"Turkey Decoy Review"

Turkey decoys are a valuable part of my turkey hunting arsenal, I never leave home without them. They take the sharp eyes of the gobbler off of you and plant them on your sexy decoy. By using your calls and fooling the gobblers ears into thinking there is a hen in the area, you now fool his eyes into thinking there's a real hen there, thus fooling two of his sharp senses and convincing him to come into gun or bow range for a shot.

Turkey decoys come in many shapes and styles. They are made of plastic, they are made of foam, some are full bodied, some are silhouette, while others are inflatable. A turkey hunter can go crazy trying to decide which ones to carry on the hunt. I have been fortunate to have tried a great many of these decoys trying to find just the right one. Guiding turkey hunters 40 days a year allows me to see for myself which ones work great, and which ones work alright All decoys no matter who's brand have their advantages and disadvantages. What I look for first and foremost is a decoy that can fool the gobbler at both long and short range. The fooling at short range can only be done consistently by decoys that are realistic looking in both size and color. The true feather coloring of a hen turkey is a lighter brown than that of the gobbler, which is a very dark brown. The head color on the hen turkey in the spring is a blue/gray color turning gray as summer approaches. In hen decoys I look for the blue/gray color since we hunt the spring. The head size is another factor I consider. Some decoys out there have heads 3 times the actually size of a real turkey. (Maybe it's a smart decoy)

The hard plastic full bodied decoys have been on the market for a long time. I believe these to be some of the most realistic looking decoys made today. They are made of a hard plastic which is very durable and will last for years. I have had good success using Flambeau in the past, and Delta decoy in recent years. The Delta to me has the most accurate dimensions. The body size is correct, the head size and more importantly, the head and body colors are correct. The Delta also has real looking layered feathers just like the live turkey. I have fooled many gobblers using this decoy. I have however gotten away from using these full bodied decoys in the last couple of years for two reasons. Being a guide, I tend to do a lot of walking in a day and must carry other supplies. I also like using more than one decoy at a time. With the full bodied decoys, I can only carry one decoy for lack of room in my vest. Secondly, I like to travel quick and silent when the situation calls for such. Heavier decoys can slow you down and will definitely make noise when a branch scrapes against them. If you are hunting close to home and only use one decoy, then perhaps the full bodied decoy is the right one for you. You should experience good success with these.

Foam decoys are the latest rage, and for good reason. Most are very realistic looking, light weight, compact, and will move with the slightest breeze. I like them because I can stuff 2-3 in my vest and set them up in a hurry when I need to. The fact that they move with the slightest breeze is a plus. The gobbler likes to see movement in the decoys. Even a slight movement will usually convince him that the decoy is real. The only negatives I have encountered is that one brand makes the decoys with very large and incorrect colored heads. The heads are almost a white/gray in color. Another problem I have encountered has been the decoys ripping easily although I have seen improvements in thickness and stitching in recent years. This is also something you must look at before making your purchase. I have tried three different brands of foam decoys and find Delta again to be the best. Like it's full bodied cousin, the Delta has the correct head and body size and correct coloration to both. It also has the layered feather look. It is also made of a tougher foam rubber material than the others. I have been using the same Deltas in the field for two years now (We're talking everyday of all four periods). Although few foam decoys will withstand the angry spurs of a gobbler, the Deltas are very tough decoys, I really like them a lot.

The first decoy I ever used way back when was a silhouette decoy. It was a crude cardboard cut out that I constructed. I actually killed my first turkey with one of these. Of course it was a Jake that I fooled into gun range, but it worked. There are now a few manufactured silhouette decoys on the market. I don't see them around like I used to , but occasionally I look one over in a store. They are nice because you can carry many of these in the vest. The obvious down side is that if the gobbler approaches from the front or back of the decoy, he may never see it because it is so flat. To this day I still carry and use a couple silhouettes to mix in with the foam decoys or use by themselves. The reason that I still use these at all is the fact that this particular brand (Outlaw Decoys) is made from actual pictures, and that they come in different position. How can you beat actual pictures for head/body size and coloration? You can't! The positions they come in are feeding, upright, and resting. I like the feeders the best. They give the gobbler a false sense of security. He thinks that as long as the hens are feeding, all must be well. These decoys too can be set up to move with the slightest breeze. I have fooled a lot of gobblers with these. I have had a warping problem however, but this was due to me leaving them in a hot truck - OOPS!

The newest decoy to come out will be introduced for 2000. It is an inflatable decoy. When I seen the proto types for the first time, I knew this gentleman had something special and I had to have it for my arsenal. Made by Hidden Valley Outdoors out of Pennsylvania with permission given to A-Way Hunting Products to sell, these decoys meet all the criteria I look for in a decoy. They have the correct head/body size, they are light weight and their coloration too is taken from real pictures and also hand painted. They come in both Jake and hen styles. they also come in feeding and casual position. These decoys are so real looking that I'm honestly afraid to take them out to the woods for fear that one of my hunters will shoot them. They come on a wooden stake that swivels with the slightest breeze thus creating movement.


Turkey Decoy Review

The only down side that I have seen is that they are made of vinyl and can get a hole in them. I did purposely make a hole in one to test the patch kit, and it performed like it was supposed to. Any vinyl pool repair kit will work on these too. I can't wait to try them on the real thing this spring. I have no doubt that these next generation of decoys will soon be the standard in the industry.

Personally I like to use 2-3 decoys in a set up. I like to set the decoys 15 yards away from me facing the opposite direction I think the gobbler will come from. This makes him think that the flock is walking away from him which makes his approach to you quicker. If he sees that the decoys are facing him, he will think that the flock is coming his way which can cause him to stay out of gun range strutting and waiting for the flock to come to him. I will generally spread the decoys 3-5 yards apart unless using a Jake decoy. In this case, I will take a hen decoy placing it on the ground without a stake. I then position the Jake decoy (with stake) directly behind the hen creating the allusion that the Jake is getting ready to breed the hen. In areas that posses a Boss gobbler, this is a deadly set up. He will usually run in and kick the snot out of the Jake decoy. In areas that are unknown to me, meaning I don't know if there are mature boss gobblers, I like to set up all hen decoys. The sight of a red headed Jake decoy to other Jakes or subordinate toms can create the fear of them getting beat up by the unknown tom and cause them to walk or run away. Using all hens on the other hand is safer. I don't know of any gobbler that wouldn't want a harem of hens for himself They pose no threat to his well being. If hunting over dusting bowls in the late morning and early afternoon, I like to set a hen decoy (upright position) without it's stake right into the dusting bowl and wait for a gobbler to come by. This method pays off several every year. It also allows you to recharge your human batteries.

Decoys are a valuable part of any turkey hunters arsenal. They do come in many shapes, styles and colors. Pick out a decoy or two that fits your needs and use them. I think that you will experience increased success. Good Hunting and God Bless! Leave Greg your comments or questions at abbas@awayhunting.com.

DECOYS MENTIONED:

Full bodied hard decoys:
Flambeau Products 216-632-1631
Delta Industries 319-345-6476

Foam Decoys
Delta Industries 319-345-6476

Silhouette Decoys
Outlaw Decoys 1-800-653-3269

Inflatable Decoys
A-Way Hunting Products 989-435-3879