Strutter decoys

[showstopper]

I just wanted to get everyone's strategy/experiences with strutter decoys. I bought a DSD strutter and have the wing feathers and fan on the decoy. Had two big toms run in from 150 yds away just to stop at 50 yds and not fully commit. I didn't call until they hung up and then only purred. The stood there for nearly 30 minutes before some hens walked through stealing their attention.

My set up was the DSD breeder with a jake in front of the blind with the feeder and look out hen about 25 yards from the blind spread out in the field. The strutter was about ten yards past the blind from where the turkeys came from facing away from where the turkeys came from (as I expected). I'm relatively new to this so any advice is appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Bowtech84]

It's hard saying what happened. Turkey hunting is always about second guessing and hind sight. We had success yesterday with a strutter, jake and two hens. I'm going to put the strutter away for the year. I only use it for youth season. Once season opens I will be using a jake and two hens and later in the year I will just use a lone hen. I'm a firm believer that just like the deer rut there is a magical 5-7 days where the toms are on fire and will come to about anything. You just have to keep after it and hunt as much as you can. It will happen. Don't get discouraged. Good luck

 

[Liv4Rut]

Did you have movement set up on the strutter?? That has been key for me. The redhead remote strut stake is the best. Several years ago on the last day of season I had my strutter out on a zink lifeline which was rope controlled. The problem was my rope wrapped around a corn stalk and I couldn't move my strutter. 3 gobblers came in to 50 yards and strutted for 20 minutes then a dozen hens came out and took them the other way. About 250 yards away they dropped into a valley in a field and I crawled out and fixed the rope. They popped out 300-350 yards away following the hens. I started cutting as loud as I could and they all popped out of strut. I spun my decoy to face them and the next thing I know all 3 are running as fast as they could my way. I wish I could say it had a good ending but I ended up missing twice with my bow as they all flogged my decoy. Sold me on movement though.

 

[meyeri]

Did you have movement set up on the strutter?? That has been key for me.

Agreed.. Movement can be pretty good at getting them to close the gap when they hang up.

 

[scottonbuck]

I just wanted to get everyone's strategy/experiences with strutter decoys. I bought a DSD strutter and have the wing feathers and fan on the decoy. Had two big toms run in from 150 yds away just to stop at 50 yds and not fully commit. I didn't call until they hung up and then only purred. The stood there for nearly 30 minutes before some hens walked through stealing their attention. My set up was the DSD breeder with a jake in front of the blind with the feeder and look out hen about 25 yards from the blind spread out in the field. The strutter was about ten yards past the blind from where the turkeys came from facing away from where the turkeys came from (as I expected). I'm relatively new to this so any advice is appreciated. Thank you!

I like to set my feels in close to the blind say 5-10 yards so if the birds hang up they are still in range.

 

[Lung Popper]

If any one out there has a dave smith strutter for sale let me know!!

 

[Lung Popper]

Regard that last post....ended up biting the bullet and purchasing one!

 

[muddy]

Make sure you hire someone to help carry that strut deek out for ya.

 

[Cooter]

IMO the DSD strutter is too big. Not just for the carry aspect but for scaring birds. That being said I have two. Anyone want to buy one?

 

[b0huntr147]

I've had a pretty boy since they first came out and I absolutely love it. I've had to re-due the paint a couple time from all the use. Whats nice also is my DSD hen fits inside of him so they are easier to carry.

 

[Lung Popper]

Sent you a PM cooter!