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\n When used strategically, deer decoys can add excitement and even more success to your hunting. Whether you\u2019re a die-hard ground hunter or ambush deer from a tree saddle, there are decoy options that fit several deer hunting strategies. To find the best deer decoys, I interviewed hunters who find consistent success decoying to find out which ones help them arrow big bucks.<\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n Why It Made the Cut<\/strong><\/p>\n This lightweight, foldable decoy takes up little room in your pack and deploys in a matter of seconds.\u00a0<\/p>\n Key Features<\/strong><\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n Product Description<\/strong><\/p>\n K.C. Smith of The Element<\/a> doesn\u2019t pigeonhole himself into a particular setup when it comes to deer hunting, and that includes decoying. He prefers the Heads Up Buck Decoy<\/a> to close the distance on bedded or rutting bucks in open country, though he stressed that this isn\u2019t the only way to target bucks in open country, just another tool in your belt.<\/p>\n \u201cI use the Heads Up Decoy quite a bit,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s literally a picture of a deer printed on cloth, and I use that thing more for cover than anything. If I\u2019m using it on a ground setup, I\u2019ll place it on a bush that the buck can focus on, and it allows me to get away with some movement when I need to draw my bow.\u201d<\/p>\n Like the Ultimate Predator Decoy, this one is light and super packable. One thing that Smith likes about the Heads Up is the removable antlers. They allow you to go from buck to doe super quick. But wind can be an issue, and sometimes the antlers will fly off if it\u2019s especially windy, he says.<\/p>\n The obvious drawback to these types of decoys is their lack of depth. They\u2019re great if a buck makes a B-line straight to the decoy, but a mature buck will likely approach cautiously and downwind unless he\u2019s pumped full of testosterone.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re using the decoy to spot and stalk, if a buck approaches from your flank, that 2D decoy doesn\u2019t look so good,\u201d Smith says. \u201cMore times than not they\u2019ll spook when that happens, and I actually had that scenario happen to me with a buck that came into 25 yards.\u201d<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t buy the stabilizer mount for the Heads Up Decoy, Smith says that a two-hunter approach is ideal. Instead of holding the decoy with one hand, you can have your hunting partner do that, while you focus on drawing your bow. Otherwise, it can be challenging when you\u2019re hunting solo.<\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n Why It Made the Cut<\/strong><\/p>\n This decoy conveniently mounts to your bow, provides an ample shot window, and keeps you concealed.<\/p>\n Key Features<\/strong><\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n Product Description<\/strong><\/p>\n It might seem like a no-brainer that Danny Farris would pick his own company\u2019s decoy as his favorite. But the Ultimate Predator Whitetail Decoy<\/a> wasn\u2019t his brainchild. Farris was a fan of these decoys prior to owning the company. In fact, he liked them so much that he bought Ultimate Predator Decoys when the previous owners decided to sell.<\/p>\n These decoys appealed to Farris after he missed the biggest buck of his life during a spot and stalk in Kansas.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter I missed that buck, I wanted to find a way to hunt whitetails in open terrain and draw their attention away from me,\u201d he says. \u201cI started with the doe and buck decoy. I knew a rutting buck would focus on the buck, and it would allow me to get a shot off with the bow-mounted doe decoy.\u201d<\/p>\n One thing that separates Ultimate Predator from other portable decoys is that it mounts to your bow and provides you with a shot window, so you can run it hands free. You also don\u2019t have to worry about peeking around the side of it when you draw your bow, thanks to the shooting window, which allows you to stay hidden when a buck trots into range.<\/p>\n The Ultimate Predator Decoy mounts directly centered over any compound bow<\/a>, so it keeps you hidden but also provides great balance and doesn\u2019t affect your arrow\u2019s point of impact, Farris says.<\/p>\n Like any bow mounted options, this one doesn\u2019t perform the best in windy conditions, but that\u2019s a tradeoff for any lightweight, 2D decoy that folds into a small frisbee.<\/p>\n Farris has taken plenty of bucks using these decoys, but he does see room for improvement with the design.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d like a simpler mounting system,\u201d he says. \u201cOur current system is versatile, and you can mount it on any bow except reverse draw crossbows, but it attaches with Velcro. I\u2019d like to have one that doesn\u2019t incorporate any, so you don\u2019t have to worry about making noise if you need to make an adjustment.\u201d<\/p>\n Why It Made the Cut<\/strong><\/p>\n Jared Scheffler tailored this homemade decoy to fit his run and gun style of hunting, and it has helped him arrow bucks as close as seven yards.<\/p>\n Key Features<\/strong><\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n Product Description<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re a thrifty hunter who still wears your grandpa\u2019s army fatigues, or you prefer DIY gear because you\u2019re picky when it comes to equipment, perhaps you can borrow a play from Jared Scheffler\u2019s book. The big buck stalker of Whitetail Adrenaline<\/a> wasn\u2019t satisfied with the decoy offerings for his aggressive tactics, so he built his own.<\/p>\n \u201cAround 2012, I was afraid that the decoys on the market would just blow around, so I built a prototype,\u201d Scheffler says. \u201cI wanted something that was light yet durable enough that it wouldn\u2019t toss around in the wind.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n This prototype that Scheffler designed utilizes a deer head form and a deer hide that\u2019s mounted on a cardboard cutout of a whitetail buck. The form head gives depth to the decoy, and the hide adds realism, which also doesn\u2019t glare in sunny conditions like other decoys.