Skeptical. That was my first impression of using a decoy to lure a wise old gobbler to within gun range. After all, at that time the turkey calling circuit was hot and calling was the method to bring a bird within gun range. However, there was a train coming down the tracks that would alter the manner in which turkey hunters would apply their trade in the spring woods.
The timeframe of when decoys were first deployed by spring gobbler hunters reached back nearly 50 years. By today’s standards, decoys were often crafted by hand. Looking back in the May/June issue of the Pennsylvania Sportsmen, there was an ad for the Original Jenny Hen Decoy, a full body decoy produced by Dan Lalli-Master Taxidermy in Erie. The price was $78, not including tax or shipping.
Within the same timeframe, Penns Woods Products of Delmont, PA, introduced a turkey decoy of their own.
The Penns Woods model was simple in design yet effective. The “bird” was constructed of molded flexible plastic. An opening in the bottom side of the “bird” provided access to the body, allowing for a peg topped off with an arrowhead-shaped device to be placed within the body, then rotated 90 degrees to expand the body. Once assembled, the pinkish red peg was set into the ground and the decoy was ready for action.
The decoy was transported or stored easily in its own custom carry bag that was imprinted with a camo pattern, brown on one side, and green on the other.
The Penns Woods model also included a country of origin molded into the lower right-hand portion of the decoy, MADE IN ITALY, validating it was distributed by Penns Woods. Today this decoy is a neat keepsake of the early days of luring a gobbler into a decoy. The Penns Woods decoy would soon be overtaken by a new and improved flock of fakes.
With all the gear that gobbler hunters carry in the field, portability was one aspect that a number of manufacturers began to key in on.
On any given day, being lightweight and portable were two main factors that hunters were looking for. To meet the hunters’ needs, a number of decoy manufacturers began to tackle this aspect of decoys. And what they came up with got the hunters’ attention.
The introduction of a decoy fashioned from flexible foam hit the market. The design was simple. The body of the product was full and mimicked the approximate size and shape of the real thing. Also, the detail of an actual hen’s features was printed on the exterior of the fake bird. But there was more. The foam bodied hen decoy was lightweight, could be carefully folded, and easily stored in the hunter’s hunting vest.
The stakes used to support the decoy in the field included a device that was umbrella like and expands, ensuring the body provides a “full bodied” appearance. Lightweight and easy to carry, it was appealing to hunters who included “running and gunning” into their style of hunting. Again, the new and improved was about to be improved upon again.
Today the full-bodied decoy fashioned from flexible plastic material is the rage. And with good reason. For the most part, these decoys are offered in a number of configurations, all resembling the real thing. So, depending on the setup you want to present, it’s your choice when it comes to the ladies.
The choice of decoys also extends to the male turkeys as well. Jakes and gobblers are available in a number of different configurations.
However, the most dramatic change manufacturers have added to their products in recent years is to enhance the overall appearance of their decoys by applying some “make-up”.
One example of a turkey decoy appearance can be seen on turkey decoys offered by Avinx.
The bodies of these decoys are made of a molded plastic body. Across their line you’ll find six gobblers and six hens, each representing a different body posture combining to add flexibility in the field. But what really sets these decoys apart from the rest is their appearance.
The molded bodies of each type of decoy includes an incredible amount of detail. That’s great, but a decoy is enhanced to a greater degree by the palate of realistic colors applied across the body of the replica bird.
Believe me, decoys can be one of a number of effective tools in the spring turkey hunter’s bag of tricks. But the effective use of bringing the “fake” bird into gun range needs to be done with care and safety in mind.
For an excellent guide on how to hunt spring gobblers while deploying decoys, check out the National Wild Turkey Federation’s website for a number of great spring gobbler hunting tips. The address is: www.nwtf.org/content-hub/decoy-tactics-for-spring-toms
Enjoy the hunt and hunt safely.
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Charlie Burchfield is a past president of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association an active member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association, and the Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers. Gateway Outdoors e-mail is GWOutdoors@comcast.net
