There are alot of decoys out on the market really ranging in price, which decoys actually work? I've been looking at the Dakota decoys but $200 for 2 decoys when I can go get a whole flock of the mad shady birds for that... Does it really matter? Sent from my USCC-E6762 using Tapatalk
The best turkey decoy I have ever seen is made by DSD decoys. Absolutely incredible but so is the price tag. With turkeys some days it doesn't matter if you have a crappy decoy bc they come running in anyways but other days you could have the best decoy the market offers and if they decide not to come in to your set up they just plain aren't coming in.....no matter what. lol Dakota makes a pretty good decoy for the price from what ive heard from friends but really its just personal preference. Some years I hardly use decoys at all and other years you cant do without them, depends on how the birds are feeling I guess
^^^^^ Exactly what he said. In my mind the DSD's are the best but pricey. Buy what you can afford and what makes you happy.
I killed my first turkey using Wal Mart foam decoys. I now an Avian one, and have had birds hang up on it. I have also had a hen fight it. I always look for decent color, shiny eye balls. The Primos ones do not look all that bad, and they are much cheaper than DSD or Avian. DSD's are amazing, but I'm to cheap to buy them.
I just picked up some Mossy Oak Turkey Thug decoys on eBay. 2 hens and a jake for $40 shipped! Check them out. Can't beat that price and not bad quality for the price at all!!
Avianx is what I use I have 2 hens and looking into getting the jake this year! I have killed some nice turkeys in the last few years using these decoys! Put it this way you get what you pay for! Sent from my SM-G900R4 using Tapatalk
Another Avian X convert here. I have been using them for several years now and have never had better luck in decoying turkeys in over 20 years of bowhunting them. The staking system allows for some nice movement with the slightest of breeze and they are very realistic without spending a stupid amount of cash.
I think some of it has to do with where you hunt. Is it private? Is it public? I personally feel that this is the most over marketed item out there. The whole you get what you pay for is a flop. I bought a $20 Cherokee blow up Tom several years ago, and still use it to this day. I have yet to have a problem filling all my tags every season. Doesn't matter what type of ground I hunt. I has even gotten little pen hole leaks that I just put a very small piece of black gorilla tape over LOL. I have even used it without a stake and just leaned it up against the blind and had a tom come running in. So the way I see it just get what you feel comfortable with because they will hang up with any decoy if they want to hang up. Good Luck
It all depends on how you hunt turkeys, IMO. I'd assume that since this is a bow hunting forum that you want to bow hunt birds. But if you are going to gun hunt, especially old school run and gun tactics, then I'd probably run no decoy or something that collapses down flat. Back in my gun hunting days that is how I killed most birds. But if you are bow hunting birds then QUALITY decoys are key, IMO. Personally, I run all DSD's. I find that ultra-realistic decoys like DSD's draw in birds from further away, finish birds in the decoys the most consistently, and HOLD birds in the decoys the longest (key for video work or hunting with kids). Quality decoys can make bow hunting birds almost too easy. Buy once ... cry once ... often you really do get what you pay for. Buy a quality decoy and it will last and perform for MANY years. Thankfully there are many good choices these days at various price points.
Has any one tried the funky chicken? This is one ugly decoy but willing to try it this year. I also have 2 hen decoys that i will be putting with it for my set up.
Heard a couple horror stories about the funky chicken... for what it's worth. I use several Avian Xs myself... I'm completely sold on their effectiveness. The DSDs are amazing, but for the money I believe the Avians are too -- and they fold up and collapse which is nice.