Decoy Setups

[HuntingEd]

Hey all,
I usually dont use decoys but am gonna be bowhunting this season and need to use a blind, just curious as to what you use for your decoy setup.

How many do you use?
What types? (jake, hen or gobbler?)

What formation?

[Arrowmaster]

Depends on the type of set up. If its a field set up I place them at 20 yards and maybe one just a touch closer. I make sure they have nothing stopping their movement (breeze helps). Woods set up is placing a hen at 20 yards and a Jake standing over the hen (like hes doin her) hehehehe.

[offroad7287]

I bow hunt a lot and use 2 hens and a jake. I always set my decoys up 5-10 yards away. NO MORE. And always face the hens towards you because if the toms are struting they will walk in front of the hens giving you the perfect shot. I got all this information from Double Bull and it has definitely helped.

[TEmbry]

woods a single hen 25-30 yards out

fields pretty boy and pretty girl 20 yards out

[TROPHYHUNTER25]

i use 2 hens and a jake

[r33h]

Early on in the season, I would use just one or two hens. As the season progresses, I introduce a jake for a "love triangle". When placing them, make sure the jake is facing the blind and place them about 15 yards or so from the blind and place the jake like he is following the hens.

[Dr Andy]

I'm gonna use a Jake fan behind my jake and a hen nearby, to make Ol Tom jealous.

[BKE]

I'd like to get some clarification on the hen set up. I've read toset the Tom facing youto get a backside shot because the incominggobbler will want to lookit in the eyeandset the hen facing away because agobbler will usually approach her from the rear. I see offroad suggesting that the hen be facing you because the gobbler is going to want to show off for her and that makes sense also. How bout itfrom you old gobbler hunters?

[Antler Addict]

BKE, my decoy setup, if I'm shotgun hunting, I put out 3 hen decoys, 2 feeding and 1 hot hen scattered apart from 15 to 25 yards out. I usually face them different directions, If a tom comes into my decoys he is most likely going to get a tag put on him. Bowhunting I'm more particular. I put a hen decoy at about 10 yards right in front of me facing away with the other hen decoys out at 15 to 20 yards also facing away or quartered away. If I use a jake or tom decoy in the mix I have him trailing one of the decoys at 15 yards. If a gobbler is going to attack a male decoy it won't necessarily be head on, could be from the side. If a tom is going to try to mount a hen , its got to be from behind.This allows me to draw back with less chance getting busted from the movement.