Contributors to this thread:
For a company that has a premium product I find their customer service pathetic. Does anybody know what buttons to push to get a response.
The buttons on my telephone have always worked just fine for me.
(541) 451-4453
Yup, a phone call works for me as well. I imagine this is the busy season for them....could be wrong though.
I know Dave personally, he is top notch and if you aren't getting the satisfaction you think you deserve, I promise you he WILL take care of it.... I know they have been working on new goose decoys and dealing with all the turkey decoy issues this time of year. How many times have you called?
I have no phone or email reply.
I am not sure what time you called or emailed but Robyn went home early today as she was not feeling well. Feel free to message me your contact info and I will make sure somebody gets back to you in the morning. The vast majority of the time we are able to reply to inquiries same day but sometimes it can take a little longer due to illnesses, volume of calls, etc. We are still a small company. -Brad
What kind of issues could one have with a turkey decoy.
"What kind of issues could one have with a turkey decoy"
Getting shot because they are so life like. But then again not hardly DSD's fault.
Top notch as usual Brad. Why I'll only use DSD's.
I had an issue with a brand new DSD jake, they are sending me a new one to replace it, I am happy.
I have had a similar experience. Piss poor customer service. I own a bunch of their goose decoys. When I contacted them about problems with the decoys Robyn basically told me there was nothing they could or would do. Personally I think their decoys are over rated and too expensive.
I own a trailer full of their goose decoys, their deer decoy, and multiples of every turkey decoy made. Their decoys have held up to all the abuse that I have thrown at them over the years. The handful of times that I have needed their customer service (I had a couple goose decoys that had paint slip due to left over mold release) they were very easy to work with and replaced them no questions asked.
An update on my end. I got a call from their shop and everything is now fine.
Dave Smith and Brad and their company are the finest people and make a great product, their service is always spot on. I have no doubt they will take care of you.
I have at least 2 dozen of their goose decoys. Bought them in 2005 or 2006. They were the hard plastic ones that had a tendency to crack. Have had at least 6 of them where the neck tubes busted out of the decoy. I called them in 2012 to discuss and they told me that I have been using them for 6 years. There was nothing they could do. Now mind your I have hundreds of goose decoys. Have dealt with Art at Big Foot since the late 80"s. He has never given me a half ass response when I have had a problem with a decoy. Live & learn plenty of decoy manufacturers out there.
DSD has been exemplary in their sales service. Dave is an upstanding guy. Known him for years. Must have been a glitch in the system. 100's...1000's of customers can attest!
Brad
These threads always remind that there's two parts to "customer service". There's customer and there's service. The problem can be the former, the latter, or both.
I once had a problem with their customer service, then more when I complained about poor customer service. But, eventually all was taken care of, all ruffled feathers smoothed. Now, if I could just keep toms from shying from the jake decoy this spring, it would be much better in my life. (IMO, the most fun you can have with one of those decoys is on a warm, later winter morning, with it set up where a gobbler flock flies down. Fortunately, our season goes until the end of January.
I emailed them and got a response the same day! I have a first generation (hard) upright hen and the head broke off at the thin part of the neck. They told me to send it to them and they will fix it free.
I had a Jake peck incessantly at my Jake DSD for an hour. I should've shot him but was waiting for the two big boys that were out about 100 yards to come by. The Jake did some damage to the decoy (1st generation ACE) and I sent it back after the season for repairs. They repaired it and even did some touch up work on the flocking on the back. In all my dealings with DSD, I've never had a negative outcome. They'll take care of you.
What Dave Smith Decoy's (I'd like to limit myself to two dekes) would you get for Colorado front range birds.
Thanks,
Upright hen and Jake or the new motion mating pair.
Got a couple of the new breeding pairs the other day.I think these will be awesome this year.Only one problem is I'm afraid to use them with all the sexual harassment talk going around the country. Seriously these things look great.Been waiting for the next innovation from DSD.
