSD and others, I guess if I were still trying to film hunts and wanted some cool video, I would use the DSD or a taxidermy bird.  I think hunters are more impressed than the turkeys are, though.  If I were just hunting and blasting them as soon as they are in range, I will stick to my feather flex.

[NYbassman]

A strutter decoy ( any manufacturer) will repel most 2 year olds like sex panther will a good looking gal (hope you get the anchorman reference).

Made with bits of real panther, so you know it's good.

[SKFOOTER]

I've owned a DSD Hen decoy for 4 years now and I love it.  I wanted the DSD Jake decoy but just couldn't pull the trigger on it due to the price.   I've had a Carry-Lite Pretty Boy Junior Semi-Strutter decoy for a few years now and have used it in conjunction with the DSD Hen decoy.  This year I decided to re-paint the head of the Carry-Lite Jake with more red on the neck, similar to the DSD Jake paint scheme. And I must say, it would be hard to tell my Carry-Lite from the DSD Jake at more than 10 yards.   Using the same duo after the paint job and in the same location on 2 consecutive days, I had two 3 year old longbeards come in silently and knock the jake decoy completely off of its stake.   When Wing Supply put them on sale earlier this year, I purchased 2 more of them.   They too will be getting the same paint job!

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

A strutter decoy ( any manufacturer) will repel most 2 year olds like sex panther will a good looking gal (hope you get the anchorman reference).

Made with bits of real panther, so you know it's good.

Keep it classy.

[kansas hooks]

well i can tell you from my own experience that the DSD jake decoy will always be with me.  Now does that mean i will use it every time probably not but for the most part it will be put out.  I take alot of people hunting and i can say everytime i have put the DSD jake decoy out and a bird came in it went right by the hen straight to the jake decoy.  I have not personally witnessed my DSD jake decoy scare a tom away but quite the opposite.  Again this is only from my experience but to me the DSD is worth every bit of the money.

[fallsflight]

I notice that late in the season they are more tired of fighting and sometimes 3 year old birds will walk away.

I agree with this for sure.  By the end of the breeding, the toms are so wore out they just want what is easy and not anything they have to really work for for the most part.

As far as DSD jakes and others I think it does come down to posture. My feather flex jakes ran a lot of birds away because they look just like an adult gobbler.

We discussed this also during the hunt and also came up with the same conclusion.  That feather flex looks to much like a mature bird due to the color scheme on the head.   I was comfortable using that decoy with my DSD when he stuck it out there and almost pulled it, but it was too late as the bird was coming in.  Thankfully he was in the decoys before he caught sight of the jake through the trees.  

[fallsflight]

My theory is that a certain percentage of gobblers are going to shy away from these decoys--I think most folks would agree. Just huntin experience and watching.
Of the percentage of gobblers that come in and put on the show everyone enjoys, I would argue that those same birds would also come in even if you had no decoys or hens only.
So........if you could still kill the birds that you kill with gobbler decoys if you didn't use them and also kill the ones that shy away from them, then where is the benefit in using them?

I agree that this is the case also.  You are definitely going to have those birds that would shy away no matter what was out there and kill the ones that would have came in jake decoy or not.  I guess as hunters (maybe the waterfowl hunter in me), we/I like to have the most realistic decoys, whether or not they are needed at the time or not.   I can say that my DSD hen has had more reaction in a positive way by toms and made more hens ticked off than any other decoy I have used. 

I will be happy, happy, happy killing them without it.

Phil Robertson, is that you?  

[Hooksfan]

Phil Robertson, is that you?  

No, but we did both graduate from Louisiana Tech.

[hardluckstrutter]

Early in Virgnias season I had a pair of two year olds come in right off the limb. The gobbled their heads off on the limb and on their way in up until they saw the decoy. At that point they went quiet and strutted at 45 yards and then proceeded to work around to get another look at the decoy from the distance. From the birds approach they were facing the decoy head on. When they worked around and got the side profile of the decoy and realized it was a jake. They flipped the switch and it was game on. Ran in and beat the tar out of the decoy.

From now on I am going to do my best to set the jake up so his side profile is showing when the bird approachs. Granted this is easier said than done considering a turkey has a tendency to be a turkey and come from any direction he so chooses no matter how convinced you are that he is coming in from right in front of you.