There is a common misconception amongst hunters when it comes to decoys, that involve a too-simple thought process. This goes for turkey hunters, but also whitetail hunters, and western hunters who deploy a fake to entice a critter into range.
The thinking goes like this: If a real animal sees your fake animal, it will come to you. While that pretty much explains decoying in a nutshell, it’s not quite so simple. Take whitetails, for example. If you put out a doe decoy outside the rut, you might succeed in scaring all of the real does while not drawing in any real bucks. A buck decoy at any point of the season might scare all of the real does, as well.
Seasonal timing and individual setups will dictate the best choice for deer decoys, but what about turkeys? While the number of decoys will vary, one thing should remain constant—you should use a non-threatening jake decoy as much as possible. In fact, other than on public land where there are safety concerns or really late in the season (the last week or two of May), a quarter-strut or breeder jake is the ticket.
A few years ago, I shadowed two longbeards for half of the Minnesota season. When I finally called them off of their hens and arrowed the dominant tom, I hit him low. He went from strutting to limping in half of a second, and in the other half of the second, his submissive buddy turned dominant.
It was an incredible thing to witness, and it speaks to turkey behavior. As the members of wintering flocks notice the longer daylight hours, they start to test each other out. Eventually, they’ll tussle enough to figure out who is the king of the flock. This hierarchy stands until someone knocks off the dominant bird, and a turkey power vacuum is created.
They then figure it all out again and get back to making little turkeys. Throughout this, the one thing that all of the top toms and lesser birds won’t tolerate is a lone jake who seems to have his own little harem. That’s not how the natural order shakes out, and it almost seems offensive to wild birds. This is a good thing for you if you tap into it.
There are a lot of jake decoys that will work, but if you want an option that won’t let you down, just get a quarter-strut jake or a breeder. Either posture shows a bird that wants to present a studly but also appears small and timid. If you take your jake decoy and position him close to the ground so he looks even smaller, you’ll give real birds even more confidence.
Add in a laydown hen below him, who looks like she has just swiped right, and the reaction from most real birds follows the same script. Toms and jakes might walk in cautiously or strut in slowly, but when they see the hen below a tiny rival, there is usually an obvious change to their body language. This is because there isn’t a bird out there that doesn’t think he has a chance at that point, too.
Turkey hunting is all about enticing lovesick gobblers into range through realistic decoys and seductive calling With so many turkey decoys on the market, it can be confusing to choose the right one for your hunting style and local birds I’ve tested dozens of decoys over the years, through endless spring hunts across North America. Based on my extensive experience chasing gobblers, here are the turkey decoys that have proven most effective for luring in longbeards.
Best Turkey Decoy Overall: Avian-X LCD Hen
When I can only carry one decoy on a run-and-gun turkey hunt, the Avian-X LCD Hen is my top choice. This collapsible decoy packs down small enough to fit in your vest, yet it inflates to create a super realistic profile. The detailed paint scheme accurately replicates the feather patterns and iridescent colors of a real hen. The LCD Hen comes with a folding stake that makes set up quick and easy. I’ve called in countless dominant toms that bee-lined straight to this decoy. If you primarily hunt pressured public lands, the LCD Hen is all you need to draw in wariest gobblers.
Most Realistic: Dave Smith Turkey Flock Decoys
If your budget allows, go all-in on a flock from Dave Smith Decoys. Their innovative molding process and paint schemes yield the most true-to-life decoys money can buy. Dave Smith offers hens and gobblers in various poses including upright hens, feeding hens, breeding hens, jakes, dominant toms, and more. I like to run a small flock with an upright hen, breeding hen, dominant strutter, and jake. When setup in a realistic looking group, Dave Smith decoys will pull in pressured gobblers that shy away from cheaper alternatives. The ultra-realistic paint even reflects sunlight properly to avoid spooking sharp-eyed toms.
