Buellhunter

Well, for the second time this year I had a buck see my decoy and head the other way.
First one was 3 weeks ago. I had the decoy,set up as a doe, 22 yards from my tree on the edge of a picked bean field.
A nice 8 or 10 point comes around the corner of the field, eating left over beans on the edge. he is headed right to me. He picked up his head,saw the decoy,stomped,snorted and went to the other side of the small cornerpart of the field I was hunting and stood there,looking at the decoy and snorting. I had the wind in my favor,decoys butt end facing the buck,doe pee on a scent wick.
He went into the other section of woods and I could hear him snorting and blowing over there for about 5-10 minutes.

Yesterday, I had the decoy set up as a buck with a small 6 point rack on him about 20 yards from my tree. I was in the woods but it is pretty open around there.
At 9:20 a 6 point buck(might have been an 8) comes up the trail,sees the decoy. Same thing,stomp,snort,look at the decoy. He then took an alternate trail around a big brush pile and I watched him trot clear to the south end of the woods. He was much bigger than the decoy so i don't think he should have been scared of it in a "there's a more dominate buck" kind of way?
Very frustrating.
Again, I had the wind and the buck did not see me.

Anyone else have this happen while using decoys?
I think both these bucks would've offered me shots if it weren't for the decoy.
I am leaving it home from now on!
If it worked, it would be worth the PITA it is to carry in and set up.
I don't need anything to scare deer away.
PS
Yes, I sprayed it down good with scent killer and only handled it with gloves on so it didn't smell like me.

kevin1

I had the same experience this weekend , two different deer made wide swings to leave the area , even when I grunted at them . The deke will be leaving the woods as soon as I get home today . [:@]

Buellhunter

Glad I'm not the only one.
Sorry your hunt was ruined too.

justhunt

I'm putting mine on ebay next week. Same results as you guys.

MC Bowhunter

I would say it just depends on the mood of the deer. I used one last week some. Never had a deer spook because of it. Had 2 does walk right up to it on 2 seperate hunts. I had it set up 18 yards in front of my stand. Ionly put one side of the rack on. I can see where it could screw you out of a shot. But it could also bring that big boy in close enough for a shot. It's a toss up really.
Darrall

stikbow26

Well killed my buck this year with the decoy and we decoyed around 9 bucks with it. First i am no expert i was only doing what my buddy who has been decoying for years told me. I only use it as a buck and i only use 1 antler on it so the little bucks dont freak out and after i set it up i spray the whole thing with scent shield so they cant smell any human and i use no other scents with it. I even had does come right up to it. Walt

hardcorehunter

I have had more failures with scaring deer with decoys than positive things happen with them. Does willl not tolerate them at all for me. My best success has been with antlers on my Flambeau Redidoe. I had a buck spot it from 200 yds way in a hayfield and come right in and walk by me at bow range. I never used it this year andI also swore off lures and other crap this year. It worked for us great. Just stick with rattling(real antlers), buck grunts, and doe bleats. Nothing works good too.

Dr Andy

Worked well for me last year. Set up a doe decoy in the am after a snowstorm, at first light had a nine pointer run up to it and now he's on the wall! A couple minutes later i did see a doe sneaking away! I guess he mistook the decoy for his girlfreind. When i use a buck decoy I use only one antler. The decoys do sometimes get ignored. This may be like in goose hunting the resident geese are hard to fool they've seen it all! Since more people are using decoys maybe the deer are getting harder to fool!

whitetailsoldier

Hey guysI hear ya. I try not to let my decoys stand in pionts of access going from a field to a crop.or vice versa! the expeirences ive had all point to deer having a hightened sense of awarness when changing terrain. I believe they feel the most vaulnerable during the transition.I Have never had decoy success, when the Buck stumbles upon the decoy. All of my interactions with a posotive outcome happen when the buck sees the decoy from a far distanceand makes a Conscious decision to approach.
Good luck and dont give up, IT works!

Buellhunter

Using just one antler is something I had not heard before.
Does this make the decoy less threatening to the other bucks?