There is a common misconception amongst hunters when it comes to decoys, that involve a too-simple thought process. For turkey hunters, whitetail hunters, and western hunters who use a fake to get a bear close, this is important.
The thinking goes like this: If a real animal sees your fake animal, it will come to you. While that pretty much explains decoying in a nutshell, it’s not quite so simple. Take whitetails, for example. There’s a chance that putting out a doe decoy outside the rut will scare away all the real does without drawing any real bucks. A buck decoy at any point of the season might scare all of the real does, as well.
For deer decoys, the best choice will depend on the time of year and how the setup is set up. But what about turkeys? The number of decoys will depend on the situation, but one thing should always be the same: you should use a jake decoy as much as possible. A quarter-strut or breeder jake is the best bird to hunt, except on public land where safety is an issue or very late in the season (the last week or two of May).
A few years ago, I shadowed two longbeards for half of the Minnesota season. When I finally called them off of their hens and arrowed the dominant tom, I hit him low. It only took half a second for him to go from strutting to limping, and the other half of that second was spent with his friend becoming dominant.
It was an incredible thing to witness, and it speaks to turkey behavior. As the members of wintering flocks notice the longer daylight hours, they start to test each other out. Eventually, they’ll tussle enough to figure out who is the king of the flock. This hierarchy stands until someone knocks off the dominant bird, and a turkey power vacuum is created.
They then figure it all out again and get back to making little turkeys. During this, the only thing the top toms and lesser birds won’t stand is a single jake who seems to have his own little harem. That’s not how the natural order shakes out, and it almost seems offensive to wild birds. This is a good thing for you if you tap into it.
There are many good jake decoys, but a quarter-strut jake or a breeder is the best ones that will work every time. Either posture shows a bird that wants to present a studly but also appears small and timid. Put your fake jake decoy close to the ground to make him look even smaller. This will make real birds even more sure of themselves.
When you add in a hen lying down below him that looks like she just swiped right, most real birds will react the same way. Sometimes toms and jakes walk in slowly or carefully, but when they see the hen below a small rival, their body language changes in a clear way. This is also because every bird in the sky thinks he has a chance at that point.
How Many Decoys For Turkey Hunting?
Turkey hunting requires skill, patience, and the right gear to be successful. An important piece of gear for turkey hunters are decoys. But how many decoys should you use and what types are best? Here is a breakdown of decoy strategies for turkey hunting:
Using Decoys in Wooded Areas
When hunting turkeys in wooded areas, less can be more when it comes to decoys. Setting one or two decoys up in an area where a gobbler can easily spot them when responding is ideal. When a tom sees the decoy, he often will use the road or pathway to strut and show off while responding. Many hunters will often use a hen and a jake decoy in wooded areas. The hen decoy shows there are other turkeys in the area, while the jake decoy can trigger a territorial response from the gobbler. Avoid using too many decoys or a full strutting tom decoy in the woods, as this can overwhelm some gobblers.
Decoy Spread in Fields
More open fields allow for larger decoy spreads of 4-6 decoys. This mimics a small flock of turkeys and can really excite a tom into competing for the attention of the hens A spread in a field would typically include 2-3 hen decoys of different styles and postures, a jake decoy, and potentially a full strut tom or half-strut jake The strutting tom decoy often triggers an aggressive response, especially early in the season when toms are establishing dominance. As the season progresses, a less aggressive jake posture may work better once the pecking order has been established.
Realistic Decoys
The most realistic and effective turkey decoys have life-like detail, feather patterns, and postures. Brands like Dave Smith, Avian-X, and Flambeau have excellent realistic turkey decoys. Options include feeding hens, breeding hens, passive jakes, aggressive jakes, half-strut jakes, and full strut toms. Paying attention to the postures and deciding which to use based on the time of season can make a difference. The more realistic the decoys look, the more likely they are to fool a gobbler into thinking they are live turkeys.
Motion and Visibility
Decoy motion and visibility are also important. Using a decoy stake system that allows the decoy to move slightly in the wind adds realism. Place decoys where they are visible to approaching gobblers from a good distance in multiple directions. Decoys suddenly appearing in close range may spook turkeys. Give them time to assess the situation from a distance. Avoid completely hiding decoys behind brush.
