A bit of advice on decoys, please.

[Masnell]

Hey Everyone,
I am taking a buddy out for his first turkey hunt this coming weekend to a place that does have some turkeys around. I do not know if they have been pressured this year or not. It will be private land bordered on one side with state land. I have never had luck with decoys but I have a whole damn flock sitting in my closet collecting dust. What would be the best set up or combo to use in the late part of the season? Thanks in advance for your advice!

[Dan-o]

I always like a Jake behind a hen.    I try to position the hen so she looks like she might squat.

I often put out two pairs like this on opposite ends of my shooting range,,,, if that makes sense - so more birds can see them.   

This works for us.    Others will likely favor single hen at this point.

[Masnell]

Thank you!

[Russ McDonald]

I had a strutting tom and alert hen have some good luck this last weekend.   I did position the hen like she was squating or back end a little down.   All birds I saw were still in small flocks.  I do agree though that later in the season I would go more with a hen alone or paired with another hen. 

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[E35alex]

Was out there last this weekend. First setup had a jake following a hen. Called in a tom. Tom sees jake. Tom leaves. Afternoon setup: single hen about to squat. 3 toms within shooting range. 2 toms with arrows, 3rd with a shotgun. We almost tagged out in 45 sec of action.

There were 3 flocks where we hunted. Each had about 15-20 birds grouped up. 3-4 toms per group. 

[Cab]

I've always gone with lone hen later in the season, Jakes have had their butts kicked and can be a bit nervous around other male birds. I love to have my decoy so that the bird has to walk by me to get to it. Once that bird sees the decoy it amazing how locked on they get.

[Russ McDonald]

Was out there last this weekend. First setup had a jake following a hen. Called in a tom. Tom sees jake. Tom leaves. Afternoon setup: single hen about to squat. 3 toms within shooting range. 2 toms with arrows, 3rd with a shotgun. We almost tagged out in 45 sec of action.

There were 3 flocks where we hunted. Each had about 15-20 birds grouped up. 3-4 toms per group. 

My    is that the season is running 2 weeks late.  They are doing what they should be doing what they should be doing around or after the 15th.

[CaNINE]

I seem to have better luck without decoys.  If I use any it's just a lone hen.

[E35alex]

Was out there last this weekend. First setup had a jake following a hen. Called in a tom. Tom sees jake. Tom leaves. Afternoon setup: single hen about to squat. 3 toms within shooting range. 2 toms with arrows, 3rd with a shotgun. We almost tagged out in 45 sec of action.

There were 3 flocks where we hunted. Each had about 15-20 birds grouped up. 3-4 toms per group. 

My    is that the season is running 2 weeks late.  They are doing what they should be doing what they should be doing around or after the 15th.

You are probably correct. I'm a juvenile turkey hunter, and don't know enough to actually comment, but its what I noticed. My jake decoy scared off 3 toms (each got to within 35 yards, but my son was the shooter, archery) and then turned around and left. No strutting, no interest at all. It was a little weird.