Wingnut and I were talking the other night about deer hunting. the subject got a arond to deer beging distracted when they can by the stand. I can;t tell ya how many deer I have shot while the deer were watching armidillos shuffling thru the leaves.
quail have proved a good distractor. as they shuffle and peep along kicking leaves over and gathering seeds.
I think the dad blame squirrels can talk ti the deer. all that barking and rucous tells the deer there is a stinky old geezer seating in the tree......squirrels are not a distraction but unethical loud mouth :)
I shot a doe one time as she was distracted by a call to mother nature (had to pee). I shot one one time distracted by a coyote.
I wonder if decoy would distract does. Wing nut and I are going on doe thining hnt this weekend. yearlings to gran'ma is fair came as long as it's a doe.........and 18" inside spread bucks.
any body got a pet armidillo I can barrow.
rusty
Maybe we can get Montana decoy to build a remote control armidillo. That would be cool. I'd probably forget it and it would wonder off.
Mike
Rusty, That crossed my mind a few years ago while spring turkey hunting. I had set out turkey decoys 15-20 yards out (I know, too far) and had a buck with HUGE buttons come down the brush row I was backed into. He spotted those decoys and never took his eyes off them, working his way down the edge. I had him at 5 yards broadside while he kept a watch on those decoys. Had to draw on him just to say I did! I've used them in the fall with similar results. Just set them out a good ways in positions where the deer can't see them till they are in your shooting lane then get ready for backstraps! :) ....O.L.
I knew a guy who has since passed on. He was always getting his deer. ALWAYS. Turned out he told my father his best trick before he died. He had a transistor radio that he would keep on very low volume, and only on classical music....no voices. Seems deer are curious.
Actually much simpler than that.. Deer are very astute to their surroundings.. Something as simple as a fresh cut branch on the off side of the trail will distract them long enough for a shot.
I've been thinking lately that if you can use a turkey call to cluck lightly and calm the deer. Why couldn't you use a turkey decoy to calm the deer. They would figure if the turkey didn't see anything then there must not be anything out there!
Since reading this, I just might try that!
Funny you guys are dicussing this. I know that the "intruder" decoy, two sided bout 22"X22" of a bedded buck n doe work for wheelie bow hunters but have been wandering if something like this or a turkey decoy would work for "us". I like to see the eyelashes of the deer before I shoot and hunt in tight places mostly. You think a decoy would bring them in close enough, say 15yrd. If so how close to your tree would you have to set the decoy? Directly under you? Not sure about this but willing to try. I have turkey decoys but would have to buy a deer decoy.
I don't think we are talking decoying them in close but rather distracting them while their already close. I'd use a turkey decoy but the place we are hunting doesn't have turkey. Don't know if it would matter but it might.
Mike
It seems like does either spook at or ignore decoys and calls that are deer. I haven't had many turkeys in the area, but I still think they might be calmed/distracted by a turkey deek and call then they would a deer deek.
well I am a long time varmint caller, for a way to keep their eyes off me i use those cat toys from the pet store, one of my best calls is the bird call from the audobon society, I can't always use my Beverly Hills Chichuahua LOL. You can also hang a quail wing just off the trail!!!
blueline
A bit off-topic, but I just have to say it is pleasure to see your posts again, Rusty! I've missed your wit and wisdom, and it is SO good to see that you're doing better these days. Be well, and keep "talkin'" to us!!
Daryl