A well-placed turkey decoy just might bring your prey right to you. Dennis Anderson/Minneapolis Star Tribune

The practice of using turkey decoys seems pretty straightforward: set them in front of you, sit down and call in a bird. That might work, but there are plenty of subtleties and specific set-ups that could make your decoy spread a lot more effective.

Let’s start with basics. A lot of hunters place their decoy or decoys directly in front of them, as that’s where they want the bird to go. However, as the bird approaches, its attention will be focused on the decoy, and what’s behind it – you. If you’re off to one side instead of directly in line with the decoy, there’s less chance of being picked out. Furthermore, turkeys don’t always come directly to the decoy, and you could wait a while for them to step into your shooting lane, during which time they could get nervous, pick you out, or lose interest. Solution: Position decoys and your best shooting lane off to one side, left for a right-hand shooter and vice versa.

Next comes the question of how many and what sex to put out. One will work, and if you use only one, use a hen. Spring is breeding season, and that’s what a tom is looking for. If you use two or three, one should be a male, either a tom or a jake. The urge to breed is strong, but the threat of a potential rival is often even stronger.

This brings up an important point if using multiple decoys. Far more often, a tom will approach a tom decoy, or try to get between it and a hen decoy. Set your decoys so the male, or the space between male and female, offers the best shot opportunity.

While less important, orientation can play a role. If you observe turkeys long enough, you’ll notice they often look to other birds for clues on which way to go. One bird goes in one direction and the others instinctively follow. If you want turkeys to go in a particular direction, face your decoys that way.

Now we’re getting into the subtleties. Decoys come in different postures. Those in a head-down, feeding posture suggest all is well and there’s something to eat. Heads-up is an alert posture. Let’s say you’re hidden in the brush on a field edge. Face your feeders toward the woodline and the heads-up birds into the open field. That eliminates the perception of potential danger in the woods, and suggests the alert posture might be a reaction to the real birds.

Male decoys come in different postures, too. A relaxed or feeding tom is less of a threat, and may or may not be as attractive. A half-strut posture, particular with a jake decoy, represents submission, and could be more attractive to subordinate or reluctant toms. A full-strut decoy is a direct challenge. It will intimidate subordinate birds but could fire up dominant ones. When a strutting tom turns directly away from a potential rival, showing the back of its full fan is the ultimate display of dominance and a direct challenge. Position your strutter facing away from the direction you expect birds to approach from, and it might be more enticing.

These are just a few of the many ways to use decoys more effectively. Every situation is different, so you might have to mix it up from time to time. Don’t be afraid to experiment, either. No matter how much time you spend in the turkey woods, you can always learn something new.

Bob Humphrey is a freelance writer and Registered Maine Guide who lives in Pownal. He can be reached at: bhunt@maine.rr.com