What time of the season is it best to use a jake and when is it best to use a strutting tom? I am wondering about early season (late March), mid season breeding phase (mid April), and late season (early to mid May).
I am hunting easterns by the way.
I believe jakes are effective the entire season. I would only use full-strut decoys for the first half of the season. By mid-season, the pecking order has been worked out and the full-strut decoys will scare more gobblers off than bring them in.
If I could pick one decoy to use the entire season, it would be a semi-strut jake.