Full strut decoy?

[rkm456]

Question about fall decoy set ups for you fine folks. Anyone here that uses fall decoys use a full strut tom? I've got a pretty good hen decoy, and an awesome strutter. I am however at a deficit in regards to jake decoys, or having multiple hens.

Season opens for us tomorrow, and I plan to head out this weekend. Just trying to decide if I expand my flock, or head out with what I got.

I'd always happily take any advice you fine folks have as far as placement. Thanks in advance.

[alclark2]

I was just thinking about this myself. I'm not sure how they would react.

[trkehunr93]

I fall hunt alot and its either sex in my state in the fall (VA) so I steer clear of decoys in the fall altogether because rifles are legal.  With that said go for it, just might piss off a group of fall gobblers, they tend to fight alot to keep the pecking order established and a newbie might get them riled up.  But please BE CAREFUL.  Good luck!

[rkm456]

I fall hunt alot and its either sex in my state in the fall (VA) so I steer clear of decoys in the fall altogether because rifles are legal.  With that said go for it, just might piss off a group of fall gobblers, they tend to fight alot to keep the pecking order established and a newbie might get them riled up.  But please BE CAREFUL.  Good luck!

Thanks a lot for your concern. That's one thing I love about this site is the vibe of genuine care I get from it's members. I hunt a piece of public land that tends to only get used as a hunting ground during the week of deer rifle season. Turkey is nowhere near top billing in my area, and there are no deer or larger open rifle seasons during spring or fall turkey. This also means no rifles for turkey, which as a bow hunter I'm appreciative of. Other than that it tends to be a few people on horseback, and people on dirt bikes, and four wheelers. So although there's enough traffic to bust up a good hunt; safety wise, I normally only need to be concerned about myself. Having said that, I tend to be overly safe if anything. I'd rather a ruined hunt, than a ruined life.

But I digress. I got out today and set out my avian x strutter. Unfortunately it was too cold to get very comfortable and my fiancee (who escorted me on a hunt for the very first time) found ourselves calling it a day after a couple hours. So for me personally, this will have to be an experiment left to another day.

[WillowRidgeCalls]

I fall hunt alot and its either sex in my state in the fall (VA) so I steer clear of decoys in the fall altogether because rifles are legal.  With that said go for it, just might piss off a group of fall gobblers, they tend to fight alot to keep the pecking order established and a newbie might get them riled up.  But please BE CAREFUL.  Good luck!

Thanks a lot for your concern. That's one thing I love about this site is the vibe of genuine care I get from it's members. I hunt a piece of public land that tends to only get used as a hunting ground during the week of deer rifle season. Turkey is nowhere near top billing in my area, and there are no deer or larger open rifle seasons during spring or fall turkey. This also means no rifles for turkey, which as a bow hunter I'm appreciative of. Other than that it tends to be a few people on horseback, and people on dirt bikes, and four wheelers. So although there's enough traffic to bust up a good hunt; safety wise, I normally only need to be concerned about myself. Having said that, I tend to be overly safe if anything. I'd rather a ruined hunt, than a ruined life.

But I digress. I got out today and set out my avian x strutter. Unfortunately it was too cold to get very comfortable and my fiancee (who escorted me on a hunt for the very first time) found ourselves calling it a day after a couple hours. So for me personally, this will have to be an experiment left to another day.

Even though there are no open seasons where a rifle may be used, your never completely safe. I've had both my strutter and Jake shot at with 22's from squirrel hunters. I was set up along a hayfield one day and a car passed by on the road 100yds off, they turned around and drove back passed, stopped a stuck a 22 out the window and opened up on my decoys. They shot one over and quickly pulled ahead, I jumped up and grabbed my Jake and ran it back to my set-up, leaving the other lay where it fell. About 10 min later here come the two yoyo's sneaking through the woods to get their bird. As one of them ran out to grab it, I said morning boys, I do believe the warden will like to have a talk with you 2 boys. They both said "We didn't do anything" I pointed to my video cam and said "you want to make a bet". I walked them back to their car and filmed them driving off, to show it was the same car that shot at the decoys, Busted !!!
Poachers are in every state, so you can never be too careful.
That being said--I do use decoys in the fall, but only in open areas that you can see all the way around your set-up. I don't mix hens and gobbler decoys, I'll use a couple hens or a couple Toms together. My favorite is a strutter and Jake set up, because dominance is an important part of turkeying in the fall, so that combo works well.

[trkehunr93]

I fall hunt alot and its either sex in my state in the fall (VA) so I steer clear of decoys in the fall altogether because rifles are legal.  With that said go for it, just might piss off a group of fall gobblers, they tend to fight alot to keep the pecking order established and a newbie might get them riled up.  But please BE CAREFUL.  Good luck!

Thanks a lot for your concern. That's one thing I love about this site is the vibe of genuine care I get from it's members. I hunt a piece of public land that tends to only get used as a hunting ground during the week of deer rifle season. Turkey is nowhere near top billing in my area, and there are no deer or larger open rifle seasons during spring or fall turkey. This also means no rifles for turkey, which as a bow hunter I'm appreciative of. Other than that it tends to be a few people on horseback, and people on dirt bikes, and four wheelers. So although there's enough traffic to bust up a good hunt; safety wise, I normally only need to be concerned about myself. Having said that, I tend to be overly safe if anything. I'd rather a ruined hunt, than a ruined life.

But I digress. I got out today and set out my avian x strutter. Unfortunately it was too cold to get very comfortable and my fiancee (who escorted me on a hunt for the very first time) found ourselves calling it a day after a couple hours. So for me personally, this will have to be an experiment left to another day.

Our public land in VA tends to be quiet during the week, I'll turkey hunt it Mon-Thur. then hit private land until Dec/Jan. rolls in.  Most guys have lost interest by then.  Good luck and keep us posted.