Nov 20, 2014
HUNTING LOCK-DOWN BUCKS WITH A DECOY
The lock-down of the rut is a waiting game. Mature bucks generally tend to a doe until she is bred and then hit the trails looking for another mate. Success often comes down to being in the right place at the right time. Often during this phase, mature bucks give calls the cold shoulder.
A few grunts or a rattling sequence may get bucks to lift their nose from the ground to look around, but if they do not see anything, they are going to go about their normal travel route. They are so focused on finding their next mate, they don’t want to waste any time, but a deer decoy setup can get travelling bucks to commit. Consider using this one:
Set up a Dreamy Doe in a bedded pose and a Freshman buck decoy standing over her on a well-used travel corridor, pinch point or funnel between doe feeding and bedding areas. To set up the Dreamy Doe in a bedded position, insert the front leg pole all the way in and then push the leg fabric up to the body and uncouple the pole at the closest joint. Then using the other leg pole, a stick, log or even a clump of dirt, prop the decoy up so it can't fall.
A buck guarding a bedding doe sends the signal that she must be in estrus. As a mature buck is running from mate to mate during the peak of the rut, he will often try and win a bedded doe’s company by chasing off bucks lower on the totem pole.
Watch for movement and the presence of a buck in between mates and once you spot one, be aggressive with calls to get his attention. Once he gets a good visual of the decoy setup, quit calling and get ready to shoot.
For a good explanation of this deer decoy tactic, check out the video below from Field & Stream: