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Turkey Decoy Setup

518BowSlayer

By 518BowSlayer,
in Turkey Hunting

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518BowSlayer Proficient

518BowSlayer

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Was wondering what setups you guys like to use during early and late seasons. I've been using a full strut tom with 2 hens for a while with some success. Seems to work good during early season and not so well later on. Hoping to shoot a jake this year so I can use the fan for the full strut decoy. I like to run and gun too but usually don't use a decoy for that. What do you guys do???

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sidewinder Newbie

sidewinder

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jake and 2 hen set up during the spring. during the fall i will just sit back and do some soft calling if nothing is working out with the sitting and calling i will start a slow walk and continue with the calling........ i have never had a chance to bust up a flock though but i hear it's a blast.

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landtracdeerhunter Rising Star

landtracdeerhunter

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For Jake's, I seem to have great success with 2 hens when the boys are vocal. Tried strutters, and trio setup without much luck. Have had better success with toms  when no decoys are present, just some good calling. Now I'm talking the first couple of weeks of the season.  All bets are off after that.

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dbHunterNY Proficient

dbHunterNY

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early season setup (gun)

full strut tom or jake, one or two feeding hens, and a submissive hen laying down.  the submissive hen is just an upright hen with a short stake.  strutter and submissive hen close to one another 10 yards out and off to my right side.  the hen is closer to me with the strutter facing me.  the other two feeding hens are heading toward the strutter; one straight out 4 yards and the other at 45degrees out from the strutter.  as a right handed shooter I set with the limit of my swing at the strutter with the decoys behind it.  the idea is a big dominant gobbler will I'm calling in will come around to get ahead of the strutter decoy.  he'll see the submissive hen and come in straight at me to get around to face the strutter decoy, get at the hen, and put a beatin on the strutter decoy.  his attention is off to the side toward the decoys.  before he swings around he should be close enough to drop the hammer on him good.

 

early season setup (bow)

bow setup is similar.  feeding hen out 10 or 11 yards and off to my left slightly.  a strutter is straight out another 4 yards and then a hen off to the right 4 yards from there.  the idea here is to wait still until the tom swings around to come in and face the strutter decoy.  once he turns and quarters away, you draw and take the shot.  this setup works well at the end of a peninsula of cover into a field.  a gobbler can then come into the tom straight and along cover, feels more open and they won't hang up from being claustrophobic. lol

 

late season (either)

I don't use decoys much.  turkeys can't see them in late May from growth being too tall and they've seen a lot of them by now.  I usually run and gun but may use a jake or hen to draw attention away.  clucks more than any cutting unless I see the bird's fired up still.  visually blind setups work well at times.  they can't see what's on the other side of the knoll or around the corner to fully assess the situation with a wary nature.  I used this to get a tom within five steps.  he came around the corner and through the bar way.  he had another tom in tow.  before the second tom cleared the bar way 8-10 yards away the tom right in my lap started putting.  it was too late for him though.  I shot and he didn't even flop once.

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growalot Newbie

growalot

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Thanks..I don't know about great but got most of it....I was watching for the Toms you hear gobbling in the back ground out another window while trying to video the jake...with out being seen... he was pretty close...it was funny he came running in jumping over logs and dodging brush......not a happy camper ...I stapled card board over quills and then taped that ...cut a slit in the jake decoys back and inserted card board...using Gorilla glue tape taped the card board from the  inside and the out side..dang it held really  well...seeing I wasn't expecting it to get the stuffing kicked out of him...lol

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alloutdoors Newbie

alloutdoors

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When I first saw this video, I thought this stuff only went on TV. He's beating the tar right out of that decoy. Really aggressive bird. Some really great footage, right there!

 

It happens all the time with the right decoys.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AttgxBlIYME  This one has all my decoys out because I was dealing with a large flock. Usually I use a jake and one or two hens.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoZapUbPVG8

 

Many more examples on my YouTube channel.

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  • 4 weeks later...
TeeBugg Newbie

TeeBugg

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lately using no decoys has been working for me. but i always have them with me. usually early season i use a strutter or jake and a submissive hen. place them near each other with the jake or strutter appearing to be ready to breed her. sometimes just a lone hen works great too. gotta let the birds tell you what they want, and something might work one day and not the next. late season i run and gun but i always carry a lone hen just in case.

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maytom Newbie

maytom

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Using decoys, adds to the illusion in the hunt. A gobbler hears a hen, (you), and thinks there is a hen that wants company. So you now have his curiosity up and he slowly makes his way toward your set-up searching for the hen he previously heard. Then, he spots your decoy, that clinches the deal in his peanut sized brain. I'd rather carry decoys with me to use at a moments notice than to leave them at home. Feather - Flex made some awesome decoys a couple of years ago with there new at the time "fracking" process. I use their hen and jake decoys. The jake is actually a black color and the hen is a light brown, very life like.

 

Set up: Face the jake towards you, since a gobbler will approach a jake from the front, there by giving you a chance to get your gun on him while he is in strut. His fan will be blocking his head from you, allowing you to make your final move.

 

Face the hen decoy away from your set-up, again, being that a gobbler will approach a hen from behind. With being in strut, his fan, again will block his head from you while you make your move.

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G-Man Veteran

G-Man

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I've never had much luck with decoys , but that being said i usually get my bird within 70 yards of its roost tree. they usually fly down and bang..not much need for a decoy... seems to be an open field/late morning tool. and they are SO... good looking for the tv hunting shows...  learn where birds enter a field and set up close enough for a shot.. i look at them as something unnessary in most ny hunting areas.

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