Doe decoys during the rut: How to give bucks what they want to see

Have you ever wondered why, in most of the hunting content you see in which a deer decoy is used, almost always it involves a buck decoy?

There are a couple of reasons for this. The first is that buck decoys became the standard a long time ago, and that trend hasn’t changed much. The second is that most hunting content is filmed on primo ground with plenty of big bucks that won’t shy away from scrapping with an interloper.

This has led most hunters to think about using either just a buck decoy on their own ground, or maybe a buck and a doe decoy together. While either can work, if you’re not dealing with a well-balanced age structure on your property, a buck decoy might do more harm than good.

This is where the right doe decoy can make a huge difference, because you can show all bucks exactly what they’re looking for during the rut. This requires some forethought and, of course, the right decoy.

MORE WHITETAIL COVERAGE FROM OUTDOOR NEWS:

The reality of the whitetail rut? Put time on your side

Target staging areas in late October for better bowhunting; here’s what they look like

Dealing with hunting pressure is often inevitable during a gun opener; here’s how to deal with it

Past decoy issues

Perhaps you have a hangup over using a doe decoy because you tried one at some point and it spooked every real doe in the section. There is a reality with decoys, just like with pop-up hunting blinds, where when most folks decide to try them, they tend to buy a cheap version.

This is understandable if you’re taking a flyer on a new strategy, but it can also work against you. Just like with a small, poorly designed pop-up blind built with shiny material and cheap zippers, an expensive doe decoy will often cost you opportunities. This is because they generally look a little too shiny, and their body language often conveys alarm.

A real deer that sees a fake deer that looks like it’s on the verge of snorting and spooking is instantly going to tense up. As the kids say, the vibes are just off, and the deer know it.

Relaxed ladies

The best doe decoys look like a relaxed doe just doing her thing. A feeding doe decoy can be a really good choice, as well. The key to picking out a doe decoy that won’t blow out your food plot or destination food source is to find one that, well, looks realistic.

Imagine your potential decoy choice in perfect rut weather, but also bright sun, rain, and any of the conditions in which you might hunt. All it takes for a decoy hunt to go wrong is for the real deer to question it in any way, which also means you’re going to want to think through your setup.

Set the scene

A buck is almost always going to approach a doe decoy from the back end, for obvious reasons. Think about this not only from the perspective of setting up a nice broadside or quartering-away shot, but also the wind. While you should definitely try to spray down your fake so that it doesn’t reek of your scent, it also definitely won’t smell like a real doe. You don’t want him to be able to smell your decoy from 20 yards away on the approach.

You also don’t want to surprise deer, which is one of the things that sours people on the experience when they start out decoying. If you’re hunting in moderately thick cover, you might get away with it, but most likely you won’t. Decoys work best in openings. Meadows, fields, food plots, clear-cuts and other high-visibility locations. The goal is to show cruising bucks that what they most want to find is standing right there in the open and won’t suddenly be 10 yards in front of them the second they pop up over a rise.

This not only helps convince the deer you might want to shoot that everything is kosher, but will also keep non-target deer from getting nervous and potentially spoiling the whole scene.

Just remember that if you do put out a decoy of any type, that safety is a real concern. Make sure you can see well beyond the decoy in all directions and, as tempting as it might be, leave it at home during the firearms season.