<\/p>\n To keep the decoy from blowing in the wind, Scheffler uses a small tripod leg and a steel stake, which add enough weight to stabilize the deer in high winds. You can also use the stake to angle the deer however you need, he says.\u00a0<\/p>\n While he still uses the decoy to kill big bucks at insanely close distances, Scheffler recognizes that it\u2019s not without its flaws.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s definitely not as light or packable like the Ultimate Predator or Heads Up Decoy,\u201d he says. \u201cBut it does pretty well in the wind, especially high wind.\u201d<\/p>\n For Whitetail Adrenaline junkies, Scheff\u2019s Special has inspired others to create similar decoys, but he urges hunters to use caution anytime they want to decoy on public land.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI always tell people to be extremely cautious if they want to make one,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019ll pull that decoy down if I see someone drive by. I know a guy who did this and got shot at on an open prairie. Luckily, he wasn\u2019t hit.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n Why It Made the Cut<\/strong><\/p>\n The aggressive stance, anatomical proportions, and Dave Smith details make the posturing buck the most realistic decoy by far.<\/p>\n Key Features<\/strong><\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n Product Description<\/strong><\/p>\n Like other Dave Smith Decoys, the Posturing Buck<\/a> possesses more realism than most competitors. The posturing position and pinned-back ears mimic an aggressive buck that\u2019s ready to establish dominance. If you\u2019re looking for a decoy to deploy during the rut, the posturing buck should grab the attention of a buck that\u2019s cruising for a hot doe.<\/p>\n However, all that realism comes with a price. A steep price. Yes, this decoy will probably fool more deer (and hunters for that matter) than cheaper options. But if that realism gets you a shot at a big buck, it might justify every penny.<\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n Why It Made the Cut<\/strong><\/p>\n For less than $150 you get two realistic decoys that you can quickly deploy whether you\u2019re hunting your farm\u2019s ladder stand or run and gunning open country.<\/p>\n Key Features<\/strong><\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n Product Description<\/strong><\/p>\n If you have a tight hunting budget, getting every penny\u2019s worth can help maximize your hunting season (and keep you in good standing with your significant other). For less than $150, you get two decoys (one buck and doe) from Montana Decoy<\/a>. These lightweight decoys use realistic whitetail photos that are printed on cloth, so you can pull up stake and pack them down when you need to make an adjustment. Two decoys also give you options when it comes to your setup, whether you decide to deploy both or just one of them.<\/p>\n Even though these decoys create a 3D effect, they\u2019re still 2D, so if a buck gets too close without giving you a shot or tries to circle downwind, the jig is up. But if you can position these on the edge of brush, you might skirt around this dilemma.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n Why It Made the Cut<\/strong><\/p>\n The Primos Scar is a classic decoy design that has a sturdy base, a tail and head that move in the wind, and a reasonable price.\u00a0<\/p>\n Key Features<\/strong><\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n Product Description<\/strong><\/p>\n The Primos Scar<\/a> resembles a classic decoy that most treestand<\/a> hunters are familiar with, but it features a few subtle details that add realism to help fool cautious bucks. Deer don\u2019t stand still for endless hours on end, and your decoy shouldn\u2019t either. The head and realistic tail both move in a slight breeze, so this decoy doesn\u2019t look like it\u2019s frozen and (hopefully) won\u2019t tip off a buck that\u2019s coming to investigate.\u00a0<\/p>\n For transportation, you simply pack all the parts into the main body compartment and store inside the travel bag. The Scar lacks the realism of other decoys, and the details on its body fall flat. However, I do appreciate the antler size, which isn\u2019t too small but not so big that it wards off a big buck.\u00a0<\/p>\n In ideal conditions, a buck can hear a grunt call 100 yards away. But if it\u2019s especially windy or you have several terrain features between you and where the deer are bedded, it might be harder for a buck to hear your best deer calls<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n It\u2019s probably not a good idea to leave a deer decoy out overnight, especially if you plan to hunt over it the next day. Decoys can sometimes spook deer, and if a buck gets spooked the night before you plan to hunt it, you\u2019re dashing your chances of getting a shot at that buck and putting him on alert.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Technically, yes, you can use an archery target as a decoy, but it probably won\u2019t work as well as an actual decoy and transporting it can be difficult.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The best deer decoys won\u2019t work every time, but they can fool a rutting buck every now and then. If you decide to add decoys to your tactics this fall, be sure it\u2019s legal in your area and you\u2019re not hiding behind a decoy during gun season.<\/p>\n For this review I interviewed deer hunters that find consistent success killing big bucks with decoys. I picked their brains about which features make these decoys ideal for their preferred hunting tactics, and how they use them in various hunting scenarios. For other picks, I relied on previous experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n Published Sep 26, 2022 5:36 PM
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Best DIY: Scheff\u2019s Special<\/h2>\n
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Best for Treestand Hunts: Primos Scar<\/a><\/h2>\n
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Safety Tips for Decoying<\/h2>\n
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FAQs<\/h2>\n
Q: How far can a buck hear a grunt call?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Q: Should I leave deer decoys out overnight?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Q: Can you use an archery target as a decoy for deer?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n
Methodology<\/h2>\n