The single best decoy anyone can own is a submissive, half- or quarter-strut jake. If you’re into shooting any legal turkey, this type of jake will draw in anything with a beard. These dekes are effective all spring, so long as you pair them with the right birds.
How many decoys should I use for turkey hunting?
There are times when three or four hen decoys in various poses paired with a tom or jake is a fail-safe option. However, if you bunch them together too closely, it can impair your ability to take a clean shot. If a tom approaches the setup directly, you’re now having to shoot around some unnecessary obstacles.
How do you add movement to a turkey decoy?
The basic process involves tying off one end of fishing line to your decoy’s beard or tail and running the line back to your spot. Once you run the line back to your blind, you have the ability to pull on the line to face your decoy in a specific direction or simply add more movement.
Should I use turkey decoys?
If used properly, turkey decoys can be a great aid for bringing turkeys to your blind. Decoys are not necessary if you’re hunting turkeys on foot, but if you’re going to be setting up shop in one of our Stump Blinds, decoys could be just the ticket for drawing in birds.
How far apart should my turkey decoys be?
For bowhunters, you should be around seven to 10 yards away from your decoys. If you’re using a shotgun, double that. You should also be close enough that you could bag a tom that tentatively wanders into the outskirts of your spread, even if he doesn’t fully commit.
How high off the ground should a turkey decoy be?
A foot or so off the ground is about right. Though this may seem trivial, remember: toms see hens every day of their lives, and not once do they run into one that happens to be three times taller than all the rest.
How do you arrange decoys?
10 Surefire Decoy Strategies
- Make Your Spread Visible.
- Keep Water Open around Your Decoys.
- Set a Floating Spread for Canada Geese.
- Use Goose Decoys for Ducks.
- Spread Out Decoys in Flooded Timber.
- Deploy the Ultimate Diver Spread.
- Give Geese Room to Land.
- Deceive Dabblers with Coot Decoys.
Why won’t turkeys come to my decoys?
If a subordinate gobbler comes in, and he’s already been beat up by a dominant gobbler, there’s a very good chance that he’s won’t come in and get his head bloodied again. Many times, a turkey won’t come to a decoy, because the hunter has made a mistake in where he’s placed the decoy.
Which is better a buck or doe decoy?
“Buck or doe — which decoy works the best?” This is a question I get asked a lot. The answer is easy — “both of them work!” The very best decoy set-up is a buck with a doe. At this time of the year, it’s November here in the Midwest, a buck, which does not have a doe, cannot stand it when he spots a buck getting lucky.
How many decoys should I put out?
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.
Is it better to use doe decoy or buck decoy during rut?
For example, during the rut, estrus doe and young buck decoys are typically the most effective for luring in a buck. Estrus doe decoys attract potential suitors, and young buck decoys pull in mature bucks that want to assert their dominance over their territory.
How can I improve my decoy spread?
Movement
Adding movement to your decoys helps a lot. The flashing appearance of spinning-wing decoys attracts attention from a long distance. For proof, just look at how easily you can see another hunter’s spinners. Plus, on calm days, ripples in the water make the spread look more realistic.
Can you leave turkey decoys out overnight?
Yep. Just get out there early. I have already carried decoys in all set up so all I had to do was stick them in the ground and hop in the blind.
Should I get a male or female turkey decoy?
Hen Turkey Decoy
While an aggressive tom or group of jakes might come in to challenge another male decoy, they will almost always come in to a hen decoy during the spring breeding season. As such, they are probably the best turkey decoys to use for spring hunts.
Are fully flocked decoys worth it?
Flocking, a soft coating that is used on the head, tail, and body of decoys, may cost more, but it’s a worthwhile expense. According to Powers, the benefits of flocking are most pronounced on dark surfaces, such as the black necks of Canada geese and the dark-green heads of drake mallards.
Should I use turkey decoys in the afternoon?
This decoy strategy is perfect for a late-morning or afternoon hunt. Some hens that breed early have begun to nest at this time, so hens are tougher to find. During this time of the day, gobblers are in full on search mode. This decoy set-up is a tough one to resist for a lonesome tom.
Where do you hook a decoy?
To rig single decoys, simply fasten the line to the weights, and then fasten the line to the decoys, and throw them out. Most decoys have holes in both ends of the keel. I like to tie two out of each dozen in the back hole so all the decoys don’t face in the same direction, adding more variety to the spread.
How many turkey decoys should I use in spring?
How many decoys should you use? While spring turkey hunting, I always use one hen and one jake decoy. This is because I can attract hens or gobblers. If a dominate hen comes in, she can help bring a gobbler into range by her being present.
How far apart should decoys be on a long line?
Set them about 10 yards apart; any closer and you increase the risk that incoming ducks will land in the line, short of where you want them. If you’re running 150 yards of long line, you’ll use about 12 to 14 decoys, depending upon how deep the water is and whether you’re running one or two anchors.
How far should decoys be from blind?
How far should the decoys be from your blind? Well, the quick and simple answer is somewhere between 15-30 yards. Preparing your decoy spread can be fun and straightforward as long as you keep a few basics in mind. You want your decoy spread to appear natural.
Are foam filled decoys better?
A great foam or cork decoy wrapped in burlap will last you the rest of your life! A standard plastic decoy will have more feather detail and be more realistic.