I wish it were so simple. Throw a hen turkey decoy out. Maybe two hens. Sit down. Call a little bit, and get ready ’cause that ol’ longbeard’s coming at a full run — mesmerized, as it were, by that little girl turkey he’s looking at and those wonderful melodic siren sounds he hears. Doesn’t matter that that “girl turkey” is plastic; he doesn’t care. All that’s left is to pull the trigger, high-five yourself, sling ’em over your shoulder and start the walk back to the truck.
Sometimes it almost seems that easy — this turkey hunting game. And what’s behind all this? The decoy, you say? Just stake it out and he’ll come running? That’s true sometimes, but not always.
Sometimes you have to work at it. A little strategy. Finesse. One hen. Two hens. A jake. Jake and a hen. Half-strut gobbler … not a full-strut tom, but half-strut … off to one side. Decoy in full view? Semi-hidden? And which way is “she” — the hen decoy, that is — looking? Away? At you?
This week Slayer Calls takes a look at turkey decoys — hens, jakes, half-strut, full-strut — and how they might be used to better your chances at giving ol’ Mister Tom a ride home in the back of your pickup.
Turkey decoys can be an extremely effective tool for hunters, but using the right number and type is key. When setting up your spread, there are a few factors to consider:
Match Decoy Numbers to Reality
The number of decoys you use should mimic what turkeys would see in real life. A single tom walking alone may only warrant 1-2 decoys. Conversely, a large group of birds may call for 5-6 decoys or more. As a general rule
- 1 Turkey on Camera = 1-2 Decoys
- 2-3 Turkeys = 2-4 Decoys
- Large Flock = 4-6+ Decoys
Try to replicate natural flock sizes and social dynamics. Toms are used to seeing small groups of hens, not huge flocks, during breeding season.
Adjust for Seasonality
Early in the spring, toms are competitive and aggressive. Using multiple decoys can spark rivalry and convince dominant birds to investigate. As the season progresses, reduce decoy numbers to appear less threatening to weary toms.
A full spread with a strutting tom is effective early on Later, a single jake and hen is less intimidating.
Factor in Geography
In open terrain, more decoys add realism from a distance. In thick woods, minimize decoys to avoid spooking wary toms.
A spread of 4-6 decoys works well in fields and clearings. In heavy timber, 1-2 is usually sufficient.
Consider Decoy Type
Using the right mix of hen and tom decoys is crucial:
-
Always include at least one hen, as they provide reassurance.
-
Add a strutting tom early in the season when birds are competitive.
-
Later, switch to a less dominant jake as the pecking order stabilizes.
-
Position the dominant decoy (tom or jake) apart from hens to mimic real courtship.
Avoid Decoy Overload
More decoys aren’t always better. Too many can overwhelm approaching toms, causing them to hang up and fail to commit. Start with 3-4 decoys, then adjust based on the birds’ reactions.
Additionally, don’t overcrowd small spaces. Give toms room to display and strut before confronting your spread.
Be Adaptable
There’s no magic number of decoys that works every time. Pay attention to bird behaviors and adjust your spread accordingly. Aggressive early birds may require a whole flock. Retreating late-season toms might only approach a single hen.
Let the turkeys tell you what they want to see. Start conservatively, then add or remove decoys until you find the right balance to bring birds in range.
Following these guidelines will help you determine the ideal turkey decoy spread. Match numbers and types to the birds you’re targeting. Be flexible, make adjustments, and let the turkeys’ reactions dictate your setup. With practice, you’ll discover the sweet spot that convinces wary gobblers to strut right in!
Types of turkey decoys
These are probably the most popular and most widely used decoys in the spring. Why? Because they mesh nicely with the sounds we’re making and, as mentioned earlier, they give that gobbler what he expects to see. It all makes sense — most of the time, that is.
Nine times out of 10, when I set a turkey decoy, it’s going to be a hen. Or two hens — one feeding and one looking around casually. It’s what that gobbler expects, and it lends an air of security — Nothing wrong here! — to the setting as a whole. Additionally, turkeys — especially hens and jakes — are gregarious (i.e., birds of a feather flocking together). Thus, one or two hen decoys can attract the attention of a hen or group of hens who have with them a gobbler that, up ’til then, had been ignoring my best yelps and clucks and purrs.
Where do you set a hen/two hens? In an open-field setting, I’ll partially hide the decoy, if possible. I don’t want him to top the rise, see the decoy and stop at 100 yards to strut and gobble. I don’t want to hang him up. Rather, I want him to keep coming, searching, hunting for the hen he hears. In the timber, this is easy; use a tree, a clump of ferns or blackberry bush to partially hide the decoy.
And here’s something a veteran turkey hunter told me years ago: When you set that hen decoy, point her “face” in your direction — not away from you. That way when that gobbler works his way in front of her, showing off just how handsome he is, he’s got to come close … not stand 75 yards away to prance in front of her beady little plastic eyes. True story? I think so, as I’ve tried it both ways and had it work as the old man predicted enough times to be a believer.
