Turkey Decoy Setup

[irishevox]

How many decoys do ya'll use? How far do you  put them away from you.  What does your spread look like?   I am alot of turkey decoys, but i may be using to many, not enough not the right ones.  Advice please.

[turkeydancer]

If I use them at all, I at most take 3 .... a feeding hen, a standing hen, and either a jake or a full strut decoy (Killer B with real fan).
 I put them 15 to 20 yards out only (if you set them at your maximum range, say 40 yards, it will not only make your shot harder for harvest, but your calls will seem strange to them coming from one spot and the dekes so far away. Spread them out about 10 to 20 feet apart (bunched turkeys is a danger sign to them since thats what they do when they see predators).  If I think the turkeys will appear from my left, I set them just a little to the right to draw the turkeys past my setup (or vice versa).   Face the male deke towards you since the tom(s) will normally come in to it and get in it's face, thus having his back to you ... you'll be in his blind spot for any shotgun adjustments or for full draw with archery.  Face the hen dekes away from you as he will come in to mount them and again have his back to you and you'll be in his blind spot. If you setup a breeding pair, face both towards you as the tom(s) will come into the intruders face and again will have his back or blind spot to your setup.  If windy be sure you stick or stake each side of your dekes so they do not spin like a top because that won't look natural to the incoming tom(s) either ...  a little movement doesn't hurt and can actually help, but spinning dekes will definitely scare them off.

If I notice that the lead hen is leading the turkeys away form my dekes which happens early season, I will leave them in the truck.  Later in the season when the hens are breed and nesting, I will use them more ...

Hope that helps ....

[SB]

I think singles or pairs are most effective, less stuff to carry and success personally is pretty good.  For archery hunting I like the decoy about 8-10 yards facing me, reason being birds like to confront the decoy from its front, so this presents a better shot opportunity.  The same goes for gun hunting, but I like the decoy about 20 yards.  With this decoy distance they can still hang up a ways out, but might have a manageable shot still.

[irishevox]

Good info.  Last year i had 3 hens and a jake i think this year i will use 2 hens and a full strut.

[kevinlisa06]

I'm still a big 0 when it comes to using dekes. I have been carrying the same deke for 8 yrs and have pulled it out and used it a few times but this year I'm thinking bout leaving it in camp. Lighten the load up a bit for the mtn bike trek in the hills.


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[Hangfire]

I also appreciate the information. I have had such varied luck with the decoy. I have had gobblers come right in and had birds see the same decoy and immediately flee. I have always used a hen sideways to where I thought gobbler would come from. I hoped the side view gave a better picture for the gobbler to see. When I used a strutting gobbler decoy the birds came in, saw it and flee or acted intimidated by it. I have almost quite using a decoy. I have found the biggest single thing for me is to be secluded behind some thing like a log or better yet limbs, some thing to break up my silhouette. Setting like all the videos, against the trunk of a tree has been sure failure for me.

[hunter399]

No decoy Sometimes just getem gobblen, then spot and stalk your way the gobble is a location key.But everybody has there own way.no waiting hours this way.When u get sight or you think you are close sit up and wait.

[PA BEN]

I'm still a big 0 when it comes to using dekes. I have been carrying the same deke for 8 yrs and have pulled it out and used it a few times but this year I'm thinking bout leaving it in camp. Lighten the load up a bit for the mtn bike trek in the hills.


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I had toms walk right by a drake decoy w/hen decoys and not care. A few years ago I hunted w/a guy who had a blow up full strut tom and when a tom see it they come running in. Been using blow up decoys for years now, they are ez to pack when you are running and gunning. Here is the link to the decoys I use.
http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Cherokee-Sports-Billy-Bad-Act-II-Turkey-Decoy&i=420445&MobileOptOut=1
http://www.sceeryoutdoors.com/turkey.html

[BOWHUNTER45]

Can not argue with someone who has prove 

[turkeydancer]

I have a Killer-B with real fan.   It has a "small body" so most toms think they can kick his tail feathers.  You can attach a provided string to the ring in front so when you pull and slowly release it gives the impression that he is coming out of and going into strut.

Just another tool in the arsenal .... if nothing else is working use another "lure".

[turkeyfeather]

I personally have only had success using hen dekes. I do keep putting my jake or killer b out though cause I really hope to get a good show. 

[lokidog]

I personally have only had success using hen dekes. I do keep putting my jake or killer b out though cause I really hope to get a good show. 

 

I've not had luck, yet with a strutter.  I usually don't mind shooting jakes so I don't want them running away when they see the big boy, which I've had happen. 

I'm about 50/50 on getting birds with and without decoys in front of me, but like Hunter399, I like to run and gun/fling in addition to hunting from a blind.

