Deer decoys..?

[j.trevor123]

So I have been wondering how they work. Does anyone use them? If so how do they work? Do they work different depending on leases/ location. Do you prefer buck or doe decoys. I was debating getting one and curious as to other people results using them.

[Horitexan]

I just put out a hunter who wanted to use a buck decoy and a doe decoy. I helped him set them up. There's about 8 scrapes within 50yds of the blind I put him in. We'll see how the decoys work, I guess.

[Big Sendero]

I used a doe decoy two times this year. First time was in Kansas two weeks ago. I killed a 10 point mature buck as he came in to check her out. The second time was at Hagerman last weekend. I had a couple of younger bucks come in and check her out.

I will say that the decoy puts them on high alert. They know something is not right, but they still come in close enough to double check. My advice if you plan to use one is to make sure you are hidden really well in a blind or really high in a tree stand so that you are out of their line of sight.

[docmay]

I have had mixed results with a decoy. My worst luck was with doe decoys. Everything seemed spooky and does would blow out like they knew it was fake. Have had some luck with buck decoys. Had one buck at 25 yards in Iowa for 30 minutes four years ago. He sat there and stared and drooled the whole time. I have had buck run from the decoy as well. Several years ago in Kansas, I had a big 10 point(160-170inches) pushing a doe toward my stand. I had a buck decoy on a field edge in front of me at 20 yards or so. They got to 100 yards and saw the decoy. The doe seemed to want to conitnue toward me but the buck herded her away and pushed her out in to the field and away. I still think in that case they would have come by the natural travel route and given me a shot if the decoy was not out. I have had it really seem to work with rattling. They seem reassured to see another buck. All that being said, I have not killed over a decoy. When they work the show is fun to watch.

[Brian H]

Use a buck in pre-rut, and a doe in rut. They will come check them out. They g to a buck decoys head and a doe decoys tail.

[j.trevor123]

Some good info there, thanks

[j.trevor123]

I just put out a hunter who wanted to use a buck decoy and a doe decoy. I helped him set them up. There's about 8 scrapes within 50yds of the blind I put him in. We'll see how the decoys work, I guess.

Let us know how that works out

[Dejashoot]

I have used an alert doe the last couple of weekends at different sets. Mixed results. I'm using an alert doe and I think that may be part of the problem. I just got in a feeding doe decoy in today that I ordered. Will put it out this weekend and see if there is a different. With the alert doe decoy, the bucks would come in and check her out (had one come to 15 yards and tend grunt her and paw the ground for 10 minutes). Does see her and get uneasy.

As said, bucks approach the doe decoy from behind so set up appropriately.

[taytay21]

i had a great buck mount a doe decoy last year that i had sprayed with golden estrous. also had a small buck try to mount the same decoy from the back and the front. they work.

[Okiehunter]

I used a Montana Decoy Dream Team the last two weekends in Cottle County. The biologist tells us the buck to doe ratio in one to two. Here is my experience.

I set both the buck and doe (with a little Franks on the doe) up in an open field between two large tracks of typical Cottle county mesquite and cedar tree flats.

This was Nov 9th calm and cool morning. Had a mule deer doe walk across the field about 150 years from the decoys and crossed a fence. She then walked down the fence/tree line past (downwind) the decoys and circled in downwind and walked to within 10 yards of the decoys and checked them out. After she checked them out, she walked off, occasionally looking back. She walked to a feeder about 330 yards away and got her belly full.

Last Saturday, warm and WINDY. I set the two decoys in the corner of a “want to be” wheat field, about 75 yards from one tree line and about 100 yards from the other. The decoys were about 100 yards from a feeder. Did I mention that it was windy, so windy that one end of the doe decoy pulled out of the ground and she swung around like a flag. A lone buck walked along the tree line towards the decoys never taking his eyes off the two decoys. He walked all the way to my blind before I shot him.

