Stupid Decoys

[Swede]

I have some decoys that are made of just a painted sheet of burlap that has been cut out in the form of a headless elk silhouette. I hang them up using baling twine. I have a commercial decoy that is also just two dimensional. These crazy decoys can work for you or against you. I have had deer and elk come and check them out. Some come up and sniff the decoy all over then go get a drink. After the drink, they go back and sniff the decoy again. It is a riot to watch. I imagine an elk thinking, \"excuse me, but why is there a string coming out of your butt, as they sniff in that area?\" On the other side I have had elk coming into water and watched them turn around immediately upon seeing the decoy and leave. I had no shot opportunity except at my decoy. Stupid decoy, or idiot that put it up?
Why do you suppose deer and elk react so strongly to a motionless, headless, scentless decoy? Where do you use them and where will you not use one?

 

[bnsafe]

im guessing its more out of curiosity than anything else

 

[Swede]

Curiosity seems to be part of what motivates some elk. Some elk see the decoy and turn and run. Curiosity is not drawing them.
Some elk keep their distance and have a leery eye on the decoy. They get their water and leave. Some are curious, and others run. I have not seen enough to determine how any particular elk will react. I know if an elk comes to a call it is best for them to see an elk when they arrive at the point they know they should see one. At my tree stand I have learned to not have a decoy around. My decoys are all headless. Still a herd will turn and leave when they see it. You would think a bull would try to take her into the herd. No, the whole herd takes off with the bull, leaving Swede kicking himself in his tree. I have watched a rag horn bull wait until a deer leaves a water hole before coming in to get shot, er I mean for a drink. Certainly the bull could run off a doe and fawn, but he waited.
Elk plainly see the decoy and believe it is another elk. It is interesting that when they come to a point that the decoy is pointed straight towards them or away, they do not see it. As soon as it is broadside they react. I watched a deer approach the decoy, and at one point it came into clear view, the deer would turn around. As soon as the decoy was pointed away again, it could not be seen, and the deer would start to return until the decoy was in sight again. This sequence reoccurred several times before the deer left. It was funny to watch. About an hour the deer came sneaking in to the water hole. As it passed right under my stand I could see it was extremely nervous. I dropped a very small stick that landed right between its ears. That deer just about turned around inside it\'s own hide and took off. It never came back that day for sure.

 

[cohunter14]

:haha: That is hysterical Swede! I think you need your own hunting show with some of the stories you have. Just a video camera in the stand is all you would need to get it rolling!

 

[Swede]

I don\'t know about a show or even a video. Most (90%) of the time it is pretty boring in a tree stand. No one would sit and wait as long as I will. But with about 2,500 hours experience in a stand, yes I know that is more hours than most people work in a year, I have had the opportunity to see deer, elk, turkeys, cougars, coyotes, etc. etc. I had the opportunity to urinate on a bear once, and have had the buzzards circling overhead, thinking they had found a meal. Some folks might think I would get tired of tree stand hunting, but I can\'t wait to get back in mine. Maybe I can retire when I see sasquatch, but don\'t bet on it. I was asked, just the other day, if I would shoot a sasquatch if one walked by my tree stand.
That reminds me, that would be a good question for a thread.