[3dvapor]

This is my set up.  I've shot several birds off of it the last few years.  One is a fake and the other is a mount.

[3dvapor]

This is last years with a bow.

[Wacenturion]

What  TurkeyDancer said is spot on...........
 
"If I think the turkeys will appear from my left, I set them just a little to the right to draw the turkeys past my setup (or vice versa)."

To add to that, especially where your travel lane is constricted, an example being on a narrow skidder road behind gates in western Washington hunting Easterns.  I'll go anywhere from 15-40 yards opposite (and past me in that direction) of where I think or know where the gobbler is and potentially coming from.  Deadly......

Of course in eastern washington, it will vary greatly due to a more open woodland.

[irishevox]

Great info.... Does anyone have pics of thier spread set up

[3dvapor]

If your using a strutter get so u can spin it 360 degrees that is key.  When the tom sees your set up he will start to approach,  u simply spin the fan toward him.  The tom will always try to run around to the face of your decoy usually.  This way u can position him any way u want for the shot. 

[mtnseth]

My most lethal setup is leaving the decoys at home in the garage.  It seems like I fuss with them too much in the field, they take up space in my pack when I could be carrying something else or I get up from the tree to tweak their position for the "ultimate realism" and notice that a tom was sneaking in. 

I like to keep the tom guessing and looking, and especially when hunting easterns on the west side, make them get closer instead of getting visual confirmation and hanging up out of range.  I lost one eastern this way and swore I'd never bring a decoy out again.

However, if I used them on the east side, I would stick with diminutive postures (feeding, sitting) and hens only.  No erect heads and no males.  No reason to potentially scare off a jake or discourage a tom that's just not in the mood to challenge because you put a red-headed decoy out there.

[SB]

This is my set up.  I've shot several birds off of it the last few years.  One is a fake and the other is a mount.

Those Dave Smiths look good!!!

[kevinlisa06]

Thanks for the link PA BEN. Think with the way that we hunt it doesn't work very well but could be wrong who knows. I may give it a try again this year but will see. Opening week we are taking friends with us to see if we can't get a bird for the new turkey hunter so it mite be a good opportunity to give it a try again.

[wariner87]

If I use them at all, I at most take 3 .... a feeding hen, a standing hen, and either a jake or a full strut decoy (Killer B with real fan).
 I put them 15 to 20 yards out only (if you set them at your maximum range, say 40 yards, it will not only make your shot harder for harvest, but your calls will seem strange to them coming from one spot and the dekes so far away. Spread them out about 10 to 20 feet apart (bunched turkeys is a danger sign to them since thats what they do when they see predators).  If I think the turkeys will appear from my left, I set them just a little to the right to draw the turkeys past my setup (or vice versa).   Face the male deke towards you since the tom(s) will normally come in to it and get in it's face, thus having his back to you ... you'll be in his blind spot for any shotgun adjustments or for full draw with archery.  Face the hen dekes away from you as he will come in to mount them and again have his back to you and you'll be in his blind spot. If you setup a breeding pair, face both towards you as the tom(s) will come into the intruders face and again will have his back or blind spot to your setup.  If windy be sure you stick or stake each side of your dekes so they do not spin like a top because that won't look natural to the incoming tom(s) either ...  a little movement doesn't hurt and can actually help, but spinning dekes will definitely scare them off.

If I notice that the lead hen is leading the turkeys away form my dekes which happens early season, I will leave them in the truck.  Later in the season when the hens are breed and nesting, I will use them more ...

Hope that helps ....

SOLID gold nugget of wisdom! I will be keeping all this in mind when setting up this year!

[irishevox]

all this is good info i can't wait to get out there and try the  new spread.

[PA BEN]

One year w/13 year old daughter I had a tom about 100 yds away in his roost. Put him to bed the night before, We set up between him and where the hens roosted. I tied a fishing line attached to the reel to a hen decoy. The tom was hot, he seen our decoys and broke in to strut. My daughter needed to turn to her left to kill him. I whispered to her she needed to move but if you can see his head he can see you. wait until his head is behind his fan. She was small and needed to rest the gun on her knee so she need to move her legs too. The hens were calling at him and he wanted to go to them, he started to go, that's when I gave the fishing line a tug. He gobbled and strutted back and forth as long as  I gave that decoy a tug every so often. We were right in the open to the tom. My daughter moved every so slowly when his head was behind his fan. This took awhile but he stayed and she made a great shot on him.

[irishevox]

Congrats on your daughters bird.  And never thought about using a jerk like you would for ducks

[turkeydancer]

Good story and good results ..... just add a little realism which always works for me too ....