Decoy's (help me out experienced folks)

[sixbird]

Thanks for the inputs. I think I am going to go with a single hen decoy and a cheaper Jake from someone. 

I am liking either the DSD leading hen, or the Upright hen. I cant decide which of the two would be better.  I know with the leading hen I can drop it down and dual purpose it as a breeding hen.  The Upright hen looks more alert and catches my eye pretty well. 

I am thinking about the Jake deal long and hard. I don't want a full strut with my limited experience I don't want to set something up wrong and scare off the Toms. I am actually thinking about that little "Funky chicken jake".  Reviews seem good, price dirt low and it seems like Toms look at it and want to destroy it, probably because it looks sickly.

Good plan...To be honest, the hen or jake decoy can be pretty much anything. I have a buddy who has a couple of "foamies" that are, well, pathetic, truth be known. The gobblers come to them pretty much as well as the expensive ones.
The Funky Chicken, as you say is cheap and from my experience really effective. They do come and beat that poor little fella up. I had one pound on him for, if I recall correctly, something like 4 minutes. He just wouldn't give up. I couldn't get a shot so I just had to let the little fella take his lumps...
That said, I have the exact setup that you're eyeing. DSD hen and Funky Chicken jake. I do notice that the turkeys (both hens and toms) seem to stay somewhat longer with the DSD than "foamies" but as far as drawing them in, I haven't really noticed that much of a difference.
My opinion is these high priced decoys are more for the hunters than the turkeys.
I wouldn't hold back on buying what makes you feel good though. If you have Cabelas points, you may get one for 0$. That's how I got mine...

[357MAGNOLE]

Nice. I actually ordered the DSD leading hen a couple days ago.  I had $125 worth of gift cards to use and figured what the heck.

[RutnNStrutn]

I've used dekes for years. Started with cheap foam dekes and got more realistic (and expensive) since then. Last year I took the plunge and added 2 DSD hens, leading and feeder, to go along with B-Mobile and his woman, and a super realistic jake (forgot the brand). I use varying combos during the season.
Those DSD's though, are the most realistic dekes I've seen yet, other than spending $400+ on a Cally Morris. My vote is for DSD's!!

[Bowguy]

I agree get a DSD hen and Jake. You were gonna get three dekes, get two great ones

[Steve]

Hmmm, I haven't used a decoy in years but I was contemplating getting one for this coming season. I won't buy any Avian X made in China stuff even if they do look good. I made the mistake of buying some duck decoys that "looked good" too. It's too bad some of them didn't last the season. Cracked on the bottom for no apparent reason. Absolutely worthless.

Anyway, you guys caught my eye with these DSD's, I may just have to grab one of them, maybe even two. And they're made in the USA, even better!

Steve

[wvhoyt19]

Another vote for DSD!!

[sixbird]

Nice. I actually ordered the DSD leading hen a couple days ago.  I had $125 worth of gift cards to use and figured what the heck.

I'd go ahead with your plan and get the Funky Chicken. Like you say, he's cheap and he's effective. I put him and the DSD in the DSD bag so no extra gear. The stake on Funky Chicken is an inconvenient arrangement as it comes from the factory. I use a rubber band looped through the stake ring and stretched around the decoys head. That way it doesn't get lost and it's easy to find in the dark...Good luck this coming season. Hope ya' get a big un'!
Oh, and a p.s. Another thing I like about Funky Chicken is you're less likely to have some knuckle head take a shot at him since he looks kind of stupid. Be hard to mistake him for a real gobbler...Well, unless you're a turkey... 

[davisd9]

Here is the best advice I have seen to new hunters and decoys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDL2J7XkCdc

Learn to hunt with out them and then use them as a tool rather than a crutch.


Sent from the Strut Zone

[llauber79]

I'm going to have to agree with  MK M GOBL. AvianX decoys look good but I DSD trumps them on just about everything. I own a AvianX strutter a DSD jake and a DSD feeding hen. I've had the DSD hen for a few years now and I have had on issue with her neck getting ripped and I'm not sure how it happened. I called DSD and told them I was a week away from leaving north Iowa to go hunting in Nebraska and Kansas. I emailed them a picture and I had a new decoy at my house in three days (sent the old one back in box). Moral of the story is, DSD practices great customer service. I lost a zink striker that I really liked in Nebraska and was unable to order one on their webpage because it said no stock. I then tried emailing them and they never responded. I tried calling and leaving messages and got no calls answered or returned. Moral of that story is, Zink/AvianX basically doesn't care about their customers.

Now I love both of my DSD jake and hen and wouldn't trade them for anything. I chose an AvianX strutter over DSD for mobility purposed only. I love it but I carry it in a DSD because the AvianX bags are just about worthless.

My DSD hen got thrash by about 14 jakes for 4.5 hours my first night in Nebraska and it still looks the same. I couldn't find marks or missing paint.

I hope this helps with the decision making. Good luck this spring. 

[turkeyfoot]

Truthfully a turkey could care less what brand you use thousands of birds killed each year over walmart specials. The looks is for the hunter and what you want so just decide how much you want to spend and get what your happy with they all will work and at times have their use  but can often make for a boring hunt cause a tom to hang up or a subordiante tom may shy away from your jake if I use one its normally single hen

[beakbuster10]

Can't go wrong with dsd or avian if you want quality. A half or full strut Jake and then a hen is all you need. Cheap decoys work too, but there is no comparison in the response from birds between quality and cheapos. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[357MAGNOLE]

Here is the best advice I have seen to new hunters and decoys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDL2J7XkCdc

Learn to hunt with out them and then use them as a tool rather than a crutch.


Sent from the Strut Zone

Great video.  Funny ending. I found this video about a passage from a book he wrote and it perfectly describes my first turkey encounter.

[Cane Cutter]

get something lightweight and portable...if that sucker gets close enough to see that its not a real turkey he needs to be floppin!

[sixbird]

Here is the best advice I have seen to new hunters and decoys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDL2J7XkCdc

Learn to hunt with out them and then use them as a tool rather than a crutch.

With all due respect to Tom, who has infinitely more experience than me, and the poster, I have to respectfully disagree. Decoys are a great tool, as the poster pointed out, they have their place. I wouldn't look at them as a crutch.
Look, we're out there to have fun and to, hopefully, get a turkey here and there. As you're learning, it's a benefit to have the help of a decoy. It doesn't matter that much that a decoy attracted a bird or your call did it in the early stages of your turkey hunting career. The point is to have fun and have a little success.
I recall one bird that I just couldn't get to respond to the call. I had seen him a number of times but he didn't want any of what I was giving. Finally, one morning, I decided to not utter a peep. I just put the decoy out where I knew he'd see it and waited. He came out where he normally did, and after a while, noticed the decoy. A short time passed and he just couldn't stand it any longer. He folded up and started toward the decoy. We went home together...Now would I give up that memory because he wouldn't come to my calling? Was it any less rewarding that I had fooled him with a decoy? Absolutely not...That hunt was one that I remember with fondness. There was a puzzle to solve and the decoy was the solution (that particular time).
My advice, do what helps you to be successful and what gives you enjoyment. If it's a decoy (especially in the beginning), do it. If it's calling, do it. If it's scratching in the leaves, do it. Don't limit yourself and by all means don't handicap yourself especially while you're learning...Have fun man...That's what it's all about!


Sent from the Strut Zone

[357MAGNOLE]

Good stuff. Wonder if that turkey might have been deaf haha