Turkey Decoy Setups (AA1)

There are many technological advancements that have completely changed the way turkey hunters pursue spring gobblers. However I would have to say that the realistic decoys that companies make are probably the biggest improvement. Spring gobbler hunters can’t just go out and purchase a few of the many lifelike decoys on the market today and then throw them out in the woods or in an open field and expect the birds to come running. All spring gobbler hunters need to have a strategy. How you set your decoys may change as the season drags on and the birds’ behavior changes. Every part of the season has a different type of way you set up your decoys. There are three parts to the spring turkey season. They are early season, midseason, and late season. Your early season setup should consist of a gobbler (either a strutter or walking long beard out of strut), a jake decoy, and a single hen. You can do this set up almost anywhere but I would prefer to set up on the edge of an open field or in the open woods. Avoid intimidating other gobblers by sticking with a walking tom and maybe a jake decoy following a hen. This set up is because many early season birds haven’t “made up their minds”. In the mid-season gobblers have bred the hens and are breeding some of the last that haven’t yet been bred. Often, a talkative gobbler or a strutting decoy will attract a bachelor group of two year old toms running around. So your midseason setup should be a strutter decoy with two or three hens out front, with the gobbler following the hens. The set up for the late season is simple. All you have to set up is one simple hen by herself. Follow these tips and you may see a difference in the gobbler’s actions.