a few years ago, i had access to a ~40 acre property that was mostly brush and high grasses, with a few stands of trees. I would typically set up in a tree, and from around halloween through mid november put a decoy out about 20 yards. i would glass the brush, and any time i saw antlers, i would grunt and snort wheeze. at the time, the decoy i was using had smallish antlers - like a deer that would score 90" or so i would guess. i had a lot of success with calling in deer to this decoy. bucks of all sizes (well... i never saw any real big boys - this is a suburban area, and the mature deer are pretty much nocturnal) would come in to the decoy and check it out. I would say that I had everything from 1.5 year old spikes to 3.5 year old 10 points come right up to the decoy and sniff it.
i lost access to that property, and now hunt a property that is more big woods. i have a stand set up overlooking a pond surrounded by oaks (but there are a lot of oaks around), and put a decoy out about 20 yards away, where it is visible to deer that would approach the pond from a bedding area to the east, and to deer that would be moving south from a swampy area that is north of the stand (don't have permission by the swampy area). This decoy (its actually a 3d target) came with a 125" rack.
Over the last 2 days I had a spike, a fork, a pretty big 1 x 5, and a 6 point come wondering by. All of them saw the decoy. The spike and six point gave a glance and kept walking. The six bedded down 30 yards away. The 1 x 5 stopped, pawed the ground, stared for a minute, and then walked away. The fork walked around down wind, put his nose to the air for a second, and then casually walked away.
in all cases, the behavior was different then what i am used to seeing when in the past bucks have walked right up to the decoy.
I don't know if maybe it is because in the past I was calling bucks in from a distance, and they were specifically coming to the decoy, while today the bucks just happen to come across the decoy while they are out walking the trails?
Or maybe it is because this decoy is quite a bit bigger then the old one, and bigger than all the bucks that have seen it so far?
I am trying to decide if i should cut the plastic antlers back a bit. on one hand, i am at a point where i have decided i don't want to shoot a buck unless it is a good one, so if the small ones don't come right in, its not like i am missing a shot opportunity. at the same time, it is always cool to have a buck come in and interact with the decoy, even if it is a small one.
what do you guys think?
