Montana Decoys Antelope Success Photos 5

Jason Hegg
My first real experience with a decoy...holy cow did it work like a charm!

It was mid September and I had actually pretty much given up on antelope. Antelope numbers were way down where I usually hunt this year, just like a lot of Montana.

Anyways, I had tried a couple stalks on this buck earlier in the season, but he was hanging in real flat country with a dozen or so does...needless to say the odds were against me. I spotted him from the road one day about 1/2 mile away. He was chasing bucks away from the herd and I finally watched him run across the prairie trying to get back a couple does that had run off.

Instead of just sitting there I grabbed my bow and the decoy and sprinted out between him and his herd. The grass in the field was only about 4" tall, and I used the only small rolling hill to keep from spooking his does as I ran in to set up the decoy. I actually popped it open and walked behind it as I crested the hill, tryin to look like a small buck walking up to his herd.
Once I reached the top of the knoll I stuck the decoy in the ground and hid behind it. He spotted me from a long ways away, maybe 350 yards or so. He ran STRAIGHT at me at full speed. I have never hidden behind a decoy before...I was worried he would see my legs move underneath (especially because I was skylined), but he didn't.

The last range I got on him was 40 yards, and I new that was close enough to make a shot. He took about five steps closer and I drew my bow behind the decoy. I leaned forward at full draw and waited for him to do something so I could get a broadside shot.

Almost on command, he turned 90 degrees to posture a "tough guy" look towards this little intruder. That's when my broadhead zipped through him behind the front shoulder. He waddled out about 50 yards and piled up.

He isn't very big, but it was such a cool experience there was no way I couldn't shoot! Decoy worked awesome!

Jason Hegg