Turkey Decoys

Hens, Jakes and Strutters: What Each Decoy Says

A hen decoy is an invitation. An upright hen looks alert, a feeder hen looks relaxed, and a laydown hen reads as a bird ready to breed, which is a message most gobblers find hard to ignore. One or two hens alone is the safest start and rarely spooks anything.

A jake decoy adds rivalry. The Higdon Breeding Jake and 1/4 Strut Jake give a dominant tom a smaller bird to push around, which can pull a hung-up gobbler the last forty yards. The Apex Strutter goes a step further and represents a mature tom. It can bring a boss gobbler in hot, and it can also send a subordinate bird the other way, so read the birds in your woods before you stake it.

Hard-Body or FLEX Silhouette

Hard-body decoys show a full 3D bird and hold their shape in the field. They are the pick for set-and-wait hunts over a field edge or food plot. FLEX silhouettes, available here as a feeder hen, an upright tom and a tom-and-hen pair, pack flatter and suit hunters who cover ground and set up on a gobble. Many hunters carry one of each: a 3D hen for the morning sit and a silhouette in the turkey vest for the afternoon walk. More flat options for other species live on our silhouette decoys page.

Setting Turkey Decoys

Place decoys inside your effective range and slightly off to the side, so a gobbler's attention lands on the decoy and away from you. Face a jake or strutter toward your setup, since toms often approach to confront the other bird face to face. Keep the spread visible from where you expect the bird to come from, whether that is a field edge or a logging road.

Calling sells the setup. Pair decoys with box, slate and mouth turkey calls, pattern your shotgun with turkey choke tubes, and bring a seat from our hunting chairs for long sits. Camo hunting hats and gloves cover hands and face, which turkeys catch moving faster than anything else. Scout with hunting binoculars before you commit to a setup.

Getting Turkey Decoys to the Field

Hard-body decoys take up room, and a Jake and Jill combo takes up twice as much. A roomy hunting pack or a vest with a rear game pouch keeps them covered on the walk in, which matters on public ground where a visible fan or red head is the last thing you want to carry through the woods. Most setups start before first light, so a headlamp with a red mode helps you stake decoys without lighting up the field. If you hunt deer, elk or predators in other seasons, the full hunting calls shelf is one click away.

Turkey Decoys FAQs

How many turkey decoys should I use?

One to three. A single hen works early. A hen and a jake is the classic spread once toms start fighting.

Is a strutting turkey decoy worth it?

It can pull in a dominant gobbler that ignores hens, but it can scare off younger or subordinate birds. Use it when you know a boss tom runs the area.

Are turkey decoys safe on public land?

Carry decoys in a bag or vest, never in the open, and set up with a tree wider than your shoulders at your back. Check your state wildlife agency for any rules on decoy use.