2X Brotsky, Upright hen and Jake is what I use hunting Colorado front range and have killed many Turkeys with that setup.
That's an OR phone number. Oregon residents have been too busy since the first of the year, in learning how to pump their own gasoline.
Just bought two DSDs as my Avian X was a Fail and their customer service was a Fail also.Liking the quality so far
I'd just get a jake. No need to carry 2 dekes. The lone Jake is hard to beat.
If you hunt next to your truck DSD's may be fine but if you do much hiking or running and "bowing" you may find out that non-collapsible decoys are a royal pain in the rear. They are super bulky, heavy, and you'll need a full sized pack to haul them around. If you harvest a tom you are also faced with packing out your tom, bulky decoys, bow, and other gear....not a whole lot of fun!
I used Avian X for quite a few years because they were collapsible but it takes time to blow them up and they have the same problem as DSDs when blown up. I finally converted over to miss purr-fect decoys. They collapse to the size of your hand and are super compact/light. They also set up in a fraction of a second! I've had no problem calling in toms with the miss purr-fect and am super glad I have them every time I'm hiking into rough, remote country. I have plenty of room in my pack to haul out a tom.
The next time you are hauling your DSD's up and down hills you may want to seriously consider some Miss-Purrfects!
Packing out a turkey has never been a problem. Takes 5 mins to break one down. Breast meat, legs and wings. Take the fan and beard. Done. 7 pounds extra. Hope you can handle that.
Man, if hauling DSD's around is too much for you guys I hope you never go elk hunting! :)
Hunt man and Brotsky I'd get a kick out of watching you keep up with me on an average day of gobbler hunting....especially if you are carrying an oversized pack full of decoys and equipment!
Here in Colo I turkey hunt in sheep country so that ought to tell you the extent I go to ,,,to get away from hunting pressure and harvest gobblers on an annual basis! I bet a lot of guys couldn't even make it the first 2 1/2 miles to where I start gobbler hunting...in the dark and up the cliffs! Even when I hunt the rolling hills in Nebraska I often cover 10 to 15 miles/day hiking. I would much rather carry a couple miss-purfect than a couple full size decoys! It's a lot lighter/less bulky plus easier to stalk turkeys through dense cedars.
I hunt a lot different than backing up a truck to a blind and setting up decoys!
Yep your right probably couldn’t even keep Up. Good luck this year. Hunt
I had the same response as hunt thought in my head but he beat me to it... and now after the followed responses I’m giggling.
If you’re going 10-15 miles a day, maybe you should work on your calling ;-)
exactly what I was thinking !
Hunt can call a turkey in from as far away and you are walking each day trying to find one :) Add a DSD to the mix and it's game over.
Have you guys ever tried hunting public land on the Front Range in Colo? Very few birds and lots and lots of country! Gobbler hunting here is very similar to elk hunting. Most of the public land with easy road access gets hammered pretty hard. It's a lot different than corn-fed backyard birds! I can understand how DSD's would be ideal in some areas in the East, Midwest, and other areas where properties are the size of a postage stamp but it's a bit different in most public hunting areas in the mountains-West where turkey density is fairly low and there are literally miles and miles without birds. Does it make sense to haul DSD's around in such senerios?
Here's the mountain country I hunt. I climbed up from the bottom and hiked around 2 miles in before getting into any birds!
"Have you guys ever tried hunting public land on the Front Range in Colo? " "Here in Colo I turkey hunt in sheep country so that ought to tell you the extent I go to"
No, I just drove to Nebraska or Kansas and hunted areas with a greater density of birds.
I also hunt Nebraska where there is a higher density of birds but still enjoy hiking the rolling "hills" for birds. As mentioned above I may cover 10+ miles in a day. Obviously some guys prefer being cooped up in a blind all day but I enjoy running and "gunning- bowing!" Here's a bird I got in Nebraska last year. I started hiking on the other side of the farthest ridge on the horizon.
