Decoys

[Chevy]

Has anyone had any luck hunting mature bucks during the rut with decoys?

I have a stand in a hedge row with a golden rod field in between the hedge row and standing corn. I have seen bucks running doe in the field and the corn and need to lure them over to my location. I thought a buck decoy might do the trick but I have never used one before.

Any do and don'ts from experience would be appreciated. 

Who make the best buck decoy assuming its a buck decoy I need and not a doe decoy?

[nyslowhand]

There was a discussion in BOW HUNTING - Using a deer decoy, may be helpful?

[Chevy]

Thanks. I just read that thread. Not much practical advice in it. Maybe the decoy is just for tv shows in Iowa. I have alot of doe in the area so maybe a decoy is not the best thing to do since the does will surely check it out an blow me in.

[Buckstopshere]

I've used a decoy but have not had a lot of success with it. Like you say, the does wise up quickly and it is a pain hauling it around. I have had a couple small bucks come in and check it out. One was quite entertaining and made me laugh.

He stared at the decoy ( a bedded doe) for a while and then came in and circled around from behind. He kept raising his head to look at what the decoy seemed to be looking at and got his head right down next to the decoys to see what was getting such a long stare. After a while he walked away. I wish I had my camcorder for that show!

If I was you and you have a hot spot like that, when the early stages of the rut begin, find a couple hot scrapes and cut they overhanging branches off them. Transport them to your mock scrape, 20 yards from your stand. Zip-tie the cut overhanging branches over your mock scrape. If you do that a week or two before the real running and chasing starts (like in Mid October this year, it should bring a buck or two in to check out what's going on.

Much easier and in my opinion, much more effective than a decoy. That should do the trick to bring them in and get them to stop...does too.

[fasteddie]

I have not used a Buck Decoy . Several years ago I set my MacKenzi target us go yards from my stand . Two doe came into an opening over 100 yards away . They headed right for it and were standing next to it . When one turned sideways , I drilled her . I had carried the decoy to the woods in one of those big orange garbage bags that get used for road trash pickup .

I set the MacKenzi up 20 yards from another stand . I had it facing away as I was told that a buck would approach it from the rear .I used the doe bleat can .  A 6 point came down the lane-way and was 3' from it looking at it's face so he was facing me . Apparently the buck didn't read the same article that I had read . One of my sister in law's horses ran up to the fense , whinnied and the buck ran down the field . I couldn't get him to come cack but I was thinking that there was about 900 pounds standing on the other side of the fense !

I have tried the 2D doe decoys with no luck .

I agree that does tend to shy away from the decoys on the most part . I figure I was just lucky the 1st time .

[vipertech]

I hunted with a buddy of mine and he brought a decoy out with him.  We never saw a single deer that day.  After seeing him struggle with getting the decoy out into the woods and all setup with absolutely no results,  I figured that they are yet another unnecessary item.  YMMV.

[growalot]

I use a bobbin head decoy and a bobbin head turkey decoy at the same time ...what great fun ...had a chance at a nice mature 8pt but neighbors dog came in chasing a bunch of doe and fawn taking the buck with him...I was all set to draw > ...anyways passed on some nice six and had fun watching a few younger buck dance around it.....turkey come in to the set up as well