After watching 2 bucks really going after each other this morning, and seeing 3 other bucks come running while they were going at it, I decided to bust out the deke today. I set him up off the NE corner of a bedding area (S-SW wind). I sat on the ground about 25 yards from the decoy, in a natural ground blind. I sprayed some dominant buck urine on the ground/vegetation around it.
Saw several does and little bucks. They all basically ignored it. Some of them fed within 10-15 yards of it, and acted like it was a tree stump.
I know I shoud have fashioned a tail that would move in the breeze some, and maybe something for the ears too.... but, I didn't.
Does anyone have any tips on decoying? What should I do differently? Maybe it was just one of those days, but I expected at least some type of reaction. I was using rattling antlers, and a grunt, estrous bleat a few times as well, although I'm not sure how much they could hear it.
Love using a decoy! Action varies. They have to be in the right mood. For me it's a bit early to put one out. I don't use scents. Always have it in the open and visible, no surprises.
Even this little baby spike couldn't resist posturing up to him.
Even this little baby spike couldn't resist posturing up to him.
This was yesterday evening. All I do is spray my decoy down with scent killer then take a piss behind my decoy. Had three different bucks posture up and four does check him out. I've been using a decoy a long time and I would never waste my money on scents.
One tip is if you have removable ears on your decoy turn them around backwards so it makes your decoy look like he is posturing. If you have some yellow grass in your field shove some of it in the ear openings when you put the ears in. It blows in the wind to add movement. I have a synthetic tail but you could add grass to it to for movement. A fawn tried to eat the tail off it this morning.
I've had much better results since I lost one of his antlers. The ears back and one antler gone makes him look like trouble and no buck can stand him.
Good info, Paul, I hunt in Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas much like yourself. Do you mind sharing what time frame you begin using a decoy and stop using it?
It doesn't always work, but when it does there is nothing better! When using scents I avoid big box store brands sitting on the shelves for months, all rank and smelling of ammonia.
MrsDoePee sells some of the best fresh bottled deer urine. I saw some different brands available now on Amazon, but cannot yet speak to their quality. Always ask if the seller has his own deer herd, and how they collect and ship
ten minutes later he was on the ground. PY 139 2/8
ten minutes later he was on the ground. PY 139 2/8
Jack, I have had the best success using the buck decoy the last week in Oct through mid Nov. I have only used it once as a doe around Thanksgiving and then seem after the major breeding period when the bucks are still looking for does to breed. During the early phase of late Oct, to mid Nov. a buck decoy seems to agitate the local buck, to come in to investigate. The use of buck grunts and antler rattling can make the set up more realistic. The best buck I killed, he came in hard with I snort wheezed. Pictured 200 yards away.
I've pee'd on scrapes several times and had bucks come to them, last Friday morning I pee's off my and and had a buck come by minutes later and come right under my stand sniffing. I think taking a leak behind the decoy would work, pee is pee!
Rattling got him heading my way and the decoy sucked him in the rest of the way to me this afternoon. Been peeing around my decoy for years with great success. I have said it before and ill say it again. I would never waste my money on scents.
Some tips on decoys, 1: don’t talk about it, as soon as everyone figures out they work quite often then they won’t work at all. 2: Put the decoy closer than you think you need it 3: Face the decoy towards you 4:If you can, try to face the decoy away from the direction you think deer will be coming from. For some reason they seem to respond better when they come from the rear then when they see it face on 5: If you are after a big buck, put some big antlers on it. Otherwise you’ll have a bunch of spikes that you will educate, it’s amazing to see how many spikes will come up to a good size 6-8 point decoy and think they can take him. 6: I really like the ever calm for a scent around the decoy
Lots of good advice here, and there have been MANY threads on decoy use if you do a little "Googling".
I don't like to face the decoy towards me as they'll often try to figure out what he's watching...and pick you off. That's just me, and I hunt on the ground a lot too.
Here's my 2018 buck shot at decoy(Flambeau Boss), and the buck does several "snort-wheeze's" if you listen closely. Have fun and enjoy the reactions, I think you'll get a kick out of using one.
Congrats Scrappy, great buck and I hope you got some cool footage as well!
Great video. Great tips, I'm going to get into decoying more.....the issue here is that Rifle season overlaps with bow season.... and I doubt I would try it during rifle season, even on private land. Plenty of dips#$ts out there, if you get my drift.
I am in SW Ohio and have found that my decoy in doe form freaks out all the does. I've yet to have a buck come to it. I will be going hunting on Thursday (Nov. 12th) and am struggling with whether or not I should bring it. Last weekend I saw several bucks cruising. Do you think I should put it out in Buck, Doe or neither form?
Gman, here is what I have learned about using a doe decoy Vs a buck decoy.
The does and does groups in an area you might be hunting seem to know the other doe groups and even single does as they all grew up together. They sometimes feed in the same areas and can smell the other doe's scents. When you place out a "strange" doe decoy into the area, the does of that area see it as a stranger and the does become nervous, snort, and some times clear the area you are hunting.
Now when using a buck decoy that the local does have not seen before, they just look at is as a strange wandering buck looking for action and most of the time react by not reacting, ie, snort, and running away. The local buck might see this decoy as an intruder and challenge it. This is when things get interesting, as SetO vidoe shows.
Do you ever get picked off in that tree? Kind of small and out by itself? Just wondering, because if I tried that, I think they would see my silhouette more often than not. Maybe the decoy helps with that?
When they work it's great, when they don't it's frustrating. Chased a good buck all last season. Decided to try a dek. Out comes target buck heading right to me, sees the dek, and 23 skiddoo he's gone. Neighbor got him during gun season. Thanks but no thanks on deks.
Pat, he came from the N or my left and there's a big tree out there blocking his view of me. By the time he was out front he was totally locked onto the decoy. You can see how much movement I got away with, and time that expired. I hunt that tree about once a year, need to move stand to the cedar but it's just not quite big enough yet.
8point, I've had that happen too...moreso with doe's, but it's always a chance as to how they'll react. That said, I've had way more encounters where the buck locked onto and came into the decoy. Have only tried a doe decoy a handfull of times over 15yrs, and only then when paired with the buck.
I have so many videos of interactions with the decoy I literally can't find them all, but here are a few more(have posted most of these before)...
From about 2wks ago...
Decoy is hard to see in this one but it's a HUD silhouette out in front to my left...
On the ground...
If you go to my YT channel there are many more...you can burn some time!
