Decoying Whitetail Deer - Part 2 of 2

Part II of II

Another crucial element is the timing of the use of the decoy. The risk of introducing a decoy into a mature buck’s daily routine at a time when other deer are remaining in their respective territory is considerably high with a low rate of success. So when do you use a decoy? I’m a firm believer that there are only two times to use a decoy, during that maddening time we all know as the rut, and the week or so preceding the rut. Mature bucks will generally have very little interest in a decoy at any other time of the year and in most cases, the decoy will act as a detriment. During the pre-rut phase, however, the results of decoy usage can be quite dramatic to view. When encountering a decoy, or any other deer, the general response of a mature buck, is to first identify the other deer. After making a determination, it’s next reaction will be one of three things. A showing of aggression in attempt to make the intruder or subject leave the area, a subordinate reaction resulting in the approaching deer leaving the immediate area, or a complete disinterest in the other subject deer or decoy. The last reaction is often shown by a far superior buck as opposed to that a deer of comparable or lesser maturity than the subject deer. Any other reaction is a result of human or foreign odor detection, and I think you could guess what type of reaction that one is.

It is during this Pre-rut stage that I will use my rattling antlers heavily, rattling once every 20 to 30 minutes, in areas where buck-to-doe ratios are at 1-to-4 as a maximum to draw attention to my decoy. In areas of higher doe numbers, I will reduce the frequency or likely not even use my rattling antlers. My decoy type will be an antlered decoy exclusively. An antlered deer with a twist, that is. I will take one of the antlers and saw or remove the majority of tine length from one side of the rack. In nearly all instances that I have used an antlered decoy with this type of rack configuration, MATURE bucks approached the deer from a quartered angle behind the decoy and position themselves for a strike to the weak side of antler development. What does this mean to you, the bowhunter or close quarters hunter? It means having the ability to draw and shoot while the buck is focused on the decoy and facing directly away from you, if you position the decoy correctly. If your effective shooting range is 25 yards, that means placing the decoy 25-35 yards away from you. This will force the deer to walk around the decoy and into your shooting range. Point the decoy at a 45 degree angle away from your stand with the weak side of the rack closest to you. Remember, use latex gloves and wear Scent-Lok clothing when possible to reduce human contact and foreign odors with the incoming deer. Also, it’s important to note that you should place the decoy with the wind blowing directly from the decoy to your stand site. This means the most vulnerable time you will have for scent detection will be in the final approach of the buck to the decoy, so be ready to draw and shoot quickly!! The buck will likely approach the decoy with it’s hair raised and head slightly cocked. This is a sign of dominance and you will likely see the approach slow to almost a stop. Then, there will be a massive explosion of aggression as it attacks the decoy, generally at a broadside angle. It is during the period of time where the deer comes to a near stop, that this is your window to shoot. If you miss that window, you will likely not get a chance again. It is rare to see a mature buck linger around a decoy after toppling it. So be prepared when the opportunity presents itself.

After the Pre-Rut period, you’ll need to change strategies. Ditch the antlers in favor of a deep grunt call. This also includes a changing of decoys as well as a changing of placements. I’ll actually switch to a two decoy approach during this time of year. I use a bedded doe decoy along with a standing, attentive buck decoy. You will still need to place your decoys upwind of you, but you will place the doe at your maximum effective range and your buck decoy very near to the base of your tree or blind location. You can use a regular, symmetrical rack or an unbalanced rack. Because you want to position the buck looking directly at the doe, the rack itself will be of insignificant value. A smaller rack is preferred in this situation to suggest submissiveness to mature bucks approaching set-up. If an approaching buck feels superior, it will likely place himself between the two decoys, which should be about 20-25 yards apart, but both highly visible. When the action is slow, or when you’re trying to grab a potential shooters attention, use long, deep, continuous grunts lasting 5 to 7 seconds in length two or three times per hour. This sound is most commonly associated with mature bucks that are tending does. This type of decoy set-up will allow you a much larger window of time to make the shot as well, so don’t rush your way through this scenario, time is generally on your side. Wait for the ethical shot.

As a final note on decoy types, there are tons out there to choose from. Including decoys produced specifically for decoying and those that are produced for targets. The downside to using targets for decoys is the weight issue if you must carry your decoy in and out of the stand with you. The upside is, for the most part, they are a lot more realistic. Some of my favorites include the smaller McKenzie and Rinehart targets. They have multiple positions that make for a much more realistic and natural look, rather than some commercially produced decoys that look as if they are about to get hit by a passing truck. The size of the decoy is also very important. A deer has horrible depth perception. Smaller decoys have proven to me time and time again to draw bucks into closer range. They give the appearance that they are farther away, decreasing the hang up range of a potential shooter buck that for some reason may be a little unsure of your set-up. McKenzie used to make a small backyard target that worked perfectly. Another great example is the hugely popular Backyard Buck, sold at Gander Mountain and other stores. Pay particular attention to the ear positioning of your decoys as well as tail position, if using decoys with adjustable tails. The subtle position of these key features can greatly affect the performance of your decoy. Once you gain a full understanding of this silent conversation between deer, your chances at truly mature bucks will increase exponentially. Watching videos of decoy interaction from quality, fair chase hunting videos will also help aid in recognizing these subtle cues. In future articles, we’ll discuss the importance of deer body language and how it’s interpreted by other deer. Until then, practice hard, watch some videos, and dream about the upcoming season, it’ll be here before we know it!