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How many of you out there have used DECOY'S?

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DecoyGuy

Guest
Hey, just wondering how many of the readers out there have used a decoy before? I am trying to get an idea I came up with about seven years ago (but patented three years ago) to market. It is a remote controlled decoy that has ears that rotate from the alert position to an aggressive position and the tail has a true "flicker" like that of a live whitetail. This is UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME! Absolutely nothing compares to this type of All-Season luring power! What are some of your experiences with decoy's?
 
Iv used my 3D deer as a decoy to see if it would work but the times Iv took it out wityh me the deer were off in the distance. One day I had a yerling walk on a trail about 30 yrds out and it looked at the decoy and kept on its way. I think it was intimidated because I had the antlers on it so I dont attract to many does.But that is the only deer that ever came close enough to see it.
Well this probably aint helping you but that was my experience with a decoy. I plan on trying it again this year!!
 
I had a ten-pointer try to breed my Redi-DOe last year. He rubbed up against her side, then touched his nose to her nose. I'm a believer.
 
Friend of mine over in the hills has taken his largest bow buck over a decoy. He has harvested over 20 P & Y bucks and says a decoy in the hills is the most exiciting hunt he has ever had. I can understand how it would be visually effective. Then if you throw in some rattling that first week of November...look out.

Don't set your bow down!

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I had a motionless buck decoy cost me a dandy 10 pointer some years back. As he was coming in, he stood and watched the decoy and you could almost see him thinking "that damn thing should have at least twitched an ear by now". After a couple of minutes the buck simply turned and left...I haven't used the decoy since. I think your idea of motion in the ears and tail could be the difference.

My dad's farm is surrounded by good deer timber. When he leaves his 3D buck target out in the yard during the rut it takes a beating during the overnight hours. We've frequently found antler gouges running down the side of the target and the thing knocked off of its base. Evidence that decoys CAN attract an aggressive dominant buck at the right time of year. Keep us posted on the motion decoy!
 
Hey thanks for the info! Decoying is like any other tactic where it may take a few runs by trial and error but after that......look out! The deer are dead if you can shoot. This is where DOA came from. Dead On Arrival -- Buckmasters, Russell Thornberry plans to do a story on this decoy this next year as they are not in production yet and I am sending him a prototype for his use this season. I personally have been using the DOA DECOY for seven years now and can now attract almost every deer I can visibly spot from the stand, into it. It may take some horns or a soft grunt to get them looking for movement and then a twitch of the tail grabs their attention. Augh....Man! I get as fired up as Ted Nugent when a Big old Buck comes in and I know the only reason he is coming my way is because I've convinced him he's got a new neighbor. Russell loves this....he siad that he has been tying a mono-line to a white cloth tail for years now and that doing so helps dramaticallly. I can hardly wait to hear reactions and testimonials on this product!
 
I used decoy last year for the first time and really liked it. When i used as a doe i had deer walking by and bleating any where from 20 feet to 30 yards away i really could not see that many but could hear and see motion in the grass.I did learn that you can't make the wrong sound when using a bleat
call, i know i listened to at least a dozen different bleats and they were all different
some sounding mad when i did not answer and stomp there feet.
When i put the horns on i had the same type
action with does but i had 2 bucks come up one to about 15 turned and walk away not spooked.
So i would have to say they help part of the time.I'm going to try it in a couple other stands this year. This stand is good,lot of deer in area,they just come thru my stand to
early in moring or to late nite. Think i will make it a all day stand for the rut!
My decoy has head up in alert postion which makes me wonder if a tail moving might help
me to calm deer. It was not a problem last year because it was allways to dark.But the places i have in mind for this year a little
tail motion might be just the ticket.

Good Hunting
 
I had the pleasure of talking with Greg Miller about decoying deer. He really likes using them. I have not used one myself. I'd like a little more of a description of this thing. Being an electrician, I'd guess it might be remote controlled? I don't care for the string thing.
Whats the easiest way to get to into the woods scent free?
 
