I was wondering if I should use a doe decoy to lure does and bucks onto my land. Will it scare away smaller does? Should I even try using it for my deer stand? I read somewhere that a deer decoy will scare off less dominant deer.

Its 50/50 man, A decoy wont draw the deer to your land, you have to find other sources to do that, a decoy may help you get a deer but wont attract then to your property and hold them there.

My stand is setup so that deer walk within 30 yards of me. I wanted to use the deer decoy, to try to stop them from walking, long enough for me to get off a good shot. I can get off a shot when they walk pass me, but it will have to be very quick. The other reason I wanted to use the decoy was that I wanted to draw the deers attention off of me and somewhere else to the decoy.But I don't want to spook any small deer away by using the decoy ( I will be hunting from the ground). Because the bucks and theydoes stay close when they use that trail. So if a little deer runs, all the deer run. Not good for me.

I used a doe decoy one time and had two very nice Iowa monsters show up at the same time but they were in such a high state of alert that they saw me move through the tree I was in. Yes I was in a huge walnut tree and my stand was on the opposite side of the tree as the deer and they busted me dead when I tried to stand up. I have never used a decoy since[:-]. I think in the right situation they would work fine like out in a field or food plot but not in a timber.

If I did use one, it would be the edge of a field, where the deer follow the tree line to the woods.

General consensus is that a doe decoy is MORE likely to scare off does than a buck decoy. Does fit into a hierarchy just like bucks do....and a dominant doe in an area won't take kindly to the intrusion (in some cases).

If "I" were going to use a decoy....."I" would use a half-racked buck (preferrably small). This is what i would do in "my" situation.....and likely yours (as described by you).

Caveat is....I wouldn't use one this time of year.

I know this isn't the best time to use a decoy. I just though it might help me harvest a deer.

Last year I used a doe decoy on the edge of a large field and I was in the treeline. Two does came from about 300 yards away down a fencerow/waterway. They crested a small rise about 30 yards away and spotted the decoy and immediately went on alert. Behind the does about 20 yards was a 160"+ buck, biggest deer I nearly had an opportunity on. The does began to mill around and stomp, so the buck also got very nervous. the does decided they didn't like the decoy, and turned around and trotted off, with the buck to follow.

I think that GMMAT is right, using an inferior buck decoy is a better option that a doe decoy. The bucks will run off that smaller one, as opposed to checking out a doe. I think in tandem the decoys also work well, but a doe by herself I think is more harm than good.

Ok, I'll try a little buck decoy. Thanks!