Moose Droppings

Decoy Use Originally posted 3/06

May 27, 2006 @ 08:44 pm by Moose

Decoys use with turkeys is one of the best strategies to fill your tag. Nothing builds more confidence in a gobbler then when he sees the hen that is making those calls or an upstart Jake that needs to be taught a lesson. I do not always use a decoy but when the set up is right for one I’ll use it.
General Procedures when using decoys.
• Avoid setting up a lone hen – In nature hens naturally go to the gobblers we are attempting to reverse nature. In my view a lone hen has to great a potential to hang a gobbler up on you. I do have one exception to this that I’ll present latter.
• Set the decoys up well within range of your shotgun so if the gobbler holds up on the other side of your spread you still have the ability to reach out and kill him.
• The majority of the time a gobbler is going to come in and face off the jake decoy so focus your effort on how you set that decoy up.
• Place decoys in your power zone for right hand shooters that is the 10 o-clock position for lefties its 2 o-clock.
•
Field Use
If I can set up a decoy spread without busted I will, for fields I typically use 2 hens and one jake. I will use more if they are still flocking up big but most of the time I set up 3 decoys. I often will face the jake my direction so that when the gobbler comes in and turns to face the decoy his fanned tail will block any movement I might make aiming my gun. Now if there is other birds with him you still can’t move. I hunt fields in bad weather because I can sit in a blind in some comfort, I also hunt them a lot of times in the afternoon waiting for a gobbler to cruise by.

Woods use
I don’t use them nearly as much in the woods because of the limited visibility and I move a lot more when I woods hunt. In the right situation it can be very deadly, if you know an area where a gobbler or two like to strut showing up there ahead of them and putting up a jake showing off for some hens may be enough to draw him in. In the woods I use a jake by itself or a jake and hen.

I mentioned earlier a time when I will typically use a lone hen decoy and that is in dust bowls. Late mornings early afternoon I’ll set up in an area where the turkeys are dusting. Take a hen decoy minus the stake and set it inside the dust bowl you may need to use a rock or two to balance the decoy. This can be a deadly setup for a gobbler that has lost all his hens.

Safety When Using decoys
Be careful when using them here is a good article from NWTF about decoy use.

[quote]Decoys and Safe Hunting
Courtesy of the National Wild Turkey Federation
For centuries, hunters have fooled animals into coming into gun or bow range using decoys and, when it was legal, even resorted to using live animals as decoys. Since then, turkey decoy designers have strived to push the envelope of realism, creating decoys that mimic feather detail, color and in some cases movement of real turkeys. They have also created decoys that are quiet, easy to transport and deploy quickly when setting up on gobblers.

“All of the decoys on the market offer a good dose of realism and have been used successfully to bring turkeys in close. However, there are times when decoys can hurt the hunt, especially with heavily hunted birds.” National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) CEO Rob Keck said. “While very effective, hunters also need to keep safety in mind when transporting and using decoys in the field.”

Being Fake is Real Good
Decoys can be helpful in many hunting situations. They can be particularly helpful when guiding children, first time hunters or people with disabilities as decoys often take the turkey’s attention off the caller.

Decoys like Kolpin’s line of Feather Flex decoys—NWTF’s official decoy —can also draw suspicious toms closer to hunters, providing better and safer shots. If a decoy is set in an open area, such as a mature oak bottom or along a field edge, it can act as a visual call to birds that may spot it from a distance.

“Like every aspect of hunting, safety is a key concern when using decoys,” said Dr. James Earl Kennamer, senior vice president of conservation programs for the NWTF. “It’s important for the hunter to safely use a decoy, when in pursuit of a gobbler, and it’s just as important for the timing and location to be right, when setting a decoy out to help bring in the bird.”

For more information about the NWTF, call (800) THE-NWTF or visit the web site at www.nwtf.org. Visit www.kolpin.com to learn more about Feather Flex decoys, the NWTF’s official decoy.[/quote]

I will be gone the next few days up to Quail Hollow for there first turky day and I will be presenting on decoy use sometime on Saturday. If your in the area your more then welcome to stop by it is a free event. I will continue the turkey hunting topics once I return. If you have any questions about things I’ve covered shoot me an email or leave a comment. The season will be here soon so now is the time to get ready.

Links
http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.CFPage?&mode=article&objectID=29969&cat=Hunting&cmid=HU_OL_BG_29969

http://www.awayhunting.com/articles/TurkeyDecoyReview.htm

http://www.nwtf.org/Spring_Tips-2006/z_Contents/safety_decoys.html

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/hunting/news/story?page=h_fea_NWTF_decoys

http://nwtf.com/tips_adventures/tips.php