Gobbler decoy or no?

[264junkie]

Gotta be honest...I'm on the fence with this one and thinking a lot of you might be too.
I'm speaking specifically to early season before the Jakes and 2yr olds get too beat up by the big guys...Use em or not?

I've killed birds over them but I've also had 2yr olds run in and run right back out with me sometimes killen em and sometimes not. Is the "jealousy draw" of a jake or strutter worth it or not?
~Junk~

 

[7 loader]

Tom deeks are great here in S.C. They, in my humble oppinion bring on compition. If it looks like a tom is getting action the others may want in.

 

[JUDD]

For the little guys no...for the big dominate toms yes...I use two hens and one Jake decoy in the prime of the season.

 

[HighKnob]

I've had pretty good success when I'm after the dominate gobbler. I have had groups of jakes mob a gobbler decoy also. I'd say that gobbler decoys are about like everything else turkey hunting, it works about 50% of the time at best.

And remember that gobbler decoys are extremely dangerous to hunt with. I only use them on private land that i'm fairly sure that no one but me is there.

 

[ergceo]

I've had decent success on the larger easterns in MO, but further west I've seen my Bmobile scare both the smaller rios and merriams.

Also, when I'm scouting if I see a big tom all hen'd up I am more apt to try the tom deke to pull him off. Rarely have I seen a tom leave his harem for a single or double hen deke but he might come over lookin for a fight.

 

[JD338]

I have a Primo's B Mobil and the results have been spectacular! The big Tim's get real aggressive.

JD338

 

[sambo3006]

I have had more gobblers come in to a jake decoy than a hen decoy. Several times I've had multiple toms come in and knock the jake decoy down and peck at it's head, other times circle around it like a merry-go-round.
I certainly think a jake decoy won't scare off an adult gobbler (unless presentation is wrong like folded at a weird angle or such).

 

[264junkie]

Hey thanks everyone!

Sounds like a lot of you haven't had the experience I've had with the 2 year olds acting skittish around the Jake.
Well I went with 3 hens and a Jake for most of my field sets the 1st week of the season and this is how it went:

Monday - 2 jakes hung out in the decoys for a 1/2 hour sleeping and pecking & 2 hours later a Tom walked by 100yds out, stared at the decoys and left without so much as a 2nd glance (wierd huh)
Tuesday - A pair of Toms came right in 1/2 hour after flying down...acted skittish, not strutting and wouldn't go within 10yds of the Jake...they both died quickly with a well executed 1, 2, 3 BANG from my father and I! 1/2 hour later had 3 Jakes come in and hang out around the set for 20minutes or so with no aggression shown.
Wednesday- No birds seen
Thursday - No birds seen
Friday - Moved to a woods set up with a single hen decoy, called 3 Toms in and filled my 2nd tag at 8yards....unsure if they ever saw the decoy as the leaves have opened up well.

PICTURES TO FOLLOW

~Junkie~

 

[J E Custom]

My results have been about like yours.

Decoys seem to spook them (It could be my set up) or make them hold up.

We have rio grande and Eastern turkey and the Eastern are the easiest
to decoy in. but most of the time they hold up at 80+yards (They have been hunted a lot)

So I normally don't use decoys and make them look for that hen that has them so riled
up.they are so busy trying to find her that they never see it coming.

Just my experience with decoys.

J E CUSTOM