Here is what happened this 2010 season:
I had set up the deer shadow (doe) on the edge of a small (2-acre) field.
Hung from a low branch that stretched out into the field from the tree line it is quite visible from way back in the woods. (BTW, I always attach a 1-oz egg sinker to the bottom by a piece of black fish-line to keep it from flapping around too much...a very good idea gotten from your web sight. The sinker lays on the ground and the line is slightly slack. Works good!)
I use this decoy to augment my deer calling efforts, a very good combination.
On this day I was set up at the base of a large tree. I could not see the decoy but I was only about 30 yds from it.
A deer came over the edge of a small ridge and looked right at me for a minute.
Fortunately my cammo was working and after a careful look the deer turned and headed for the decoy.
As he passed behind a tree I raised my handgun and when he paused again, made a shot that planted him.
Distance to target: 23 steps. The deer had been as close as 18 steps while checking me out.
I was so busy getting this young deer out that I forgot the deer decoy and left it hanging.
A few days later I had a friend hunting on this property as a guest.
He spotted the "ear-movement" from back in the woods and stalked to within about 30 steps before getting a good enough look to know what it really was. He muttered some unfriendly things about me and my decoy but later told me about this with a smile. The decoy clearly works for man or beast!
Hope all is well with you and yours. Tim
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Multiple Line Textbox 1 I recieved my shadow decoys on nov 12, took them out on the 13th and set them 15 yards in front of my tent in the edge of a field. An hour later a nice 6 pt came out at about 90 yards, one grunt and he saw the decoys and ran to about 20 yards, shot him in the heart.
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Multiple Line Textbox 1 First, I would like to mention that I take bowhunting very seriously. I put in hundreds of hours on stand each fall, and hunt for only Pope & Young record class bucks (I have five P&Y class bucks so far). One of the strategies I like to use is rattling anters during the rut. Over the years, I have had a fair number of big bucks come to rattle ... only to "hang-up" just outside of bow-range.
Because of hang-ups, I've often times considered trying a deer decoy, but never was much of a fan of lugging out one of those full-bodied types. Also, I have a number of hunting friends who have tried them and some comment that they can actually "spook" deer. So admittedly, going in, that was my biggest concern with the Deer Shadow Decoy ... will it spook deer? On the other hand, the concept of this simple, very portable and lightweight decoy might just be the trick ... it was worth a try.
I used the pair, buck and doe decoy during the 2009 bowhunting season and I can confidently say ... THEY WORK!! The first buck I had that responded to rattling was a very nice 9-pointer (likely would have made the low end of P&Y scores, but I eventually let him go). He came in walking the low area of a slight rise/hill where I was set up. I had the two Deer Shadow decoys right at the crest of the hill. A couple of grunts, and the buck immediately looked up the hill in my direction. I could tell he saw the decoys, and without hestitation, headed directly toward them. I was amazed when the buck actually walked to within 5 yards of one of the decoys. He just stood there and bobbed his head up and down ... it was actually very entertaining.
Other experiences were very similar ... many deer came right to the decoys. I definitely recommend giving this decoy a try. They are effective and very portable ... I just tuck them under one of my arms. In my experience, it is important to secure the bottom portion of the decoys, so that they don't "waffle" around excessively
Best of luck to y'all during the next hunting season.
Jim / St. Paul, MN
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I have another testimonial for you if you want one. Just used your buck and doe this weekend and killed a monster 161" buck. also a coupleof great pics
Since I didn’t buy it from ebay where I could leave feedback, I posted to archery talk. http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=573265&p=1062090082#post1062090082
Well for $17 I decided to give this one a try. Someone mentioned that the print
was too dark. That's not what I found. It's actually very real looking and even
more so when the sun hits it. My treestand backed up to a corn field and in
front of me was a 20' cut path with sappling trees on the far side. I hung this
decoy from a branch on the far side of the path at about 5' from the ground and
anchored it down. I'm not a deer but several times during the day when searching
the woods for deer, I would see the decoy and react as though it was actually a
deer. You know that instant when your heart rate spikes when you see a deer.
Sounds funny because I knows its fake but still it made me jump. What
happened in the woods? A group of 2 doe and 1 buck walked through the trees and
came out at a trail crossing. When the buck looked back down the trail, he saw
this decoy which was about 12 yards from my stand. He was very curious about
what he saw and walked back to it, stopping about 5 yds away. What I found
interesting and its not scientific by any means, was that he was curious and not
threatened by it. You know how an approaching deer wants to challenge a decoy
and fight it? Well he didn't. His guard was down and his attention was on the
decoy and not me. One of the doe stared at me for a moment but the buck never
looked my way and doe didn't bust me at all. After deciding the decoy wasn't
real he turned and gave me a real nice broadside shot before walking away. I
didn't take it because even though he was an older buck, his rack
was lacking mass. Now I don't know if it helped but I used cotten kite string to
anchor it to the ground and soaked the top part in some Buck urine. Next time
I'll give Doe urine a try since I didn't see any bachelor groups, I have to
assume they are looking for mates now. Also, because it is a ghost I'll hang it
higher in the tree so the visability will be better. What's cool about it is, it
moves with the wind and bobs with gusts of wind just like the herky jerky head
movements a deer would actually make.
Thanks again for a unique product that actually works.
Cheers, Matt
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Last year I used a deer shadow decoy. Inexpensive, life sized, head shaped, painted piece of foam that you hang in a tree with fishing line and another piece tied off to the ground. Spins slowly in a light breeze. Gives a now you see it now you don't affect.
I had one doe watch it for some time. I was in a stand between her and the decoy and she didn't bust me, it certianly occupied her eyes long enough for me to shoot her if I had wanted.
It gave me something to watch and later when I pointed it out to my grampa at about one hundred yards it was a hard sell to convince him it wasn't a deer.
So, I strongly recomend one if your hunting my grandfather.
