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Decoy help

Going to use a decoy for the first time tonight. Any suggestions on how to master this? I know the rear of the deer should be in a shooting lane. Should I choose a doe or buck this time of year? And should I start with a doe bleat or buck grunt? Just don't want to screw it up. Thanks for the help!

I'll be hunting in a 4 to 5 acre field. When I see them, should I even call, or let the decoy do the work?

BW-I'll give ya some tips. When you get it set up and ready spray it down with scent elimanator-hope you have some. Also face it down wind and about 10 yards from you. Most bucks will get down wind of it to smell it. So position it where they can see it easily and at a angle so hopefully that buck will give you a broadside shot when it circles. Def use a buck decoy, and I usually put out a few grunts every hour or so. Once they see it don't do anything. Read his body language. Most times when they see it there gonna come in. If he hangs up throw a soft grunt out. Then enjoy the close encounter it is awesome! Good luck and let us know how it works!

If you use it as a buck only put one antler on it. It seems that every buck, big and little wants to kick the butt of a one antlered deer....This is your chance to learn for yourself how these things work. They DO NOT work every time but when they do.....

Good advice above,...scent elimination is critical if he comes in close,...use the spray to kill foreign odors,...keep the decoy within your effective shooting range, expect the buck to be about that close,...use only one antler (as noted),...a buck will circle the decoy and visually check it out,...maybe circle once or twice,...then will approach the decoy from the front or nose of the decoy,...so I usually position the decoy at about a 45 degree angle facing me, that way the buck approaches the decoy broadside (mostly) and offers a good shot opportunity position. As noted, it does not work every time but when it does it can be a blast & offer great shooting opportunities. Deer need to see decoy from a distance & approach at their individual speed. If seen very close & all of a sudden, it can startle & spook them. Good luck & have fun. Let us know how you do.

Awesome advise. Couple other small tips that have helped me are pin a light white rag,paper towel,white feather,or strip of white plastic bag to rear. Wind will blow it and make presentation look more realistic. Also I like to either spray some scent on ground around decoy or hang a scent wick on a stick and place under the decoy. Good luck and be ready for a heart pounding experience.

This summer at DeerFest I bought the Ultimate Deer decoy, which attaches to your bow.....anyway I let a friend use it, since I can not..... he has had a ball with it here so far, and is out west with it right now.........

My experience with decoys has been positive, except for the big woods. They seemed to come unglued, when coming upon it, in tight cover,,,, I have no idea why.... I use to use the Flambeau decoy, and got some deer both buck and doe, because of it.....

However if you do not have private land, setting it up can be a pain,,,, when I did use it on private, I just tipped it over at the end of the day......

Decoy worked best in South Dakota, and it was kept in the truck. did not have good luck with 3d type decoy, never set up right in the wind..... looking forward to the report on the Ultimate Decoy

Thanks for all the tips. I knew there's a reason I should ask....lots of new ideas. Thanks!!

One more thing to mention,...all the discussion above has been on (I believe) using the decoy as a single antlered buck,...if you ever use it as a doe then position it differently,...again, keep it within your effective shooting range but place the rear angling toward you (exactly the opposite of if it's configured as a buck),...why do this??? Any buck the decoy brings in will approach it from the rear to scent check the "doe" it sees and possibly to mount her,...this in turn offers you a close shot with the bucks attention focused away from you.

I have never used a buck decoy, all mine, including the new one, is a doe decoy,,, also on the flambeau, I added real tail and eyes,,,,, however I have found toilet paper to work well too,,,,,

I've always had the deke facing the stand as the bucks I've had come in always came around the front first. As the decoy doesn't move some does will get downright angry and some of the small bucks will bluff charge the deke. I had one really nice buck coming into the rattle but when he was able to see the thing he locked up, his eyes got real big (Like-I've seen this crap before) and he walked off. No two situations are alike. Don't be afraid to experiment a little (or a lot) you will learn more than guys on the internet that may or may not know what they're talking about...LC

good tip,,, wish I could hunt,,,, I am starting to crawl up the walls,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

If you want to get technical and help seal the deal on a closing buck-----you can tie fishing line to body of decoy and run it up to stand. Give a tug when approaching buck begins to close the distance. This creates a challenge and he will often come in to fight your decoy! A little extra work but fun to toy with.

Just had a doe come in. Neighbors were burning a big fire, had the badger game blasting, and were yelling and cursing up a storm. We'll try again tonight

Remote control tail wager is worth every penny. Really seems to settle down nervous does so they don't blow. I use a half rack buck right when they start rubbing trees. Now that we're a little past that stage I personally would make it a doe decoy. I hang a tarsel gland to a stake or branch right behind the decoy. It's so much fun worth the extra hassle. It'll take you a few sets to really know how to predict them coming in. As said before 90% of time bucks will come head on to a buck, and to the tail of a doe. I personally don't have them circle the decoy very often in field edges. If the wind allows them to approach right to the decoy they usually do. Downfall is it happens fast. Wooded areas in my experience they nearly always circle, gives more time but can increase odds of you being busted. Good news is their attention is focused on decoy, not looking around for you unless you get winded

At this time of the year the bucks are looking for the last hot doe...I would us a Doe with a premium Doe in Heat scent as he will get down wind and scent check her...if everything is right he will come in....and so will all the others. I would use a buck decoy earlier in the season but now they are interested in 1 thing. If you had a doe and a buck decoy together that`s different.

Different neighbors ruined the hunt. Kicked up deer well they are talking loud and planning for next weekend. It was a perfect night too.....disappointing

Yep, every situation is different. Sometimes they come in from downwind and sometimes upwind or cross wind. I've always thought that some of the bucks you don't see when you rattle will show themselves if you give them something to see-Again my $.02-LC (I also store my deke where it should be mostly scent-free and keep it laying close by in the brush when I'm not hunting.)

I cut out a piece of white plastic slightly larger than the size of the tail on the decoy. I then cut little slits all around the edge of it, to make it appear fringed. I then screwed a roach clip in the under side of the tail, and stuck the plastic into the clip.

Now whenever there is a slight breeze, it cause the tail to "twitch" a bit. Just enough movement to hopefully make it seem alive to other deer, and hopefully calm them.

Roach clip lol. Also know as an alligator clip for those who don't smoke doobies lol.

Pete-Pac ....... I've never done drugs in my life, not even once, please don't try to make a connection that isn't there. I was struggling for the correct word to describe those clips. Roach clip popped into my mind.

I've used my decoy in a couple different areas and depending on where I'm hunting I set it up differently. When hunting around home where there are numerous mature bucks I'll set it up with both antlers which usually keeps the little bucks away. When hunting in Central WI where our cabin is and there aren't as many mature bucks I'll set it up with one antler so it doesn't scare the little ones away. In either case I'll set it up 18-20 yards from me so when the deer come to it they'll be coming from the down wind side head on to the decoy and give me a quartering away shot. It doesn't work all the time but when it does it's about as exciting as it can get. Seeing a buck walking stiff legged towards the decoy wanting to kill it is amazing. I've also set it up as a doe in the past but have only had a few deer react to it. The funniest one was when I had a doe come face to face with the decoy. I have a picture somewhere of that - it looked like she was kissing the decoy:)

Well, many years ago I smoked pot but I never inhaled (not even once), and alligator clip popped into my mind. I don't think I insinuated you did drugs? You just happen to have seen one of those feathered roach clips on the sun visor of someone's 72' El Camino. All in good fun Aushegen.

For the record....pot is not a drug. Don't mean to derail thread just want to point this out. Alcohol is MUCH worse. Trust me I run a liquor store

Agree. I drank, but never swallowed Grunter.

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