Lets Talk Turkey Decoys!

[huskyarcher]

Looking to tap into your thoughts on some turkey decoys fellas. This will be the first year i am going all trad on turkeys, and naturally the closer the better. I am a very experienced turkey hunter having tagged out every year since i was 7 years old, (i am 22)- but never with trad gear. I am going to try it this year, and know that upgrading my dekes will be a great help so i have a question or two.

1. I have narrowed the search down to Avainx or DSD. Of those two which do you prefer? The DSDs look a little better but good lordy how pricey, i want a jake and hen so its either $150 for the avian pair or $250. What do you think?

2. Setting up in the mornings, i will be in a ground blind, but running and gunning will make that difficult during the day, any ideas on how to get my bow back out of a blind? i was thinking maybe one of those stake up blinds?

Any help will be much appreciated!

Dalton

[bretto]

Just looked at both yesterday. They both are excellent dekes. IMO the Avain has a better looking head. The DSD a better looking body.

Neither one are what I would call packable. Yes you can carry them but neither are very collapsible.

I would have no problem using either one. Yet I will probably buy the Avian's because of the price.

They are both light years ahead of the foam and inflatable decoys that are out there already.

bretto

[Birdbow]

Been using Avian X dekes for the past 3 seasons with excellent results. Had to shoot one big tom to save the jake after he attacked and broke the stake. Also, I run a length of fishing line to the jake deke leg so I can impart a little motion from inside the blind. Good hunting!

[Msbow]

I was in your shoes about 2 months ago, as I like to plan way ahead of time.
I went with the DSD's I personally think they look more like a real turkey than an Avian. Also, the DSD is virtually indestructible.

The DSD's are pricey, but If I'm gonna spend $80.00 on a decoy I'm gonna spend the extra 40.00 and get the one I really want, but that's just me.

I'm Not sure what you mean by " get my bow back out of my blind"? I want be doing any running and gunning. I'll be doing the ol' waiting and praying method, even if it takes all day.

The ground blind I bought was the barronet big mike extra tough blind. It's very roomy and the windows zip down plenty low. They were hard to find 2 months ago probably even harder now. Good luck to ya!

[TRAP]

The new Avian X hens are amazingly lifelike. I use the avian X hens ( a breeder and a feeder ) with a DSD half strut jake.

Been hunting turkeys for nearly 40 years and have.never been more confident in a decoy spread.

As for running and gunning outside the blind  a ghillie suit and that same decoy spread is what I would do.

Me, I stay in the blind. I'd love to run and gun more but my available acres to hunt and decreased number of birds dictate staying put and not risk spooking birds.

[archer66]

DSD.  That is all.

lol

Set them close and get READY

[monsterbuck]

I have two Avian X hens that I use. And just purchased a DSD strutter I plan on using this year. You won't be disappointed with either one. One thing about the DSD is that it's made in the USA. But both are great.

[Tree Killer]

DSD ... made in the U.S.A. by Oregon hunters!

[Dirtybird]

Dakota Extreme is another great very realistic decoy to take into consideration.

[Warden609]

Another vote for DSD

[stykbow67]

I own a pair of Avians and the 1 thing I like about them better Than the DSD is that they compress down to make them a little easier to pack which might make them a better choice for run and gun tactics!

Steve

[dbd870]

I use Avian-X, but either would serve you well.

[Sean B]

Now, I look at decoys the same that I look at camo and como and clothing.  an inexpensive decoy will work just as good as a higher priced one. as with everything else in the hunting industry, "more realistic is the thing you need to kill a turkey...." Its marketing. I've killed well over 100 turkeys with both gun and bow in over 30 years of hunting them.  I've been using the same flambue decoys for 20 years.  They work public and private land birds.  

You're set up is what is going to make the difference. this is my set up that I used for Osceola's.  two hens walking toward my blind with the jake in the rear.  A Tom will try to get between the jake and the hen facing the jake. This set up worked like a charm on the spookiest of turkeys I've ever hunted!!

 

[Goose smasher]

I love my dsd's! Some other decoys are nice and will do the job but for my money it is dsd's.

[maineac]

I hunted for two years before taking a mature tom with a bow.  I killed and guided a lot of hunters to birds before that.  Most were killed just inside 20 yards, but when they got a little suspicious at the that range they were dead.  With the bow I wanted them 15 or under, and my old decoys just did not seal the deal.  I invested in the DSD half strut and killed a bird the first time out.  I never had a tom attack one of my other jake decoys  ( and I tried several), but they always attack the DSD.  I use a small half circle blind I got at LL Beans.  I really like it, packs small (would fit in the DSD decoy).  But on my last couple hunts did not even set it up. Just knelt in brush or in front of a bush with a leafy camo top and the birds did not notice me or my drawing they were so focused on the deke.

Here is the deke with the blind in the background

[Whip]

My experience is different than Sean, but he has a heck of a track record so take my comments for what they are worth.

I used to have excellent luck with a flock of Flambeau decoys and killed turkeys regularly. I don't know what changed, but my turkey hunting success took a bad turn for the worse and I couldn't seem to get a turkey close no matter what I did. I still saw birds regularly, but just couldn't get them close.  Same property, same blind set ups, same calling (very little for the most part).

Two years ago I took the plunge and bought a pair of DSD's and an AvianX hen. I've bow killed 6 birds the past two years using the new dekes.  Again, same private property, same set ups, same calls.  Vastly different results. The only thing I've changed the past two years are the decoys.  Granted, two seasons doesn't make me an expert, nor prove much of anything, but I know I won't be switching back!

One morning hunting later in the season last spring I had a group of 5 toms waltz right in. I promptly shot one and spent the next hour watching as the other four continuously assaulted my DSD jake and submissive hen decoys.  They pretty much left the AvianX alone, but she is an upright hen and while she looks good she doesn't trigger the same responses. This is my all time favorite turkey hunting picture.

[medicineman]

I like the looks of the DSD decoys but when doing lots of walking I am concerned about difficulty carrying them for long distances.   Has this been a problem for anyone?

[Sean B]

Joe and Michael, that's pretty interesting. I have yet to have a bird hang up when in site of my older flambeau.  That jake decoy in my pic is a Flextone Funky Chicken.  Now I haven't used it here in NY, but I had an Osceola gobbler go right for it, and Kent Zocher killed two beauties over it.  

Now watch....now that I've said that, they're all going to hang up on me this season!!!  

[varmint101]

I have had an avian x hen and got the jake last year.  Killed my tom last year when he was coming in to circle the jake at about 15 steps.  I'd never had one that close before and it was awesome.  I like the looks of the DSD better myself, but unfortunately that $100 is the difference for me.  I have killed them with $5 Walmart foam hens too.  Give me a few more years with the Avians and we'll see.  Right now I like them and they do look MUCH better than my old decoys. Time will tell.  I don't believe anyone could go wrong with either.

[Dirtybird]

I have killed birds like Sean with the old foam hens but have had much better experiences since switching about five or six years ago.