# What the Heck?



## eyecatchum2 (Mar 30, 2010)

Took my cousins son out again trying to get his first turkey. Awesome morning, heard birds on the roost and set up within 100 yds. in the direction I thought they would go. Set out a jake & hen decoy @ 10yds out, did not want to go further into the woods and make any noise. 5 hens and 3 toms came in 15 min. after hitting the ground. Hens were feeding about 15-20 yds from us and the toms were bringing up the rear, we got set, he was going to shoot first. I could feel my first double coming. As soon the the biggest bird stepped out from behind some brush he saw the decoys (17yds from us) he did a 180 and walked away taking the other 2. Never got a shot, thought they would come back further out since the hens stayed for another 10-15 minutes. I should have shot but I wanted him to get his 1st bird. Anyone ever have decoys scare birds away? A little bummed but still a great morning.


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## floater99 (May 21, 2010)

I think a jake decoy spooks more birds for some reason,for me at least.I have had more 
birds spook or ignore the dekes the last few years even gobblers they look and turn???.
Thats why we chase them.


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## RobFyl (Dec 15, 2010)

Mike,

Sorry to hear about your bad luck. I commend you on not shooting trying to get your little cousin his 1st bird. I know my trigger finger would have been real itchy lol.. My only advise is this... I personally only use a single hen decoy. 95% of my birds taken are without decoys period. I have a full strut decoy, jake decoys etc.. I have seen Toms shy away from jake and full strut decoys. Go with the lone feeding hen and you can't go wrong. Just my two cents. Hope your luck turns around. Good luck on the rest of the season!!

Rob


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## JTKessOH (Sep 19, 2009)

I dont have any experience with that happening but I have heard the same as what floater said. I only put out hen decoys to avoid that.


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## eyecatchum2 (Mar 30, 2010)

ROB, Thanks. We are on the birds, just a matter of time. I thought for sure we were going to double. I got some other stories for you....Mike

P.S. only carrying hens from now on, the jake is back in the box.


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

Try taking the Jake decoy and have it "humping" the Hen decoy from the rear (if the Jake decoy opens up at the bottom). That may make the Tom Turkeys jealous - so they run over and attack your Jake decoy.


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## Snook (Aug 19, 2008)

I personally don't use decoy's but do agree with just using a hen. Sound's like there is one bad #@$% turkey in your area that those tom's want nothing to do with Good luck in weeding him out of the flock!


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Groups of jakes can intimidate or even jump more mature gobblers. It&#8217;s not all that uncommon for a decoy to spook a bird, especially a jake or gobbler decoy.


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

You know that you are in a bad neighborhood when the Wild Turkeys turn Gangsta !


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## floater99 (May 21, 2010)

I have used the JAKE MATING setup with grt success,them old toms go zerks!! worked for me twice so far.


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