Best decoy for beginning turkey hunter

[Bob33]

For one with limited turkey hunting experience, is having a decoy generally a good or a bad thing?  What should one look for in a decoy?  Are there any decoys that work well in a variety of situations?

[BurleyDog]

The best advice I can give you is not what specific decoy to buy but where to place it.

The best thing a decoy can do for you is direct the attention of the gobbler to the decoy & away from you.
Make sure you don't place the decoy out then sit directly behind it (from the direction you THINK) the turkeys
will come. Instead place it off to the side and ambush the ol gobbler as he comes in.

I have killed a pile of wary turkeys on a hideous inflatable hen decoy i bought years ago from Walmart.
With decoys its more placement than brand/realism/etc.

my 2 cents. good luck

[tlbradford]

It is a good thing for a beginner.  You can often bring birds in without calling with an effective decoy.  I like lightweight collapsible shells.  I also like the swinging heads that move with a little wind.  Almost all of the shells can use a good paint job though.  I would get a three pack with a hen, jake, and a strutting tom.  Stick with a lone hen decoy for most situations until you get the hang of things.  Use a real tail fan on the strutting tom.  I like the Primos B-mobile for that.  If you need a tail fan give m a holler.

[yelp]

It all depends on where you use one.  If you hunt fields or old roads in an area that is open vs. closed.    It can help having a decoy.  Turkeys can see them really well.    If I am in the thick stuff..many time I do not deploy one.   

[PA BEN]

Best light wt. decoy I ever used. I said no-way the first time I saw it, but it worked real good last year. Killed 4 toms over this decoy, all came in right to it once they saw it.
http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?r=view&i=420445&aID=503AK4C&cID=FROOGLE_420445

[Wacenturion]

Personally if I were one that was fairly new to turkey hunting, with little or no experience, I would opt not to use a decoy.  Reason being. there is a learning curve that is better imitated without a decoy for a couple reasons.  In fact, I have alot of turkey hunting experience and generally choose not to use one 90% of the time.

#1.  Safety....unless you have been in the turkey woods and know how to anticipate the things that can happen with turkeys as well as hunters pursuing turkeys (and you are one by the way to many that hear you), you may be at risk.

#2.   Unless you can read what situations and on what given terrain a decoy will have a chance of working, you may scare or hang up more birds than you actually decoy.  Sometimes anyone can get lucky and they will run right in, but that's not the norm by any means.  Of course a lot has to do with where you're hunting, the pressure and competition from other hunters to mention a few.

Learn to hunt without one and you'll wind up knowing instinctively when to use one, if that makes sense.  Gobblers know to the exact couple square feet where that hen sound is coming from.  You want them to hunt that sound and get within close guaranteed kill range, which in my opinion is 30 yards or less, irregardless of what you shoot.  If they hear the hen call and then see a decoy when they are 70 yards plus, they may do any number of things, one of which is good....like in coming in.  All the other options are not good...hanging up or running off and degrees in between.  It's an odds game, and your best odds are being concealed and making that gobbler find that sound....not see it.  Good luck this spring.     

[Bigger Fish]

I just bought the Cherokee Sports Ultimate 4 Pack Inflatable, and plan on putting them to use for the opener.

Why did I choose these?  Three reasons:

1. Because they're easy to transport. 
2. They use actual turkey photos to print them.
3. Most importantly, they were cheap.  I'm already running that dangerous line of trouble/no trouble, based on how much I've spent to gear up on what is currently an unknown result.  I couldn't justify spending $80 on a tom with a crappy paint job...

Potential drawbacks:
1.  I get what I pay for, and they end up being expensive birthday party balloons.  (For my wife's birthday, of course.)
2.  I shoot them full of holes, beyond repair.  (Although I will bring a patch kit with me.)

I'll post results, or lack thereof, after the opener.

[baldopepper]

I agree with wacenturian-I don't use a decoy all that often and when I do (and it seems to work well) i use   an old blow up  or a  foam type hen only.  It is amazing how well a Tom can pinpoint where that call came from  and most times I feel like a decoy would have made no difference.  Just my opinion.  I know we all like to buy toys, but the best equipment in the world can't make up for good knowledge of the birds you're hunting.  With the cost of gas, I'm not sure I want to invest any more money in various calls and decoys that seem to sit in camp or in my vest and never get used. (And I do have a ton of both that do just that)

[blacktail luv]

I have had a lot better luck without the use of a decoy.   

[Machias]

Bob33, I'd be more than happy to take you out turkey hunting. 

[kevinlisa06]

Havent really had much success with a decoy. But I normally always have one with me.

[KimberRich]

I have had a lot better luck without the use of a decoy.   

x2

I've used them a few times and it has only worked once for me and I don't think the decoy was the deciding factor in me killing the bird. 

I always hunt the early part of the season and for the most part the birds are still in larger groups so ambushing them in their travel path and being aggressive has worked much better for me.   

