Contributors to this thread:
I have a Montana cow decoy but I don't like the way they fold up. I'm looking for another option to pack in with. The Montana just doesn't fold up small enough. I used to have a decoy that was foam and rolled up beautifully and I would hang it between two trees. It was realistic and very packable but I can't remember the name of the company or whether or not it's available anymore. Input please..
Check out Heads Up Decoys, or you could just wear a hat like Jaquomo does!
I've killed a lot of elk behind those Montanas....
I like that heads up...but only had it for last years hunt....probably the next best option as it has the outline which gives it a 3D look ...over the flat printed versions
The heads up decoy is sweet
Yup, Heads up decoy. Super light weight, realistic and packable. Made of tough, durable canvas.
Heads up, elk hat, Montana. Dynamic (with movement) works a LOT better than static.
See the link. Poison Arrow decoy clips into your quiver in place of an arrow for easy transporting and quick deployment. Light weight too. Pretty slick. Click on the video at the top of the page.
I forgot to mention the Elk Mountain big butt slip. It's an awesome tool that you can move around behind. Their cow elk slip is great too, and I've called bulls in to a couple feet, worked in and out of herds, using it.
All of them work. The trick is in learning when, where and how to use each one.
Well like I stated in my opening The Montana is not a good packable decoy. I should just prototype a 3 piece snap together decoy The Montana is like a windshield sun block which is a pain in the butt to fold up in the cute circle and then carry all day hoping it doesn't spring open. Terrible design for packing. Nice once set up but crap for transport. Just my opinion of course.
Have had amazing results with the heads up decoy. It is so convenient to carry in your hand and it's always ready if you run into elk.
Brewski-
My hunting partner was in a pocket of deep timber with a Montana butt in his fanny pack, right where I'd had a harrowing showdown with a cougar a couple days before.
All of a sudden something jumped on his back and he screamed like a little girl and started running. Turns out the Montana decoy popped open and "attacked" him from behind.
Jaquomo...funny. Hell it takes me 10 tries to fold mine correctly and I still don't know when it's folded right.
When hunting solo, what techniques/timing do you employ when using a decoy?
Ex: When a bull seems committed, set up the decoy at the last calling spot, move forward and off to the down wind side and wait? Do you still call? etc etc.
I like to show it, move it around a bit like a feeding elk, then make it go away like an elk walking into the timber or over a rise. Then I move downwind and to the side.
With the hat, I have to take it off or they'll come right to me and won't leave. That has happened when working behind the Elk Mountain slip too. If it's one I want to shoot, he'll just stand there and let me release the arrow. A Heads Up with a bow mount will accomplish that as well, but I haven't done it yet with my compound.
Jaquomo, when you say you make it go away and then move off to the side, are you still in partial view of the elk? If so, are they perhaps associating your position change as movement from the 'elk' they just saw disappear?
Thx Bill
See Ultimate predator has a bow-mount cow now. Looks good.
Bill, yes. I want the bull to come looking for the cow, not to come to a picture of an elk that is standing stock-still, which elk don't do very often.
I also like to plan my setups where the bull cant see me until he's in range or close to it. Terrain, thick patch of timber, etc. I've called and deeked bulls in from long distances when my setup was on a rise. When people talk about bulls hanging up at 70 yards or whatever, it's almost always due to a faulty setup in the first place. My problem is often having them appear too close if I don't plan properly.
Sometimes I watch them from just behind the cover or ridge while wearing the elk hat, bobbing it like a feeding cow, until I figure out where he's likely to come. Then I disappear and get to a downwind shooting spot.
+2 on the Elk Mountain Slip System. Versatility is unmatched.
I assume you are talking about the "be the decoy" elk hat? If so what do you do about your white face underneath it? Or does it seem like they cant pick that out?
No, it's the one my wife made for me years ago that the BeTheDecoy guys copied (and used photos of on their website without my permission ). I wear a brown headnet or facemask all the time regardless. If I'm really serious about it I wear a mottled tan top too. I wear that most of the time anyway because elk are used to seeing tan patches moving through the timber. They aren't used to seeing digital camo blobs moving around.
They can definitely pick out shiny white faces, just like we can.
Lou I like the take it down idea, I have had whitetail does blow out before because my decoy wouldn't move.
