RE: how many of you use deer decoys?
 

I use a McKensie ' alert' target with push in fork horns. I hunt my own property and have a permanent stand, at the end of the day I just drag the decoy under my stand. I have a nice trail by my stand and set up just off the trail. My stand is about 30 yards from the front and back of the decoy. I have had success at grunting and rattling while using the decoy and the bucks normally approach from behind and will, at some point, go to the head. Almost every buck out there feels dominant over the forky. We have a 3-D course set up in our back yard with 20 targets and last year my target buck got torn up. His legs were broken off where the metal stake up the legs ends. His neck and sides were gouged.
I do use buck urine under the decoy in the woods. Happy hunting, works for me.

RE: how many of you use deer decoys?
 

A couple years ago, my hunting buddy bought a decoy and deployed it the first time during the rut. On it' s maiden voyage, he saw the buck of a lifetime headed his way on a trail that would offer numerous shots at ranges from 3 yards on out. It was coming in fine . . . until it saw his decoy. It changed course immediately to avoid the decoy. He said it was because his decoy was too ugly and this buck was used to getting all the pretty does! [:o]

My only experience with " decoys" was watching the reaction of 2 does and a buck that were checking out my 3D target in my backyard. They were completely mesmerized by it and paid no attention to us watching them from our kitchen table less than 10 yards away. They stayed about 25 yards away from it and when they couldn' t get it to move, they got nervous and finally trotted off.