How important do you guys think they are? When should they be used? ae there different set-ups for different situations? Sorry for all of the questions, but I haven't even been turkey hunting yet and I have got the bug real bad.

Oh yeah, my wife just called to let me know that my new Knight and Hale "ol Yeller" , and hoot owl preditor call cme today. She has no idea what she is in for.

I don't use them but I hunt exclusively in timber so it's never been an issue. I've had them walk so close to me I could reach out and grab them by the neck. If I had to hunt the edges of fields or in open spaces, my guess is they would be essential...anyone?

I have only killed one bird while using a decoy, but I almost always try to put it out just in case. It was in the field edge. I have called birds in that walked right past my decoys without looking at them. Last year I bought a jake decoy to use with my hen, and actually caused both hens and gobblers to turn away. Go figure.

Somemtimes they work, sometimes they dont. Ive had textbook hunts where they were zeroing in on my calling and as soon as they caught sight of my decoy, had them come in on a b-line. Provided enough distraction to get me into position for a shot and kept them right where they needed to be. Other times it seems to be counter productive, where they still hung up out of range. Im still pretty new at this and learning every time out. I never tried the hen jake combo thing that alot of people seem to think works well. I just use a single hen. Since I hunt mostly public land, I think putting a tom or a jake out might be just a little dangerous...

Do yourself a favor... get your wife a nice comfortable pair of earplugs, she'll need them, lol. When you get into trying mouth calls, do it in your car. People pulled next to you at red lights will think you're a little strange, but we do what we gotta do!

I love using decoys. They have been very successful for me, but it has been jake decoys that have been most effective. Mostly dominate jake decoys or strutting jakes. Where I hunt there are a lot of dominate toms though. In some areas this method may not work as well. Get a feel for the bird to decide if you should use aggressive decoys. If they act real aggressive with each other give it a shot. Start of with one hen though. You generally cant hurt your hunting with one and can a lot of times help.

Ive never had decoys be effective. Ive hunted turkey for 4 years and taken 2 birds, and only one did i have decoys out, and the Tom never saw them.

It seems to me that calls are alot more important than decoys, unless your hunting open areas, or areas that get little hunting pressure.

Mat

Thanks for all the replies. I think I will talk to some people around here and see if they are using decs or not. Thanks again.

I've had results ranging from the lead hen seeing the decoy and doing an about face leaving with the gobbler in tow to last year I put my decoy out and sat down to let things get quiet. Gobbler came strutting in to the decoy and I hadn't even gotten my calls out of my vest yet. He must have heard me walking from a distance and maybe thought I was a hen and came to check it out and saw the decoy. I always have my dekes but dont always use them.

I use the Sceery® flock of four (3 hens & a jake). This year I'm adding the Sceery® "FULL STRUT TOM". When used correctly they can be deadly!!! I set the flock up @about 20-25yds; will set the Full Strut decoy @about 25 feet! Below him will be my CassCreek® Speaker hooked up to my electronic "Gobbler Call". Behind that will be my finger on the trigger of a 20GA Mossberg Pump Gun launching 1¼oz of Remington Hevi-Shot® #6's at the Gobbler's noggin'!!!!!