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Decoys

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Decoys

Postby djc5080 » 04 09, 2015 •  [Post 1]

I am a newbie turkey hunter and have a newbie question. We have Rio Grandes on the eastern plains and Merriams in the mountains. I will probably hunt Merriams more, because there is more public land. Does it matter if your decoys are Merriams or Rio Grandes? I really would like to get a set of the Avian X decoys, but wasn't sure which species. Thanks.
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Re: Decoys

Postby ElkNut1 » 04 10, 2015 •  [Post 2]

We hunt Merriams here & use a Rio type decoy with no issues at all, if they can tell the difference it doesn't seem to bother them!
Welcome to the Forums too! (grin)

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Re: Decoys

Postby Heartwood » 04 12, 2015 •  [Post 3]

I'll second what Paul said, in my experience decoy species doesn't seem to matter to turkeys. I have hunted Easterns, Merriams and Rios all with what appear to be Eastern decoys. Don't feel as if you must use decoys all of the time though, many succesful hunters don't use them very often at all. Good luck on your hunts!
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Re: Decoys

Postby honkertalker » 04 13, 2015 •  [Post 4]

One decoy I really like ifs the dsd they are awesome I have now killed utero Turkey's over them they have done the job.
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Re: Decoys

Postby djc5080 » 04 13, 2015 •  [Post 5]

Thanks everyone - good to know. Can't wait to get out there! (Taking up turkey hunting because it is too long to wait until the fall the hunt again!!!)
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Re: Decoys

Postby CurlyTail » 04 16, 2015 •  [Post 6]

Sub-spieces makes no difference.

Best decoy is a Stuffer. Next best and way more practical is Dave Smith. Those Avian X are pretty good and a decent value.

My advice with decoys - either use a Tom, or don't use one at all. If you use a solo hen, too often the Toms will stop and strut when they see the hen decoy and not finish within range. Better that they come in searching. A strutting Tom is by far the most effective decoy. The big Toms come running to whip it the second they see it. The hens are indifferent to a strutting Tom decoy, and the Jakes are afraid of it, although a few will mess with it eventually. Hen decoys are highly over rated in my experience.
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Re: Decoys

Postby mottlet » 04 22, 2015 •  [Post 7]

I've had plenty of success using just one hen. It matters where you put it and how you set up, because as mentioned, some gobblers will want to stop short and strut. But giving them something to look at and confirm what they've heard is worth carrying one. Unless I'm just in really, really thick stuff where a gobbler has to hunt me pretty hard, most of the mature birds I hunt need to confirm that a hen is around. Any toms that will just charge in to a call without confirming that there's a turkey there to make 'em don't last real long where I hunt.

FTR, I carry an Avian X hen and a Pretty Boy Jr. jake. Sometimes I'll put em both out, sometimes just the hen. Sometimes neither. But if I can't set up so that he's in range as soon as I see him, I prefer to give something to focus on that isn't me.
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Re: Decoys

Postby pointysticks » 05 11, 2015 •  [Post 8]

My first bird I saw shot. The guy had a balloon decoy that looked as good as a black plastic bag. It looked like a gag turkey sex toy for perverts. A birds brain is pretty tiny.
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