Deer decoy bad luck

peter p · Post by **peter p** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 1:14 pm

I went out Sat afternoon and climbed into my platform tree stand with my 2 boys. At around 6 pm 3 deer stepped out into the clearing and hung around and fed for a while just a little too far to shoot. They then left and when they were out of sight I told my son to give a doe bleat on the call which brought them back but downwind from us. They scented us and ran off.
The next night we went back and set out out a Renzo's white tail feeder doe decoy. At about 6:30pm we heard deer snorting from the same place where the deer entered the clearing the night before and then we heard them run off. I said to my sons, "there is no way they seen us or winded us up here in our stand. I bet ya the decoy spooked them". Well a short while later a doe walks into the clearing and starts coming towards us. Another 5 yards and it would be a perfect broadside shot (it was quartering towards when it was coming). She then sees the decoy and stops, starts staring at it, stomped her foot and walked away toward the other side of the clearing and just stared at it nervously. She then walked back into the bush and I told my son to give a doe bleat on the call which brought her back in. She stayed a little while longer staring nervously at the decoy and bobbing her head. She then had enough, turned and ran into the bush and left.

Has anyone had any luck with decoys?
Is it too early in the season to use one?

GaryL · Post by **GaryL** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 1:38 pm

peter p quote"Has anyone had any luck with decoys? Is it too early in the season to use one?"

Yes I set out a couple two with there heads up and one in a feeding stance. I think maybe you should have put them out before you wanted to go hunting, however I have put them out the same day and had deer coming in to check them out never spooked one as yet, that I am aware of.

The problem with deer decoys is being able to leave them and not worry about some one borrowing them....

I am sure you will hear some more thoughts on the matter.

DesertRat · Post by **DesertRat** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 3:29 pm

My 1st two (and only 2 thus far) deer were taken using decoys. I did read however that you should set decoys up in a farely wide open space. Deer do not like to be surprised and a decoy to close to their bush exit can spook em. I have had great success with them and even had deer change directions to investigate. I have not had a big buck come to a decoy yet but then again, I haven't seen a biggie when I had my decoy out.

Dunrobin · Post by **Dunrobin** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 5:31 pm

This is a long shot, but perhaps they smelled your sent on the decoy? When you put it out, did you where gloves or use sent eliminator on it? That's my only guess. Good luck...