Deer decoys for the Rut?
Whitetail Deer
Contributors to this thread:
Yes? No? Maybe?
Looking at the Montana Decoy Archer’s Choice Plot Pack (buck and feeding doe)..................
Yes. Love decoys. Don't know about those particular dekes but in general hunting over decoys is a blast.
I echo what Catscratch has said.
Decoys can work very well. Never had much luck with them if a number of does will come by. They don’t like the decoy craze.
I have killed numerous bucks that came to the buck decoy. This CarryLight decoy not made any more.
I don't like doe decoys at all. That was my first deke and had horrible luck. Switched to a buck and had great luck. Of course they don't work every time and results vary, but when they do work they are fun.
this one last week, prior to the prime rut.
this one last week, prior to the prime rut.
Decoy November 9th, Colorado the day after rifle season
Decoy November 9th, Colorado the day after rifle season
the buck that came to the above BUCK decoy and gave me a15 yard shot.
the buck that came to the above BUCK decoy and gave me a15 yard shot.
same buck decoy, set up in Kansas, private land on Nov. 10th. Came to decoy from 100 yards to snort wheeze call. Killed at 15 yards
same buck decoy, set up in Kansas, private land on Nov. 10th. Came to decoy from 100 yards to snort wheeze call. Killed at 15 yards
Kansas buck came too chose and challenge the decoy.
Kansas buck came too chose and challenge the decoy.
My first PY Buck came to the Buck decoy, November 2 in Nebraska.
My first PY Buck came to the Buck decoy, November 2 in Nebraska.
While this Carry lite decoy is not made any more, I would chose the Primos Scarface buck, full body decoy.
What bow is that, Paul?
Seems to carry Big Mojo
Holy crap the internet is kicking my butt! Tried to put all these pics on a post and you can see how that turned out. Anyway, you get the idea. Bucks posted were shot using the cardboard decoy in the first couple of pics. Bowhunting/Rut/Decoy = great fun!
Paul@thefort - some great deer and even better that some of them were shot with a stick-n-string! Cool stuff!
I killed this buck over my Carry Lite buck decoy on October 26 this year. He came in just like the bucks on the videos, it was really cool!
THANKS guys! I will be getting a decoy ASAP!
I'm thinking about putting a decoy out on the 11th in a big ag field!!
THis has been covered before, I spray the decoy down with a no scent spray just after I set it up. I also spray around the decoy and on my pants just prior to the set up.. Using buck or doe scents is very optional. Wearing rubber gloves is necessary to keep the human scent off the decoy. I prefer not to use any scent on or near the decoy. I have used this only once as a doe and that was when the rut was winding down and bucks were still looking, late November
Just killed this buck today over a for decoy. Set her up by a fresh scrape. He came in 30 minutes later. He was up wind. Circled in down wind into 10 yards of decoy when I shot him. I love to use the decoy. Not too many bigger bucks around, but have fun doing it. I put ever calm down the back of decoy and feathers on ears and tail.
In my experience no ”spray down” is necessary, I’ve had them licking the decoy.
Only tried it once, it spooked 3 does walking by and about an hour later spooked a pretty big buck for where I hunt in PA. It pretty much ended my experiment though I know people who have success with them. 2 of the biggest bucks I ever blew it on in my life were that one with the decoy and a public land 8 pointer with estrous.
If I’m hunting a field edge from about October 28 to KY rifle season opener (second Saturday in November) I’m using a decoy. I’ve killed 2 bucks over my Primos Scarface decoy and have had numerous little bucks that could have been killed.
Scrappy's Link
If you gonna spray your decoy down use this stuff. The deer seem to love the taste. Old video but the buck just can't get enough of this stuff. I also pee around my decoy after I get him set up.
THANKS for the tips guys!
Lots of nice bucks killed over decoys, congrats guys!
I killed this one a few years back thanks to my decoy. He was cruising by out of bow range, I grunted and he saw the decoy and altered his course to get a closer look at the decoy, which brought him into bow range.
Tried using a 3d target once about 20 years ago in our front yard .. got some pretty funny reactions from the neighborhood deer.
This thread has me wondering if our doe decoy (not the target) can bring the cruisering bucks in closer.
So, should we face her looking into the wind, cross wind 10-15 yards?
Thanks for the advice and tips.
ND String Puller's Link
Check this out. Saw it on the KS forum...hand carved decoy !
The wind is not the most critical thing unless the buck will hit your scent stream first. Remember that the buck will come into the butt end of your doe decoy. So you want to position the decoy so it will help position the buck for your shot. I try to set up for a 15 yard broadside shot. Do not have the doe decoy facing you as the buck may look to see what she is looking at. If you set your decoy up as a buck the buck will want to come in at the head end. Therefore, set up the decoy so the buck will give you your shot facing the decoy. Have fun with it. It can get exciting quickly.
Ive had a ton of deer come to them, set up as buck or doe. during the rut it's a great tactic. More luck up north in SD than here in OK, but I wouldn't be without one available as an option. Shot this guy while it was set up as a doe. Missed a huge one a couple of years before that came in from about 400 yards away.
A friend of mine had his decoy in his back yard before hunting. He got home from work and a real buck had done a number on his decoy. Rupe and I set up a decoy out in a field on time. There was a low brushy spot in the field and that is where we were hiding. I was taking video and Rupe was going to do the shooting. We saw a nice 10 point buck coming from 200 yards away. I had the camera rolling and had the 10 point buck right in the picture at 20 yards away. I wondered what Rupe was waiting for and looked over at him. He said, "Too small." Rupe only shot monsters.
Well, got the buck set up on a trail that leads out into a field. Had it out into the field this morning when I was able to grunt in a fork horn. He responded to the grunts immediately and came into 30y(from 50). Could have shot him. Don’t think he saw the buck so I moved it closer