Cow decoy for antelope

7mmULTRAMAG · Mar 17, 2007

I just saw a decoy of a beef cow made by montana decoy
at the MORE SHOW in billings mt.They will be making one that looks like a black angus cow.Has any one had any experience using a cow to sneak up on antelope later in the season.
thanks

rumproast · Mar 17, 2007

I just had a feeling those Montana boys would get around to the inflatable-cow-thing before long.

eelgrass · Mar 18, 2007

Just a couple weeks ago I heard of some guys using a cow decoy (home made, I think) to sneak up on some geese. To hear them tell it, it worked great.

Eel

Shedreg · Mar 19, 2007

We made one out of cardboard and a light metal frame back in the mid 1990's. The ends were sharp, so it would stick in the ground easily and we made a "bow rack" to put your bow on. We made it big enough so that 2 people can hide behind the thing. Also, we made a "shooting window" in the middle of the cow, so that we can open the window and shoot through the cow.
Worked great!
Only thing, is that make sure the goats are used to seeing cows around, as we snuck up on this one heard and popped the cow decoy up and they all ran away! They were more used to elk around their surroundings, as there were now cattle in that area.
We should have made a big ole cow elk decoy instead!

ELKabong · Mar 19, 2007

I know of guys using a cow decoy successfully on geese.
I have used range cattle to sneak up on prairy goats. Kept the cows between me 'an goats.
The cows new what I was 'an wasn't scared of me, so they cooperated... looking back, they must not have been FMC's, or I'd of bin toast.

I'd try a cow decoy fer goats.

D13er · Mar 19, 2007

..........careful you don't get roped and castrated.

JB

ELKabong · Mar 19, 2007

They ain't got a set of shears that big.... }>

I am very mindfull of a feller's cows on open range...
Bad family history, had an uncle do time in Deerlodge Mt fer rustling...

manny15 · Mar 21, 2007

just make sure cattle are not in season where you huntin, it can turn out pretty bad for you...sorry couldn't resist

RELH · Mar 24, 2007

My partner and I were hunting in the Lusk, WY. area, late 80's. Lope season had been open for over a week and the lopes would not lets us approach closer then 600 yards without running away. they had been shot at too much and were spooky. The ranch we were hunting had numerous cows in the fields.
We went into Lusk and bought a brown colored sheet. Went back out, cut head holes at both ends, in the middle so it would drape over our bodies, and did a slow stalk on a herd of about 30 lopes.
Was able to get within 150 yards and we both took our lopes out of that herd. It works. Watch for the herd does, if they lift their heads and start watching you, just stop until they start feeding again then proceed slowly towards them at a angle if possible.

RELH

rumproast · Mar 25, 2007

I've always favored the crawl-through-the-grass-'til-your-shorts-are-filled-with-pokies method for spooky lopes.
But I like the brown sheet idea.
Might well be worth a try.
On a humorous note, I can see the clothing companies salivating over it now:
"Mossybloke Turd-Stalker Series, also available in camo orange"!!
Lopes will be so confused, they'll be saying to themselves, "what the hell did those guys eat?"
Down and dirty gets it done!

averagejoehunter · Mar 31, 2007

7mm,
i used one about 10 years ago during an archery hunt.i made it out of plywood.worked like a champ. if i could have hit anything back then with my bow it would have been a way better story.(missed 3 different shots).
good luck on your hunt
averagejoe