Birds would not come to my dekes

[barry]

Friday I had 2 different longbeards come in gobbling but would not come to my dekes. One was hot off the roost that locked up about 60 yards away strutting and gobbling for 45 minutes before going the other way. The other came into the field I was set up on at 9:00 and strutted across the field right into the woods beside me where he proceeded to gobble for another 30 minutes or so before moving on.
In between these 2 encounters I had had 3 longbeards along with 4 hens cross the field within a hundred yards of my setup and completely ignore the dekes.
The 2 solo toms answered my calls, both were alone and both had a clear view of my decoy setup but neither would commit to coming al the way. I know it's call hunting but this was really frustrating!
I was using this jake deke and a DSD hen. Could the head on this deke be too intimidating or am I just overthinking this whole thing?






Here was my actual setup. The bird off the roost locked up in the woods about 30-40 to the right of the dekes. All the others were just beyond the curve in the road.

[Hoosier2]

You should have had the longbeards in your gun. Don't ya know you can kill a gobbler at 66 yards with em. Ha ha. I think the deke looks good. All kinds of variables could play into it. I don't think the deke head has anything to do with it. Just get back out there and give another whirl.

[RemingtonRules]

I don't see a need for dekes in that setup.  Use the curve to your advantage where they have to come around it to find the hen they think they hear.  Just me, but I only use them when I think I have to as I have more luck when I can avoid using them.

[vaturkey]

Hey Barry

That's a great lookin setup !
IMO those longbeards have been whipped by some Jakes ! Take the jake out & just use the DSD hen.

Hopefully that may not intimidate them as much ! Good Luck !


Ricky 

[learn2hide]

you never know with decoys...maybe a single hen, or as others said, perhaps that's a spot where no decoys makes them curious.  then sometimes they charge em...good luck next time

[BowBendr]

Tuesday morning I had a jake and 2 hen dekes out in the rain and had 2 other jakes come right in off the roost. A silent strutting tom came into the field and locked-up fanning at 60 yds. He would not come another step closer while those jakes were there. I think he'd had his butt kicked a time or two.

[DirtNap647]

Personally I'd pull the decoys

[barry]

I don't see a need for dekes in that setup.  Use the curve to your advantage where they have to come around it to find the hen they think they hear.  Just me, but I only use them when I think I have to as I have more luck when I can avoid using them.

That road just skirts the edge of field which is much larger than what you see in the pic, plus I'm in a wheelchair so mobility is a big issue. When I was mobile I never used a deke.

[savduck]

Barry, they've been running from decoys all season for me down here in GA.

[Gooserbat]

Nothing new I've been at this for 29 yeaqrs and I've had deks spook probaly 40% of the birds I tried them on.  learn how to position your set up so the turkey has to come into gun range to look for you.

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

Barry, we were bowhunting here in VA Friday morning and had the exact same experience with 3 different groups of longbeards that totaled 6 for the morning.

They all hung up at 45-60 yards and would not finish.

[R AJ]

Remember that the older birds, and in nature , the hens come to the gobbler . So, they are out there displaying to attract hens to them. You have enough woods line to get in a little deeper and attract him closer to the edge without a deke of any kind.

The power of suggestion that multiple hens are in the woods may be more attractive than seeing a deke in the field.

[triplebeard]

I've had that happen before a couple of times.  The next morning I went to the same spot and put the hen low to the ground with the Jake right behind her like he was breeding her and they came running.

[whitemarlin]

Like said above try the hen in breeding position, and have the decoys facing you so they have to get in between you and the decoys, and sometimes they will just hang up at 60yds when you use decoys and won't never come in unless you get one of his hens to come your way. Good luck on your next try.

[Dtrkyman]

hen only!  facing away from direction the birds are coming from if possible!