After watching the umpteen millionth video/DVD this afternoon showing a nice buck coming in to a decoy, I'm beginning to give this tactic a lot of thought.

How many of you have tried it, and with what result?

I'm also looking at Bass Pro's website, and the "official" decoy most people use (the Carry-lite) is $149.99, but they've got some of their 3-D targets which are full size and three dimensional for just $59.99. Would one of these work, or are they prone to hold more of an odor since they're made of a softer substance?

spooks the does.......cost me a buck

Hey Double, what were you using? A buck or doe decoy?

I used a Delta Riverbottom buck as a decoy last year for the first time....The does never came close to it but the buck activity was awesome...I sat on the ground behind a 3 sided turky blind from walmart and had several YOUNG bucks walk with in arm reach of me and never pay attention to me as they were to busy watching the stange buck...Best encounter was with a big 12 that snort weezed at it for 10 minutes...Then I missed him at 40 yds....I estimated him for 35 and the arrow went under him....Most fun I've had hunting was with that 3d target/decoy last year!!!

I sat up a doe decoy on the edge of long wheat lane. Hoping the bucks would come out down the lane, see the decoy and come my way. As luck would have it, 3 does and a heck of 8pt come out right in front of me. The bucks was trailing the does by about 40yds..... The does came out and immediately came straight to the decoy, sniffed, checked it out and then turned and went back the way they came, taking the buck with them.... Without the decoy they would have came right under my stand[:@]

MQ1, I used my McKenzie target as a decoy about 8yrs. ago. I was trying to get a large, wide 10pt. to come give me a look. I had been as careful as one can be about scent when I was preparing for the hunt and when I got to my spot. Early in the hunt I had the first drop tine buck I had ever seen come in with a doe. She was about 15 yds. ahead of him. As she got past me, I started focusing on him waiting for him to walk through the same shooting lane she had just passed through. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure she was still unaware of my presence, I looked just in time to watch her stop, notice the target, and then EXPLODE back in the direction they were coming from. She almost knocked the buck over trying to get out of there. Well, needless to say I thought my hunt was over, so I sat down and waited for the end of shooting time. I didn't want to get down and ruin my buddies hunt, he was about 300 yds away from me. Right at last light I heard leaves crunching behind me, I slowly turned to see that big 10 I had been chasing walking right at my tree. I did not know which side he was going to pass on, so it was difficultto get ready. He ended up walking right to my tree, stopping at the base. I came to full draw and waited for him to turn broadsisde. He turned and started walking by me, just as I was placing my pin behind his shoulder, he noticed the target and spun around running back where he came from as fast as he could. Obviously I never used my target as a decoy again! I have used the Carry-Lite's with some success. It is very fun when everything works out while you areusing a decoy. If you can, take it to your hunting area the day before you plan to hunt, hide it, andspray it well with scent eliminator. Sneak in in the morning, set it up quietly, and enjoy your hunt. Sorry this was so long, but when I read that you were thinking about trying a target as a decoy, I had to tell you that story.

Interesting topic ... ive been thinking of using a decoy here in Alabama ...now I'm not sure if I want to ..

Roll Tide
DD

I bought a Renzo (doe) decoy for this season, just to try it out. I'll keep you posted if it works at all.


Zach

I used a decoy last year that is a buck or a doe. you can blow the antlers up if you want it to be a buck. I had a buck come running in full speed last year. I had the decoy set up as a doe 20 yards from me looking at me. that buck stoped in his tracks facing the decoy so I could draw and I got him. so it seems that they work some times and not others. I never would have gotten that buck if it wasn't for the decoy. I was told to set it up like I did and you do for turkeys......facing you so the deer look at it and not you.

Remember on those videos they only show you the successful hunts, or near misses. Most likely they are given those targets in order to promote them so showing bad results wouldn't be a good idea. I've never used one but I've thought about it, I just thought you should weight their results with a little reality and this thread seems like a good weigh to do it. Thanks for posting it.