Bought a deer decoy ... now what?

[Dahitman44]

I have thought about it for a LONG time and finally picked one up -- might be fun to try. I know they work for other animals - -turkey ducks geese, but what happens with a deer?

anyone have any experience with it? when how and why do you use it

why not to use it?

thanks

hit

[Stratosman]

buck or doe?

[harvey lee]

I always put out my doe decoy with a sock nailed to the rear. I then place doe in heat on it and set it up out in the open where I hunt. The deer will head toward it even it the wind is wrong.

When the deer come out in the open or the edge of the woods a bit early and see the doe out in the field, they will almost always come out right away instead of waiting for dusk.

I once made the mistake of leaving it up over night and the next morning it was lying on the ground in the snow with blood all over.

That buck beat the stuff out of my doe decoy. It must have tried to bred her.

[Archerysniper]

From what I read in one of the outdoor mags awhile back is you will have more deer come into a buck decoy than a doe, the does were even more responsive to a buck decoy and put him up so that he is quartering towards you the bucks will come and posture for a fight giving you a broadside or quartering away shot. I'm heading out in the morning to buy mine.

[Svinekotelett]

I like to throw a few up on the public land by my place and watch how many people shoot at it.

[skolfoppa]

The successful decoy setups I've seen were placed over a big scrape with active scrape or tarsal scents on wicks. Use aggressive rattling and grunting sequences every 15 minutes. Good luck. I am interested in your results. Please post.

[brassman]

I wouldn't like to risk it during rifle season but I had my foam deer archery target set up in my back yard and the other night a buck must have gored it down because it was in three pieces, not ruined but funny nonetheless. This is the second item I have had gored by a buck, my trail camera (rendered useless) was gored by a buck and it took out the lens.

[Dahitman44]

Great information.

I am not sure if a buck or doe decoy would be better. It is on private land so I should feel MORE safe -- u just never know.

Thinking about ...; gosh I am not sure ... maybe i will try both. Buck one evening and doe the next evening.

I still hunt in a stand in the CRP in the mornings, but I was thinking about putting it on the hill near the edge of an alfalfa field and the woods? Near a scrape?

Should be fun to see what happens -- any other thoughts or words of wisdom?

[fishermatt]

Do your best to make sure the decoy is free of human scent. It will spook deer that get downwind (which they will try to do). I have been burned by that one. I have also found that deer become cautious due to the decoy not moving at all. I've had deer stay in the thick brush and stomp and make a racket trying to get the attention of the decoy, but never come out because the decoy didn't move. since then I've tried tacking small pieces of white plastic bag on the ears and tail so the wind gives at least a little bit of movement. Right now is a great time to try a decoy, because bucks are on the prowl now checking out any deer they see, so if one sees your decoy it should come trotting over to check it out.

[harvey lee]

I always use rubber gloves when I handle my decoy. I sometimes also wipe some manure on it just in case.

Yes, the deer are wary of them and that why I tie a sock to the rear and let it blow in the wind if there is any. The bucks seem to get a bit wary but if they hold up short of my decoy, since I'm in am open area, I can whack them at 200-300 yards away.

Seems to me the does have been more cautious than the bucks.

[Dahitman44]

Harvey -- in that case -- wouldn't a buck be better than a doe? Just a thought. Have you tried a buck? what have you seen?

[vister]

this is my first year using one. but something tells me if bucks are looking for does, then i'll use mine as a doe with some female stank hanging close. im looking to seal the deal on a set of horns, so looking like a doe when bucks are cruising for "companionship" is what i plan on doing. later in the season i'll put on a horn or two, when bucks start challenging a little more during the second rut

[Dahitman44]

great - -that is what I will try.

[Dahitman44]

If anyone else has any thoughts or experience -- would love to see this thread keep going

[Archerysniper]

Had a 145+ hang up in the brush tonight after he spotted the decoy the only shot was when he turned to leave and hit a branch causing a clean miss, it was set up as a buck.

[fletcher]

Carreylite makes a nice doe/buck decoy,,,suprising light and portable. Make sure to descent it, dont loose ears or let wind blow it over. Some people use a real tail with scent, I have had mixed results some time the deer dont even see it others they will circle it and even try to mount it,,,,another tool. My taxidermist swears by a full mount 150 class buck he has mounted on a base for a decoy , he hunts in Buffalo County archery with it. I only use in rut with grunts, scent, and rattles.....good luck and dont shoot the first buck you see

[harvey lee]

Harvey -- in that case -- wouldn't a buck be better than a doe? Just a thought. Have you tried a buck? what have you seen?

Yes a buck decoy could work well but my doe set up always seems to work so I stay with it.

Old dogs and new tricks.

[Dahitman44]

Great thread - -who else has thoughts?

[deerminator]

I would also place a few orange strips of tape on it if you're using it this weekend or during gun season, even if you're hunting private land. Never know who will show up. I always place some orange strips of tape on each side of my ground blind during gun season here. The deer can't see the blaze orange as brightly as we can (more of a tan or muted yellow to them) and I'd rather some [PoorWordUsage] stumbling through the woods illegally see it.

[TrophyEyes]

I actually had a bowhunter stalk and shoot my decoy down in SE MN. I looked at the guy and said. "You've got to be kidding!" I was 15 feet above him and he never saw me. Lets just say he had to change his pants. I wanted to see how "Real" it was, and it passed. Montana brand decoys worked for me.

[Dahitman44]

I had it set up Saturday afternoon till evening and no action. Only saw a couple of deer all weekend so not surprising.

[Dahitman44]

Update --

One of the gals from work used my decoy while hunting with her husband. They set it up and had good action right away. They had a doe stand next to iut and stare for 15 minutes.

later they had a six-point buck come over and check it out. They made some noise so he did not "look for a date"

Also -- her husband put doein heat on his boots and a small 8-pointer followed his trail right to his stand -- he got a little freaked out and made some noise and scared him away.

Pretty cool -- I am looking forward to using the decoy again next season. I dropped a great 8-point buck and I am done for the season - -no muzzle for me...