Decoys are tools that can make things easier for hunters in specific situations in river bottoms, drawing big bucks out in open areas in which deer can see a long way. But you have to realize that decoys are only tools, not magic bullets that enable you to make your quarry appear out of nowhere. If you keep this in mind, it can greatly aid your hunting.

Decoys tend to work best during the rut, when they can spark sexual and territorial instincts. A buck will come out to fight a buck decoy, and even mount a doe just as if she were the real thing, so you can make a move without the distracted animal noticing. With big, mature bucks that is usually difficult -- but during the rut, using decoys can make it quite easy.

The proper use of decoys begins with scent elimination according to expert deer decoyer and outdoor writer Lou Marullo. "Use gloves when you are carrying and setting up the decoy," he said, "and spray it with a good cover scent or sexual attractant. The nose is a deer's first line of defense so you have to get past that to get into the visual realm."

The rest pretty much has to do with location. It's all about location. "For one thing, if you are using one of the bedded decoys, do not set it up near a trail," Marullo noted. "Deer do not bed up on trails so they should not be set up there. I like to use standing decoys, and always place them upwind of where I expect the deer to come from. Remember that bucks -- most of the time -- are going to be approaching with the wind in their faces, and if they catch a whiff of doe in estrus and then see what they think is a doe, you have a good chance of getting a shot."

He recommended setting up doe decoys with their rear ends toward you, because bucks approach does from the side or the rear and this gives the best angle for a good shot. For buck decoys, try the opposite approach, with the head toward you. Bucks usually approach each other cautiously from the front vantage point.

Make sure not to set up the decoy so that it invites the deer to approach with a direct path to you. You do not want to give them a chance to see you or smell if they cross your line of scent. Set it up off to the side of your stand position to focus the animals' attention on the decoy, not on you. Being elevated above the decoy is also important, as it definitely keeps you out of the line of sight. Getting up above 15 feet or so is best, and is a safety factor as well. If someone creeps in and ends up shooting your decoy because they thought it was real, your chances of being shot decrease the farther up you get.

To increase your chances of getting a buck to look at your decoy, use a piece of white tape on the tail to blow in the wind to give it some motion. Some hunters use monofilament fishing line to pull the tail when wind is absent; others use the new decoys with battery-operated tails. Also, trying a bit of rattling or a grunt call to add to the effect.

"What you're trying to do is mimic nature, and in a rut situation in particular you have bucks fighting, grunting and does smelling of estrus. If you can present those elements in a decoy situation you have successfully mimicked nature to the extent it seems real to the deer and that's the key," Marullo said.

Grunt calls can help you score on bucks. They are finally getting their due for the deer-luring tools they are. Using a grunt with a decoy has helped me bag a few nice bucks. The key is not to overcall. You don't hear deer grunting out there as if they were ducks quacking. The key lies in keeping it all true to nature.

By the way: I don't recommend using decoys oat public hunting areas during the first two weeks of the season, when hunters are everywhere. In addition, using them at large hunting clubs could be a bit dangerous if you do not know where everyone is hunting. Use decoys outlined with blaze orange or have them covered in that color when transporting them by foot, boat or four-wheeler.

ACORNS AND THE HOG FACTOR
Locating acorns is an important part of river-bottom hunting in Louisiana. They are a rich source of protein and carbohydrates for deer, and when they begin falling, deer flock to those spots and ignore other food sources. I've personally experienced having corn pile up under my feeder while deer were feeding less than 50 yards away under a big red oak. Deer know that the corn is going to be there because hunters always supply it, but acorns are fleeting, and they must get them while they can.