I was just curious, do you guys that use deer decoys prefer laying or stand decoys? Or any at all!? I' ve never used a decoy, but I plan to start this year. It seems to me that if a deer seen another deer bedded and relaxed, it would assume that all was well and come in to check it out. But thats just a theory.

I really started thinking about trying dekes about two years ago while hunting on my regular stomping grounds. I had just finished my first rattling sequence of the morning. The rut was full swing so I expected decent results. So here I am 25ft up a tree, I had JUST sat down when I heard the classic russling of leaves coming up from behind me. The tree was blocking me, so I slowly got up to prepare. When it finally came into view, there stood a beautiful 10-point buck!!! So it was all picture perfect right.......WRONG!!! The bahemuth was between 45 and 50yrds, which is allitle farther than I feel comfortable shooting. And he was' nt getting any closer. He was constantly looking in the direction the rattling had came from, which means that I couldn' t use a call in fear I would be pinpointed. Out of desperation, I waited until he was almost back into cover, and took a chance on drawing. I knew I would never see the monster again, and I just HAD to get a shot (Im sure most of you know how it is) so I took a shot that soared just over his vitals. I never seen the buck again(just as I thought). A buddie of mine however, who was hunting the same property reported that he saw him or something just like him later on that morning, but he was about 100yrds up the mountian away, but that the last anyone has seen of him. This was honestly a very true, very disappointing story. I feel that if I' d of had a well placed decoy, the tables may have been turned on that beauty. But like I said, I' ve never used a decoy. So what do you guys think?? Thanks, and Good Hunting

I have never used a decoy in 30 years of bowhunting whitetails. I have a buddy that went with me to my leased ground in Illinois last year. He took a standing decoy with him. Every single night he would come back to camp with these stories of bucks coming in to the decoy. At first I did not know whether to believe him, so after the third night of hearing the same thing about how great the decoy worked, I told him to take my spare video camera and get some of this action on film. He promptly pulled out his own camera and started showing us the footage! Sure enough, he had several smaller bucks, and 2 more that would go about 130" right in to the decoy. On our 5th day there, he video taped a big buck in a field 250 yards away. He used a primos can call, and the buck came in at a run, slid to a stop 50 yards out, then proceeded to walk right up to the decoy. That 150" eight point is now hanging on John`s wall, and I have the same decoy just waiting for this season to start!

i llike to use the standing decoy but in the feeding position. i think it makes the deer coming in more at ease. i also use the battery powered tail wager because without any movement they do get suspicious.

I never used one wither, but my boss uses one. He gets a nice buck just about every year useing his. Im trying one this year to see how it goes.

antlergetter, I had the same thing happe to me last year and the buck (about 140 class) stood motionless in a clump of brush for over 10 minutes at 45 yards looking for the deer he heard. He was so still that Id lose him for a minute and have trouble picking him back up with binos. Where was my decoy? Well it was 125 yards away at a buddys stand, I was letting him try it out, big mistake, I prefer a standing decoy but only because it is higher off the ground and easier to see.