Decoys

[fratri]

Anyone use one, thinking of buying one (not sure which one or how much i want to spend) just to see how it plays out.. some pretty cool videos out there..
I do like to see them come in (posturing) in those videos...
Just a box to check off on my bucket list..
Have you tried one?

[Species8472]

A tried for a couple seasons and came to the conclusion that it could work and be beneficial but was going to take more effort than I had to give at that point.

The few times I used one it seemed to do more harm than good. So clearly I was doing something wrong.

My son was into rock climbing at that point so he free scaled our 30 foot chimney at home with it on his back and set it up on top. Was there for 2 years before the wind brought it down

[fratri]

A tried for a couple seasons and came to the conclusion that it could work and be beneficial but was going to take more effort than I had to give at that point.

The few times I used one it seemed to do more harm than good. So clearly I was doing something wrong.

My son was into rock climbing at that point so he free scaled our 30 foot chimney at home with it on his back and set it up on top. Was there for 2 years before the wind brought it down

That is funny right there
Ya, I figure it would be a thing that would cause more trouble than it's worth but seeing those Youtube videos gets me excited

[huntnmachine]

Frank,
Wish I had some real time experience with a decoy to share, but I don't. Like you, I have watched hunting shows and YouTube videos with folks that use them.
I am thinking if the rut is on, they won't hurt your hunt.

[MihajloSimsic]

It CAN work but probably not enough to warrant spending several hundred dollars on one and hauling it in and out of a bush every sit. Deer aren't turkey. The likelyhood of decoys and calls working on deer is just far FAR less effective than it is for Turkey.

[gbk]

It CAN work but probably not enough to warrant spending several hundred dollars on one and hauling it in and out of a bush every sit. Deer aren't turkey. The likelyhood of decoys and calls working on deer is just far FAR less effective than it is for Turkey.

Deer can not be compared to turkey in almost any contest for hunting purpose.

Decoying can be very effective ,especially if one knows how to use them.One can not just plop the decoy in a likely place and hope for the best.
Something like fishing.One can not just throw any lure in any water ,anywhere,and hope for a catch.

As far as calling not effective on deer-that,is a myth.
Not a likely myth-but a real one.

[DanE]

They can work, but typically work in areas with high deer density and a good buck to doe ratio
I've had them do more harm than good in the times I've used them

[Matt86]

my best friend has been using a decoy last 3 years, and could kill lots of smaller bucks every year over it that come check it out, shot one nice 140 incher over it that wanted to fight and a smaller 120 over it, he loves it. But only certain time of the year it works, he uses his glen del archery target for a decoy, so multi use and works, same goes for calling. 2 week window if that calling works some times, just like moose, get one it the right mood on the right day at it makes things look easy

[sabmgb]

I have a friend that swears by them, but think as mentioned would have to be the right time of season. Personally I can't see lugging it in the bush every time I go, already have enough stuff to carry.

[Sam Menard]

As with any tactic or technique, hunters must temper their expectations as to the effectiveness of whatever is employed.

I remember being hugely disappointed as a youth when I wasn’t trampled over by deer when I tried using doe-in-heat. In fact, I was pretty sure that I was going to be gang-raped by a herd of rut-crazy bucks as I carried a bottle in my pack while walking through the woods.

Regarding decoys, they will only work if game see them and should be used with other tactics (sounds and smells) to add realism.

I once built a moose decoy similar to the Montana decoy except mine was made of plywood. In broad daylight, it looked ok. In low-light it looked like a dark blob. No moose ever came to check it out so I don’t know what the results would have been.

It’s been my experience that the success of any tactic or technique is directly dependant upon the population density of the species being hunted.