Spring Turkey Decoy Strategy

[AnimalControl]

I'm looking for advice on setting up decoys for spring turkey season. Cabelas had a bunch of avion x decoys for sale in the bargain cave so I bought them out. Ended up with 1 feeder hen, 1 breeder hen, and 3 quarter strut jakes. Should I use all of them or only a couple? How would you set them up? Thanks for the advice in advance.

[kevinlisa06]

Honestly couldn't tell ya sorry never had any luck using decoys.

[Dan-o]

Throw them all out there.

Personally, I've found turkeys to be very easily decoyed.  Heck, sometimes I take a nap and wake up with more decoys than I planted.....   That's when it gets exciting!

 

[Machias]

I always carry a hen decoy with me, but probably 75% of the time I never use them.  I like to try and set up where the gobbler is in range the moment he comes into view.  I have had gobblers see one of my decoys and turn around and sprint out.  I have seen them spot my decoy and then hang up, expecting her to come to him.  I find I use them less and less.  They still work good and in certain spots I use them, but don't be afraid to leave them in your pack.

[tlbradford]

My favorite decoy is a submissive jake.  I like a bigger spread if it is in an open field and visible for flydown.  My decoy strategy is to figure out what the Toms are wanting and go with it.  If they are strutting in big flocks then I like a hen decoy and sometimes a jake, or two hens.  Chances are I am going to have to pull them away by using a fighting hen call.  Late season is usually a lone hen.  I rarely use a full strut decoy.  I want to see a Tom come and kick the crap out of it, but I always worry that I will spook them, so I don't have confidence in it.

[seth30]

Throw them all out there.

Personally, I've found turkeys to be very easily decoyed.  Heck, sometimes I take a nap and wake up with more decoys than I planted.....   That's when it gets exciting!

 

[RadSav]

My most successful turkey calling friends prefer submissive Jake with one or two hens during spring seasons.  I have shot a few off decoys, but I am usually either in a blind on a travel route or using turkey as practice for stalking big game so I rarely carry decoys.

[Mallardmasher]

This will be my first turkey year, taking a friend and daughter out for the opener, she can not make the youth opener, as she has her hunters Ed field day on the first, I bought a DSD Jake and a squatting hen and an upright hen, Painted as Merriams. Will this be enough for the early season. I will just be the caller, just had Roto cuff and Bicept tendon re-attachment and he asked me to take them. Any tips would be much appreciated, Thanks, Matt

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

It's like duck and goose hunting. Safety in numbers. More is better.

[Mallardmasher]

Thank you, I will get a feeding hen or two

[Seatown5]

Sometimes when I know I'm going up against a "Henned up" tom or two. Meaning I know the Tom's roasted have several hens in the trees with them, I will go out of the ordinary. Rather than light yelps, I will really try to piss them off with aggressive yelping from two or three different calls and to go along with that I will put out a Jake or two and up to five hen decoys. This seems to really drive them nuts and more than a couple of times I've had dominant Tom's come straight in looking for a fight. They've also turned and ran the other direction.  Lol

[Cab]

I have found it all depends on what your going for and time of season. If you want a mature Tom then yea run jakes and hens. If you dont care if its a jake or tom I run only a hen decoy. This works especially later in the turkey season I have found. Reason I say that is because at a certain point all the jakes have had their fair share of getting WHOOPED by toms and can be really nervous around other males. Seeing a lone hen and no males make them less nervous to come into range. I know some don't use them but I have found that decoys really help to keep the tom/jake focused on the decoy and in turn not looking around for me. I have noticed that when the birds do see the decoy they get quiet and often take their time coming in. thats just my  all 3 birds I've shot have all been over decoys