Go n' Bow Part 3 - Decoy Strategy
Decoy Strategy
The exceptional detail and life-like appearance of today’s turkey decoys is incredible. Feather textures, realistic eyes, and body positions are just some of the incredible benefits that decoys can offer. But there is more to just throwing out a few turkey decoys and hoping that tom sees them and starts running in. Here are 3 factors to consider when using decoys while bowhunting.
1. Have Options
Hunters have great success with just one lone hen, but you can have much more flexibility if you throw in multiple decoys. Having both a hen and a jake, or a hen and a full strut gobbler, or 2 hens and a full strut gobbler can give you different options to be able to use while you’re out hunting.
2. Know the local environment.
In order to use turkey decoys successfully, you need to know the behavior of the birds you’re hunting. The specific time of year and the specific land your hunting have a lot to do with how turkeys respond to different decoy setups. For instance, if you are on high pressured public land, throwing out a full strutting tom decoy might be a recipe for disaster. Not only will birds be sometimes less likely to come into a dominate tom, but also hunters have mistaken decoys as real birds causing injury to other hunters.
Throwing out a lone hen later in the season is a perfect setup. A jake and a solo hen can be used year-round. Nothing fires up a tom more than seeing some punk jake with a hen.
3. Decoy Orientation
Where your decoys are placed in relation to your hunting position can have a huge impact on how your hunt turns out.
Setup up your decoys either at your 10 o’clock or 2’oclock positions. This will draw the birds across your shooting position to hopefully get a shot. This also takes the pressure off of you. Having decoys directly in front of you could potentially put the birds walking straight at you. Turkeys have incredible eyesight, and if they notice movement behind the decoys, they will most definitely pick up on it. Having the decoys at your 10 o’clock or 2’oclock allows the birds to lock onto the decoys and not your movement. Also, orientate your decoys to be staring/walking toward you. More often than not, worked up toms seeing a potential competition/invader will square up to that jake or tom decoy, and either have his back facing you, or start sparing it, giving you a perfect shooting opportunity.