Avian X Lookout Turkey Decoy

---

out of 5, based on 10 reviews

---

Great idea and concept as well as the paint job and carvings on these are great. The reason I gave this one star I’m a life long turkey hunter so when I buy something I want it to last and this didn’t. I have had several of these decoys but every signal one I have owned has created a leak and I’ve tried patching it but it never works. So really you are paying for decoys around $70 and then throwing it away a year or 2 down the road. The owners of the company don’t care tried talking to one of the head guys at a show about it and he left mid conversation to go talk to one of his buddies and that right their shows they don’t care about their customers.

---

I carried this hen decoy and my cousin the 1/2 strut jake. We decided to run the hen on the ground with the jake behind. These decoys look very nice. Several times I did a double take because they seem so real. We eventually had a Tom come in and attack the jake. He beat on the decoy for what seemed like forever until he turned to the hen and gave me a shot.I’d like to see the inflation method improved. They can be a bit difficult to inflate. You have to pull out what looks like a car tire valve stem that has been smashed and then seal your lips on the decoy blowing around and through the stem. If you only put your lips on the stem, air leaks back at you. The stem is also in a very difficult part to get at if the decoy is folded and deflated. The proses of inflation can be noisy if you are not careful. I left mine inflated and used the included decoy bag to carry. My cousin deflated his about 1/3 of the way (just enough to fit in his pack) and then fully inflated when we set up. Both methods worked well. If you plan on bringing them to the field deflated; I’d recommend practicing inflating and deflating ahead of time.I have mixed feelings on the stake. I like that it folds and easily slips into my vest. I wish it had a built in method to control movement. The decoy will spin around in the wind facing every way possible. I had to place sticks to limit decoy movement. The ability to deflate has been very handy wile traveling and less so in the field. This is the first hunt we’ve used them on and time will tell if they hold up (hopefully the old man doesn’t shoot them). I left mine inflated in the house form February to mid April and they both held air just fine.

---

Had three Avian X decoys out for my first hunt with my buddy. A lookout, a breeder laying in the grass and a strutting tom. I was able to call two very large toms into the area and they came sprinting into the decoy patch. We were in a blind 25 yards away and were able to sit up, put the shotguns on target and each take a tom without them even looking our way. They were just so fixated on that tom, they couldn’t think of anything else. It was impressive to watch, and my only regret was not taking a little more time in the shot so as to watch the two birds behaving around the decoys. I was shocked at their complete and total fixation on that tom decoy. It was like you could feel the tension between the birds. impressive. These are very realistic decoys; couldn’t be happier. I’ve thought about buying some of the more expensive “custom” decoys, but now I’m an Avian X fan and won’t bother. Get a couple of hens and one tom and you’re set.

---

I have a crazy story to show just how enticing this decoy is. It’s a long one, but it’s nice. Read on.This was yesterday–opening day. I arrived early and set out four decoys, 3 of which were a Pri*** jake, lookout hen, and feeding hen. I set the jake up behind the Pri*** lookout, which I put laying on the ground in the breeding position. I positioned the feeder hen, also a Pri***, off to the side and then I put this Avian-X lookout hen at the “back” of this flock. They were all within about 20 to 25 feet of each other.An hour into the hunt, four hens trailed past my set. In tow was a big gobbler who I’d called in from a long way out but got distracted when he ran across these four hens in the treeline between me and his roost. Get this! Though he was following these four hens, he LEFT the hens and made a bee line toward my decoy set. For what? The jake, right? Can’t let that little guy breed a hen! Nope. He came right to the Avian-X and, without stopping, he just mounted her. No introduction, no pleasantries, no “Hey, do you come here often?” I started panicking thinking that he was going to pop the air bladder, but I didn’t have a shot to take because his head was still down the whole time he was jumping on her. On the third hop, he slipped off quickly and his head came up when he caught himself. He never knew what him. I took the attached picture without moving either him or the decoy.This decoy is gorgeous. My other decoys can’t hold a candle to it. I still can’t believe that this tom left four live hens to come straight to this decoy–a lookout–while never batting an eyelash that a little jake was in position to breed another hen. I’m sold. I’m going to buy the feeder, though I may keep the Pri*** jake just because he’s not an inflatable and can handle multiple beat-downs from angry toms.These things are worth the money, IMHO. The bladder, at least right now, seems unharmed. I will update if it’s leaking.UPDATE: Bladder is fine. Bagged another gobbler about two weeks later. No jake out this time, but the only decoy he cared about was the Avian X.

---

Arrived yesterday, they look great. Very realistic, easy to inflate, look incredibly durable, and I’m looking forward to using them tomorrow (I’ll update with results). One caveat: I thought I’d ordered one of each style, but accidentally checked (my fault) three look-out models. I’ll keep two, I suppose, because I’m heading out to the fields tomorrow at 4:00 AM, but will return one of them in exchange for a feeder. In fact, I’m so pleased with these decoys that I’ll probably order a companion feeder, and possibly one more.Ordinarily I don’t write reviews on products just out of the package, but I did want to alert other buyers to be careful in their ordering, as well as attest to this product’s high quality. I’ll update.

---

Deek is easy to blow up, but a little more difficult to air down. After the second day I left them inflated. Have noticed that both deeks seem to be loosing air after sitting in the hot morning sun. I’ve made sure the air plug it pushed all the way in, but i believe it may be getting pushed out a little as the deek heats up.I did find a small hole in the tube you stick the stake in all the way at the bottom. have tried ti fix it. We will have to see. Great realistic deeks. Sun shines on them and they look so real. Would have given a 5 no thought if they held air appropriately.

---

These decoys are spot on with the colors and design quality but not with design function. They are heavy and cumbersome to carry around. The amount of time and noise it takes to inflate and deflate these isn’t practical in the field. I love the carry bag they come in though and used it quite often this past spring. In May a group of my hunting buddies and myself took a turkey hunting trip that included hiking over steep terrain and long distance. I bought two of these including a male Jake and the hen. Another buddy bought another set. The decoys sure did look stunning sitting up ready for a turkey to come in on them but hauling them in and out turned out to be a bit of a workout. Would I buy them again? Yes. It’s just not as holy as what I thought they would be.

---

My first impression of these decoys is very nice and they they will be put the test, I will update my review then. For now they look life like and were easy to prepare and set up. A little on the heavy side but not bad. Comes with nice carry bag, one setup stake and Velcro strap for storage when deflated.After preparing them according to the instructions I had them drying in the bathroom (picture) and wife came home from work and they scared the crap out of hers, she thought they were real.

---

One of the questions asked in the review is, “Easy to fold”? Once you take this out of the box and blow it up you should never deflate it or refold it. Store it inflated in a warm area. It took quite a bit of work to get the creases out but eventually it took on an acceptable shape. This has been in the field once and babied at that and it still looses air. It will last for the day and is very realistic looking.

---

Product looks nice, seems to be high quality. One major issue… mine only stays inflated for 20 minutes or so. After 20ish minutes, it slowly starts to lose its shape, which makes the hen look like it’s dying. No Tom wants to come to an all deformed hen on a stick. Got ahold of the seller to get a replacement, but they could only do a return. I want this decoy, but not a defective one. Please send me a replacement!