I also had a chance to talk to Greg Miller about this and yes he does like decoys and has used them with much success, but the question I had for him becouse my luck has been very bad with them as NWBUCK, I also have had about a 160 class walk away from my Flambeau with the anler kit, He told me " Greg Miller" that if all he had to use was a Flambeau for decoy hunting he would not hunt at all. He is a true believe in the Carry-Lites because of the natural realistic look they have.
 
This is true, the Carry Lite does have more eye appeal and the model that I am working on would be like a cross between the two and remote controlled. The problems you guys are stating, with deer going the other way could be fowl scent on the decoy or such. If you hunt in dense trees or along hills or bluffs the wind can swirl and make things much more difficult but scent control with Decoy's is nothing but a must because I have talked to people who couldn't figure out why their Decoy wasn't working and they were not being careful enough reguarding scent control. One guy told me the deer literally ran away upon seeing it when come to find out he had stuck it in his backyard at home allowing dogs, cats and whatever else might investigate a deer in your yard lick on it and such. Another guy just kept throwing his in the pick-up and the scent in the truck along with cats jumping in there contaminated his. I told him it doesn't take much to put a fowl smell on a decoy. Then, he later told me that he figured out why it wasn't working for him and that the droppings trick worked. Once it's contaminated, it's hard to get the fowl scent off. Take your decoy and wash it with a scent free soap. Spray some neutralizer on it and the first time you get into the woods, pick up some deer droppings. You probably want to wear a gloves from this point on when handling your decoy. The droppings can be smeared on the inside of the legs and will aid in the natural smell to go with a natural appearance. I put any other scent in a film canister and mark different canisters accordingly. This way if you want to make the decoy a buck one day and a doe the next, it will not alarm the deer due to having a rack in the decoy but a doe scent around it. It did make a difference several years ago when I experimented with it but in higher deer population areas it may not matter. Set-up is also very critical in Decoying deer. Keep using your decoy and though it may take a while to figure out all the tricks, once you have mastered the proceedures, you shouldn't have deer going the other way. I had some deer go the other way back when I started decoying and after the first year of trial and error,I figured out what worked and what didn't. Good Luck with it!
 
DecoyGuy, Thanks for the great advice on scent. After 22 seasons I have learned that being scent free is very important and this did not play a part in the problems I have experienced. For now I will not use a decoy, maybe someday. Its hard to teach a old dog new tricks and this old dog will not let a 160 class turn around up wind of a decoy again any time soon. P.S. I have good friends that have had great success with them, this is just one mans point of view and I encourage everyone to try new things and see for your self, thanks.
 
Hey no problem! I'm not trying to tell anyone, hey this is how you have to do it. I just thought that I would pass along to anyone reading, how to avoid many of the problems one might be faced with as I was when I started decoying. You've got me beat, I only have 20 years behind me and I have spent the last 9 of those using a decoy on every hunt I make. Everyone has a different routine and I am merely helping those who may be trying a decoy for the first or second season. My Dad always said, son if hadn't told you all the tips and techniques I've learned over my hunting years when you began, you wouldn't have been as productive in your earlier years of hunting. To this day, I believe he has hit the nail on the head. Why not share this information so that others can use what they want out of it. I still to this day can pick a tip or technique up out of many of the articles read or stories heard today. I can never stop learning new ideas or tricks in the field because if had totally mastered the sport, knew everything there is to know, it wouldn't be fun for me anymore. Hunting has too many variables to know everything as far as I'm concerned. The hunting sport is supposed to be all for fun so don't take this stuff personally! Good Luck this season. Hope everyone is able to get the one they want!
 
Excellent Conference Board educate Wags! The most important thing we all must remember is to have mutual respect for all people that post messages.

Thanks again,


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Decoyguy, I hope i did not come across in anyway negitive in your eyes, if so, I'm sorry, keep up the good work, good hunting to all.
 
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