How many use Decoys???
 

Just wondering what all decoys you guys use and how well they work for ya?

RE: How many use Decoys???
 

Never have on deer, only on turkeys.

RE: How many use Decoys???
 

I've never used on for deer either.

RE: How many use Decoys???
 

I took a nice buck one time using a McKenzie target with a film canister and Doe-in-heat scent, on a cotton ball, inserted in the rear end of the target.

We used the same set up for my dad to take a buck also.

There are a few things I've noticed though.


It seems to me that does are really suspicious of decoys for some reason. I've watched them stand and stare, snort, stomp and run from it.

I'll tell you another thing that is sorta funny when using a decoy. One time I missed a buck as he came running acros a field and right up to my decoy. He had his head low just like when they are chasing does. I saw him coming across the field and got excited. Anyway, I missed the shot. The buck jumped back and stared at the decoy and then looked at me. Then back at the decoy and then at me. ( I was hunting from the ground because I couldn't carry the decoy and a tree stand )

It seemed as though, because the decoy wouldn't run the buck wouldn't either. As the buck stood there, I got another arrow out of my quiver and missed again. This time he ran. Too much excitement.

RE: How many use Decoys???
 

This decoy/ doe-in-heat set up works good if you find a small field that bucks like to chase does in.


This is what we had. It was a small field way back in surrounded by woods. I had been hunting that field for several evenings. Each evening, there were a couple bucks chasing does around the field. The rut was in full swing.

I would wait in my treestand at the edge of the field but they wouldn't come within range. I got a brain storm. I was going to give them a doe that wouldn't run.

I drilled a hole in the rear of my McKenzie target, big enough to insert a 35mm film canister. I put a cottonball in it and soakedit in doe-in-heat scent.

Early the next afternoon, I took my decoy to the field and set it up. I then got a clean rag and put some doe-in-heat on it and dragged itacross the field to the decoy. I made several drags from different places in the field, all leading to the decoy.

It worked but I missed. A couple days later I tagged a buck from a different hunting area. Since I was tagless, I took my dad to this field and did the same set up. He ended up getting oneof the other bucks that afternoon. I had a ringside seat to all the action. I still kick myself for not taking the video camera.

RE: How many use Decoys???
 

I have had a ball with a decoy through the years....First let me say, you need to be real careful about the setup, so you don't get shot by another hunter, but thats also true during turkey season...Anyway....

One of our farms in eastern NC has a perfect field for a decoy...Its on the backside of the farm, and has a cutover on each side...We go in and lock the front gate, and leave our truck so its obvious we are hunting there...We call the back field the Killing Field, has been called that at least 25 years....You literally can't go there without seeing deer....When that field is in cut corn we setup the decoy, I put a little Tinks on a strip of TP and hang it beside the tail, the wind helps it flutter a little in the breeze...
We set up on the ground, in a natural blind area, with one shooter and one rattler....We have pulled as many as 6 bucks out of those cutovers in a afternoon....Funny thing is it seems the bigger bucks can't stand it when they hit the field and see that "other" deer...Whether it is a buck with buck pee or a doe with 69....They have to stroll over...It sure adds another twist to deer hunting...

RE: How many use Decoys???
 

I am buying one tomorrow. To asist in those unsure deer that are not sure if they want to come in. Hope to have some fun with it.

RE: How many use Decoys???
 

Here's the story on the buck I got, using the improvised decoy;

My dad knew a guy that had an old house ,set back in, surrounded by woods. The guy did not live in the house. He just mowed the grass in the summer. It was abandoned and in ruff shape.

The yard had everthing in it. Grape arbor, chestnut tree, walnut trees, apple trees, ginseng plants, etc... The previous owner must have been an outdoor kind of guy.

Anyway, there were always deer coming in this yard. They'd come in and eat the fallen apples. Bucks would make scrapes in the yard and all.

My dad and I even shot several does, during the archery season, over the years, right off the back porch.

Well one afternoon, I saw a nice buck cut through the top corner of the yard and continue through the woods. I grunted a few times but he had his mind on chasing does.

The next afternoon I took the McKenzie and set it up about 20yds from the porch. It was raining.

I got on the porch and was waiting for about an hour and a half watching the corner of the yard. Usually you can hear the deer approaching the yard as they walk through the leaves in the woods. Since it was raining< I couldn't hear anything. I was looking around and looked back at the decoy behind me.

There he was. Standing right behind the decoy. His attention was so focused on that decoyI was able to slowly turn around, draw and shoot.

RE: How many use Decoys???
 

I was seriously thinking of trying one this season, I think it might add somethingto the hunt. :)

RE: How many use Decoys???
 

I've been using deer decoys for~15 yrs, and have enjoyed many, manyhunts because of them. You get to see and study social behaviors not often seen.However,I have shifted to using decoys less and less over the years. WhenI do use them, I often use a buck decoy, sometimes justa doe decoy, or once in a while, both - it's all situational dependent and based on past experience. There can beadown side tousing decoys.I never use a decoy when I amprimarily interested in harvesting a doe.Also, there are twohunts forever etched in my mind - would either of thesemature buckshave continuedhis approachif I had not been using a decoy?Decoys have their place, but if they worked all the time, everyone would be using them...
-fsh