Guys:

I need to upgrade my decoy collection. Have been using a 3 bird (two hens plus jake) set from Delta for 10 +/- years. I know there are newer,better decoys out there, so what's working good for you?? (I hunt Eastern's)

So Lets hear it.............

NB

AvionX has been good for me

X2

X3

I use a Montana Decoy----Miss Purr-fect. I've used it in KS on easterns & merriams here in CO.

Avian-X breeding or feeding hen.

Avian X: Jake (non strutting), laydown hen a few yards in front and their feeder hen.

Be prepared to have extra stakes for the Jake. At least 5 or 6 have been snapped in two when a pissed off Tom jumped the jake. I started to use old aluminum arrows cut to size.

We call the Jake our baby rattle because of all the pellets it has taken over the last 5 or 6 years. Shoe goo will seal them up, but they still hold their shape.

Here is a video of a stake being snapped in two on opening morning with my son:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth..._hunt_this_morning_with_a_s#Post11958961

I too like Avians. A little heavy to lug far, but they work better than great.

I have some avians. I throw them in a mesh duck d3coy bag and sling them on my back.

Normally only use them when hunting a field set up. I have a Montana miss purrfect in my best for run and gun situations.

My strutted is a Dave Smith and blows the avian away

I've stopped using decoys all together when I'm by myself. Some of the times they hens get pissed and come in. But, when I've had a Jake decoy out, it's scared more birds than it's brought in. I'm probably doing something wrong in my set up.

When I have the kids with me, I set out one or two in front and off to the sides, so they can use them as range markers.

How far away from your set-up are y'all setting them out?

T,

I like a realistic hen decoy like Avian's new decoys or the DSD set about 20-30yds out in the direction I want to shoot if hunting in the open and the birds are unpressured. If I'm going out of state to hunt birds I know are not fooled with, I'll use an Avian qtr strut jake a few yards my side of the lone breeder hen. That set-up works outstanding and they almost always go straight to the jake. When hunting woods, you don't need any decoys and when hunting high pressure areas, you definitely don't want a decoy.

Just an example of decoy screw-ups I've had, that happened this year. I found an older bird in a really high pressure area that get's hunted by multiple hunters every single day. This bird wasn't really vocal, but some days he'd get a bit cranked up if you got in his zone. 1st day I had him commit I was decoyless and finally called him to 40yds, but he was behind brush. As he strutted twds a clear lane for the shot, something spooked him from behind and he came hauling butt twds me at an angle with no clear shot had. The next time I encountered him mid-day and decided to put one of the new Zinks out in an open space. He came in quiet and started putting at the decoy at 40yds. I didn't shoot as I'd called up two jakes a few hrs earlier and he had come in at an angle facing away. When he turned I saw his long thick rope and knew it was him, but thought he was too far(he wasn't). I was thinking he saw me move the whole time, didn't even think about the decoy since it's so realistic. The 3rd encounter I got on him early but he would get remotely close. I sat there for 5.5hrs again with the Zink breeder hen out in a big open area. He finally got cranked up at 11:30ish and was coming hot and that rascal locked up and started putting as soon as he topped the ridge and saw the decoy. We have a few days season left, so Dad and I are going to try to get on him, decoyless of course. I knew better, but it was open and I wanted him to come in out front. Live and learn. I sure have killed a truckload without decoys, but got back into using them a bit when they started looking so realistic. It does not matter how good they look, wise old birds know something is not right in certain situations, especially when the pressure is on.

Good Luck,

loder

I too like the AvianX decoys. I think I have everything they make!

The Feeder Hen is my favorite, but I usually position it near a Jake decoy.

Truth be told, I've killed more birds while using a Tom decoy or a simple fan than I've ever killed just using a hen decoy.

While there are some beautifully realistic decoys out there, I often have to walk a mile or more to where I hunt to get to the country I want to hunt carrying all my stuff with me -- in rough country. And I've come to the conclusion that while turkeys are very skittish and wary, they are not very discriminating.

So, I've gone to Cherokee Sports Featherlite Ultimate decoys which are inflatable and a third smaller than life-size and they don't look bad at all. This way I can stuff three or even four (a flock) in my vest without the bulk and increased weight. Additionally, I believe you can get a jake and two decoys - the flock - for about $50 at various places online, lot cheaper than many of the alternatives.

I also carry a Montana decoy strutting tom that folds up the the size of a dinner plate if I want to put the move on a Tom that doesn't want to come in. Just sneak, crawl behind it.

That's the thing. I doubt it was the decoy but some screwy thing one might not even be aware of like the glint off a glass lense or who knows what else. I've had them come into a decoy that tipped over and was on its side. Refuse to come into me all brushed in in front of a tree and then walk up to a 5'x5' Double Bull blind in a pasteur that wasn't there an hour ago.

There's no way he could see me for the brush on that setup. I've had a bunch of birds spook off decoys over the years. I learned long ago that you were better off without them in high pressure areas, they'll actually come closer without them and hang up less often. What many folks don't realize is a tom can pin point the location of a call with amazing accuracy. There are situations they work well, but there are many situations when they are useless and actually hurt your odds tremendously.

Now that I will do. That fan flat out pissed toms off. A guy can get pretty close by using that fan to sneak in on em.

Even though one of the area I hunt is a private land, it's surround by public on 3 sides. I've never seen it happen, but I also thing there is a fair amount of poaching from the road going on as the turkeys don't like when cars even slow down. They bolt.

One of the areas I set up on, is at the bottom of a huge oak ridge. There is a swamp to the south of it, private land to the east that I don't have permission to hunt, and a hay field to the west. I have to cross the hayfield to set up, or come off the road to the north. Coming from the north, scares birds, I've done it.

If I come in under total darkness, and sneak along the swamp edge, I can get close. 100 yds or less.

I softly yep once things have settled down and if I get an answer from him, I shut up. They seem to know EXACTLY where I am. It may take a bit after flydown, but they do come in if I do my part and sit still.

I hunt about every day and RARELY have to use a decoy. When I do, I use the fold up foam decoys that are cheapo. The birds do NOT care.

Unpressured birds usually don't.

I'm sure there is truth in that. Even a bird-brain doesn't have to be burned many times and they'll be warned off. Then, where there is little pressure they'll come into cardboard silhouette painted black.

I'll tell ya what. I checked out the AvainX deeks last night at Fleet farm. I'll be damned if I'm going to pay almost $80 for a decoy. The ones I have are about 5-10 years old. They'll work good enough! lol

I don't mean to demean turkey decoys as regards quality and realism at all but just like the Banjo Minnow and many other fishing lures "catch" many fishermen, so too it might be with any product in the outdoor, recreational world.

They keep churning out decoys, clothes, guns, and every other product outdoorsmen use and nothing is getting less expensive though not everything is superior to its predecessors.