Opening day/early season Spring decoy set up help needed...

[kevin2]

What would be your decoy set up of choice for an April 21st opener/early season? I'll likely be hunting with my bow from a blind to start out the season. I'll be on the edge of a cut and turned corn field. The Turkeys are already there in mass numbers as of last week.

I'm not sure if I should set out just a lone hen, a hen and the jake, or the hole 9 yards??!!

I've got these decoys to use.

1 DSD Jake
1 DSD Upright Hen
2 Inflatable Submissive Sally Hen
1 Flextone Funky Chicken Turkey Decoy (skinny looken jake!)

[hookedspur]

Jake DSD

[owlhoot]

jake , the dsd



And don't put that funky chicken thing out with it.

Even if it does work, don't admit it.

[kevin2]

It got demoted last year, as I called in zero birds the 2 days it sat out front! Might sell him!

jake , the dsd



And don't put that funky chicken thing out with it.

Even if it does work, don't admit it.

[bigbird]

What's your farm or farms like? Fields or timber? I find strut zones, where they go first thing in the morning (usually for my son in youth season) I'll use my jake decoy and a hen. The posture of that jake is better than a strutter decoy in my opinion. When it's just me I farm hop a lot, if it ain't happening I go to where it is. Sometimes you can't get decoys out in some of the situations I get in. Hang in there man I wish ya lots of luck, don't get impatient and remember it's not always the kill it's the experience that makes a good hunt!

[kevin2]

We've got good chunks of timber, say 30%, and then beans OR corn usually. Most of the wooded areas are in the center, which has open fields surrounding it & then edged out by mostly homes OR thin woods on the edge of the roads. The location I'm seeing them the most now is a 2 mile X 2 mile square with a river running just about straight threw the middle. The river has a couple big hard wood areas, and that is both open & very dense in spots. Cut corn that was turned before first snowfall in december.

What's your farm or farms like? Fields or timber? I find strut zones, where they go first thing in the morning (usually for my son in youth season) I'll use my jake decoy and a hen. The posture of that jake is better than a strutter decoy in my opinion. When it's just me I farm hop a lot, if it ain't happening I go to where it is. Sometimes you can't get decoys out in some of the situations I get in. Hang in there man I wish ya lots of luck, don't get impatient and remember it's not always the kill it's the experience that makes a good hunt!

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

It sounds like you're way too narrow in your approach to hunting.

Ain't no way I could tell you anything about my opening day set up until the nite before opening day.

Blinds and decoys have ruined the art of actual turkey hunting.

[kevin2]

In my original question, I was thinking that there is a tendency for early season decoy use. Seems like other threads would suggest going with fewer decoys OR just one. As for blinds, I gladly go without a blind, but I plan on bow hunting & it would be pretty hard to draw back on a bird in the wide open. So, do you have any thoughts on decoy layouts for early season, in general?

It sounds like you're way too narrow in your approach to hunting.

Ain't no way I could tell you anything about my opening day set up until the nite before opening day.

Blinds and decoys have ruined the art of actual turkey hunting.

[Chuck1443]

Jake above the submissive hen at your most comfortable yardage  in front of the blind


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[Drthorn]

here is what I would do

dsd jake, upright hen, and a submissive hen.

Bow hunting, i'd put the decoys about 15 steps from the blind...

If you know the area is a strut zone, than you should be pretty good. some light calling here and there and the turkeys should show up.

good luck

[Cove]

It sounds like you're way too narrow in your approach to hunting.

Ain't no way I could tell you anything about my opening day set up until the nite before opening day.

Blinds and decoys have ruined the art of actual turkey hunting.

[Gobble!]

Take the DSDs send the rest back to China. Put the upright hen on the ground in the breeding position and the jack 5 feet behind her and get ready. Early season I normally replace the jack with the DSD Strutter. But I don't always do this. As mentioned decoys can very easily ruin a hunt so becareful and know they do not fit all situations.

[captpete]

It sounds like you're way too narrow in your approach to hunting.

Ain't no way I could tell you anything about my opening day set up until the nite before opening day.

Blinds and decoys have ruined the art of actual turkey hunting.

It sounds like you're way too narrow in your approach to hunting.

Ain't no way I could tell you anything about my opening day set up until the nite before opening day.

Blinds and decoys have ruined the art of actual turkey hunting.

Real nice!!!    A guys asks for suggestions and you come along bashing his way of hunting. 

[RutnNStrutn]

Most of the wooded areas are in the center, which has open fields surrounding it

Kevin, first of all, don't mind the guys that get down on you for using dekes.
With that said, early season is an excellent time for using decoys!! It sounds like the farm you hunt is an ideal set up! I'm no expert, but if I were you, I would spend some mornings before the season locating favored roost sites, and then trying to pattern your farm's flocks movements.
Then on the afternoon before the opener, I would roost some gobblers. The next morning, get there very early, and set up near the roosted birds. Put out your DSD jake with one of the Submissive Sally's under him, on the ground like he is ready to breed her. Then put the DSD upright hen off to the side. Leave the other submissive Sally and the funky chicken at home!! If you can call a gobbler into visual range of your setup, or they see it from the roost when it gets light, there's a good chance for him to charge in to whip some jake butt!!
Good luck this spring!

[RutnNStrutn]

Early season I normally replace the jack with the DSD Strutter. But I don't always do this. As mentioned decoys can very easily ruin a hunt so becareful and know they do not fit all situations.

x2