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Decoys

gundog870

gundog870

Premium Platinum Member
Just a quick question about set up. When using a buck decoy. I realize that in the perfect set up you are down wind with it facing you. But is it absolutely crucial for the decoy to be directly upwind of you?? Will a buck still come to the face in a cross wind or will it circle down wind first?
 
a cross wind will work, even down wind has worked on occasion for me, but like you said the perfect set up is upwind.

many times, the deer will be so fired up you could take a leak on his head and he wont notice
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<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just a quick question about set up. When using a buck decoy. I realize that in the perfect set up you are down wind with it facing you. </div></div>

Not to split hairs, but I think the best set up is to have the buck decoy quartering to you, upwind, at about 15 yards. That way, when they go "nose to nose" you will likely have a quartering away shot to work with at about 10-15 yards.

I had a perfect decoy response this past Saturday AM with this setup, the only problem was the responding buck was a 115" 7 pointer, missing both brow tines. Other than the fact he was smaller than I was looking for, he came to the decoy perfectly. I had him all stretched out, quartering away at 8 yards!! If he repeats his mistake in two more years he will not be so lucky!!
 
before a buck will go nose to nose with a decoy, he will display his broad side to the decoy, if he plans on attacking it, he will just march right in and clock the decoy regardless of his positiion.

in my experiences, having the decoy facing directly at the stand provides the highest percentage of quality shot opportunities.

different deer might react differently, and my opinion is not "biblical" but every deer i have filmed that has encountered the decoy stood broadside to the decoys face before approaching it.
 
I had great response with a buck decoy this past weekend in North Central Iowa. I had 7 different bucks come into the decoy. All bucks were smaller then I would of liked &lt;= 2.5 yrs old. I had the decoy facing directly at me and all bucks stood broadside to me when approaching the decoy at some point. Most of the smaller bucks approached curiously rather then aggressively. I know one thing I will not leave home without the decoy the remainder of the rut even if it is a pain in the butt to drag out to the stand.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> in my experiences, having the decoy facing directly at the stand provides the highest percentage of quality shot opportunities.
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Interesting, I have always quartered it to me and have always had broad side and/or quartering away good shot opportunities. Sounds like either way will work.
 
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