Decoy question.

[deerbasshunter3]

When using decoys, will a stand alone hen work or does it need to be paired with a jake or gobbler to be useful?

[2eagles]

I'm a novice compared to most guys here, but I've killed more birds using just a hen than I have using a hen and jake.

[wvlimbhanger]

I've killed birds with a single hen or a single jake and up to 3 hens and a jake. It's whatever you feel like using. I can't say that one set up is better than the other, but I typically like a jake and a hen.

[Bowguy]

Believe in most guys opinions/ experience a decoy is more of a specialized technique than main tactic. I'll use em on birds on the roost as long as I have em roosted. Running and gunning you'll be busted as much setting them out as they will be a benefit, especially if you use turkey sounds to get them to gobble.
Yes a hen can work fine alone but it's all in the setup you're dealt

[Marc]

As with

2Eagles, I am by no means an expert, and plenty of guys on here have far more experience than I do.  But, the short answer is no a hen does not need to be paired with a jake.

I have had birds come right into, and strutt for a single hen decoy...

However, seems like I have decoys ruin more opportunities than gain... 

• Toms will hang up on a hen decoy waiting for her to come to him.
  
• Been busted while trying to set up a hen decoy.
  
• Had a large tom run for his life when he saw my crappy jake decoy last season.

[/list]

Seems to me, when I get a bird coming to me, and he does not see the decoy, he keeps coming to me, actively looking for that hen.  Had a couple of toms hang up strutting about 70 yards last year, and would not come to greet that hen.

Whereas, both birds I killed last year, were visibly looking for that hen that was calling.  I do believe I would have killed my third bird if it were not for mistakes made with a decoy.

I agree with Bowguy.  Hunting a setup off the roost, I might put out a decoy or two (probably a jake and hen).  If I plan on being mobile, I would leave the decoys in the truck.

Now, if I were bowhunting, I would be more apt to use a decoy, and when I start taking the kids out, I will likely set up a blind with decoys...  And, I suppose if I were hunting a large open area (which is not something I see in my area) I would probably be more apt to use decoys as well.

[bammerslammer 50]

^^^^this^^^^

[shaman]

My experience with decoys was spotty at best before I gave them up. 

My biggest complaint was that they took time to set up and break down, and I was exposed while I was doing it.  As a result, I tended to stay put too long.

When they worked, they worked great.  Usually I had just one hen out.  For a while there I was using a remote control bobbing hen.    Mostly I put a hen or two out on my Six O'CLock so the turkeys would try to come past me to get to the hen.  That worked sometimes, but mostly it did not.

I finally decided decoys were an unnecessary complication.