Blacktail Decoy Hat
Mule Deer
I have a hunt coming up in November on Kodiak for Sitka deer. I've been thinking that a decoy hat would be cool to try up there. I've looked at the BeTheDecoy Blacktail Betty and she looks great, but doesn't look like it would pack well into luggage when I'm going to be very limited on what I can take anyway.
I have also seen some pictures of homemade decoy hats and those look like they might be a lot more packable. Does anyone have any instructions on how to make one? My sewing skills are very limited, and I'm just not sure where to start. Taxidermy ears? Or just cut out plastic ears? How to attach them to a hat? Is it necessary to make a "face" sticking out the front of the hat? Or just a pair of eyes?
Thanks for your help!
Why pack it in luggage? Just wear it on the plane.
This months edition of Bowhunter magazine (Sept 15) shows a hunter wearing a deer decoy hat on Kodiak. Article starts on page 54.
I had a chance to view Larry's homemade hat last month on PoW, AK while on a fishing vacation. (He's a good fisherman too)
The hat appears to be made of soft fleece like material with the ears being semi-ridged and nose stuffed with filling. Very packable and able to fit over a normal hat of choice.
KTH - why didn't I think of that? Lol
The Be the Decoy hat is too big and heavy. My experience is also that the paint falls off right away.
Just take a ball cap and have someone with some sewing capability make it look like a deer. Ears are the most important feature.
What did you use for the ears Bob, and how are they attached? Looks like the eyes, nose, etc. are glued on felt?
I found a costume hat on line somewhere and had my taxidermist add realistic eyes and air brush it to look more realistic.
Everything is sewn on. My wife uses plastic sewing mesh for the ears and then covers them with fleece. The whole thing is fleece or that plastic mesh stuff. She puts a folded over tab of mesh behind the ears to hold them upright.
My understanding is the P&Y Ethic is going have the Sitka Blacktail deer as its featured animal the next issue. I'm also told it might contain an article about how somebody might go about hunting them.
I'm back on Kodiak in October...picked up one of those Ultimate Predator decoys...we shall see
Ziek, you look like the gopher from Caddyshack.
u guys on kodiak aren't concerned being around gun hunters looking like a deer?
Louis
I've never seen another deer hunter while hunting deer on Kodiak for over 30 years.
Wow thats awesome Bob ! I own the be the decoy lope it is very heavy , i had a problem keeping it on cause i was laughing so much as lopes reacted to my hat
Holy Cow, is that camouflage Bob is wearing?
Joe if you find somebody to make the hats, I'll pay for 3.
I think I am going give making one myself a try Steve. If it turns out I could start a business! Lol
Note the white top of my vest. Now I wear a white baklava instead. I think it replicates their white throat patches.
Bob--is the hat just a rut thing or do you use it all season long?
Just during the rut. I spot and stalk only during the rest of the season.
When is the rut for blacktails, in early November?
Bob have you ever tried your whites and goat horn hat to close the distance on deer?
We were going to try it last week when we had a nice buck that stayed out in a very difficult spot all the time but forgot the whites back at camp when the opportunity presented itself.
We had seen several goats crossing the flats from one mountain to another and came to the conclusion that the deer were probably quite comfortable around them. Wish we would have had a chance to try it.
Mike
Never tried it.
The decoy hat actually attracts bucks though. I doubt a goat outfit would do that.
Post a photo of Dawn's goat!!
I agree about attracting deer Bob but just thought it might give a little edge in a difficult stalking situation when pre-rut. Of course deer hat would be just as effective or more. We just didn't have a deerhat in our back pocket.
Just got home. First day back at work. Will post pictures when I get on top of things.
Whip I agree wear it on the plane. The airports were full of people wearing a lot stranger stuff than that.
Mike
Welcome back Mike. I had heard about Dawn's goat - anxious to hear the story!
Great. It would be fun to find a team with a deer mascot and sew their logo somewhere on the side. Beats wearing a cheese wedge, and you could really have people going (Oh yea I'm a diehard "Muley" supporter, travel to their away games and show the colors, etc etc). What does this say about deer/elk/lope IQ's?