Why I’ll pack DSD on my back as I cover miles over hill and dale... SEE LINK. for their minimum weight (to me as I’m kinda strong, kinda) they are worth it as the results with them versus without them is huge. I’m just glad I don’t set up next to my truck or in a camo shed in the spring after my 20 mile warm up hike ;-)
^^^I’ve hunted with both of these guys. I think we might have even walked up and down a hill or two. I get chuckle out of these arguments when guys don’t know anything about how someone else does or doesn’t hunt. DSD’s don’t weigh much, especially if you aren’t going with a blind.
Note to self,use Drone to carry sooooo heavy DSDs like Cali guys......:) Awesome footage every time btw.
Piss poor customer service with an attitude. Plenty of good decoys out there both turkey and goose. Spend your hard earned elsewhere.
I'm guessing that depending upon the state, country, available acres, etc that approximately 60 to 96% of turkey hunters hunt from some sort of blind that is within 1/4 mile of their truck. I would be the first to admit that the majority of hunters DSD's would be tough to beat. From all their rave reviews DSD's are about the best decoy on the market (if you can afford them).
If you read the posts above mine several people pretty much insulting me for hiking so far and that I was weak because I couldn't handle packing DSD's. I don't claim that my method of hunting is the "best" and only way but pointing out that there actually may be alternative decoys that may work to a hunter's advantage in other situations.
I'm aware that DSD's don't weigh much but it's the weight plus bulk hauling around the hills that make them a challenge for my particular method of hunting. If you think about it, what size pack or duffle will 3 DSD's fit into? There aren't many packs that will fit 2 or 3 DSD's and it is super tough stalking turkeys in trees/brush all day long with an oversized pack or decoy bag on your back. It also takes time to pack, unpack, and set up DSD's every time I run into a flock of turkeys. In some instances the lag time may be the difference between harvesting a bird or not. In my situation collapsible decoys are a definite advantage. If DSD was smart they would add to their already impressive line and come out with a collapsible decoy...they likely couldn't keep them on the shelf!
In my Colorado situation I could set up a group of decoys in the best meadow I am aware of. I may have a stray flock of turkeys come by once every few days...if I'm lucky! In Nebraska the turkeys where I hunt tend to have particular roost trees. Once they land they tend to head out into the hills for the remainder of the day to their strutting grounds (which may be 1 to 2 miles from the roost trees). I may have action first thing in the morning and again in the evening when they return. Other than that I would be faced with sitting all day in a blind twiddling my thumbs. In those cases it's to my advantage to get out and hunt them like elk all day long in the hills. DSD's would likely work fantastic first thing in the morning and evenings by the roost trees. I am fortunate and have thousands of acres available to hunt so that's the best senerio for me.
I'm sorry if I ruffled some feathers....my intensions with photos were merely to show the type of country I hunt. If you know me I never post photos on the internet so was not trying to pat myself on the back!
Nice birds Jim’s . We don’t all hunt small private land and some even hike instead of drive. Glad you have success with your hunting style. Living in the small state of Montana allows me To hunt turkeys in a wide variety of terrain . I will always have a DSD decoy with me. Sometimes one or 7 depends on the setup and hunt. Oh and we Bowhunt them. With Bows!
I own DSD’s as well and believe they are the best decoy on the market. With that said, some days I leave them at home depending on where I’m hunting. For me flexibility is the key and adapting to where or how I’m hunting.
When we hunted NW Nebraska we walked a lot of miles but it wasn’t thick and nasty like where I hunt in Missouri. Packing in the decoys for 2-3 miles in relatively open terrain was a no brainer for us.
Crawling through 80 acres of cedars (sometimes on hands and knees) to get to the 20 acre oak patch just doesn’t lend itself to having a bag of decoys draped over your shoulder. Although the DSD bags are nice in that they are solid fabric bags instead of mesh - they go through brush much easier and don’t get hung up on all the briars and branches.
