[OhioMike]

Just bought a decoy and plan on using it this weekend. First timer here. Does anybody have any hints/tricks or tips for it.. My decoy canconvert from buck to doe.. I'm hunting a certain buck in his comfort zone, so i'm thinking of putting the buck decoy out with buck urine/tarsal.
Any suggustions?

OHIOMIKE

 

[Hunting Man]

OhioMike, can't help you on this one, but I would like to hear how you do with it. I've thought about using a decoy just haven't. My thoughts would be a doe with good estrus scent used during the rut by fresh scrapes. If a person used two decoys I would use a small buck and doe with estrus call/scent and maybe rattle some. Someone here should have experience on this. Good luck and let us know what happens!

 

[BruceBruce1959]

If you're going to set your buck out in a field, I would suggest keeping it facing away from the woods. (that lets other bucks know the field is safe, if he's facing the woods that might indicate danger to other deer looking to come out and he's ready to head back into the woods.)
Also don't use any scents the first time around, make sure you spray the decoy really good with 99% (ScentAway) that's a clean setup, if your Buck sees your decoy it'll come out but if it smells what might be a superior buck it may not come out.
the results from the clean setup will determine what you should do next.

Good Luck

 

[Hunting Man]

I really don't think a mature buck in the rut will come out to investigate another buck standing in an open field doing nothing. You need something that he is pursuing, like a doe in estrus, or possibly antler rattling, indicating a fight over an estrus doe. Maybe having the buck decoy standing over another's scrape? Most rutting bucks have one thing on their mind and it better smell/sound like it or I don't think they will pay any attention to it. BB and I differ on scent use, try both ways and let us know.

 

[OhioMike]

well to add a little more to the story.. I don't believe the rut is happening right now. We are in the chase phase here in Ohio. The bucks are starting to chase a little bit but no estrus. And i'm hunting a certain buck in his territory. He has consistantly been coming out in the evenings around 5:00pm. I have always been too far from him to take him with my bow. I am hunting from the ground also. Last week I rattled around 6:00pm and I heard a Snort/wheeze from the edge of the woods. He probably kept weezing for about 2-3minutes. a lot longer then a usual spook of a deer. this deer sounded pissed off.

 

[BruceBruce1959]

I really don't think a mature buck in the rut will come out to investigate another buck standing in an open field doing nothing.
BB and I differ on scent use, try both ways and let us know.

I personally saw a buck go into a guys back yard and attack his 3d decoy had I not seen it I would have struggled to believe it, I've also seen episodes on the outdoor channel that discussed using decoy deer to lure bucks.
As far as the scent I would only use scents if the buck indicated to me that he was in heavy rut OR if I seen him chasing doe's otherwise I would totally avoid scents especially if you're not sure about current rutting activities..

Take a look at this deer attacking a Decoy.

 

[OhioMike]

sounds like a good plan bruce, thanks! I Have been watching a lot of the decoy demostrations on youtube. they have some pretty cool encounters out there. I'll let you know how things go.

 

[buckfever]

The next time your going to be in the woods what are you going to have? Bow or Gun. The reason Im saying this is if Gun season starts say tomorrow and this buck has been a consistent 5 o'clocker I would do nothing abnormal and try to get him at a the range you have been seeing him without spooking him.

Now if its going to be bow for awhile then by all means try the decoy before he changes up on you and starts chasing does all over the place.

Just some thoughts.. And please note I am no professional at this stuff.

 

[OhioMike]

Bow on the ground in high grass with some thicket cover. I'm no professional either .
Thanks for all the help. I will let you know how the weekend went with the decoy. Hopefully, posting pics!!!

 

[BruceBruce1959]

If you're going to be on the ground make sure to de-scent everything
(99% scent away, you and ALL your equipment, even the bow) I'm looking forward to the pics. :w00t:

 

[Lord Toneking]

well to add a little more to the story.. I don't believe the rut is happening right now. We are in the chase phase here in Ohio. The bucks are starting to chase a little bit but no estrus. And i'm hunting a certain buck in his territory. He has consistantly been coming out in the evenings around 5:00pm. I have always been too far from him to take him with my bow. I am hunting from the ground also. Last week I rattled around 6:00pm and I heard a Snort/wheeze from the edge of the woods. He probably kept weezing for about 2-3minutes. a lot longer then a usual spook of a deer. this deer sounded pissed off.

