# Doe or Buck Decoy?



## cubsfan (Nov 17, 2008)

What do you all think works best during early to peak rut, a bleating doe and decoy combo or a rattiling buck and buck decoy?


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Honestly, it's a crap shoot, and totally dependent on each individual deers personality. While one buck may march right in to a certain decoy, another will turn inside out and head towards the next county. I know that's not mucu help, but there just isn't a sure thing. If you're not out for the biggest buck on the place, I'd use a doe decoy. If you're okay spooking many bucks, particularly younger ones, use the buck.


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## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

Personally I don't have a strong opinion on this...but two hardcore bow guys I know swear by buck decoys. Just watched last night on Drury Outdoors- one guy shot a brute coming out to challenge the buck decoy.


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## cubsfan (Nov 17, 2008)

. The funny thing is I have had my camera up for 3 months and he is the only buck I have seen


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## Archery Patriot (Mar 8, 2012)

Definitely a buck decoy, I've hunted over buck decoys and so have many of my friends, most who have killed over a buck decoy . Pretty awesome experience watching a mature buck lay back his ears, hair standing up, side stepping into your decoy. I've seen it first hand and it's amazing. So I am 150% sure the buck decoy is what you will be successful with. Good luck


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## jigfisher (Jun 16, 2012)

Depends on the doe to buck ratio on your property. If theres only a few bucks and lots of does theirs no need for them to be aggressive toward one another....i prefer the doe decoy myself as its not as intimidating to a buck. But both will work in the right situation.


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## weasel (Mar 25, 2007)

i went to and ohio big buck awards banquet several years ago. stan potts was there and spoke about his hunting ideas and techniques . he said he uses the buck decoy alot he called it bucky jr. starting in late oct.. he said he sets it out in afield at 20 to 25 yrds.quartering away looking into the woods he also said he uses scent away on the decoy and put doe estrus behind the decoy. myself i have never tried it but i am to cheap to buy one good luck on your hunting i hope this helps you out.


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## Hardtop (Nov 24, 2004)

I tried a decoy a couple weeks ago for the first time, and scent must be a real issue. I had been hunting this ground blind on previous hunts, and had bucks and does within 35yds about every time i had been there. So the time I put the decoy out, the first family group that came in....the mtoher got one good look at the decoy from about 40 yds and she came unglued.........snorting and stomping......then headed away in a flash. Is this because I had not done any scent control on the decoy or just a normal reaction from "some" of the deer..? Not real excited about repeating this.....HT


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

I use mine as a buck every time. I have had a lot of fun hunts with it. 

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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Hardtop,

My opinion for the reaction to your decoy is that it could have been scent but I would lean more towards the doe being concerned about a new deer in her area that she had never seen before.

I have watched many a doe get really upset when a new doe or a new buck enters into her home space. She knows every deer she sees them every day and suddenly there is a deer that she has never seen before standing there. If there is a new dog standing in my backyard today my dogs will not be happy, if they see my neighbors dog they don't care.

Again just my opinion as a strong possibility based upon what I have watched over the years.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

I agree with Lundy. While scent control on decoys is very important, it's very common for does to go on full alert or spook as soon as they see a decoy. Some bucks will react the same. That's why I think decoys are a crap shoot. I'ts very frustrating when your decoy is the reason a mature buck turns and heads the other direction. Or any deer for that matter.


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## bowkdws (Feb 1, 2010)

Last year I tried a buck decoy - first time after years of hearing success stories. Shortly after morning light a doe saw the decoy and went nuts. She was stomping, snorting, and acting like ready to charge it. After 15 minutes of repeating the sequence she walked away. I had buck urine scent on and around the decoy and was sitting in my stand 15' above it. The doe never saw or smelled me and never got closer than 40 yds. Rest of the day did not see another deer, and normally I see 5-7 a day.
Next day did not use the decoy and was back in business seeing deer.
I now believe the deer sensed a stranger and stayed away.


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

weasel said:


> i went to and ohio big buck awards banquet several years ago. stan potts was there and spoke about his hunting ideas and techniques . he said he uses the buck decoy alot he called it bucky jr. starting in late oct.. he said he sets it out in afield at 20 to 25 yrds.quartering away looking into the woods he also said he uses scent away on the decoy and put doe estrus behind the decoy. myself i have never tried it but i am to cheap to buy one good luck on your hunting i hope this helps you out.


Stan Potts, what a joke!!!!!!! Lol.


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## cubsfan (Nov 17, 2008)

bowkdws said:


> Last year I tried a buck decoy - first time after years of hearing success stories. Shortly after morning light a doe saw the decoy and went nuts. She was stomping, snorting, and acting like ready to charge it. After 15 minutes of repeating the sequence she walked away. I had buck urine scent on and around the decoy and was sitting in my stand 15' above it. The doe never saw or smelled me and never got closer than 40 yds. Rest of the day did not see another deer, and normally I see 5-7 a day.
> Next day did not use the decoy and was back in business seeing deer.
> I now believe the deer sensed a stranger and stayed away.


The doe I took two weeks ago came into my feeder with my doe decoy out.I put the decoy out after the adjacent property let there massive dogs out and spooked a nice doe away, there was a fence so dogs couldnt cross when I put the decoy out about 30 min later a doe came in and stared at the decoy till my arrow blew threw her!%


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

ducky152000 said:


> Stan Potts, what a joke!!!!!!! Lol.


Why is he a joke?


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## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

bowkdws said:


> Last year I tried a buck decoy - first time after years of hearing success stories. Shortly after morning light a doe saw the decoy and went nuts. She was stomping, snorting, and acting like ready to charge it. After 15 minutes of repeating the sequence she walked away. I had buck urine scent on and around the decoy and was sitting in my stand 15' above it. The doe never saw or smelled me and never got closer than 40 yds. Rest of the day did not see another deer, and normally I see 5-7 a day.
> Next day did not use the decoy and was back in business seeing deer.
> I now believe the deer sensed a stranger and stayed away.


Buck Decoy = Bigger Bucks coming in to challenge
Doe Decoy = Bring Does closer

its all in what you want. i wouldn't use any buck decoy until the rut. Most of the time any visible buck early in the year is not a fully mature one anyway- so he's going to shy away from a big "boss buck" decoy.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

BaddFish said:


> Buck Decoy = Bigger Bucks coming in to challenge
> Doe Decoy = Bring Does closer
> 
> its all in what you want. i wouldn't use any buck decoy until the rut. Most of the time any visible buck early in the year is not a fully mature one anyway- so he's going to shy away from a big "boss buck" decoy.


That's really over simplifying it way too much.
And early season can be one of the best times of the season to see a mature buck, for those that scout enough.


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

cubsfan said:


> . The funny thing is I have had my camera up for 3 months and he is the only buck I have seen


Holy inside spread, Batman! And look at the body on that thing! Obviously a dominant buck. I might be tempted to try the buck decoy on him, because I don't think that old boy would tolerate another guy messing on his turf! However, is this the only pic you have of him? If it is, then he doesn't come around that camera location very often, and you could be wasting your time. Might need to find a spot a little closer to his core area and try it there.


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