My dad randomly sent me a fawn decoy, but I don't predator hunt. Has anybody had success using a fawn decoy for early season whitetails? What scent would you pair with it...doe urine, EverCalm, nothing? I figured that and a fawn bleat would get some attention. Any ideas?
My only knowledge is that a fawn distress call can bring does charging in to protect the "fawn" they are hearing in early season, meaning September here in Idaho. I would think a fawn decoy placed where you want the deer to go and stop for a shot would work. I personally would not use a cover scent and would just liberally spray scent killer on the decoy, and then be sure to have the wind in my favor according to where I thought the does might be. As a thought though, coyote urine would probably add some realism to the picture you are trying to paint for them. I would set the shot up pretty close, a doe that comes in to this will be on very high alert.
I've used them elk hunting. They work unless you're solo and your target animal circles a bit and then is straight on with it. In my experience it can help steer an elk to where I want them to be in a calling them in solo scenario, but if they see the decoy and then circle so that they are straight on with it then it can cause them to lock up sometimes. When solo I'd rather call from cover so an elk thinks the "other elk" it is hearing is simply in cover and that's why it can't be seen. We can overcome this if not solo hunting by putting the shooter out front and then actually having the caller positioned right behind the decoy. This way the decoy hides the caller and the caller can rotate it as needed to keep it in their "view". Also adds some realism with movement. I've talked with some other archery elk hunters that position the shooter behind it rather than the caller. I'd much rather run a 3d decoy if sitting in a stand and wanting to steer a buck that happens by and sees it. My stand location they can and do come in from any direction, be hard to position a 2d.