-Mitch
Old School, I agree 100%!
I guess now I'm labeled as a wimpy, shotgun/rifle hunter that has never bowhunted gobblers....and with a Bow!
Jims, no one is labeling you anything. You turkey hunt in some big, pretty country. Congrats on your birds! Where you got off the rails a little is assuming all of us using DSD's hunt in the corn field in the back 40. That's simply not the case. Over the years we've all developed methods of carrying our decoys and blinds that lend them well to traversing over distance. Everyone has their own style. If you choose not to use them because they are too heavy or bulky for you that is your choice. There's a lot of guys that hunt your style and use DSD's effectively.
I apologize if it sounded like everyone that used DSD's hunts backyard corn fields. I really like Old School's post because it pretty much sums up how I feel. Being flexible and adapting to the hunting situation is super important to me. There are times I use non-collapsible decoys but most of the time when I hike 5 to 10+ miles a day in super rough terrain I prefer to go ultra-light and compact. Things can get pretty rough..especially hauling weapon, gear, turkey back to the truck after a super long day!
Obviously some guys are willing to tote DSD's everywhere they go...and I understand that completely. I was just trying to point out that there may be certain situations where it may be a lot easier toting super light and compact collapsible decoys. It's obvious that some guys took that as an insult to DSD's and I didn't mean to come across that way. If DSD's work great for you stick with them...they can't be beat!
It's obvious I hit a nerve with guys that hike and use DSDs. I apologize to anyone that thought I was coming across that way. If you believe it's worth the extra weight and bulk hauling them around...go for it!
Man. I’m doing it all wrong. I wana be like some of you turkey killers. Please show me the ways of the deep woods hard core bowhunter :-)
I could be a smart allick and say all you need is DSD's! If you have the cash DSD or other life-like decoys would be a good start. I am constantly learning things every year. Learning the art of turkey calling would be a giant step in the right direction. Knowing when to call and when to shut up is also an art. I learned a lot just spending a lot of time watching and being around turkeys. I think it's really important to watch turkeys and notice their reaction to different calls, decoy setups, etc. If something doesn't work be willing to change. It's pretty much like hunting other species...the more time you are willing to devote to it the better you will become! If you are hunting heavily pressured public land turkeys there is a big learning curve! They are a lot smarter than a lot of guys think...especially pressured birds. Their eye-sight is as good as any big game animal I have ever hunted. If they had a nose like an elk they would be a lot tougher to harvest than just about any North American critter! This is coming from a wimpy, nonbowhunter....what do I know!!!!
Regarding the blind statistics I think those numbers are true for bowhunting.For shotgunners most will NEVER hunt from a blind.Jims has posted here for many years and I've never seen a disrespectful post from him.Wires get crossed alot here when words are succinctly selected
Its funny how some ppl get worked up about ppl getting worked up about things when they think it isnt a big deal at all. And then they themselves get really worked up about somebody giving their opinion just cuz that persons opinion SEEMED to be negative towards one of their buddies....
i Will never kill another turkey if I have to pay $150 for a decoy.
I feel that way when in some states (actually a few) it costs more than that just to get a tag to kill one turkey.
I'm gonna go grab another beer.
I too hunt the mountains of Colorado for turkeys. Birds are few and far between. I don’t use a blind as that would be too much to carry. But I will pack a DSD as they are light. I carry my pack that I hunt elk with to. To me mountain turkey hunting is like mini elk hunting. Once in awhile I might not go with a decoy. If I’m hunting in dark timber or something where a decoy might not help. But overall is pretty easy to carry a decoy.
I love the challenge of bowhunting these Mtn birds.
Ermine, great display pic. I wish I was that creative.
X2 on that, that is a pretty sweet pic. I get jealous of the beautiful country you guys out west get to hunt in. Very cool
Thanks Pigsticker. I usually am always by myself so have to use The old camera on a tripod and timer trick!
