Shooting wild turkeys with a shotgun is a blast — literally — but if given the chance, I’d rather lure toms and jakes into spitting distance and try to tag them with bowhunting gear. A tom gobbling its head off at 100 yards is good, and at 50 yards it’s great, but at 5 yards it’s blow-your-mind magnificent.
To lure wild turkeys into 10 yards and less, bowhunters are best served by lifelike decoys. While nothing compares to a “stuffer” (taxidermy turkey decoy), the three fakes shown below come pretty close. I’m excited to give them a try this spring.
Avian-X HDR Hen
The HDR in the Avian-X HDR Hen decoy’s name stands for Heavy-Duty Realism. In addition to the true-to-life paint scheme and feature detail, I like that it comes with two interchangeable heads. Bowhunters can use the outstretched head for a lookout posture, or the resting head for a submissive pose. I love the rubber-molded leg stumps. The mounting stake stores in the decoy’s tail. Carry bag included. MSRP: $149.99 Contact: www.avian-x.com
DSD Posturing Jake
I can think of no other decoy company that has the cult-like following of Dave Smith Decoys (DSD). The company’s new-for-2020 Posturing Jake mimics a smaller jake that’s trying to assert his dominance. To put it bluntly, this jake is basically asking to get his butt kicked by a bigger bird. The one-piece decoy features amazing detail, right down to its lifelike jake beard and flocked back. The mounting stake stores in the decoy’s body. Carry bag included. MSRP: $199.95. Contact: www.davesmithdecoys.com
Flextone Thunder Chick Breeder
The new Thunder Chick Breeder is the third model offered in the Flextone Thunder Chick lineup. As the name states, this decoy mimics a breeding hen, so it’s a smart choice to use in combination with a jake or tom decoy. The Thunder Chick Breeder caught my attention at the 2020 ATA (Archery Trade Association) Show in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the only feature that impressed me more than the lifelike size and detail is its price — MSRP is only $49.99! The carbon-fiber stake folds into the decoy’s body. Contact: www.flextonegamecalls.com
