# How many turkey decoys do you use?



## Bowhunter57 (Feb 9, 2011)

I used to use a hen and a jake. Now, I'm going with safety in numbers or something simular to what's used with waterfowl field sets. I've got a strutting tom, a jake and 4 hens. It'll be interesting to see their response to "the flock", but may have to cut back the numbers.

The last time I was out, the 3 toms that came in spotted my jake and strutting tom and were instantly pissed and were in a quick approach to kick some butt...or at least investigate what those turkeys were doing in their area.

What has been your experiences with turkey decoys?
How many do you use? Hens? Jakes? Toms?

Thank you, Bowhunter57


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

A hen and a jake....works every time


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## firstflight111 (May 22, 2008)

mushijobah said:


> a hen and a jake....works every time


oh yea ..rookie :d


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## firstflight111 (May 22, 2008)

if you know your birds if theres a big numbers of birds put out a bunch ..if not i would only put out a hen and thats it


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## Ðe§perado™ (Apr 15, 2004)

I put out my Thunder Chicken and my hen decoy with turkey skinz on it. But sometimes it depends on the situation.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

I haven't taken a decoy for years. In 20 years of hunting turkeys, I've never once had a hunt where a decoy made a real difference, except the time or two the decoy spooked the tom. I finally got sick of carrying them since they weren't helping anything. If I hunted open country or big fields, maybe I would use them more.


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

I never use decoys either...all my hunting is done in cover. I don't have any fields to hunt or edges.


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## Bowhunter57 (Feb 9, 2011)

M.Magis said:


> If I hunted open country or big fields, maybe I would use them more.


Here in N.W. Ohio, it's flatter than a road killed squirrel...plenty of fields and open areas. I've been hunting the fields in the evenings and the creek bottoms in the mornings. I'm bowhunting from a ground blind, for my second turkey...therefore the decoy questions.

I had a strutting tom and a jake out on my first turkey and when the 3 toms that were walking by spotted them, they were instantly mad/curious and quickly approached the decoys. As they walked past me, I swung my barrel on the middle tom and squeezed the trigger.

I'm hoping for simular luck with the second turkey. 
Bowhunter57


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## mastercatman (Jan 30, 2005)

I agree with first flight, if you know what kind of groups your birds are in, you can decoy accordingly. If you're not sure, stick with a single hen or two and maybe a jake. Most flocks have broken up pretty well at this point in the game with most hens setting right now. Seeing more than a couple of hens together may seem pretty unnatural this time of year unless you have a bumper crop of turkeys running around. Save the larger decoy setups for early season hunts in most cases. Good luck filling the second tag!


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