Every year about a week or two into the turkey season, countless turkey hunters make a mad scramble to the sporting goods store in search of a better decoy. The decoy they used on opening day allegedly failed them and they now need something better to help seal the deal and punch their turkey tag. If you’re shopping for a new turkey decoy or two, here are a couple options from Avian-X; the new half-strut jake decoy and the laydown hen decoy.

The Avian-X 1/2 Strut Jake and Laydown Hen are a deadly combination in the turkey woods.

The Avian-X 1/2 Strut Jake decoy is new for 2017, adding a killer option to the Avian-X line of turkey decoys. Some guys love a full strut turkey decoy while others hate them. This half strut jake decoy is a nice, happy medium between your traditional strutter and a simple jake decoy. The decoy presents a jake that is in the half-strut position which is quite often seen in the turkey woods. He’s inferior and he’s uncertain, and no boss tom will tolerate his presence.  Subordinate birds, both toms and jakes, are much more likely to approach a half-strut decoy simply because it’s not as threatening as a full blown strutter.

The decoy perfectly portrays an intruding sub-dominant young male. His body posture and head position, as well as wings and tail placement, were all strategically designed to challenge a gobblers dominance…simply because he is an easy fight.

Avian-X 1/2 Strut Jake Decoy Out of the Box

Dig into the box and you’ll find the 1/2 Strut Jake decoy, decoy stake, and carry bag. The decoy is essentially ready to roll right out of the box. You’ll immediately notice the realism and life-like detail when you first lay hands on this decoy, which is something that Avian-X decoys are known for. The head on this decoy is impressive and the eyes look as real as can be – a detail I tend to think real birds notice. Like all Avian-X turkey decoys, this one is made with a rubberized body so it is quiet, durable and easy to set up.

Killer looks, great detail, and very packable…the Avian-X 1/2 Strut Jake is a nice decoy.  The included carry bag is a very nice addition as well.

As mentioned, the 1/2 Strut Jake is pretty much ready to roll right out of the box, but you will need to add a little air to fully inflate the decoy to it’s lifelike appearance. This is accomplished by opening a small valve located on the underside of the decoy, blowing air into the decoy with your mouth, and then pushing the valve back to it’s closed position.

The air valve (left) and decoy stake hole (right).

Setting the Scene

One of my favorite things about this decoy is that it provides the perfect option for running a breeding pair setup. The new 1/2 Strut Jake, paired with the Avian-X Laydown hen, make for one of the deadliest presentations you can put in front of a boss tom.

The Laydown Hen from Avian-X presents a hen that is ready and willing to breed.

In many cases a boss gobbler will not tolerate this scenario. You can have the jake staked out behind the Laydown hen, or better yet, anchor the decoy over the top of the hen decoy as if he is standing on top of her in the breeding position. Either way, it’s poison on longbeards.

Check out this video for a closer look at these decoys…

You can check out the complete line of turkey decoys from Avian-X at www.avian-x.com.