Every year I have a debate with myself as to when to take the decoy out. I have had awesome encounters when I used my decoy but never keep track of when I used it and I have a terrible memory. When would you start setting a decoy out?
Many people will disagree with me, but I like to break mine out as rutting activity starts to pick-up (last week of October into early November). I'm a Minnesota hunter so our rutting schedules should be similar. I will start with a lone buck and work into a buck/doe combination as the rut progresses. Some people like using decoys in heavy cover, but my success has come from long range visibility areas, by catching a deer's eye from far-off and getting it to come in to investigate. I ALWAYS HANDLE MY DECOYS WITH THE UTMOST SCENT CONTROL (down to rubber gloves when touching them). I'll put them away when gun season rolls around for obvious safety concerns. I'll hunt without them when hunting cover.
hey, I'm interested in trying decoys this year. We have small 1/4 food plots that I was thinking about putting one out in. Where do you put your out? big fields, in woods, or small food plots?
I have only ever used mine in open fields. Like PolarBoy stated, this allows the deer to view it from long distances. I like to set it up according to wind direction, the decoy should be upwind from you. A buck will most likely approach a buck decoy head on so place the decoy angling toward your stand, that way the buck's attention will be on the decoy and not you.
I plan on using mine on Saturday night. The field I'll be hunting can unfortunately be seen pretty well from a county road and the bucks don't like to show themselves until after dark. I'm hoping the decoy will put them at ease and draw them out in shooting light.
I never seem to have good luck with decoys. I sold mine this spring - every time I bring one out it tends to spoke all the pansy deer on my farms. Maybe I need a buck fawn decoy. LOL. Good luck!
