best time for single buck decoy
Wisconsin
What times have any of you used a single buck decoy and had the best results. Is it worth hauling around?
October works but only little bucks come in. I stopped using them. Too many mature bucks ran the other way.
I believe it is worth it. Although I have yet to score when using one. In my experience setting a decoy before Nov. 1 is like putting out a big red flag that you are hunting them. I found deer to spook when a decoy is set too early in the season.
Great topic.
A few years back, I had a buck decoy (I always only use 1 antler on it, instead of two) set out on the edge of a 10 acre open field. It was around October 25th, and I had a nice 2.5 -3.5 yea old 10 pointer come running full sprint across the field to the decoy, it then stopped, postured, and with hair raised, walked stiff legged in a 180 degree arch around the decoy.
Only problem was that he did it on the far side of the decoy, instead of between the decoy and me. Thus he never got closer than 40 yards, and at the time, that was outside of my comfort zone.
I rarely use my decoy, merely because it is a pain to carry it thru the woods and set up. But when I have used it in late October thru the end of November, I have usually had good luck with younger bucks coming in to check it out. Only a couple times have decent bucks come in. However, in my area of the woods, there are very few bucks older than 2.5.
Anytime except peak rut, otherwise you risk the chance of spooking a doe with a tailing buck. My favorite time to rattle is from October 19-20 through the 31st. And I've had success rattling in mature bucks as well. Rattling & decoying bucks is very similar to turkey calling and decoying with full strut decoys. I've bowhunted whitetail for 28 years and have only turkey hunted for less than half that. I've rattled before with success, but have just started using my decoy the last two years with setups similar to turkey hunting. I've decoyed bucks within range on 3 of 4 hunts, on public land. These were 1.5 to 2.5 year old bucks, but have not had any mature bucks within eye sight to see any negative impact. Even had a yearling doe come in twice after the buck came in. Had a buck 2 years ago ram my decoy from the side. I just wish I would've used my decoy more when I was younger, because it works. I have a modified Redi doe with a real 90" 8 point rack and taxidermy eyes. Every deer that has seen my decoy has come in. 2 bucks together two years ago, and a buck and doe on two separate hunts last year. But rattling and decoying is all about location. If you rattle and decoy, your deke should be visible from a distance, if you just rattle you need to be situated where a buck can't stand from a distance and assess the situation. The best setup for rattling is near the edge of a cornfield. Bucks feel more at ease moving during daylight near cornfields, its their sanctuary.
I disagree with some of these guys to a certain extent. I will not cast stones of course but I think much of the poor success with a decoy is not knowing how to place it and all the tricks. This is regardless of the timing of it all. I still do not know 'all' the tricks but by way of experience and process of elimination I have learned much on how to use them more effectively and they can work at anytime as long as they look like a real doe/buck and kinda act like one too. As much as legally possible that is.. If they just stand there stark still unnatural out of rut and even in rut they can hurt you IMO and sometimes big time. A deer will see the decoy many times long before you even see the deer and if it stands there for 10 min studying the decoy and the decoy never moves a muscle the deer watching will know something is up or strange and may never approach. I have seen it happen and even videoed it. Deer are smarter than many think and they know their own species behavior better than we do.
I never use the buck decoy with both antlers either. I started using a decoy a few years ago and have some hints if you want them. I found out one big thing that makes ALL the difference in the world. I pinned a real deer tail on mine and used a fishing line tied to it and strung it into my blind or stand and could flick the tail when I wanted just like real deer do all the time. A tail flick is a sign to other deer and means a great deal. I am not talking about a tail 'flag' here either. lol.... Once I started to do that tail flick I had deer come to it left and right whereas before that they would get all skittish or not come at all. I even tried it many times both ways on the same hunt and as soon as the tail flicks...presto.... The mechanical tails are ok but you cant make them move when you want and I think timing is key when you see another deer approaching but that's just my opinion.
Last year I took out a spindly 6 point with a decoy but could have killed 3 or 4 different bucks had I wanted to and had extra tags. It is funny to watch bucks approach a decoy. If the decoy has zero movement you will see the approaching deer do things you would not believe deer really do to get a reaction. All the while they stay just out of range too or eventually bolt.
