ORIGINAL: gamewarden1

I think it depends on the situation and the setup. If you are hunting in the woods where visibility is low then you don't really need them. But when i'm hunting on the edges of fields or logging roads or anything where they can be seen from a distance then i like to use them. They have helped alot and also times have been a pain. It also depends on the time of the season when you use them. Here in NC the beginning of the season you can use them pretty effectively. But towards the end the birds have gotten alittle skitish and are hesitent in coming it to them. IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOUR SITUATION AND AREA.

Do you need them? No. Do they help? Sometimes. Do they hurt? Sometimes. You'll need to get some experience and form your own opinions. There were times I didn't have decoys out that I wished I did, and vice versa. Sometimes they come in on a string, sometimes they avoid them. Sometimes putting them out is a waste of time just because of the terrain you're in. I typically use a jake and hen decoy when I do use them. I should probably add another hen to the set-up but I do okay without. If I'm trying to call a bird into a fairly open area, I typically use the dekes. If he's coming in and doesn't see that hen he's been hearing, that might not be a good thing. If I'm in an area that is a little thicker and he has to come in to get a peak, chances are he'll be in range eating a load of #6's before he knows what hit him.