I have never tried using a decoy. This year I have a new lifelike target deer. I'm sure that I'll set it out once just to see what kind of responce that I will get. So I've been going over different things I could trie. Someone may be able to sort what not to do. Horns on or off, I can think of both pros and cons to both. Say 20 yards from your stand, up wind, not sure how close they will come in to the decoy. I would imagine you could call more with a decoy, yea but not toooo much. I'm sure saftey is a concern. never a slimm chance that I would ever try this durring gun season. And I would still bring it in in a orange bag. Or is this more crap to try to drag into the woods. Seems like it might be neet to try though.

I've had limited success with a decoy. Mine tho is the bedded Feather Flex. What I've seen at least here in PA is that the deer become alert to the decoy. Somewhat uneasy about the whole thing cause a) it's new to them and b) it's not moving. I'd be wary about putting the target 20 yards upwind to you. It's likely that deer, especially mature bucks will approach it downwind which might put the deer downwind to you and blow the deal. I'd sit the decoy out cross wind or slightly up/cross wind so approaching deer might circle to downwind of the decoy but not downwind to yourself still putting approaching deer within bow range. Lots to think about I know. The other thing is you should descent the target as best as possible from you handling it and shooting into it if that's what your doing.

Decoys can be alot of fun simply to watch the behavior of the approaching deer but when I'm after a solid mature buck, I want him as calm and relaxed as possible as to not bring attention to myself or my location. Give a shot and tell us your results, they can and sometimes do differ from anyone elses.

I only used mine 3 times last year, and they all 3 were probably the best days I had. With out making it a 5 page story........I had the biggest buck I've ever seen walk circles around it and ram it, and numerous and does bucks checked it out and were around it for long periods of time(within 5 yards of the decoy sometimes even sniffing it , and I was 17 yards away.) Needless to say, I'll be hunting with it often this season!

Good Luck!

One night last year during the rut I had a buck attack my mcenze buck target so I figured I would try it as a decoy. I didn't get much of a responce from it but I will try it again this year a few times just to see what happenes.
A short discussion with the owner of my local pro shop tonight was about how decoys are a very overlooked tactic for tagging deer.

I also have a feather flex bedded deer.I also have seen deer become uneasy around it.Then I started using non estrous doe urind around it.It seemed to give them a much more relaxed feeling.I have not tried it in years.I played with it a few times and have never messed with it again.