Fanning Decoys
A fanning or reaping decoy tactic involves slowly sneaking a strutting tom decoy attached to a real fan into range of a gobbler while hidden behind it. This mimics a live strutting tom’s fanning display. Used in open fields with a geographic rise, fanning can bring in pressured gobblers. It takes patience and practice to get in range without spooking the bird. Fanning generally works best in mid to late season when birds are more scattered.
Less is More Late Season
As the season winds down, gobbler responses fade and large decoy spreads become less effective. Switch to minimal decoys like a single hen or passive jake late in the season. Dominant toms are tired of fighting off competitors and eager hens are now nesting and less receptive. Large numbers of decoys can overwhelm late season gobblers. Keeping it simple can still entice a responsive tom into range.
Be Flexible
There is no definitive answer for how many decoys to use turkey hunting. The number of decoys, the types of postures, and decoy strategies should be flexible based on season timing, bird behavior/responses, and hunting conditions. Adjust your decoy tactics as needed until you find what works. Let the turkeys tell you how many decoys they want to see.
Beta Birds & Alpha Bullies
Fortunately for hunters as a whole, we leave the trophy BS to big game. While turkey hunters have always flirted with trophy hunting, it hasn’t quite caught on. Sure, bagging a 28-pounder or a bird with a 12-inch beard and 1. 5-inch hooks is cool. But no one really cares. Turkeys should be hunted for the challenge and the fun of it. The reward is not being able to say you killed one, but the experience itself.
Most hunters really just want a turkey to do what they hope a turkey will do. Gobble, strut, put on a show, and mostly, work into the decoys. If you want to increase your chances of this happening, use a decoy that will intimidate no one. Weak, late-born jakes that weigh 12 pounds will be able to do a quarter-strut fake just as easily as a boss tom taking a walk in the morning. That’s the beauty of the right decoy, it welcomes all without discriminating.
That’s what you want. Because the more birds that are willing to commit, the more fun you’ll have this spring. It doesn’t matter if you put him with a hen that is lying down or a group of hens that are eating and preening. The weakling jake is what holds the whole thing together. He looks like he’s about to have the best morning of his young life.
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The BEST Decoy Setup For Turkeys?! | Spring Turkey Hunting Tips
FAQ
What is the best decoy setup for turkey hunting?
How many decoys is enough?
Do decoys work for turkey hunting?
Should you use more than one decoy for turkey hunting?
Using more than one decoy simply gives turkeys more opportunities to see in the distance. When not hunting in open areas or fields, the most common turkey hunting will be in timber areas. Turkeys can’t see as far while in the timber. However, the use of decoys is still highly recommended.
Are hen decoys good for turkey hunting?
A semi-puffed jake decoy with a hen decoy will make toms angry. This is one of my favorite turkey hunting decoy setups. Two hen decoys are good for larger groups of gobblers because a bigger group of male turkeys will feel more comfortable coming to a party of two. Two hen decoys are very non-threatening so you can attract any male turkey.
Can a hunter tell the difference between a Turkey and a decoy?
Although most hunters can tell the difference between a real turkey and a decoy in a quick glance, a turkey cannot. However, hunters should always use caution and be alert. If another hunter approaches your setup, remain motionless and speak loudly, “Hunter over here!” Repeat until your warning is understood and the hunter realizes that your decoys are not real turkeys.
How many decoys should a Turkey have?
If you’re seeing groups of turkeys regularly that exceed 10 birds in a group then you can add another decoy, but 3 seems to be a pretty good number regardless. Single toms will still decoy with 3 decoys because they don’t feel overwhelmed but you still can pull in those larger groups.
Is the use of turkey decoys a territorial thing?
The use of jake (year-old toms) turkey decoys is a territorial thing. It’s about establishing dominance. No self-respecting adult gobbler with a 12-inch beard is going to let any young kid wander around his ground putting the moves on his hens.
Do turkey hunting decoys make or break a turkey hunt?
Turkey hunting decoy setups can make or break a turkey hunt. Learn how to set up, position, and combine decoys to maximize hunting success. Positioning turkey decoys is an art, not a science. It’s not difficult once you learn the concepts behind the placement.