[tlbradford]

I have to respectfully disagree with the folks that say employing a decoy is often a poor decision, especially for a beginning turkey hunter.  I find that the most common problem with beginning turkey hunters is over-calling.  If you have got a bird in range, that sees the decoy, than it is very likely they will approach without anymore calling.  Those birds that hang up are just as likely to hang up when they don't see another turkey that was supposedly making sounds in that area.  Another problem with beginner's is that they can't sit still.  Employing a decoy will usually help glue a guy to a spot, make a smarter decision in their set-up, and it also deflects attention from small movements that a hunter may make.

I'm not saying there isn't a time and place for all kinds of tactics, but I feel strongly that a decoy will help, not hurt, a beginner.

The only thing I don't like about an inflatable decoy is the time to deploy.  Otherwise they are great.   

[Bob33]

I really appreciate all the helpful advice.  I sense there are pros and cons of using a decoy.  Proper use can help; improper use can hurt.   

I gather that using a hen decoy works under more conditions than using a tom?

[Bigger Fish]

The only thing I don't like about an inflatable decoy is the time to deploy.  Otherwise they are great.   

I'm full of hot air - not too worried about deploying!

Also, my biggest concern, due to my lack of experience, is when to raise my gun.  I'm guessing I'll be late in doing so, and having the Toms back turned will be helpful, IMHO.

This of course, assumes one gets that close...

[Little Dave]

Bob, I have had more success without a decoy and they've caused trouble for some hunts.  However, my favorite successful setup involved a hen decoy with a second tom charging up the hill while I was still ringing the neck of the first one.  What a morning.

Good luck, see you out there.

[tlbradford]

The only thing I don't like about an inflatable decoy is the time to deploy.  Otherwise they are great.   

I'm full of hot air - not too worried about deploying!

Also, my biggest concern, due to my lack of experience, is when to raise my gun.  I'm guessing I'll be late in doing so, and having the Toms back turned will be helpful, IMHO.

This of course, assumes one gets that close...

Have it up and pointed the right direction before they get there.

[baldopepper]

tlbradford makes some very good points.  I agree that a decoy out will help a new hunter stay put and to me that's a good thing.  One of the fun things about turkey hunting, or most other types of hunting for that matter, is there is always another way of going about it.  Some hunters like to sit and wait patiently others like to be on the move-some use decoys, some don't.  If it works for you, that's the way to do it.  I just think some hunters think that having all the newest, best equipment makes you a hunter - (don't think hunters are as bad about this as fishermen, especially fly fishermen) but nohting can replace getting out there and just plain spending time getting to know the woods and the quarry you're hunting.  One thing about getting older, I can't carry all the various stuff anyway so I'm forced to do without it.  Don't worry to much about getting your gun up, just keep it ready where you can use minimum effort to get it up,  most generally you'll get your chance when they put their head down or swivel it to look in another direction-just don't have it leaning against a tree or down where you've got to move much more than lifting it up to your shoulder.

[Bigger Fish]

I just think some hunters think that having all the newest, best equipment makes you a hunter - (don't think hunters are as bad about this as fishermen, especially fly fishermen) but nohting can replace getting out there and just plain spending time getting to know the woods and the quarry you're hunting.  One thing about getting older, I can't carry all the various stuff anyway so I'm forced to do without it.  Don't worry to much about getting your gun up, just keep it ready where you can use minimum effort to get it up,  most generally you'll get your chance when they put their head down or swivel it to look in another direction-just don't have it leaning against a tree or down where you've got to move much more than lifting it up to your shoulder.

Well, baldopepper, since I've never done this before, all my equipment is new (or gently used)  Doing research on equipment, and finding the best gear at a good value has been an enjoyable journey in and of itself.  (In no small part due to the fine folks on this forum.)

Soooo...if I'm a fisherman also, does this make me doubly doomed??

[rosscrazyelk]

so confusing..

[baldopepper]

Yea, you're doomed Bigger Fish-I can only say that because I have a garage and a shed full of hunting and fishing gear.  I'm a sucker for new toys, just seems I never really end up using em!!! Heck I drag most of it over for the turkey hunt and then end up leaving it in the cabin or in my truck because I'm either in to big of a hurry or to lazy to sort out what I think I might actually use. Taking up turkey hunting opens a whole new world of Cabellas browsing to you-good luck, I think you'll really enjoy early spring in the woods whether  you're sitting over a decoy or just sneaking around-it's a great sport!

[turkeydancer]

I usually won't use decoys early in the season since the hens will not want to share tom with another hen and often will pull the tom away, but I do make good use later in the season when the hen spends more time away from old tom and he's lonelier and looking for company. 

I use a jake and a hen usually.  Normally the tom will come in to challenge this young wippersnapper, so point him in the direction you're setup ... that way his back is toward you where he can't see especially if he is fanned out. It allows you to make any adjustments to get all set for the shot ... then a little call should bring his head and neck up for the shot.  Hen should face away from you, because he will approach her from behind to mount and breed her. Again he will be faced away from you.

Also don't put them really close together as bunching birds is a sign of danger to the turkeys.   If it's windy, place a stick in the ground on both sides of the decoys so they don't spin around and around ... leave a little room for movement though.

As mentioned earlier, if you know what direction the birds will come from, I place them about 20 degrees in the oppsite direction to draw the birds by me and rivet there attention on the dekes.

Decoys are not necessary, but at times later in the season do help. Good luck ...