Deer decoy advice needed

[fairchaser]

I never thought of using them but I think I have the perfect situation. It's a large open area with low vegetation. Does will come out and stand there looking back into cover waiting. After 4-5 minutes, they give up and move on.

In my head, the buck of my dreams is hanging back and not willing to venture out into the open. I figured the doe wasn't in estrus so his interest was just casual. I was thinking of using a doe decoy or even a buck next season.

What kind of decoy(s) would you use if any? Also what brand would be best. Have you used them with success?

 

[cbhunter]

If I went through the trouble, it would be a buck decoy for sure. Wish I had good info for you but I don't. Good luck

 

[timberjack86]

I'd probably set up in the cover.

 

[fairchaser]

I'd probably set up in the cover.

I agree and typically I would but the tree that I hunt from gives me perfect access and with the right wind, I'm undetectable. The surrounding cover is a super dense thicket with no trees to climb. The deer need to cross there or go a long way around. Several bucks do cross and I've killed a couple but I was thinking a decoy might help.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I don't have any suggestions, as I've never used one. We have several deer decoys at our place, and will have several places to try using one after our logging operation this coming season. I plan on trying it out in the early season. I typically don't hunt fields except for that time period

 

[Matador]

I have used decoys several times with good results. I have actually had bucks come to doe decoy and circle down wind. I have killed several bucks that decoys have drawn them in or at least stopped them long enough for me to get a good shot. I do use them real close to the rut. I usually use a doe decoy. I have used a buck decoy a few times but they will sometimes spook does off. I think decoys are worth the effort and the best kind to me are the bow target kind. Good luck.

 

[Smoke]

I had the same idea during bow season. Bedding area across the field and alot of times bucks will just work the edge or inside of the woods. Didn't have any good bucks work the decoy but some smaller ones worked it perfect. Meant to try it out during gun seasons but never did. Does didn't seem to like it too much. They'd stand and stare at it.

 

[Heath423]

I have never used a decoy. However, the THP group use them often and have a couple great video's and POD cast on the subject. They typically only use Buck decoy to bring in other bucks.

 

[Mike Belt]

I've used one from time to time. I think mine is a Flambeau (sp?). I used it as a buck and a doe. Either way my typical response from does is to flee. I've switched over to using it strictly as a buck and had some success doing that. Bucks will usually at least stop to give it a look. This sometimes gives you a shot opportunity that you wouldn't have had especially when hunting narrow openings or when the buck is chasing a doe. I haven't had one all out attack my decoy yet but have had several come in with ears laid back and get nose to nose with it. I have had several of my 3D targets attacked in the back yard and have had 2 of those destroyed. When I set mine up I always set it up where the decoy is either facing me or quartering towards me. Approaching bucks tend to come circling in to get face to face. This often gives you a shot when they're between you and the deke and they're so concentrated on it that you can get by with some movement.

 

[BSK]

We've experienced very poor results with decoys. Usually scares the crap out of deer and they run.

 

[Kirk]

Many years ago I had a delta deer target with a removable head. The target was too heavy to lug into the woods as a decoy so I just took the head. I fashioned a device to hang the head on a tree about the right height. It didn't attract any deer closer but it did make a few do a double take.

 

[RS]

I don't think I'd use one in TN, but I've had pretty good luck in Kansas. Some bucks will run from it, others will destroy it. Here are some screen shoots from a video I took in Kansas a few years ago.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

That's great RS!

 

[BSK]

That's a howl RS! Great post!

 

[DeerCamp]

I never thought of using them but I think I have the perfect situation. It's a large open area with low vegetation. Does will come out and stand there looking back into cover waiting. After 4-5 minutes, they give up and move on.

In my head, the buck of my dreams is hanging back and not willing to venture out into the open. I figured the doe wasn't in estrus so his interest was just casual. I was thinking of using a doe decoy or even a buck next season.

What kind of decoy(s) would you use if any? Also what brand would be best. Have you used them with success?