I think if your buck to doe ratio is close then the decoys work. If you are hunting where you have 25 does to every buck I suspect you are better off without a decoy. The closer to the rut the better. I will use them again if the conditions are right.



BTW - these decoys are easy to use and light to carry.

[catfishryan]

i bought a pretty good one about 5 years ago and every year i tell myself im gonna try it out and i never do. i took it to kansas last time and never took it out of the truck. i think im gonna put it up next week in north tx just for educational purposes. think a doe or a buck decoy would work better during rut ? i would think doe but if a buck smells estrous, is looking for the doe, and sees the imposter buck. thats got to make him mad ?

[j.trevor123]

I used a Montana Decoy Dream Team the last two weekends in Cottle County. The biologist tells us the buck to doe ratio in one to two. Here is my experience.

I set both the buck and doe (with a little Franks on the doe) up in an open field between two large tracks of typical Cottle county mesquite and cedar tree flats.

This was Nov 9th calm and cool morning. Had a mule deer doe walk across the field about 150 years from the decoys and crossed a fence. She then walked down the fence/tree line past (downwind) the decoys and circled in downwind and walked to within 10 yards of the decoys and checked them out. After she checked them out, she walked off, occasionally looking back. She walked to a feeder about 330 yards away and got her belly full.

Last Saturday, warm and WINDY. I set the two decoys in the corner of a “want to be” wheat field, about 75 yards from one tree line and about 100 yards from the other. The decoys were about 100 yards from a feeder. Did I mention that it was windy, so windy that one end of the doe decoy pulled out of the ground and she swung around like a flag. A lone buck walked along the tree line towards the decoys never taking his eyes off the two decoys. He walked all the way to my blind before I shot him.

I think if your buck to doe ratio is close then the decoys work. If you are hunting where you have 25 does to every buck I suspect you are better off without a decoy. The closer to the rut the better. I will use them again if the conditions are right.



BTW - these decoys are easy to use and light to carry.

Thanks for the post. Seems like a lot of people use them up north a lot. I may get one and give it a shot.

[Fling em]

I used a Montana Decoy Dream Team the last two weekends in Cottle County. The biologist tells us the buck to doe ratio in one to two. Here is my experience.

I set both the buck and doe (with a little Franks on the doe) up in an open field between two large tracks of typical Cottle county mesquite and cedar tree flats.

This was Nov 9th calm and cool morning. Had a mule deer doe walk across the field about 150 years from the decoys and crossed a fence. She then walked down the fence/tree line past (downwind) the decoys and circled in downwind and walked to within 10 yards of the decoys and checked them out. After she checked them out, she walked off, occasionally looking back. She walked to a feeder about 330 yards away and got her belly full.

Last Saturday, warm and WINDY. I set the two decoys in the corner of a “want to be” wheat field, about 75 yards from one tree line and about 100 yards from the other. The decoys were about 100 yards from a feeder. Did I mention that it was windy, so windy that one end of the doe decoy pulled out of the ground and she swung around like a flag. A lone buck walked along the tree line towards the decoys never taking his eyes off the two decoys. He walked all the way to my blind before I shot him.

I think if your buck to doe ratio is close then the decoys work. If you are hunting where you have 25 does to every buck I suspect you are better off without a decoy. The closer to the rut the better. I will use them again if the conditions are right.



BTW - these decoys are easy to use and light to carry.

It a decoy will pull them in from 150 YEARS away, I'm going to get me a couple of those jokers!

[ajcarricktx]

If you do use one make sure it's scent free to start. Spray it down real good with some sort of scent eliminator. I have seen them get attacked and gored during the rut. Put a set of smaller antlers to make them look like a young buck and use a grunt call with it. My father has even had his 3d archery target attacked and tore apart right in the hard in Illinois at the ranch he works on.

[kerrbow]

On Nov 7th in Kansas I had a Scarface buck decoy set up along a field edge facing my popup and at sunset it pulled in a "170" inch bruiser in to 20 yds. Never knew I was around.