bethedecoy.com?

[John_The_Bastard]

Hello MM"R"s,
I have been studying antelope behavior and hunting methods. The American Hunter has an interesting article and it includes the idea of decoys and decoy hats where the hunter is also the decoy. I would like your opinion of the idea as to being successful and how risky it is during archery only season. I could understand that it works as it works well when done right on turkeys. How comfortable could you be during bow season?
Thanks
J_T_B

 

[RELH]

The hunter being the decoy will work on antelope that will move away from hunters during the later part of the season.
While hunting a private ranch in Wyoming, the herd we were wanting would not let us get closer then 800 yards.
My father-in-law went into town and bought a brown bed sheet. He cut two slits in the sheet and he was the head and I was the tail end. We left our orange caps on to comply with hunter safety rules.

I did not think it would work, but he said the antelope are use to having cows near them and we would be a cow.
We got within 150 yards of the herd and both of us got our bucks out of the herd of about 20 animals.

RELH

 

[John_The_Bastard]

Thanks
Pretty cool!
J_T_B

 

[Homer]

anywhere but Utah......

 

[John_The_Bastard]

I will hunt Wyoming in late Sept.
J_T_B

 

[Wes]

Do that here in Utah and you'll end up on somebody's wall

 

[RELH]

Wes has a valid point. I would be reluctant to use a antelope decoy, where I am the decoy, on public land that will have idiots out hunting.
when we did that on the ranch in Wyoming, we were the only hunters on that ranch that day.

RELH

 

[John_The_Bastard]

This type of advice is what I am looking for. I have a Montana colapsable decoy and will take it but look over the situation before deciding to use it. We are on private ground and it is supposed to be lightly hunted. When I read the article I just could not feel comfortable imitating the animal being hunted. Looking like a cow is a whole different way of going at it. Thanks!
J_T_B

 

[deadibob]

I've used the Montana decoy "cow" while deer hunting. It lets you get close to the deer but the range cattle walk up to you and make a big fuss. I have used antelope decoys many times. The first one I used was in the early 90's before there were any real decoy companies out there, I made two antelope decoys out of plywood, one buck and one doe. One thing I found out is that if your decoy is a big buck, you won't draw them in. Make sure it has a small set of horns. Once I used my pronghorn 3d target as a decoy on a waterhole. I had to cut the horns way down on it too before it would work.

I also use an antelope call with the decoys and that helps a lot. With my plywood decoy I had a buck come in less than 10 yards away. My son has a muzzy pronghorn hunt next month and I plan on using a decoy and call for that.

Good Luck with your hunt. Post up the results.

 

[John_The_Bastard]

Thanks. I need to measure up the Fred Eichols Montana decoy and see if I need to make the horns appear smaller.
J_T_B