Best Hen: Montana Decoy Miss Purrfect XD
For a durable hen that’s built to last, choose the Miss Purrfect XD from Montana Decoy. This lightweight plastic hen has an adjustable stake that allows you to set her in different poses – from feeding, to breeding, to upright alert. I especially like that you can remove the detachable head when packing it for travel. Miss Purrfect features well-defined feather detailing thanks to molded “feather cuts” in the plastic. Her submissive posture is irresistible to dominant gobblers. This affordable decoy provides realistic looks that convince pressured toms to strut in for a closer look.
Best Jake: Avian X Half-Strut Jake
Mature gobblers can’t stand the sight of young jakes trying to steal their hens. The Avian X Half-Strut Jake decoy triggers a territorial response that brings fired-up toms running. This sturdy plastic decoy features a pose with the tail fanned halfway up perfect for simulating an immature jake. The detailed paint job accurately replicates the shorter beard duller head colors, and haphazard feathers of a juvenile male. For added realism, I always replace the synthetic fan with real jake feathers collected from birds I’ve harvested. When a boss tom spots this decoy, he typically rushes right in to instigate a fight.
Best Full-Strut Gobbler: Higdon TruStrutter Motion Tom Turkey
When you’re looking to create jealousy and start a brawl, set out the Higdon TruStrutter. The spring-mounted motion stake allows the strutting decoy to sway and move in the wind, mimicking a live gobbler. This added motion draws the eyes of territorial toms from a distance. As dominant gobblers approach, they fully commit to picking a fight once they see the realistic details up close like the 10 inch beard and sharp spurs. The collapsible durable foam body and bright white coloring ensures the TruStrutter remains visible even in low light conditions. I’ve used this decoy successfully for years because it so reliably pulls in testosterone-charged longbeards.
Best for Reaping: MOJO Outdoors Scoot ‘N Shoot Gunner
For run-and-gun turkey hunters, the Scoot N’ Shoot Gunner allows you to reap and shoot through the one-way mesh screen. The spring-loaded folding design makes the Gunner easy to transport. Then when you spot a gobbler, simply open the decoy and shove the included stake in the ground to start reaping him in. The detailed graphics and floppy cloth wings mimic a strutting tom perfectly to grab the attention of any nearby gobblers. I like using the Gunner when birds are henned up on fields, as the decoy draws the focus of satellite toms away from the live hens. The mesh screen provides just enough cover to draw in pressured longbeards while allowing hunters to take a shot through the screen when the moment is right.
When it comes to turkey decoys, realism and visibility are everything. Pay attention to small details like feather patterns, beard length, and overall body posture. The more lifelike the decoy, the faster those lovesick gobblers will come running. Consider how easy it is to transport each decoy and if it will fit your run-and-gun or stationary hunting tactics. If possible, use real feathers to enhance the decoy and avoid shiny surfaces that could alert sharp-eyed toms. With the right turkey decoy, you’ll be tagging more longbeards this spring.
Beta Birds & Alpha Bullies
Fortunately for hunters as a whole, we leave the trophy BS to big game. While turkey hunters have always flirted with trophy hunting, it hasn’t quite caught on. Sure, bagging a 28-pounder or a bird with a 12-inch beard and 1.5-inch hooks is cool. But no one really cares. Turkeys are meant to be hunted for the challenge and for the fun of it, and the rewards come not from bragging rights but the experience.
Most hunters really just want a turkey to do what they hope a turkey will do. Gobble, strut, put on a show, and mostly, work into the decoys. If you want to increase your chances of this happening, use a decoy that will intimidate no one. Spindly, late-born jakes that tip the scales at 12 pounds will come into a quarter-strut fake just as easily as a boss tom on a midmorning stroll will. That’s the beauty of the right decoy, it welcomes all without discriminating.
That’s what you want. Because the more birds that are willing to commit, the more fun you’ll have this spring. Whether you pair him up with a laydown hen or a whole gaggle of feeding and preening hens, the truth is that the linchpin to the whole setup is a weakling jake, who looks like he’s about to have the best morning of his young life.
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