deer decoys anyone use them? are they any good?

[SPITFIRE]

I have been kicking this around for awhile. Should I buy one or not. Thought I would ask all of you first. Have received great first hand knowledge here and respect you advise. I think they would work great with the x bow.Thanks in advance

[Tom]

Deer decoys ..... do they work. That is a loaded question. They can work well, and then they could also bust you. I have an older model that does not have any movement incorporated into it and I think that it busts me more then helps. I believe that when a deer sees another deer (shape) they expect to see movement of some kink and when they don't see that movement, they get very nervous.

I still use mine if the situation looks right. I like to set it up on the edge of fields, either entering (about 30-40 yards into the field) or almost exiting the field, depending on the time of day or what I expect the deer to be about to do.

Good luck.

[VixChix]

I've had some deer come in to them but haven't connected. Seems like when I don't have it out, I wish I did; and then when I have it out I'm wondering how many deer I'm NOT seeing because of it. It can help draw the deers attention from your sound or movement. I think they work best when the bucks are chasing.

I'm shotgun hunting a few evenings this week and since the field I'm adjacent to was just manured that day I figured I had nothing to lose so I put out my Renzo doe (photo printed on thin corrogated plastic). I had some idiot road hunters come cruising by and spot it from way across 2 fields. They stopped, checked it out, pulled into the farmers laneway and then were confused because it "disappeared" from that angle. I was waving my orange hat at them less then 20 yds from the deke and they didn't see me. Finally I got up and walked over to the doe and laid it over and folded it up. I was starting to worry that they'd take a pot shot at it, then ask permission to retrieve it.

(NOTE TO THE HUNTERS IN THE BLACK PICKUP NEAR NEW DUNDEE: Road hunting is NOT COOL!)

If you use a decoy ALWAYS make sure it's perpendicular to your position in case some idiot tries to shoot it. Be extremely careful when you set it up or take it down. Never assume you're the only hunter in the area.

If I'm in the woods I sometimes just put a small piece of TP on a branch to look like a deer tail to catch the deers' attention.

[M&M]

I have allways been told not to use a decoy in a firearms season for safety reasons only use during bow season only

[VixChix]

I was busted by a nice buck once in shotgun week where I was certain if I'd had my deke out he wouldn't have had me pinned.... sine then I've occasionally used it during shotgun week. I'm hyper paranoid of the yahoos when I do though! I've gone so far as to hang blaze trail marker tape on it's neck.

[Riflemanz]

I use scarface decoy which can be a buck or doe depending on what you want.I have had good success with it.I like to set it about 40yds from me because alot of bucks will circle the decoy.I also use the rattlebag along with the decoy.


This buck fell for the decoy!

[bkisel]

I will sometimes use a 2D bedded deer decoy. It has worked for me. Because the two deer are bedded non-movement appears not to be an issue. Even though most deer have not come right up to the decoy it catches their attention and a lot of their focus. I give a lot of credit for my first CB kill last year to the deer's focus on my decoy allowing me to reposition in my ground blind to get a shot off. One of the guys who only gun hunts had his decoy shot right through the heart!

This is what I use and kinda what most often happens... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfBVHD2UeA0&NR=1

Bill K.

[SPITFIRE]

Thanks to those who replied. 146 views and 6 replies. I guess not to many of you use deer decoys. I guess I will gust have to try one myself next year during bow season. Gun season here now and I deffinitly would not use one now . It would be shot in a heart beat.

[VixChix]

My husband has had success with them during shotgun season on private property.

[bkisel]

Thanks to those who replied. 146 views and 6 replies. I guess not to many of you use deer decoys. I guess I will gust have to try one myself next year during bow season. Gun season here now and I deffinitly would not use one now . It would be shot in a heart beat.

Using a decoy can be a hassle for those of us we need to carry our gear in and out of our hunting spots. It is yet another piece of equipment that needs to be carried, setup and broken down.

If you were to use a decoy during gun season you'd certainly not want to be on the ground with the decoy broadside in front of you - even if you were covered head to toe in orange I'd not recommend such a setup.

Take care...

[DuckHunt]

I've only used one once, but I connected on a big doe because of it. Actually, I used my 3D target. I set it up about 20 yards in front of my stand in open timber. I saw a couple doe walking through about 100 yards away. Hit a doe grunt and got their attention. They saw the decoy and the rest is history. They did get antsy once they got close to it (<5 yards) and noticed it wasn't real. That provided a good quartering away shot.

I would be very leery about using one during a rifle season or hunting on the ground near one.

DuckHunt

[Farmer]

Do decoys work ? just back from the controlled hunt in 92B. The group I hunt ( 4 of us ) with took 4 bucks using decoys. They held the bucks attentions long enough to seal the deal.