It has happened to every wild turkey hunter. A gobbler responds to calling and moves towards the hunter, but abruptly stops, and hangs up just out of gun range. The hunter can see the gobbler but the gobbler doesn’t see a hen — what he thinks is the source of those seductive clucks and yelps.
It’s a situation where hunting with a quality decoy could have been the difference between just another exciting close encounter, and heading home with a prized game bird slung over your shoulder.
“Decoys give turkeys a strong visual attraction to go along with, and reinforce, what they are hearing when you call,” said
Matt Morrett, a Pennsylvania native who has been hunting wild turkeys for over 35 years, and is a respected expert in the industry. “Decoys complete the illusion.”
Hunters use decoys in different poses and combinations, to mimic the full range of behaviors that occur during the turkey’s spring mating ritual. (Photo courtesy of Avian X. Com)
Hunters use hen, strutting adult gobbler and jake (juvenile gobbler) decoys, in different poses and combinations, to mimic the full range of behaviors that occur during the turkey’s spring mating ritual. This includes a hen whose body language says she’s receptive to mating, to a bold young gobbler trying to steal away a hen from the boss gobbler’s harem.
Today’s Decoys are Realistic in Every Detail
Today’s decoys are light years ahead of what was available to hunters a generation ago. Remember those flimsy foam decoys that you could fold up and put in your pocket. They would crease, so they looked unnatural, and were so light they would flutter and spin in the wind. They were nothing more than a turkey profile on a stick with a bad paint job.
“Realism is what makes a good decoy,” said Morrett. “Realistic paint schemes and molding details are important, but the overall pose is just as critical. Small details like head position and tail posture send specific messages to the birds that see them.”
Some of the best turkey decoys on the market today are made by Avian-X, of Port Clinton, OH.
Their eight different turkey decoys are lifelike in every detail, and range in price from $79.99 to $179.99, for a set of a jake and hen. All decoys include a cloth carry bag and collapsible, heavy duty stake.
They also sell a Turkey Decoy Pulley System, that enables the decoy to swivel in a 360-degree arc.
Here’s a link to their website.
Decoy Placement
Morrett said he likes to position his decoys about 20 yards out, or about half the effective range of his shotgun. That way a gobbler that stops short of the decoys is still in gun range.
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“When it comes to placement, look over the situation. Think about the gobbler’s likely approach,” said Morrett. “Give him the best view of all the decoys and make sure you are slightly off to one side, so you won’t be in this line of sight.”
One last suggestion might seem like a no-brainer, but in the heat of the chase, some hunters make this mistake. “Take the time to put the stakes in the ground straight. Crooked decoys look funny,” said Morrett.
Two of the best places to hunt with turkey decoys are wildlife openings in the woods and the edges of big forage fields.
Dirt roads and trails through the woods, where turkey sign is present, are also good options for decoy placement, especially if these are travel routes used by turkeys on a consistent basis.
Hunting from a ground blind, at the edge of a field where turkeys feed, is a good strategy for all-day hunting, or hunting with a youngster or beginner. A blind gives you the freedom of subtle movements and quiet talk.
Position the blind facing north amid brush or trees so you will be in the shadows. Place the decoys to the west or east, and sit tight, calling sporadically.
“Avoid calling to a gobbler that has already seen your decoys,” said Morrett. “(This is) usually a mistake. Chances are good he’s going to bust you or want you to come to him.”
Art Lander Jr. is outdoors editor for NKyTribune and KyForward. He is a native Kentuckian, a graduate of Western Kentucky University and a life-long hunter, angler, gardener and nature enthusiast. He has worked as a newspaper columnist, magazine journalist and author and is a former staff writer for Kentucky Afield Magazine, editor of the annual Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide and Kentucky Spring Hunting Guide, and co-writer of the Kentucky Afield Outdoors newspaper column.
