Would you use a strutter

[GET-N-RITE]

Opening weekend in Tn this week. Got a big bird that is henned up and I kinda know his pattern. Question is do you put out a strutter or do u put out a hen. There are 3 other toms in the area I'm guessing 2 year olds. My mind says opening day no pressure put out the big boy but the other part says hen and maybe a jake. What do u think?

[LawDawg]

both

[ScottyLee]

how "well" do you know his pattern? i.e. is the bird entering a certain field through a fence opening? or coming to a small food plot/opening with his hens?

if you know those kind of specifics, i personally wouldn't put a decoy out. lesson learned from this, as i put 2 decoys out, when i had the birds patterned to a "t". bout 30 hens and 2 gobblers. naturally the hens are going to come in first and the gobblers will be in tow. dang hens had figured out the decoys before the gobblers made it up there. they were just out of range.

if you don't know very specifically the pattern i would throw a hen decoy and a strutter decoy out. hopefully he'll see the strutter decoy and get pizzed off and come runnin...

**** i never claimed i know what to do with turkey hunting, but more of "what not to do"

[GET-N-RITE]

Don't know the specifics. I do know where he is coming from but he usually ends up in one of two places. Corn field or a pasture. Reason Im Asking is that I have had a gobbler come in and see the strutter and run like hell. My luck with stutter decoys is 50/50. This bird was strutting last sat in front of my cabin about 50 yards from the front porch. Just kinda shy about decoys but this bird has had no pressure at all.

[Caveman]

Don't use a full fan strutter, use a jake fan. This has already cost me a bird in Mississippi this year.

[LawDawg]

if he's the dominant bird, more than likely he's gonna come in guns blazing.

[ScottyLee]

[GET-N-RITE]

Think I am going to use it. I am about sure he is the boss and I know there is one jake following him around. If I'm right it's the same bird my pop missed last year and he was a stud. He broke nervous and missed.

[Long Cut]

Had a long beard baffle be yesterday the same way. I put out 2 hens and a jake decoy. Hen pitched in and could care less, may have figured it out, gobbler pitched in with 2 jakes with him, He looked at the decoys and did not care a bit. I thought the jake with hens may get him a little riled up but I was wrong. Its a big field they are coming into so I may try a strutter with jake fan like yall suggested to get him a little more jealous.

[greenheadgrimreaper]

I have never had one work, field or woods. They just never seem to of paid them attention.

[Bonecollecter1111]

heck put out a dozen hens and a full strut he'll have to come check out the party

[GET-N-RITE]

Put out the strutter and 2 hens. Had a bird come in 2 times but he would never commit. Come back a 3rd time and got a little to close. 22lbs 10 and 4 inch beard, inch spurs. Wasn't the bird I was after but I will take it. First double beard I have ever killed.