Turkey decoy setup question

[Mizzouhntr]

So ive been doing alot of reading and searching on the board lately. This will be the first year i take my daughter (6) along with me hunting. Ive always been a run and gun guy and only carried a hen decoy maybe half the time in the last 20 years. So knowing i will be hunting in a blind mostly due to wiggly kiddo, i decided to go with a jake and hen decoy setup. I was reading the recommendations here and alot say a jake and upright hen (and some say breeder if grass is short enough)... not alot saying feeder hen. any particular reason why an upright hen vs. a feeder hen? Just curious. I have bought one of each, just wanted to find out the why. Im hunting western MO and Eastern KS if that makes any difference.

Thanks for any help and guidance

[Marc]

If you have a jake and hen, the toms will almost certainly address the jake decoy first...

I think that the preference for an upright hen is simply intuitive thinking...  That upright hen just "seems" more naturally enticing, and watching interactions with hens, the dominant hens will generally address and upright hen before a feeder...

I always put my decoys (especially the jake) to my left as I am a right-handed shooter...  Easier for a right-handed shooter to swing, mount, or point to the left side (obviously opposite for a left-handed shooter).

[Greg Massey]

If you have a jake and hen, the toms will almost certainly address the jake decoy first...

I think that the preference for an upright hen is simply intuitive thinking...  That upright hen just "seems" more naturally enticing, and watching interactions with hens, the dominant hens will generally address and upright hen before a feeder...

I always put my decoys (especially the jake) to my left as I am a right-handed shooter...  Easier for a right-handed shooter to swing, mount, or point to the left side (obviously opposite for a left-handed shooter).

Agree, and put the decoys facing you. so the gobbler will come around to the front of the decoys and i don't like my decoys moving a lot...

[PaLongshank]

I used to be a big run and gun type turkey chaser.  As I get longer in the tooth and have a young son working his way up the ranks I am doing much more blind hunting and using decoys.  First, decoys - these new decoys are absolutely incredible!  I have to AVIAN  X (strutting Jake and hen) as well as 4-5 of the older styles (feather flex and carry lite).  The detail on the new line blows away the old foam models.  I have even repainted and added real turkey feathers to them to give them a facelift....it has helped.  Second, location - I typically spread the small flock out in front of blind and face the jakes  - facing hens (make sense)....I try to not put them more than 10-15yds or so away from the blind and have them where I can get a good shot from any approach 180 degrees.  Now with bow....that's a different monster!  One I have not been good at....the gun is much more forgiving on set up!  This pic was taken where this gobbler strutted for the last time.....he came in full strut to the face of the jake decoy....separating the jake from the hen.  pic was taken from the blind....7-8 yards away!

[Mizzouhntr]

So is it just personal preference on the upright hen vs the feeder..or is there a method to the madness

[PaLongshank]

I'd say personal preference.....all of mine just happen to be upright! I'd think a couple of each would make for a more realistic set up though.  Never see a flock of birds that are all doing the same thing at the same time..... Good luck, PaLongshank

[fallhnt]

I use decoys in Fall too and find hens will go to the feeder hen 90% of the time while using more than one decoy. No real magic. You can use a upright hen as a breeder too.

[g8rvet]

So ive been doing alot of reading and searching on the board lately. This will be the first year i take my daughter (6) along with me hunting. Ive always been a run and gun guy and only carried a hen decoy maybe half the time in the last 20 years. So knowing i will be hunting in a blind mostly due to wiggly kiddo, i decided to go with a jake and hen decoy setup. I was reading the recommendations here and alot say a jake and upright hen (and some say breeder if grass is short enough)... not alot saying feeder hen. any particular reason why an upright hen vs. a feeder hen? Just curious. I have bought one of each, just wanted to find out the why. Im hunting western MO and Eastern KS if that makes any difference.

Thanks for any help and guidance

I agree with lots of what was said.  My only advice would be that when you are ready for your daughter to kill a bird, ditch the jake decoy.  Since you will probably want her to take any legal turkey. 

[MK M GOBL]

One thing I always do is set my Strutter/Jake closest to the blind, the bird coming in will pass all the hens to get to the most dominant bird first. Set your Jake at 15yards and leave space between it and the hen at minimum enough room so a tom can walk between without bumping. I let mine move with the wind (if very windy I bump the deke with the rubber grommet "DSD's" to slow the movement)

One more thing with the blind, if a 5hub blind set it up as a diamond to your set not a square. Point that diamond tip in the direction of you dekes with dekes set to shooters strong side.

MK M GOBL

[1iagobblergetter]

I use a jake and 2 feeder hens. Reason I like them is I think my setup looks more relaxed that way. I've used semi upright decoys before also with no problems. I've seen some upright hen decoys that in my opinion seem to upright and alert looking.

[Mizzouhntr]

I appreciate all the help.. never blind hunted, so it sounds like a great tip on putting it setup as a diamond not a square. I felt as if the feeder was more relaxed... but every thread i searched all say upright hen, which i was curious if there was a bird anatomy reason why. Thank you all for the help and suggestions

[Marc]

I agree with lots of what was said.  My only advice would be that when you are ready for your daughter to kill a bird, ditch the jake decoy.  Since you will probably want her to take any legal turkey.

I do not think that a jake decoy will hurt your chances of pulling in a jake. 

I could be off, but it has been my experience that birds will hang up more often on hen only decoys...  Heck, I have seen jakes beat the crap out of jake decoys in the past (almost seems like revenge).

[jims]

If you are hunting where there is fairly tall foliage the upright hen will likely be a lot easier for turkeys to spot than a feeder?  I hunt where there are few toms and the few toms that are present are with hens.  For some reason the toms don't want anything to do with jake decoys?  If a tom is with hens he'll just takes his hens and go the opposite direction when he sees a jake with hen decoys.

[1iagobblergetter]

I agree with lots of what was said.  My only advice would be that when you are ready for your daughter to kill a bird, ditch the jake decoy.  Since you will probably want her to take any legal turkey.

I do not think that a jake decoy will hurt your chances of pulling in a jake. 

I could be off, but it has been my experience that birds will hang up more often on hen only decoys...  Heck, I have seen jakes beat the crap out of jake decoys in the past (almost seems like revenge).

X2

[g8rvet]

I had a bird hang up this past year.  a Gobbler.  he would not close the distance and stood at about 60 yards, strutting and gobbling for nearly an hour.  He finally fed off the field, gobbling as he left. Once he left the field and I was sure where he was, I snuck out and pulled the jake. An hour later, he came right in and took a truck ride.  Same bird as he had an odd shaped beard.  Maybe he was just subordinate, or a pansy, but he dang sure eyeballed that jake the whole time.  I don't use a jake much anyways, and have had hens, jakes and Toms all in to my 2 hen dekes, plenty of times.  Just thought I would share my one experience of a bird hanging up.  Your mileage may vary.