Grouse Decoys

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Alphamale1956
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Grouse Decoys

Post by Alphamale1956 »

Anyone know the particulars of these? I have three, which looks like the limit. But for what radius? What is the best distance to place these from each other. The description doesn't say much other than the attraction limit.
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HooCairs
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Re: Grouse Decoys

Post by HooCairs »

- As soon as the decoys come in sight, animals will be attracted to them and walk to them.
- 1 decoy: Birds appear to see them only very late and might come to your caller first (e.g. when in a treestand) before they finally go to the decoy.
- 3 decoys: Birds go there very soon, maybe while still 20m away. No numbers are known though.
- The birds circle them for maybe 20-30 seconds and then leave again.
- It does not matter how far they are apart if the animals can see them all at the same time.

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Alphamale1956
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Re: Grouse Decoys

Post by Alphamale1956 »

Ok, thanks for the quick reply. Some questions: 1) What if you are between the approaching grouse's LOS and the decoy? 2) Can it(live grouse) detect you before the "flock" of decoys? 3) Can it shift focus between you and the decoys? 4) Would that depend on your platform or position (ground, tripod, tower, tree stand, etc.)? 5) How far apart can three-decoy setups be? 6) In regards to the callers, when is the Locator used (normally)? A follow-up to the main caller? 7) How soon after I hear a grouse should I respond? Can either caller be "overused"? Is there a review of this? I see some of your info above answers these. And thank you for that. Oh, would there be any advantage/disadvantage to placing the decoys so close that they touch as opposed to spreading them out?
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jack30286
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Re: Grouse Decoys

Post by jack30286 »

I would spread decoys out. One in front and the other two to the left and right of your position maybe 20 to 25 meters away ( if using three decoys). It will help with the birds that sneak in without making a sound.
Males usually come in pretty quickly and loud. Females usually take their sweet time and spook easier than the males.
Calls can be used same as for Turkeys.
The birds spook sometimes from 30+ meters away when another bird is shot with the crossbow pistol. then sometimes you can get away with not spooking one 20 meters or less away from target bird. Similar to how the striker compound bow sometimes spooks animals nearby and other times it will not spook them.
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Alphamale1956
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Re: Grouse Decoys

Post by Alphamale1956 »

jack30286 wrote:I would spread decoys out. One in front and the other two to the left and right of your position maybe 20 to 25 meters away ( if using three decoys). It will help with the birds that sneak in without making a sound.
Males usually come in pretty quickly and loud. Females usually take their sweet time and spook easier than the males.
Calls can be used same as for Turkeys.
The birds spook sometimes from 30+ meters away when another bird is shot with the crossbow pistol. then sometimes you can get away with not spooking one 20 meters or less away from target bird. Similar to how the striker compound bow sometimes spooks animals nearby and other times it will not spook them.
Interesting. Then would you recommend a triangular arrangement AROUND let's say a Tripod? That way you wouldn't have your detection area skewed to one side of your position.
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jttoo
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Re: Grouse Decoys

Post by jttoo »

I just use one decoy, as it gives the grouse/turkeys something to focus on, and walk towards, rather than walking directly to your Treestand and then looking around for you.
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Re: Grouse Decoys

Post by splainin2do »

Alphamale1956 wrote:Interesting. Then would you recommend a triangular arrangement AROUND let's say a Tripod? That way you wouldn't have your detection area skewed to one side of your position.
My thought is that I would rather have them all on one side. I know I've been spotted by them in the tripod when I moved, and they spooked. The less movement, (as in, less turning to see what's coming at me from different directions), the better.

I absolutely had better luck being in the treestand.
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Alphamale1956
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Re: Grouse Decoys

Post by Alphamale1956 »

splainin2do wrote:
Alphamale1956 wrote:Interesting. Then would you recommend a triangular arrangement AROUND let's say a Tripod? That way you wouldn't have your detection area skewed to one side of your position.
My thought is that I would rather have them all on one side. I know I've been spotted by them in the tripod when I moved, and they spooked. The less movement, (as in, less turning to see what's coming at me from different directions), the better.

I absolutely had better luck being in the treestand.
But did you have 100% hunter camo while in the stand? I ask because sometimes the tree stand is close to a road or near rocks where you do not have camo in effect.
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Alphamale1956
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Re: Grouse Decoys

Post by Alphamale1956 »

Alphamale1956 wrote:
splainin2do wrote:
Alphamale1956 wrote:Interesting. Then would you recommend a triangular arrangement AROUND let's say a Tripod? That way you wouldn't have your detection area skewed to one side of your position.
My thought is that I would rather have them all on one side. I know I've been spotted by them in the tripod when I moved, and they spooked. The less movement, (as in, less turning to see what's coming at me from different directions), the better.

I absolutely had better luck being in the treestand.
But did you have 100% hunter camo while in the stand? I ask because sometimes the tree stand is close to a road or near rocks where you do not have camo in effect.
I have not yet been detected by grouse and/or fox while in the tripod UNTIL I fire the crossbow pistol. And even then, they have to be really close to react to the sound of pistol firing.
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Alphamale1956
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Re: Grouse Decoys

Post by Alphamale1956 »

jttoo wrote:I just use one decoy, as it gives the grouse/turkeys something to focus on, and walk towards, rather than walking directly to your Treestand and then looking around for you.
That sounds good but sometimes they come in on your position so fast, it's hard to get a fatal shot on the foxes, so I usually get out of the stand and call to a fox about 15m away from the stand and then climb back in. That way, they stop well before my stand and I can fire as soon as they stop.
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