The use of jake (year-old toms) turkey decoys is a territorial thing. A dominance thing. No adult gobbler worth his 12-inch beard is going to let any young kid wander around his ground putting the moves on his girls. So, theoretically, when an adult gobbler sees a jake — and hears you making low-pitched jake yelps and clucks — he’s going to scurry on over to assert his authority. Present him with a jake and a hen decoy together, and he’s not going to be able to resist the urge to pummel something.
On the flip side of this, we’ve hunted farms that held shark packs — groups of four to eight mean and angry jakes — that have, as a single unit, terrorized even the adult gobblers on the place. In this case, a lone tom coming to a call sees a hen … then a jake … and starts backing away from the setup. He’s afraid, plain and simple. So again, you’re running the risk of your decoy plan backfiring when you set a jake.
Is there an answer? It depends on how well you know the birds you’re hunting. Is there a shark pack or two running roughshod on the farm? Or are the adult gobblers in charge? Here, it’s a combination of decoys, scouting and knowledge of your particular flock(s) of birds that pave the way to success.
What’s the ‘right’ number of turkey decoys?
What’s the “right” number of turkey decoys? Like so many situations when hunting, the answer is … it depends. Over the 31 years since I killed my first gobbler, I’ve staked anywhere from none (0) to 12 fakes out in front of my hide.
But, first things first. Why would you want to set a turkey decoy in the first place? With a turkey call, you’re creating an illusion. You’re trying to convince that gobbler it’s a real live sexy hen he’s hearing, and it’s imperative he waddle on over to meet her straight away. Now, the only thing better on his part than hearing a hen is both hearing and seeing a hen. Enter the decoy. Now the illusion is ramped up a notch. Now you’re providing both audio (the call) and video (the decoy), and hopefully completing the illusion to the point that he does wander over.
But wait! Biology now. You see, Mother Nature designed the spring play to work this way: He gobbles, and she goes to him to be bred, build a nest, lay a clutch and propagate the species. That’s the way it’s supposed to work. NOT him coming to her. So we’re hoping for the best here as we deliver a 180-degree blow to Mother Nature.
I say this to explain why, sometimes, Mr. Strutter will see a decoy, stop, strut, gobble and wait … wait for Mother Nature to play out and the hen to come to him. Understand? Every time you set a hen decoy, you’re running the risk of making him stop, strut, gobble and wait.
Which brings us back to our original question: How many decoys? Well, it depends. Let’s take a look at the different turkey decoys and the pros/cons associated with each one.
How to Properly Set Up Your Turkey Decoys!
FAQ
How many decoys are best for turkey hunting?
Setting one or two decoys up in an area where a gobbler can easily spot them when responding is ideal for hunting wooded areas.Mar 17, 2022
How do you arrange turkey decoys?
The love triangle consists of two hen decoys set very close — say three to five yards — at 45-degree angles. Directly between the two hens, but farther out at 10 to 15 yards, I place a male decoy over a bedded hen. Sometimes I use a strutting tom as the male decoy, but usually it’s a jake.
How many decoys is enough?
Typically I set around 1-3 dozen during early season, and anywhere from 1-20 dozen as the season progresses and how many birds are in the field.Sep 28, 2011
Do realistic decoys work?
Even with hyper-realistic fakes in your arsenal, you still need to adjust your tactics to the time of the season and how turkeys are behaving. There’s more to killing a turkey with a decoy than just staking it out. Image by Phillip Culpepper The truth is, sometimes decoys work. Sometimes not. Why do realistic decoys fail?
How many Jake decoys should I use?
While the number of decoys will vary, one thing should remain constant—you should use a non-threatening jake decoy as much as possible. In fact, other than on public land where there are safety concerns or really late in the season (the last week or two of May), a quarter-strut or breeder jake is the ticket.
Why does a hen decoy eat a Turkey?
His reasoning is the relaxed body language of the feeding hen decoy makes an approaching turkey comfortable. It’s just the fact that she’s just a turkey being a turkey, feeding on something good that may attract other birds to the area, says Virga, especially an approaching gobbler looking for one last courtship. VIRGA PRO TIPS:
What do hunters want a Turkey to do?
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.
What decoy do you use early in the season?
Early in the season I like to use a hen and jake decoy, or a strutter decoy if I have one, says Culpepper. Mainly when it’s still early, turkeys are figuring out their pecking order and don’t seem to have established that dominance yet, so I’ve seen a strutter work really well early on. Phillip Culpepper likes to run-and-gun with decoys.
What is the best decoy for a hen?
This won’t get a jake or confident 2-year old to come in, but a boss gobbler with hens will take the bait almost every time. The single best decoy anyone can own is a submissive, half- or quarter-strut jake. If you’re into shooting any legal turkey, this type of jake will draw in anything with a beard.