Tried a Doe Decoy Today!

[horatio1226]

I bought a Montana Doe Decoy from superkodiak a couple weeks ago. I decided to try it today. I placed it about 12 yards from my blind and sprayed it with a little code blue. About 4:30 I see what appears to be deer about 60-65 yards down the hill, across the field. I see one tail go up and 2 of the deer do a 180 and head back towards the woods.About 10 minutes later, I see a deer walk across in front of me at about 35 yards. Next I see a bigger doe coming across the field about 30 yards in front of me. It's getting dark now. The doe stops, looks at the decoy and the tail goes up, it coughs and all 3 deer run. They are all within 30 yards. I had 1 to the left of my blind that I didn't even know was there.About 5 minutes later, back they come.The smaller doe gets all excited and runs right to the decoy. I figure its about 20 yards out, but its all excited and it wouldn't stay still long enough for me to shoot. I sit there and wait. I heard some movement but it was too dark to see anything.Then it got quiet. I rustled some leaves and didn't hear anything so I got out of my blind and left. I've been getting a little discouraged as this is my first season of hunting of any type.
The deer have disappeared since gun season, so it does me good to get the deer close to me again. If anybody has any suggestions on hunting with a deer decoy, I would love to hear them.    
Thanks, Brian

[Slasher]

Well, I am not much of a scent or a decoy guy.. I believe that hunting where the deer want to be is my only hope...

when I know chasing is going on.. Then i use a lil doe urine with a tarsal of a recently harvested doe...

Other than that, does don't want to be dogged by some rut crazed buck and I believe after the initial wave of the orange army any buck that survived understands doe urine may = hunter...

I'd leave the scents off and just try to make it as scent free as possible...

Just my opinion...

[horatio1226]

Being a new hunter, I'm not quite sure how you hunt where the deer want to be. Where I'm at, the deer are bedded down all day either in the dried leaves of the forest or the heavy brush.I think that the deer wanted to be in that field, they just didn't know that they wanted to be closer to me. I sat there for 3 and a half hours and then they came out with a bout 20 minutes of light left. I would love to hunt them where they bed, just haven't figured out how to get there yet without making noise.

[adkmountainken]

Brian,
        this is a really hard time of year to hunt as the deer have been harassed pretty good by hunters and are VERY wary.  best thing you can do is hunt as often and as long as you can, the more time in the woods the better your chances. good luck man!

[Otto]

I've also found that other does do not care to be around a doe that's in heat.  They probably got a wiff of your code blue and that may have spooked em a bit.

[BowHuntingFool]

When its cold like this hunt the food sources. Find out what they are eating and key in on the area. Hunt the trails to and from and if possible hunt over the food sources. When the temps are cold the deer need to eat to keep warm. Just before a good storm and right after is also a good time to hunt the food sources! Good luck, late season can be tough but rewarding when it pays off, and can pay off bigtime!!!!!!!