Keep you scent 'OFF' the decoy at all costs. Trust me on that one! If you get a decoy with a tail YOU can move and one with a head you can turn as well you will be pleasantly surprised at how effective they really are and it will teach you deer behavior as well. Last piece of advice...... Strategically locate it! Do NOT place it where a deer might approach and be suddenly surprised by it. I have used them near thickets and had bucks come out and instantly run when they saw it because it surprised them. Position it right and play the wind for the decoy as well. On almost each occasion for me out of rut the approaching buck will circle down wind and come up from behind or the side instead of up wind and/or head on. Even during the rut most did this for me. I was burned a few times at 1st by not paying attention to details. If you don't know how to use one they can sure mess you up and there is no worse feeling than having a 140-150 class buck trying to get a reaction out of your decoy while still being out of shot range and then circling around and winding you. You see it bolt and you slump in your stand.
Post this in the BGF also and those guys will willingly give you loads of help on this too. Great guys with a plethora of combined knowledge just asking to be tapped.
Hammer is so right. Many of the mistakes he talked about I've made with a decoy. I did find that the tail makes a huge difference and I like to attach little pieces of toilet paper to the ears to get some simulated ear movement. Don't go crazy with the TP though. Scent is everything! I have a hair-on hide that I have attached velcro to and am considering using that as well this year if the opportunity looks right.
This is a good thread.... thats the reason I asked about the Montana Decoy..... I have had incredible action on using a decoy in South Dakota on the east side of the Missouri........ I missed two shots on two bucks, got so excited,,,,,,,,,,
I was using the flambeau style, and was able to get it out via a truck, which made a big difference.....
In the north woods, it has also worked but its a pain to transport.....
You want to see the best video on decoy, go get a copy or go on Facebook, or You tube, its the latest public land hunt with Whitetail Andrenilin DVD.... That is one cool decoy they made, and the video is incredible, I have seen nono better......
I have the mechanical dagger for my decoy, but since I use the antlers I don't bother because bucks approach a buck straight on. Also, bucks tend to approach one another with their tail down. But another mod besides tp is white maribou. The reason I like the last 10 days of October is that bucks are in the seeking phase when a small number of mature does start coming into estrus. Year after year, this is the time of year I catch mature bucks on trail cams in legal shooting hours.
Good point about the tail movement. I forgot in my post above to mention that I have a pieces of white plastic attached to my decoy's tail, and it moves slightly with the wind. I cut strips in the plastic, so if looks more like hair.
Listen I have thumb tacked toilet paper to a branch and it has attracted deer,,,,, old trick but still works from time to time
A strategic tail flick is a sign to other deer and IMO the be all and end all of being routinely successful with a decoy. Best I can make of watching it for 25+ years is that it is a language all its own where the deer flicking its tail is saying all is well and calm right here so come on over. Watch a deer when they spot another deer or something catches their attention. They will stare in that direction for a few surveying the situation and trying to figure out who that other deer is... Is it John down the road or Charles Manson on a rampage. lol. If they don't soon leave and decide to go back to what it was they were doing before something or another deer caught their attention this is the time to WATCH that tail. They will flick it just as they seemingly relax and they do it every so often too while relaxed.
I have tried the toilet paper but on many occasions I could not get the deer in range but got them close. Once I started using a real tail and flicking it just like another deer would when calm and when not bothered by another deer approaching is when I started to get results.
Knife,
I have only had a few bucks approach from head on. Now this could be due to the way I set my decoy in the only 2 areas I use one but out of the 30 or so bucks I have had approach it over the last several year only a handful did so from head on. I have heard others say the bucks seem to approach from head on but I have not had that happen much. Then again like I said where I use them I have the deer patterned and mostly know the directions they will come from and if they want to go head on they would need to make a little effort to do so and would most likely circle right under me...:o).....I will say the ones that did approach from head on were bigger bucks on average than the ones who came from the side or rear. A few small bold ones did but most smaller bucks did so from behind or the side.
LOL. I use a Glendale target buck with 1000 arrow holes in it as my decoy and it works believe it or not. That 6 point from last year did some amazing things before finally walking up to the rear of that decoy where I was able to shoot it at 15 yards.
That buck spun around and jumped in the air and bobbed his head like a bobble head. He actually jumped and spun in a circle 3 times. Stomped his feet and made mock runs like it was going to run away etc. He even jogged toward it and slammed on the skids and ran back under the apple tree at least 4 times. It was like he wanted a reaction and was playing also. I finally flicked the tail and when he finally approached he had his tail pointing straight out and kept bringing it up just past half way and down to half way over and over. He would do this over and over and move away and move back each time I flicked the tail. It was cool but the light was dim so my new cam could not capture that one though I soooo wish it would have.
