Dominance is the Achilles’ heel of most big-game animals, especially whitetail deer. A mature buck may approach the does he sees with caution, yet he has no patience when another buck enters his range. A decade ago, most spring turkey hunters carried hen decoys, counting on the female’s attraction to lure a gobbler into range. Today, many turkey hunters use gobbler decoys, counting on dominance to override a tom’s caution and come running to the challenge. The same natural instinct is the undoing of many mature whitetails.
Not Too Big, Not Too Small
The Flambeau “Boss Buck” is the perfect replica of a roaming whitetail buck that will challenge exactly the “shooter-size” deer most of us want. If the antlers are too small, a bruiser buck may ignore the nimrod. If the rack is too large, the deer may keep his distance and not come into range. The Boss Buck simulates a 2.5- or 3.5-year-old buck; a mature buck will approach cautiously with every ounce of its attention on the rival, allowing you to range, aim, draw, and release without spooking it.
Easy Transport-
In the early 1990s, Illinois hunter Denny Stiner was one of the first to use decoys. He built them from chicken wire and paper mache, and one replica weighed nearly 200 pounds. Despite having to transport the decoys in a trailer, they worked well. Flambeau has greatly simplified the transport problem with a plastic outer shell that “nests” the legs, neck, and head so that the entire unit fits into an over-the-shoulder bag.
Stop Right There
Deer Decoys give the hunter the advantage of “placing” a buck in an area where the hunter can make the best shot. Rattling and grunting can attract deer to your location. Still, they focus on your exact whereabouts, presenting a front-angled shot and making it hard to draw the bow without spooking an alert deer. Once an aggressive or curious buck spots a decoy, it focuses on the decoy, giving you more freedom to draw and shoot. This doesn’t mean you can throw caution to the wind, yet rutting bucks have great tunnel vision when their dominance is challenged.
Decoys often attract the largest bucks in the area. Dominant spring gobblers hate “jakes” (one-year-old male turkeys that are not fully developed). When given a choice, a mature gobbler will often attack a jake rather than mount a hen. Large whitetail bucks have similar tendencies. George Hopkins, a deer-hunting outfitter on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, was distressed one morning when he found his 3-D course vandalized. He thought unpleasant thoughts about his neighbors until he noticed the gouges in the buck targets. During the night, a local meg-buck chose to assert its dominance on the static herd. By the size of the gouges in the 3-D targets, this was a huge buck.
Decoy Do’s and Don’ts
Should you spot a buck on the way to your stand or one that visits a particular location consistently, wait for the right wind direction and set a trap. By combining grunting, rattling, scents, and a decoy, you greatly increase your chance for success.
Decoys that smell like humans will not attract deer. Touching a decoy with your hands can be the kiss of death. Wear rubber gloves and let it “season” outside so its scent blends with the surroundings.
Some hunters use real deer tails that can be relaxed or stand straight out to simulate a rutting pose. Others use rutting lures but place them on the ground rather than on the decoy, and some hunters tie a piece of toilet paper to the decoy’s tail so it moves realistically in the wind.
Be careful of your scent trail when placing a decoy. Use a fence line, tree line, stream bank, or other obstacle to prevent a buck from passing downwind of your location or approach.
Vary decoy placement with hunting pressure. In lightly hunted situations where deer often cross fields, place a decoy in the open where it will attract attention. In mountainous areas, put the decoy where it can be seen, yet slightly hidden behind brush for a more realistic ruse.
Doe or Buck?
The best situation may be to use a doe and a buck. Since Flambeau makes the Boss Babe, you can create this scenario as shown above. A doe decoy will certainly catch a buck’s attention, which can be enough of a distraction to let you aim and shoot. A doe can also act as a “confidence decoy,” that is, one that shows “the coast is clear” and it’s safe in the area.
Positioning a doe decoy is important. You can count on a buck to move toward the doe’s tail with its attention focused on her, so place the decoy so a deer’s approach offers the best shot opportunity. If it smells, stands, and looks like a doe, even the wariest buck can be fooled. Until a broadhead finds its mark, the crafty buck won’t know the difference. For all products offered by Flambeau Outdoors, click here.
