newbie ? about patterns and decoys

[Schobs]

This is my first year turkey hunting, i got some tips from friends that do it and learned quite a bit here, and just have a few questions left before i'm ready to dive into it. First off, i patterned the shotgun i'll use with #5 shot, got 64 bbs in a paper plate at 35 yards, hows that for a pattern? about 20 of them were inside the crude drawing of a turkey head/neck i drew on the plate. My 2nd question regards decoys. I'll be hunting the late spring season in WI, May 16-20th, and i was wondering what kind of decoys if any i should use. Is it anything like the post rut for deer where the toms will be out searching for any hen that hasnt yet been breed? Any help is greatly appreciated, i know its still a few weeks away, but im really gettin excited!

[buckmaster68]

Usually a jake hen combination works well. Either put the jakealmost on top of the hen or fairly close to the hen. And another hen a little ways away.
Or the new full strut decoys should work also with a hen close by.
Both these combinations should work good.
Have fun and be safe!!

[MossyOak722]

Schobs...I'm in your shoes...This is my first season too. I've got a lot of advice on here from people...What I've found is to use a hen or two and either a jake or tom..I use two hens and a B-Mobile (BOB) strutting tom decoy...Been working well so far. I'm hunting with my bow so I'm still waitin on a shot...Good luck to you! Happy Hunting!

[chaz3815]

I used a jake , a hen and b-mobile it worked just fine no a early season tom . Just remember they can see you move at 100 yards , if you have time set up a blind of some sort , I used the outhouse blind and it did the job on my first Turkey . Good luck .
Charlie

[Dr Andy]

Last year I had the same season and worked a gobbler that still had 6 hens with him,wouldn't respond to the decoy and hung up. I was only using one hen,this year I have a jake fan and hens, hope it does the trick.