We’re going to need a new decoy.
When the rut is in full swing and bucks are posturing for rivals, nothing will get one worked up quite like a decoy. Used correctly, a decoy will pull a big buck into bow or gun range when nothing else will. In some instances, the buck will even come in and attack the decoy.
That’s what happens in today’s video from the Heartland Bowhunter. Mike is hunting in Missouri and decides to break out the decoy after noting the bucks have been acting especially aggressive towards one another.
That evening a big 10-pointer comes into the field chasing does. When he notices Mike’s decoy, the big buck closes the distance and takes on a fighting stance against the plastic deer. Before he can get a shot off, the big buck flattens the decoy in a single charge!
Bowhunting for whitetails does not get much more exciting than that! That big boy was thoroughly convinced his turf had been invaded by a rival after his does. He was looking for a fight and we think he was a bit surprised when the decoy put up none. That is probably why he spooked a bit and Mike thought his chance at the buck was gone.
Instead, it seems the buck was more bewildered than anything else. He turned around for a second look at the field and the decoy. It was just long enough for Mike to put a pin on the buck’s shoulder and make a perfect shot. The buck hardly made it out of the field before toppling over.
This hunt speaks to the power of a well-placed decoy at the right time. For those stubborn bucks that ignore your calls and rattles, it may be the last piece of the puzzle to draw a shooter into bow range. Congrats on a great buck Mike, and an even more memorable hunt to go with it!
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