Is this property you own or at least can make changes to?

If so, might consider throwing up some Egyptian wheat or other screening between the woods and plot.

This might force the buck to come into the open to survey the field, rather than hang back in the woods.

That said, if it's a mature buck I'd definitely use a buck decoy. From what I've seen the archery target ones work just fine from a distance.

Had a buck tears our up last year on the archery range.

 

[Outrigger]

I don't know that there is one best brand or type to use. Depends on the time of year, how far you have to lug it in, how hard the deer have been hunted, among other things. They can work, and work good. I will second the benefit that they provide by distracting the deer's attention away from the hunter. Even if you don't harvest a deer over a decoy, they can create a very entertaining hunt. It can be anywhere from amusing to fascinating to watch deer react to decoys.

 

[FTG-05]

I prefer to use live bait; specifically one of my cats.

Cats and deer have a "thing" for each other. Every time I catch them together, it's like busting a door down in a cheap motel with two consenting adults inside that aren't married to each other. Weird.

The last time I used one, it was Butter; I shot three deer in 15 minutes. It was a massacre. I only got two deer hearts out of all of them.

 

[Spurhunter]

I've tried a doe decoy several times in situations I thought it would be automatic. It was not. I see the videos on youtube, but it never worked out like that for me.

 

[BSK]

I prefer to use live bait; specifically one of my cats.

Cats and deer have a "thing" for each other. Every time I catch them together, it's like busting a door down in a cheap motel with two consenting adults inside that aren't married to each other. Weird.

The last time I used one, it was Butter; I shot three deer in 15 minutes. It was a massacre. I only got two deer hearts out of all of them.

This post is so interesting, I want to know more!

 

[sdiversbd]

I never thought of using them but I think I have the perfect situation. It's a large open area with low vegetation. Does will come out and stand there looking back into cover waiting. After 4-5 minutes, they give up and move on.

In my head, the buck of my dreams is hanging back and not willing to venture out into the open. I figured the doe wasn't in estrus so his interest was just casual. I was thinking of using a doe decoy or even a buck next season.

What kind of decoy(s) would you use if any? Also what brand would be best. Have you used them with success?

Primos Scar. Can setup as a buck or doe. Tail and head move in the wind. Has brought in does. I got an 8 point off of the doe decoy, with doe in heat scent.

 

[Mike Belt]

I'll add that a small bit of motion does wonders to attract deer where they may not have seen the decoy initially. I used a battery operated tail wager for a while but they tend to make a "clicking" sound so I quit. I went through a couple of them with the same results. Now I just use a sheet of a paper towel that will lightly blow in the wind.

 

[gatodoc]

I've set up a buck decoy in fields several times. So far only had young bucks come to check them out.

left an archery buck decoy in a field in AL last year during the rut ( bout now) the next day it was knocked over and laying 30yrds away next to a trail leaving the field. One leg was missing. Never got a picture. But kept looking for a buck with the fake leg stuck on his antlers.

 

[Headhunter]

I'd probably set up in the cover.

My advice is NOT to set up in the cover. It is very difficult to place a decoy where deer will see it and also a deer standing dead still, decoy, in cover especially thick cover, is an ALARM to other deer. Deer react in many ways to a decoy, in the wide open, they generally at least come look at it, although they do ignore it at times. Every single time I have placed a decoy in cover, every single deer that did see it, spooked and quickly.

I have killed several does when using a decoy as a doe. Does hate an "unknown" doe showing up. They will check out a doe decoy quickly and they focus on it. Not really, but it seems like you could go jumping jacks and they wouldn't notice you.

I believe a decoy that is a buck is best for bucks. Several bucks have came to a buck decoy for me, just nothing I wanted to kill.

The hardest part is placing the decoy so deer can see it. It is crazy to put a decoy out and think most any deer that comes by can see it, but my biggest issue has been deer I can see from the stand but they never see the decoy. The deer needs to see the decoy for it to attract them and it is hard to get a decoy where they can be easily seen by the deer.