Anyone use a decoy?

[TXJon]

Put out some Code Blue a few days ago, and had a nice 8 that wanted to come in. He checked things out from 30 yds away, through some brush, walked around and checked things out from another angle, didn't see enough to interest him and wandered away.

I was wondering if a decoy might bring him that extra 10 yards into the open. Or is it just another way to spend some cash?

[GARY]

I saw the use for one this year in Illinois. I will have one for next year.

[bbinford]

I've never used one, I've been interested in trying it out. I'll probably buy one before next season.

[huntresss]

I used one for the first time Thursday evening. We had been seeing a large number of bucks on our property that we had never seen before, so we knew that they were on the move. I set up near a feeder that a bunch of whitetail does had been frequenting and then watched the show. First, a group of young hogs tried to come in. They were straight upwind from me and came running into the corn then as soon as they crested the hill and saw that doe decoy you would've thought I jumped up and said "boo" at them. Then two fallow does came in and reacted the same way. When the whitetail finally tried to come in and reacted the same way, I vowed I'd never waste my time hauling that chunk of junk out in the woods again! I felt like I wasted my entire evening by scaring off every critter in the woods. Maybe it would have worked someplace else, but I can only tell you what happened to me the one time I tried using it. I think I'll use it to try and decoy in a poacher next week when our gun season opens. Maybe I'll have better success then.

[TXJon]

I used one for the first time Thursday evening. We had been seeing a large number of bucks on our property that we had never seen before, so we knew that they were on the move. I set up near a feeder that a bunch of whitetail does had been frequenting and then watched the show. First, a group of young hogs tried to come in. They were straight upwind from me and came running into the corn then as soon as they crested the hill and saw that doe decoy you would've thought I jumped up and said "boo" at them. Then two fallow does came in and reacted the same way. When the whitetail finally tried to come in and reacted the same way, I vowed I'd never waste my time hauling that chunk of junk out in the woods again! I felt like I wasted my entire evening by scaring off every critter in the woods. Maybe it would have worked someplace else, but I can only tell you what happened to me the one time I tried using it. I think I'll use it to try and decoy in a poacher next week when our gun season opens. Maybe I'll have better success then.

Well, that makes me feel better. I went out looking for one this afternoon, couldn't find one anywhere.

[tgridley]

I use them in Kansas and Illinois and they work great, I have never tried one here but as wired as our deer are I can see it scarring the heck out of them.

[DrenalinJunkie]

In the right place, they work GREAT! I have seen deer come to them with head down and postured up ready for a fight. I have also seen deer catch sight of it and haul it the other direction.

[Snapper]

I have used them in the past. Mostly a doe decoy. It really never got a buck right up to it but I had bucks and does come check it out. I also have had them blow up at the mere site of it.

[GARY]

I wouldn't put one up around a feeder as you already have an attractant. My thoughts on my Illinois hunt was to draw in a buck, looking for a girlfriend. I can bleated a shooter buck towards me, but ultimately he followed a sure thing (a doe he saw). I feel had I had the doe decoy he could see, he might have came my way.