In a wheelchair so I end up deer hunting turkeybirds and it’s rare that I get a real deal show. Vast minority of the time for sure. I get nothing out of killing one just beebopping by and usually pass at least 1 a year.
Some folks will say theyre the only reason they kill all while someone else is telling you they scare every bird that sees them off every time.
I’ve run a lone hen before but I just bought a feeding hen and 1/4 strut jake to go with it.
My thought is sure, might scare some off but whatever gobbler does come in by God I’m getting a show.
Thoughts?
Advice on configuration or placement at different parts of the season?

My dad is unable to walk much at all. I set him up with a fan about 25 yards out in front of him. He usually kills a couple every year.

i cant help you with using decoys , i never use them but theres a reason for ever thing . if i did use the them id use a jake .


this may mean nothing at all just a IMO ,,,, but !!!!!
i stay away from decoys with full fans and brightly colored heads and necks too .

A 1/4 strut avianx Jake has gotten several stubborn field birds killed. I don’t start out using that technique but a man has to keep all options on the table by the end of season. 😉

I’ve never had that decoy spook a bird I was aware of. Everything that has seen it died.

bottom line - some gobblers are lovers & some are fighters … for the angry ones, a jake “guarding” a hen decoy setup is a recipe for a butt kickin’ - i’ve seen gobblers knock the jake decoy off the stake & jumped up & down on him before i’ve blasted him off the thing …

try to scout & observe their likely approach & setup the jake decoy in front of the hen decoy & in front of you where you have an easy, in range shot - place the hen decoy behind the jake decoy & off to the side, facing away from the jake decoy & the approaching gobbler(s)

like Matt said, i’ve seen this work best in fields/pastures or big open roads … in the woods, i don’t use decoys at all or if i do i only use a solo hen

This is the way.. Put it where birds can see it for the farthest away in multiple directions. Those Avian-x Jake decoys are like turkey magnets.

I think you should make it part of the fun of the hunt for you. Set out a spread like a duck hunter if you want and give it a try! As to what’s most effective, that is situational. A dominant gobbler or multiple 3 year olds traveling together will run all the way across a hundred acre field at the site of a strutting decoy sometimes. I have also hunted certain years in certain places where the gobblers were so scared of mobs of jakes that you dare not use a Jake decoy. I applaud your resolve to hunt in spite of your challenges, and I pray that you will be rewarded with an excellent season.

If you set up where the turkey has to come in range to see your position, it won't be able to see the decoy before it is in range. Whether there's a decoy or not is irrelevant.

It's interesting what turkey hunting is to different people. Strutting and gobbling are things turkeys do when they're not coming. I don't want none of that.

I’m pretty sure that’s the exact one I have. The heard bodied HDR that comes with a submissive head and a knurled aggressive head, but I lost that one.


Solid. Thanks man. I’m lucky enough to have a little less than 100 acres of family land to hunt with three big fields and two little ones, and that’s pretty much exclusively what I’ve done.



Thanks brother Joe, that’s exactly what I’m going for.
After my wreck I realised off the bat that I couldn’t get in a deers bedroom the way I’d like to and I was talking to a new buddy of mine about it. The way he pitched it to me was a little misleading to say the least.. but I’m thankful he did.
He said that ideally I could call, then go quiet when I struck one up, set up on some nice, flat, accessible to me ground, and then call them in, and kill their asses, on my terms. I’ll admit that I was not sold on the idea off the bat and it took a lot of contemplating on my end after he told me that, but after that 5– 10 seconds was over I was sold.
My first turkey hunt was in 2021 when a very close buddy of mine Dr. Ryan Mcwhorter took me.
When he got out in front of me on that ridge and owl hooted, two birds fired back at him and it felt just like they were gobbling into the depths of my soul and central nervous system. I’ve contemplated it over and over again and still haven’t found a set of words that’ll come anywhere close to doing that experience and feeling justice, but a switch was flipped inside me and I’ve been figuring it tf out since that day.

In 23 we had more jakes than gobbleros from a better hatch than normal and before I knew it rolled into that last yr. I figured our birds were just decoy skiddish so I miscategorized it realize it and pulled his ass early.

⬆️ Put you a 1/4 strut Jake out cocked up just a bit on the stake. Then have you an avian x attentive hen(with half the air let out) so she sits flat on the ground. Have em sitting about 10’ apart so the story unfolds in that gobblers mind. Hope you kill a limit buddy

Put the stake the Jake is on deep in the ground as you can.

Yep as much as I hate decoys, you are definitely an inspiration. Heck in your situation I’d have a robo decoy even 😂 I think you have a good combo…I’d avoid a strutter and do a Jake with a laying hen… keep hunting em brotha!! Keep us informed on your successes and failures as it’s a testimate to your resolve and determination. I’ve loved your stories in the past and hope you smash em this year!

Good info on here, not much I would add. Turkeys were killed a long time before decoys, get good at mimicking a flock of birds. Use purrs, whistles, clucks, quick fighting sequences - then back to purrs and clucks. If you are on club or private land, get a good gobble box. I am all in support of those custom turkey call builders, if you can afford it, spend it, if not, get you and old Bham or Ms built Lynch World Champion, not this new stuff for sure, and call him in gobbling. Also, get you a ghillie poncho that will fit over you and the chair, it may help if you woods hunt vs in a tent.

I have seen a decoy, the flextone funky chicken, that thing may be small enough to carry.

Good luck brother, carry on.

Don’t use a funky chicken deke…buddy shot his with #5s after it ran off its 3rd gobbler in 3 hunts 😂 but yep…houndstooth makes great calls and it supports a members here/local company. I like a woodhaven box too

A jake standing over a laydown hen or hen on her stomach is deadly and maybe a hen standing with them.

Avian x and dave smith decoys are very realistic. I like dave smith jake better because it less aggressive looking! When i used ny stuffed jake with a laydown avian x and a standing - it was 100% and i used it for about 8 years. I only put a small amount of red in head so he is less intimidating and he has no beard. The message the gob gets - i may be a fagot but i fixing to hump your woman 😎🤣🤣

Thats about as good as it gets for enticement!!!