Packing in DSD's for a solo hunt

[SKYNET KC]

I'm traveling a bit for turkey hunting this year, and I'm going to have to do some hiking for the public land spots I've been eyeing on google maps.

I have three DSD's that I want to use as my decoy setup. As I'm sure most of you know, they're non-foldable and aren't exactly small. Does anyone have any tips on finding a way to pack these guys into my spots? I plan on ditching the silly ACU bags they come with and trying to find some way to attach all three together to my vest.

Doesn't help that I will be using a bow some I'm carrying that in too. Lol


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[Gamblinman]

duck decoy bag. Leave them in their bags to protect the paint.

[Yoder409]

Personally, I'd ditch the decoys and hunt light.  But if you are set on it..........take one hen and leave the other two at home.  Bear in mind if you are hiking back in a long way with Santa's sack of decoys on your back and you are successful in bagging a tom.............now you have Santa's sack AND a heavy bird to lug the whole way back out......

Just one guy's $.02

[Greg Massey]

Just get you 3 feather flex decoys and use those..lot of turkeys have died to these decoys over the years...

[fallhnt]

I made a bag to carry three hens and I made another to carry just a jake. Sling em over the shoulder and away I go.

[1iagobblergetter]

Just get you 3 feather flex decoys and use those..lot of turkeys have died to these decoys over the years...

x2  I've used cheap collapsible carry-lite decoys for many years due to the fact I hunt alot of open fields surrounded by timber and usually have a decent hike to where I'm going to set up. Numerous times I've had big Toms come in and knock my Jake right off of the stake. My last bird in the spring actually hit it so hard one spur of his was just barely hanging. I've never used the expensive non collapsibles,but just know the ones I use work great and I have enough other stuff to haul in and hopefully a turkey added to it coming back out. Goodluck

[Stoner]

I use the Dave Smith turkey decoys, When I carry the gobbler decoy and one or two more decoys I use a Duck Decoy Bag. Works well, plenty of room and I may throw my turkey stool in the bag as well. Carries like a backpack, will not slip off your shoulders and leaves the hands free to carry other items.

[wvmntnhick]

I bought a couple of the Montana purrfect hens last year. Only set one of them out once but so far, I like it. They're super light and extremely portable. Not very helpful for getting you into the woods with your particular decoys but it'd be another option if interested.

[JLH]

I hunt with dsd's most of the season....and I only bowhunt turkeys.

I don't use a vest.... all my "stuff" goes in a badlands fanny pack, and decoys in a duck decoy bag....very easy to carry, and quite mobile if needed.

[MK M GOBL]

Keep them in their bag and save the wear & tear on the paint. Easy way to haul is by buying the DSD Gobbler bag and the jake and both hens will fit in it, I carry mine like this all the time & the gobbler back out!!

MK M GOBL

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

I've hunted with DSD's since 2010. They're a great decoy that will elicit some incredible reactions from gobblers, jakes and hens; encounters that will be forever etched into your memory for the aggression and brutality displayed by the respondents. That being said, they are not convenient for a hunter who likes to cover a lot of ground and I find myself employing them very situationally.

My current method of carrying the jake is in the Primos turkey sack that has a cushion on the bottom.  It was designed by Will in the early days as an all purpose sack with an extra seat.  It fits the jake perfectly and rides high on my back over my vest.  I carry the hen in the standard bag DSD sends and typically sling that over my head and under one arm.  This is my small property or field set up when I have birds roosted and know I'll find myself on a field edge at first light.  If I'm guiding, i always have these two decoys with me regardless of the acreage or mileage covered during a hunt.

If I'm going to be hunting for myself covering a lot of ground on our larger plots, I don't typically carry decoys. I don't find being decoy-less to be a handicap, you just have to think about your set-ups differently and choose them accordingly.

DSD's are great decoys but you will still encounter the occasional adverse reaction associated with any other lower end decoys.  There are at least 1-2x per season where I set them out only to have a gobbler or group of gobblers encounter them and flare or hang-up.  Youre taking a calculated risk any time you put a decoy out.....

The bottom line is that there is no convenient way to pack multiple DSD's for a solo hunt.  You can comfortably and efficiently pack one but that's about it.  They are a potent piece of a turkey hunter's arsenal but I just purchased a Miss Purr-fect for solo situations on public land as I chase my US Super Slam. Miss Purfect is compact, easily transported in a vest gamebag and can be quickly deployed in a silent manner.  I'd be taking a hard look at it before I decided to lug 3 DSD's 7 miles back into public land wilderness.

Best of luck on a spring full of beautiful scenery and lots of dead gobblers.

[SKYNET KC]

Just swung by the local sporting goods store, and I think you all are right about a duck decoy bag being the ticket. Looks like that's gonna be my best option!


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[Bowguy]

I commonly roost a bird the night before. Go home get my gear, pack some dekes n a blind n wind up sleeping at least part a night w the birds if I'm more than a few mins from home. Those kinda hunts I put my vest on, blind like a back pack, DSD bags over a shoulder. I'll be honest, I'm going slow cause I don't wanna spook my game n the weight doesn't seem to bother me taking it easy even if it's a long walk in. If I'm runnin n gunning I don't carry dekes. I believe they're 50/50 between setting up/spooking game you just struck n helping you. Truth is most those birds'd prob be dead anyway even without the dekes. I should add 2 is more than plenty. Bring 3 on your travels so you can change as you see fit but carry only 1-2. It's easier n all you'll need

[supremepredator]

I bought a couple of the Montana purrfect hens last year. Only set one of them out once but so far, I like it. They're super light and extremely portable. Not very helpful for getting you into the woods with your particular decoys but it'd be another option if interested.

2x

[30_06]

When I am traveling a long way I use a big bag, keep all of them in there own bags, throw them all in the big bag strapped to my backpack.

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