What do you think?

In the early season, and into the peak of breeding, I've heard that decoys are great--a jake & hen combo can can fire up a dominant bird. But, I recently read a suggestion to completely eliminate decoys during late season due to the flock pecking order. Basically, the thought is that by late season, the birds have a well-defined pecking order and any intrusion into their social structure could potentially be cause to turn tail and move on. But, I just read TW's post where he had a tom strut right in to a deke . . . and get a truck ride home.

Thoughts?

Peacemaker i had a jake and hen set up, all i own, was only using em because of some of the post's talking about late season birds, but if i recall they called for a good flock setup along a feild edge, i just was using what i had. If i could manage to stay more collected i would of liked to see what would of happened when he got to em, but i was tore up and shot him as he got about 5 steps from em and 15 yards from me, I know nothing about this subject and this hunt might of just been an exception to what you have read. But he did strut all the way in to those decoys didnt have a care about what was happening around him.

If I use one .. I prefer a single hen late in the season .. Tom's by this point have been beat up and are not looking for a fight with a gaggle of jakes like they were early in the year... and also I think Tom's are leary of more than one hen as you seldom see more than one hen together late in the year, more likely see single hens that have not been bred yet or a single hen that is nesting and off getting some food, and I think the Tom's know that as well..

I would suggest a full body real gobbler mount...UNO comes to mind.

He was amazing for me this year...batted 1000% whenever a turkey made visual contact with him.
Check the previous posts for more information.

I'm leaning with leaving them at home during the late season.
Think about it, everyone and his brother is using decoys all season long, and the birds are getting very wary of "no-Movement " hens!!

I would still take a hen, no jake though, I would rather chance them seeing a no movement hen than the sound of a hen and no hen be seen. The hen could make the hunt with those few extra seconds provided. My uncle didn't take a decoy yesterday he said he was hid behind a rock with only the tip of his head and gun visible. Two turkeys were on their way up a ridge the lead bird stuck its head up over the bank and picked him out immediately. I teased him about blinking. And he said there was no way they picked him out because of movement that he knew they were coming and didn’t move an inch. With no decoy around to satisfy their eye they were able to pick him out. By now they know what to look for, the abnormal dark spots in front of tree's the slightest reflection off of a gun barrel.

Great thoughts. Thanks for the input!