Hey Y’all!  It’s almost Turkey Season, my favorite time of year!  A lot of you have asked, what’s a good decoy to use? Well, it all depends on where you’re hunting, and what the birds in your area prefer.  I’ve hunted all over the southeast and southwest for Turkeys, and my decision to use a decoy(s) or not, depends on the birds and where I’m hunting.

For instance, if I’m spotting and stalking birds out west, I may be in too much of a hurry to put out a decoy.  However, if I’m sitting in one spot, waiting for that Tom to fly down from the roost, and I know he’s going to be flying down in a particular area, or will head to a particular spot, I’ll use a decoy.  Also, some birds are decoy shy. Maybe this particular group has been shot at before with decoys, or they’ve seen their buddies bite the dust, so they may be hesitant to come within range on a stoic decoy.  It all depends on your situation.

Regardless of where I’m hunting, when I want to use a decoy, I always use DSD Decoys.  DSD has a variety of realistic turkeys from a Mating Motion Pair, to a Jake Strutter, to even an Ol Strutter.  You can also set up a Flock, a Posturing Jake, or just a Tom and a Hen.  It all depends on the birds you’re hunting, and their environment.  I’m an old school hunter, and I don’t like to carry a lot with me when I’m hunting, especially turkey hunting.  I just never know when I might hear a gobble and have to plop down quickly. Thus, the only decoy I carry with me is DSD’s Upright Hen, or as I call her, Lola.  What Lola wants, Lola gets, and Lola wants a Big Ol Longbeard!  She’s been all over the U.S. with me, and bred by more stupid Jakes and Longbeards than she cares to recall.  Thus, if you’re looking for one durable, lifelike, decoy, I’d use the Upright Hen by DSD.  Some mature Toms will come into a Strutting Jake, and some only to Hen, while others will come into a Whole Flock.  However, in my experience, the most universal decoy for me to use in all terrains is a Hen.  After all, we are trying to sound like those Hussy Hens to begin with, and it’s hard enough to bring an Old Thunder Chicken away from the real thing, so we may as well have some eye candy in front of us that resembles what we’re trying to emulate.

Dave Smith Decoys are available at all Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops.  Let me know how you like your DSD Decoys, and be sure to tag me in your pictures with that Ol Gobbler.  Happy Hunting Y’all!