Tell me everything I need to know about using a buck decoy?? Best times?? Locations? Scent?? Ect, Ect. I will be using the bobb'n buck decoy!
Throw it in a dumpster...that's just my opinion. Had nothing but bad results from using one, some swear by them, some hate them...I'm a hater.
I hope you have some luck with it. Three times resulted in deer blowing and running in the opposite direction, twice was does and once was about a 100" buck. I was using a feather flex bedded buck, a six-pointer if it matters. Blew all three hunts, I sold it in a yard sale for a...well a buck, and that's no joke. I've seen it work on some of those hunting videos but you know as well as I do what kind of editing they are capable of. Best of luck!!!Keep us posted on results.
This is based on my experiences only.... Best time for me to use a buck decoy is usually from the last week in October to the first few days of November. After that I take the antlers off and use it as a doe. I have had my best luck using decoys in the corners of large fields that are close to bedding areas. However, anywhere that deer are going to be using a field and can see the decoy, it can be effective. Remember though, they have to be able to see it. I would never recommend using one inside of the woods, only out in open spaces. For scent just put a few bombs of dominate buck urine out around the decoy. NEVER NEVER NEVER put it directly on the decoy. While setting it up, I will put a buck decoy quartering towards me. This does 2 things 1) It makes any approaching deer to look to the side of me, instead of directly at me. 2) A buck should approach a buck decoy head on. If the decoy is quartering towards me ever so slightly then I will have a slightly quartering away shot on the buck in a perfect scenario. Also, nearly all deer will try to circle downwind of the decoy, and once they do the gig is up. Never touch it with bare skin, and give it a good spray down each time you set it out. Does will often be very nervous around a buck decoy, and more times than not will blow the field out when they come across it. Me personally I have better luck with a doe decoy once the big boys get out looking. A doe decoy almost helped me close the deal on 130 inch 8 pointer last year, but I blew the shot. Does also seem to be less nervous when coming in contact with a doe decoy. A buck should approach a doe decoy from the rear, so I set them up slightly quartering away from me. It makes for some very exciting action when it works. One morning, had 6 different bucks come to it, including a couple 2.5 year olds doing a little death match brawl for her. Another was a fork that tried to make a bambi with her before knocking it over.
Give it more than 1 shot before you give up on the tactic. My first one was a disaster, with 2 different groups of does blowing at the decoy and running off. When it works though you better hold on because the action gets fun.
Decoys can work great and they will work not so great. Will you have a bad experience? Yup eventually. When you throw it away send it to me. Don't expect magic but they can definetely help and even close the deal when the situation and particular buck is right.
You're right but I also think why even take a chance on blowing a hunt. All of blow a hunt from time to time anyway, I think blowing a hunt using a decoy can be one of those circumstances that you can control.
That is a very good point. I think once a buck has seen a decoy in his lifetime, he becomes increasingly more difficult to be fooled into it again. Out of 5 mature bucks that I have seen while hunting with a decoy in front of me 3 came to it to investigate within bow range, and 1 offered a shot.
