Dave Smith decoys question

[bcuda]

Just got the set of 4 (The Flock) Dave Smith decoys and am wondering if putting out all 4 decoys at the same time might not be such a good idea. There is a 3/4 strut jake, 1 upright hen , feeding hen , and a submissive hen. Carrying all of is not a problem for where I will be hunting , what would you set up all or what ?

[Dougas]

Dave and I have hunted the same property for a few years and I have had numerous conversations with him. He has a video of him hunting that property and in it he uses all 4 decoys out. He arrows a nice tom in the video. I had taken 2 toms and a jake before he got his tom. He was very successful  on that property with his set up.

[Kylongspur88]

As far as a set up, early through mid season I'd put the jake and breeding hen closer to you and the feeding hen and upright hen a little further out. A dominant gobbler will see the jake and breeding hen and come in and challenge that jake. I don't hunt decoys very much but do use them with youth hunters and new hunters and when I use a jake hen combo the jake is what draws the gobblers and I've had gobblers attack the jake decoy numerous times. Later in the season you might want to just use the jake hen combo since a lot of hens will be on the nest and you don't tend to see those bigger groups like early season. Just my opinion

[Notsoyoungturk]

When I field hunt, I have successfully used a jake, laydown and feeder.  I see no reason a 4th decoy would change that success.  Your hope is that gobbler will come challenge the jake, especially with the hen ready to breed.  If you hunt the same property, I would switch it up from time to time.

[Marc]

I see no downside to putting all decoys out (outside of safety) on private grounds, especially early season...

Jake/breeding hen combo will be set where I want to shoot.

There are a percentage of birds that will run full speed to such a spread (despite horrible calling), and some that will see it and run the other way (regardless of perfect calling).

I always attempted to set decoys so they are facing away from the direction birds will be coming (especially important with hen only/no jake decoys)...  All too often birds do not come in from the direction expected though...