I had the same problem with my montana decoy so I sold it, looking at this one for the upcoming season...
http://www.thestalkerbymigsdecoys.com/about.html
The thing I like about the Elk Mountain elk butt decoy is you often need to move around when you're calling in elk and it really helps you make that 20 yd dash.
Jaquomo, could you post a pic of your hat please I would like to see how she made it. Thanks
Tx, if you pm me your email I will send you the directions with photos. There's a small herd of elk and muley hats running around the Bowsite. Very easy to make with craft foam and a hot glue gun, and extremely durable. I carry mine on a clip on my pack until needed
Heads Up Decoy. Hands down :)
This looks interesting, too. I have no affiliation with these folks, someone posted it on Facebook yesterday.
Im going to get the cow elk decoy from "Ultimate Predator" I have the whitetail doe version and its awesome. it also folds away quickly and small enough for my fanny pack if I want it out of the way.
I really like being behind the decoy as apposed to the side and having the site window in the center if the decoy IMO is a big plus.
Hey Brewski, was that a headless foam decoy? If it was I think it's from a company called Flambeau. I have one. It rolls up and it can be strung up in between trees. Very lightweight
Stalker..You are right on. That's he one!! Now if you add the Heads up,it's a winner
I took a picture of it for you. Excellent for backpacking. Couldn't weigh more than 3 or 4 oz. Keep the head in the trees and all the elk see's is the ass end and it works! Remember, you not dealing with a brain surgen.
Stalker, how do you keep that from flapping in the breeze?
I once had one coming to a multi-decoy setup with an Elk Mountain butt, a Heads Up, and a Montana butt. The Montana butt was hanging from a limb. When he was close it fluttered just a tiny bit and that "brain surgen" turned inside out blasting out of there.
Can't find it anymore Stalker.
on windy days, she stays home. Yeah, I haven't seen it on the market for quite some time, but if you had yourself some lightweight foam material you might be able to make one on your own.
I don't take one much. A decoy seems to hurt me as much as help me. The game I play chasing vocal elk is so often a game of seconds. I have been behind on several occasions by spending 30-60 seconds picking and putting up a decoy (heads Up). It has stopped one or two for me as well though. I get along better focusing on what the elk is doing and taking advantage of every possible second.... I blow a few out though :~)
brewski:
Sent you a PM ...
I hear guys complaining about the Montanas and yeah...they do have a learning curve....and yeah they aren't as compact as some.
but then I've seen their effectiveness; Called in a bull from 1/2 mile away or more from a distant mtn top right to 3 buddies.
I've seen my buddy walk up to a herd of elk just holding one out in front of him. I've killed a pile of elk behind one in tough elk calling conditions.
There are tricks to using these and without giving away the store, I can say the #1 thing I see guys doing wrong when calling with these is they move around too much. A lot of times the elk want a visual reference when coming to a call...and if they spot the hunter figiting around- they many times bugger off.
Those elk can make you a long ways off through thick timber.
If anyone wants my headless Flambeau, PM me and we can work out a great deal. I haven't used mine in years. However, when I did, I made little pouches for the bottom of the legs so that I could put rocks in them to keep them from blowing up at the wrong times.
As for the Montana, I got rid of the stakes and just use a rope on both ends to tie between trees and put rocks in the bottom of the legs to keep from blowing. Then when I pack it up, I just wrap the rope around it. Cuts down on both weight and difficulty of setting up.
Now the poisonarrow quiver decoy looks pretty sweet as does the ultimate predator.
Brewski,
There are certainly options out there. However, I think you will be please with the versatility and effectiveness of Heads Up Decoy. There is no one way to use our product. It can adapt to several different styles or scenarios. Does it work every time...definitely not...just like calling. We pioneered the partial body mobile decoy market. There is not a lot to be done with a mobile bow mountable decoy that hasn't already been done with our decoy. But, a bow mountable decoy is only one of many uses our product can offer.
Good Luck on your elk season
GR Heads Up Decoy
Watch out for some of these so called "decoy" products. Some of them are LOADED with UV brighteners. My recommendation is to make your own and incorporate it with some of your hunting equipment.(Mine fits over the cams of my bow). The one I made in 1995 is still going strong and it will fit in the side pocket of my 6 pocket pants, weighs less than a pound, and no poles required...
I have a like-new foam elk decoy to sell if anyone's interested (identical both sides). Stored inside (foam not dried out). I added fishing sinkers to legs to eliminate flapping in a breeze (camo tape on sinkers). Shoot me a PM ...