I'm in Ohio also and have noticed that the action aint quite there yet either. I just used my decoy for the first time this morning without any luck. I'm a bit hesitant to do any 'real' rattling yet because I'm worried I may spook them..I don't know, maybe I'm wrong??

Good luck and keep us posted on how you're doing! I'm going back out in the morning so I'll do the same.

If you see any 'action' going on let me know...since I'm in Ohio also:wink:

 

[Hunting Man]

I'm heading to PA this saturday. The rut will be going on around the 6-12 there. I'll be using two different doe in heat scents in 3 hanging branches overlooking fresh scrapes. Encounters with bucks happens nearly every day during the rut. The three point on one side requirement means waiting for the right one to show up. Mathews and Muzzy are teamed up and ready to go.

 

[OhioMike]

Ok, I went out this morning after that buck i've been watching. I was sitting and had my 6 point buck decoy/target up about twenty yards in front of me. i was sitting at about 7:15am. At 7:30 I grunted and did a rattling sequence. i am sitting in a small thicket in a large field facing the woods. I heard a snort way off to my left after my rattle sequence. So, I sat.... At 8:00am I see the buck coming straight toward my decoy about 110 yards away. He stroll right in completely fixated on the decoy. He came to about 40-50 yards from me and 60-70 yards from the decoy. Then he turn and ran into the edge where he circled around the decoy and then disappeared.

I would have had a perfect shot on him if he would have only came in 10-20 yards more. First Time i used the decoy. I had him facing the woods about 40-50 yards from the edge w/no scent. It was pretty exciting, I can't wait to get back out there. I've been seeing this buck a lot lately.

I think when tomorrow morning i'm going to use the doe decoy. Maybe this big boy will feel more comfortable with a doe.

 

[joel the signman]

put the doe in front of the buck ya know what i mean?:wub: then he'll be mad as .....:surprised:

 

[OhioMike]

lol,,, no can do.. only one decoy...interesting technique though

 

[BruceBruce1959]

I had him facing the woods about 40-50 yards from the edge w/no scent.
I think when tomorrow morning i'm going to use the doe decoy. Maybe this big boy will feel more comfortable with a doe.

Your decoy should have been facing away from the woods BUT it's ok at least you got to see that using a decoy works. I think I would still keep it as a Buck but face it away from the woods next time around but then again a doe setup might work as well.
NOTE:
facing the buck towards the field is like being in a boxing ring as a boxer and timberghost (a real boxer) will back this up. a boxer facing you is more of a threat than a boxer heading back to his corner.
Now imagine the buck seeing another buck in the field, well he's heading back to the woods so it's no big deal BUT if he was facing the other way well then maybe we gotta show him who's field this is. make sense? Id still avoid the scents give it one more time scent free and see what happens.
Goof Luck

 

[BruceBruce1959]

OhioMike? anything new to report?

 

[OhioMike]

Hey Bruce, I hunted Saturday all day and Sunday morning. I saw my buck both days. just never quite came in close enough... Saturday I had my doe decoy out. I was sitting in some tall grass facing the edge(60 yards). I was sitting by 7:00am(still dark) I rattled and grunted around every 45minutes. Hoping that when this buck comes through he will appear. At 9:30am I heard movement along the edge. He come out directly in front of me in tall grass at about 50 yards.. As soon as he came out he put his eyes right on me. I don't know how the hell he saw me but he did. he watched me the whole time he strolled through the field. When he got to about 40 yards, i was goin to take shot. he turned his head and i started to draw, he looked righted at me in mid-draw. I had to stop and hold draw, he ended up strolling away.
Needless to say, I put a tree stand up in the field that afternoon. I hunted that evening from the tree stand and just saw a couple does off in the distance..
Sunday morning I hunted the same stand and Seen 5 does, a small buck and the nice buck i've been hunting. They all came out about 80 yards away and never came into me. I did see the smaller buck chasing the hell out of does though; had them running in circles.
So, it was a good weekend. I'm excited to get back out there. It's too bad that i have to work all the time. It seems to get in the way of my hunting obession.
I'm planning on going out in the morning here soon with in the next couple days.

 

[BruceBruce1959]

is it possible to get setup on the opposite end of the field? it looks like the wind is against you on that left hand side, can you get to the other end (the right side) of that field?

 

[OhioMike]

I will have to investigate that end. The wind changes quite often. I've notice that the majority of the time. it is to my favor. blowing out of the woods to me. The wind direction i put on that particular map is when I was sitting up in the field, most Northeast position. I am positioned in the treestand now.