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.
As a beginner turkey hunter, one of the most common questions is “how many turkey decoys should I use?” The answer depends on many factors, including the time of season, number of birds in the area, and your specific hunting goals. With some basic knowledge, you can determine the ideal decoy setup to attract that boss tom into range.
Take Cues From the Birds
The number and type of decoys you use should mimic the real birds in your hunting area, Their behavior changes over the course of spring
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Early season Flocks contain multiple hens per tom Use multiple hens and 1-2 tom decoys in a breeding setup,
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Mid season: Less time in groups. Toms patrol strut zones. Use a lone jake or 1-2 hens in these areas.
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Late season: Hens are nesting. Toms search for receptive hens. Use 1-2 hens, adding a jake if toms hang back.
Adjust your spread based on the birds’ stage of breeding. Aggressive toms will come check out other males, while later they’ll be drawn to hens.
Scout First, Then Set Up
Information from scouting will also help determine decoy numbers. If one tom frequents an area use minimal decoys like a single jake or hen. If two toms roam together add a jake and breeder hen. For a large group, use multiple hens and a strutting tom to mimic a flock.
Trail cameras are invaluable for counting individual birds. You’ll learn their attitudes and can choose appropriate decoys. Dominant toms attack jakes, while less aggressive ones may avoid them.
Start Small
As a general rule, less is more when starting out. Begin with just 1-2 decoys in a natural setup, expanding as needed. Too many replicas can overwhelm new hunters. It also allows the real birds to react naturally without being intimidated.
A breeder hen and passive jake is a classic beginner combination. The jake looks eager but small and submissive. Most toms can’t resist the chance to dominate him.
Add Realism
Making your spread look more authentic will increase effectiveness. Use decoys with excellent detail and flocking that blend into the surroundings. Place them naturally – feeding hens with heads down, jakes standing tall but looking meek.
Adding real or artificial foliage helps break up the outline. Cut shooting lanes just wide enough for safe shots. If one setup doesn’t draw them in, change it up until you find what works.
Be Mobile
While you can hunt over decoys from blinds, don’t limit yourself unnecessarily. Carry a lightweight decoy and stake that you can set up quickly as you roam. This allows you to call birds in various terrain features and react to how they respond.
Being mobile also enables you to stalk roosted birds in the mornings. Set up hastily near their trees when they hit the ground and call before they wander off.
Follow the Flock
When determining your decoy spread, think like the turkeys. Imagine how real birds would react in a given situation and set up accordingly. Aggressive toms want to dominate other males, but less confident ones spook easily.
Early season flocks stay together while later hunts require only a hen or two. Pay attention to bird behaviors through scouting and during your hunts. Then use that knowledge to make decoy choices that appeal specifically to the turkeys you’re targeting.
Final Tips
As with most things in hunting, decoy spreads require some trial and error. But by starting small and changing tactics when needed, you’ll learn which setups work for your area. A few key reminders:
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Scout birds first to mimic nature.
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Adjust to breeding stage and attitudes.
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Passive jakes are beginner-friendly.
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Add realism however possible.
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Stay mobile to adapt on the fly.
Follow those guidelines while taking cues from the turkeys themselves. Before long, you’ll have that ideal decoy recipe to consistently call boss toms into shotgun range.
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?
On smaller, confined waters, a spread of six to 36 decoys should be sufficient. On larger waters or dry fields, hunters should put out as many decoys as practical. I never heard of anybody scaring ducks or geese away because they used too many decoys. Typically, the more, the merrier.
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.
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.
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.
How many decoys should a single Tom use?
Single toms will still decoy with 3 decoys because they don’t feel overwhelmed but you still can pull in those larger groups. If I know I am hunting a single tom, I will use less than 3 decoys because I want that tom to feel as comfortable as possible coming into the decoys. In this case, I will use two decoys.
Should you face your decoys towards a Turkey?
Don’t face your decoys towards where you think turkeys are coming from because they will subconsciously make turkeys think they don’t have to come to you – because your decoys are already going to them. Instead, face your decoys in the direction turkeys will naturally be traveling. This will also help pull those birds a little more in front of you.
What happens if you put a Turkey next to a hen decoy?
When placed with male decoys, a jealously and territorial trigger button will be pushed within male birds making them want to come into the decoys. A tom turkey in strut when placed next to a hen decoy is used to get another dominant tom fired up and aggressive so that he will want to attack the decoy, thus bringing the bird into shooting range.