Decoys To Use or Not???

[bmangrich]

Hello, I want to start off by saying i am a new member to he forum and decided to join because of all of the great information the forum has to offer.

I have a questions regarding when it is a good idea/bad idea to use decoys:

I recently put up a Plotwatcher Pro game cam on a Missouri property I hunt in the spring and fall.  I typically hunt a long and narrow finger ridge field bordered to the north and south by steep timbered drainage/draws.  At the end of the ridge (west side) it drops off a ravine and is rather steep down to the river.  I have found turkey sign and heard them gobble down in these side draws and off the point at the end of the ridge.  I have now also confirmed, with the Plotwatcher, that several birds are using this field multiple times a day.  They are consistently showing up on the camera early and mid morning as well as around 5/6pm which further confirms they are roosting near by.

Now with the long winded background set, would you guys recommend using a decoy spread in the field or not?  Since i know they are showing up consistently i am torn.  I have read cases for both, but wanted to hear what you all have to say.   

[olejake]

 I realize that this is not going to make your mind up...but I have had luck in both cases...had decoys bring them at a dead run , and had them..without a doubt.. steer clear as if they were a booby-trap.. I would try it first  without  the decoys since the PW is showing the consistency..experiment...that's half the fun to me..seeing what will fool them...different times of the season will give you differing results..

[Dtrkyman]

I hunt with mounted birds for dekes, I can only think of one bird I ditched the decoys to kill out of dozens for me clients and friends, get a high quality decoy like a Dave Smith and use it in the field.

I primarily bow hunt and only killed that one bird without at least one of my three stuffers out, they are absolutely deadly!

[Gobble!]

When I hunt fields I normally use decoys unless I have a good idea of where the bird is coming into the field. If I know where hes coming in I may setup just inside the woods and catch him on the way in.

[CntrlPA]

I don't even own a decoy. I'm hunting Pa public land that it forested, most turkeys are spooky and I don't think a decoy would help me at all. 

[L.F. Cox]

I kilt this one in a dept. store the other day...

One of the salesmen gave me a weird look...when I turned around my wife was no where in sight.

[jwhunter]

I keep a Hen in my vest. I might use her if the situation is right. I cannot use her if she is not in there. I do not like Decoys b/c they are typically bulky. when i use one I like a blow up type hen like the Primos PHD. it is easy to store away in the back of my vest. If I am hunting a field turkey I will use a Gobbler or Jake with a hen. Depends on my game plan.

[Green Trumpeter]

I keep a decoy in my vest as well to use if I end up hunting a field. I feel like calling may seem peculiar to a turkey in a field if they dont see a bird there. In the bush I dont use one because I find birds are more prone to search for a hen in that situation.

[jblackburn]

I've killed birds with and without decoys. I've had birds turn and run away from decoys and I've not killed birds when I wished I had them.

[owlhoot]

I've killed birds with and without decoys. I've had birds turn and run away from decoys and I've not killed birds when I wished I had them.

That my friends is Turkey Hunting, and why i like it   

[wvlimbhanger]

Every bird is different and they even operate different day to day.  It's hard to tell what would happen until you try it.

That being said if I were in this situation I would put out  a DSD jake and a DSD lead hen.

[memert116]

I've killed birds with and without decoys. I've had birds turn and run away from decoys and I've not killed birds when I wished I had them.

That my friends is Turkey Hunting, and why i like it   

What he said....

[silvestris]

I don't use them because when I get a gobbler within 35 steps, I want to be sure it was my calling that got him there and not my pocketbook.

[Skeeterbait]

Have never use them and don't plan to.  I don't want them near me for safety reasons, I don't want to be toting them around, have to gather them when I move, have to walk out in the open to place them, and in the timber I mostly hunt, by the time a bird would have seen them he is probably already in range.

[jakesdad]

Will use in big open fields which is where I usually hunt with my son.Use a blind too.Just like having a visual when thay come into the field.Usually use a half strut jake and hen in a feeding posture.