hurry. Everything from the semi-strut pose to the cocky head
tilt of this decoy is designed to challenge all approaching birds,
and it does just that.
Naturally, if one good-looking decoy works well, two
should work even better. Tat’s the thought process behind the
Cabela’s-exclusive Avian-X Jake/Breeder Hen Turkey-Decoy
Combo Pack ($180). Combining a subdominant quarter-strut
jake with a ready-to-breed hen is the ultimate way to raise the
ire of all gobblers. Tey can’t stand it when junior looks like he
is going to get with a sexy hen and will ofen commit without
hesitation. Tis does two things for the waiting bowhunter.
Te frst is that it draws the birds into easy bow range, and the
second is that the birds tend to get fred-up enough to not pay
attention as well as they should. Tis gives you plenty of time
to draw and shoot without getting busted, and can ofen result
in more than one tag being flled from the same blind in the
right conditions.
Lastly, it’s not always the perfect turkey imitation that gets
gobblers in close. Tis is because turkeys are ofen, well, idi-
ots. Tey are also bullies, and that is why the Funky Chicken
($30) from Flextone Game Calls is a great option. Tis decoy
looks like the skinniest, wimpiest turkey to ever crack out of
the shell, and he invites a good beating from all male birds
(probably a few hens, too). Combine this weakling with a good
hen decoy, and you’ve got the recipe for an overconfdent inter-
loper to strut into bow range. Afer that, it’s all about settling
the pin and listening for a satisfying thump.
No matter which decoys you opt for in your archery set-
up, make sure they are close to your position. I like the whole
spread positioned in the fve to 10-yard range, so that if they
commit like they are supposed to, hitting the relatively small
vital zone or lopping of the head of a longbeard becomes a
much higher-odds proposition. ❮❮❮Manufacturer’s Contact List- Cabela’s, 1-800-237-4444, http://www.cabelas.com
- Dakota Decoy, (605) 624-3825, http://www.dakotadecoy.com
- Dave Smith Decoys, (541) 451-4453, http://www.davesmithdecoys.com
- Flextone, 1-866-995-4263, http://www.fextonegamecalls.com
- Hunter’s Specialties, (319) 395-0321, w w w.hunterspec.com
- Montana Decoy Co., (717) 566-1276, http://www.montanadecoy.com
- Primos, (601) 879-9323, http://www.primos.com
WWW.BOWHUNTER.COM 29Cabela’s Avian-X Jake/Breeder
Hen Turkey-Decoy Combo Pack600,000+ acres spring walk-in accessFocus
Listening for its gobble. Waiting for it to strut into
view. With more than 600,000 acres of spring
walk-in and public hunting land, there’s no place
like Kansas to take aim.800.2.KANSAS • TravelKS.com/Hunting