Decoy Setup

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Jonesy
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Decoy Setup

Unread postby Jonesy » Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:45 am

Need some input on decoy setup....How do you guys like to set up your decoys? I am trying to figure out why the toms didn't come into my setup. I have a 1/4 strut jake, feeding hen, and upright hen. I had them out in the alfalfa field with the jake closet to the woods and the hens staggered out in front of him. The jake was faced away from the woods towards the middle of the field. The two toms came to the edge of the field and just strutted. I was hoping that they would walk right to the setup but instead they stayed right behind a bush and prevented my cousin from getting a shot. If they would've just walked another 3 or 4 feet we could've possibly had a double :doh:
I know a lot of people like to have the jake or tom facing away from where the birds are approaching but does it matter (the toms were approaching the setup with the jake facing away from them)? Should the jake have been more at a angle so the birds could've seen that it was a jake and then they could've approached the setup from behind or did the toms not come into the tall alfalfa because they don't like to strut in the tall grass? I have a million things going through my mind trying to figure out these birds.


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Czabs
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Re: Decoy Setup

Unread postby Czabs » Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:43 am

In my opinion I really don't think it matters how you setup your decoys. I like to keep mine close to the blind 10 yards about. I sometimes only have a hen out. Sometimes only have a tom decoy out. And sometimes have a whole flock out. I think movement is big, if you can somehow rig up your decoys to move or spin I think that will coax the weary ones in. Also blind concealment might help coax the weary ones in. I know some people will sit right in the middle of a field with a blind and have toms come up to them but I think the more shy birds don't like it. Just my opinion. Just try a bunch of different setups and see what works best for you in your area. Maybe make some notes and see what works best during different time periods. Once you find a pattern or something you like that works stick with it. Good luck.
Jonesy
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Re: Decoy Setup

Unread postby Jonesy » Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:57 am

Would the tall alfalfa prevent the Tom coming to set up or do they still strut around in the taller grass? Seemed like he was staying in the shorter grass up against the woods...,,

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Mountain Man
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Re: Decoy Setup

Unread postby Mountain Man » Mon Apr 23, 2012 2:31 am

It could have just been turkeys being turkeys and that's why they didn't come in, but I think you could have improved your chances with some better decoy placement.

IMO the way you had the decoys set, the toms didn't have to worry about the jake since to them it appeared like he didn't really pose a threat. They were going to strut and try to get the hens to come to them. With the decoys you have, I would try to set them up to aggravate the toms so they will want to come into the decoys or at least get closer than they did. Eye contact between turkeys is a big deal. With the jake facing away from the woods (which I presume the toms came from the woods and up to the edge of the field to strut), there was no eye contact between the decoy and real toms. I would face the 1/4 strut jake toward me or quartering toward me and set the upright hen on the ground facing me or quartering toward me in the same orientation of the jake. This way the hen is in front of and below the jake and it looks like he's getting ready to breed her. This way the toms might think the jake is intruding and trying to breed their hens and that would aggravate them and there would be some eye contact. Since it sounds like you were in alfalfa, and depending on the height of the alfalfa, I would set the decoys a bit higher so they can be seen better especially if the alfalfa is getting taller. Then I would set the feeding hen a few yards away (set it up high so it's more visible above the alfalfa) from the jake and upright hen in the breeding position. IMO the feeding hen and the breeding pair will put other turkeys more at ease where sometimes that alert hen standing by herself could make a tom uneasy just enough to not come in but that's not always the case. That's how I tend to set up with a jake and hen decoys.

It could also be that you had two year old toms come in and they were cautious b/c they've taken a beating the last couple of weeks as the pecking order gets established/maintained. Or maybe they have already been shot at this year and lost a comrade from their little bachelor group and are more wary now.

In my experience the tall alfalfa does not prevent the toms from coming in or strutting. The link below is from one of my turkey hunts last year in taller alfalfa. I see I had an upright hen in the set up instead of a feeder but that's b/c I didn't have a feeder with me on that hunt and notice that the upright hen is set up high to be seen over the alfalfa (that's also why I had a strutter decoy too so it could be seen at a distance better than a non-strutting jake/tom.

http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=6791&hilit=killer
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Re: Decoy Setup

Unread postby Brad » Mon Apr 23, 2012 2:40 am

I have been reading a lot on decoy placement this past week or two and just about everything I have learned Mountainman nailed right on the head. They said turkeys like to make eye contact so always have your decoys face you because they will want to make sure that your decoy can see them show off and strut etc. To do that they have to circle in and come in range. I just bought a BTD jake and those are some of the tips that I picked up from there sight as well. I now do this with gun or bow because I always have toms hang up and 50-70 yards it seems like. Hopefully this will help with that problem.


Mountain Man wrote:It could have just been turkeys being turkeys and that's why they didn't come in, but I think you could have improved your chances with some better decoy placement.

IMO the way you had the decoys set, the toms didn't have to worry about the jake since to them it appeared like he didn't really pose a threat. They were going to strut and try to get the hens to come to them. With the decoys you have, I would try to set them up to aggravate the toms so they will want to come into the decoys or at least get closer than they did. Eye contact between turkeys is a big deal. With the jake facing away from the woods (which I presume the toms came from the woods and up to the edge of the field to strut), there was no eye contact between the decoy and real toms. I would face the 1/4 strut jake toward me or quartering toward me and set the upright hen on the ground facing me or quartering toward me in the same orientation of the jake. This way the hen is in front of and below the jake and it looks like he's getting ready to breed her. This way the toms might think the jake is intruding and trying to breed their hens and that would aggravate them and there would be some eye contact. Since it sounds like you were in alfalfa, and depending on the height of the alfalfa, I would set the decoys a bit higher so they can be seen better especially if the alfalfa is getting taller. Then I would set the feeding hen a few yards away (set it up high so it's more visible above the alfalfa) from the jake and upright hen in the breeding position. IMO the feeding hen and the breeding pair will put other turkeys more at ease where sometimes that alert hen standing by herself could make a tom uneasy just enough to not come in but that's not always the case. That's how I tend to set up with a jake and hen decoys.

It could also be that you had two year old toms come in and they were cautious b/c they've taken a beating the last couple of weeks as the pecking order gets established/maintained. Or maybe they have already been shot at this year and lost a comrade from their little bachelor group and are more wary now.

In my experience the tall alfalfa does not prevent the toms from coming in or strutting. The link below is from one of my turkey hunts last year in taller alfalfa. I see I had an upright hen in the set up instead of a feeder but that's b/c I didn't have a feeder with me on that hunt and notice that the upright hen is set up high to be seen over the alfalfa (that's also why I had a strutter decoy too so it could be seen at a distance better than a non-strutting jake/tom.

http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=6791&hilit=killer
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Mike.E
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Re: Decoy Setup

Unread postby Mike.E » Tue Apr 24, 2012 2:26 am

I think turkeys are just a headache to try to figure out lol I've walked through tall marshes before and have seen a lone tom strutting at me for no reason, i just nelt down and he got within 20yds trying to woo me :lol: I dont know heck. But i do feel they like to stay in the open more just so they can feel safer.

As for decoys, theres alot of ways i found that dont work! I used to do mainly hens but got a nice tom decoy that is an almost 100% tom puller-inner. If they see competition theyll get mad and barrel in. But i noticed with this decoy what brings them in is when u pull on the decoy to have it facing the toms, gets them jealous who knows, it works though!


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