Ok, I admit it, decoys do work!

[Timmer]

I've been fairly critical of decoys in the forums over the years because of a few reasons:

- I have shot many birds not using them at all.
- I like to be mobile.  I find it bulky and difficult to carry a few decoys in my vest.  
- Given my desire for mobility, I carried a single hen decoy for a couple of years.  I had a number of instances of a tom coming in, catching sight of the single decoy, and taking off.  My take was that when a tom was focused on that single decoy, he expected some form of movement and it just didn't seem right.
- I had never successfully called a big mature tom all the way in to any decoy spread.

I was just checking out some of my old posts and realized I promised I'd post if I ever got a mature bird over decoys.  Well, time to fess up!    Last year a got a top 3 career bird that came into a 2 hen decoy setup.  There, I said it!  

[Tail Feathers]

See?  Confession is good for the soul.

I've done it with and without dekes.  Results vary but I usually have one in the vest or at leas the truck.

[runngun]

Yep they work, sometimes!!!

[tomstopper]

Nothing is guaranteed but I can definitely say that I never leave for the turkey woods without them. There has been a couple of times where they lured that gobbler just within shooting range so I could lay them down.

[vaturkey]

  I Agree !   

[Mike Honcho]

A friend who works for me just bought a Zink Avian breeding hen decoy this season and has used it twice and killed toms both times.  He is getting set up in areas where turkeys roost...just close enough the toms can see decoy when they flydown and just setting out the one decoy in the dark early am. Hunting cornfields next to creeks/woods.

Both times he has not called at all and had two toms come directly in to see the decoy.

Both got very close...within 20 yards and BAM.

Got video of both hunts.

Surely this is good luck??

[RutnNStrutn]

Not that good. Tell you friend congrats!!!

[Spring_Woods]

They have their time and place. There have been times I wish I had one.

Fooling a bird without dekes is the ultimate deception.

[surehuntsalot]

have killed birds with a hen decoy out
had birds run away as fast as they could as soon as they saw the decoys,so it is a gamble

[Spring_Woods]

have killed birds with a hen decoy out
had birds run away as fast as they could as soon as they saw the decoys,so it is a gamble

Ain't that the truth! I had them hang up at 35 yards on youth hunt this year. Decoy at 20...