How to use deer decoys
 

I thought I would try decoying deer this year . I have never tried before and would like some pointers from others that have . I ain't young -- just an old dog wanting to know new tricks . joe in okla

Hey Joe,
Try setting up the decoy a good distance away from you but in your shooting range(Bow or Gun).
If you've done any Duck hunting it's kinda the same.
The one thing to remember is that if you have a Doe decoy the bucks will try to come up behind it and scent it, and with buck decoy's most of the time bucks will come up face to face with the decoy.You should place the decoy where you can see it broadside.
And use scents to add to the realism.
Good luck from another Okie!

Do you place them in the open or at the edge of brush ? thanks . joe in okla

Decoying can be one of the most rewarding and frustrating hunting tactics you can use. I took the deer in my avatar using a Delta buck decoy, so I can honestly say I have had one work for me. That buck was the dominate buck and he was absolutely ticked off that there was another buck in his territory. He made a bee line straight for my decoy.

Other days I have wanted to throw the thing in the trash. The antlers Delta provides are a basket 6-point. Believe it or not it I have had several nice 8-pointers tuck and run from this thing. Your medium sized bucks just aren't looking for a fight. This year I am going to equip mine with shed fork antlers and see if this helps.

As far as set-up goes #1Predator has it right. You want to set the decoy up with a bucks approach in mind. Does will go nuts over a decoy. They will stomp and snort at one just trying to get it to move. They will keep their distance, but they will get as close as comfortable in order to get a better look. When you set one up you want it to be as visible as possible. A decoy only works if deer can see it. You don't want to set it up in an unnatural spot where it looks out of place, but you want to make sure it can be seen. In the open works best, but on the edge of brush might work well if that is where deer normally travel through.

Hope this helps. Good luck this year!

That's how I shot a huge doe last year using 2-D doe dekes. One was in an eating pose, the other was in an alert pose, both had home made cloth tails pinned to them scented with Deer Dander™. I had them positioned about 30 yards downhill from my blind.

I have never used a decoy. I always hunt public land here in New England and most places have low-medium hunting pressure.

I would be very concerned with the safety part of it. I would hate to have shots fired in my direction by other hunters who mistake my decoy for the real thing.

Is this something I should be concerned with if I decide to use a decy this hunting season?

Wearing orange is definitely reccomended while setting them up and taking them down. The reason I use the 2-D dekes is that they fold into a small parcel that no longer looks like a deer walking along, they're very easy to conceal from dipsheits who might take a potshot at them otherwise. The plastic ones usually stow inside themselves and travel in an opaque bag, but if it doesn't come with one you can buy one for it.

I am not sure I would ever use my decoy on public land. Even with orange all over the thing I am still not sure I would trust the other hunters enough to trust them with my life. I hunt on my families property where it is only my dad and myself in the woods. I know I can trust him, but I wouldn't be too sure about others. The 2-D decoys would be a good way to go on public land.

After you find a spot for your decoy, your next consideration is how to position it. There are a couple of things you really need to keep in mind.

1. Someone else might very well shoot at it, so you don’t want to crouch behind it. An added safety measure is to add bright orange tape or a rag nearby so that a hunter with his eye on your “buck” will notice it. (A giant flapping flag is probably not a good idea if you’re hoping to attract anything other than the wrong kind of attention).

2. The other thing to consider is that the more open the area is, the more likely your decoy will be spotted. Placement in an opening is good; doing so near a bush or log is preferable if your decoy is the type without a full set of legs.

I hope this helps,

Donnie

I have never hunted with a decoy but I believe it could be very rewarding or frustrating....good advice here though. I might just have to try it.