Do Decoys help?

I have the JIB attached by tether to my foxpro and I know for a fact it works. Does your rabbit decoy have motorized movement or is it just sitting there? If it's just sitting still I wouldn't count on it for much. If you can get the coyote's attention directed to the decoy then you're in business - keeps their attention off you.
 
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YES a decoy will fool another one of the critters senses always a plus
 
I believe in decoys 100% I never really used one until this years, but one of my partners has a motorized decoy "the infamous Wayne" and almost every dog I've shot with him has been focused so heavily on the decoy that I never had to worry about movement. Decoys are a HUGE help...
 
I've always kinda put decoys in the "can't hurt" category. Kinda like wearing full camo, not necessary but definately doesnt hurt. I've used them in the past and found they work but I did just as well without them so I now rarely use them, just one more thing to lug around. Seems most people use remote e-callers now anyway, they set it out 50-100 yards away, that should keep the critters attention off of you.

Seems a decoy would benefit a hand caller more. If I'm trying to call bobcats I'll sometimes use some feathers but not for coyotes.
 

Weasel, I think you're on to something there. My guess is that there are fewer, ALOT fewer 'yotes hanging up when a good moving decoy is used! Like Shaun said in this thread defeating one more of an animal's senses is always a good thing. A few drops of red fox urine under/around the decoy would be killer because it shouldn't scare off any fox and can only enrage a coyote! It's hard for me to imagine a coyote seeing a moving (i.e. alive) furry decoy and smelling its' hated enemy (fox) and then just passing it by like nothing happened! Especially, when the decoy is letting out distress cries at the very same time! I believe that each sense of a critter that gets defeated only serves to sell the deal a little more. If you sell the WHOLE deal to the critter (any critter) by defeating ENOUGH of his senses, he'll come in with abandon (which is what some of the posters in this thread were referring to)!
Back in the 90's, there was an innovative coyote hunter from Minnesota who wrote about his use of a full body mounted red fox. Talk about an EXPENSIVE decoy! Anyways, in this Peterson's 'Hunting Magazine' article, he wrote about one of his hunts. He is hidden inside a woodline with his red fox mount about 25 yards or so out into the field. He's calling across the field which is approximately a couple hundred yards across using a rabbit distress mouth call. Two coyotes break out of the woodline on the far side of the field (a good 200+ yards away). He said that they spotted the sound and the decoy immediately and broke into a dead run! As it happened, he managed to get both 'yotes but had to do some very fancy shooting (clearly why he chose this incident to write his story around) to keep the second 'yote from destroying the mount! The first shot took the 1st dog clean but did not for one second deter the second. I remember the pic showing both 'yotes and a whole lot of snow so this wasn't a pair of spring dogs defending pups (they were male and female though). The writer said that they were absolutely fixed on destroying that red fox!
He didn't mention the use of red fox urine but clearly, such a smell could only help to COMPLETELY seal the deal!
 
I use a number or different decoys depending on terrain and brush cover. One of them that I use in open terrain is a silhouette decoy with a marabou feather hanging from the front to create movement. Crows, Ravens and hawks dive at it, blue-jays and magpies holler at it. It creates quite a ruckus sometimes. I think it adds realism to the stand. Mature coyotes usually charge in ready to tear it up. Sometimes young submissive coyotes will sneak in on it, but it always holds their attention. I have yet to see an animal hang-up when using it. There have been plenty of times I've had a coyote top a hill and not come any closer when not using a decoy. They just stand there looking for some kind of animal or movement and when they don't see it, they walk off. Make them think that a smaller animal has one of their prey animals and they come in to take the prey animal away or even to stomp the intruder.

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When using a mouth call I place the decoy within 30 yards or so. If I'm using the Foxpro I can place it next to the caller just about anywhere within shooting range.
 
Weasel I like that idea of the fox with the feather, sounds like it would work really well. We don't have any red fox's in my area but we have some kit fox's I think. Would the fox decoy work even if you don't have them. Thanks
 
Now we're TALKING! Good one Weasel! You know, moving is always better I think (and that feather is definitely moving in the breeze) but remember that fox I mentioned in Hunting Magazine. It was NOT moving, not at all. Of course, being an actual mount, it couldn't have been anymore vividly real!
I think that's about 100 times better than using a coyote as a decoy because a coyote isn't going to sit back and ask questions about whether or not this critter he's looking at is indigenous to his parts! Let's face it, coyotes kill dogs of all kinds of breeds, not to mention cats and when he see's your fox in HIS territory, I don't think he's going to take kindly to it!;0)) I'd put a little fox urine on the ground next to him and with your calling, you're going to drive those 'yotes nuts in your area (until you provide them with a little lead tranquilizer that is)! Great post and pic! Keep us posted on how it works for you! --- Mike
 
I haven't used that decoy in an area that held red foxes yet. It doesn't seem to matter to the coyotes, or birds either for that matter. I purposely kept it small. It is 17" from base to tip of ears. I figured it would be less threatening that way. I really don't think the color matters much. I'd think a solid gray, brown, black or whatever color would work as well. As long as there is some contrast and movement so it is easy to see, it seems to catch a predator's attention very well. I'll post a couple of other photos on here. As you'll see I don't put eyes on the fox silhouettes. The reason being, I've read where a predator will be more cautious if another animal is looking at it. I haven't tested it out for myself, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to leave the eyes off. Besides, I'm no artist. I do think that a sitting pose is better than a standing/walking pose though since it would appear the animal is relaxed and at rest..

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Oh, here's a YOY that was suckered in by the decoy:

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Thanks for info weasel looks like it works pretty good. If you dont mind me asking where did you get the sitting fox pattern or did you dram it yourself. I am by far no artist so I wouldnt even try to draw one. If there is some place with critter outlines I would like to know, if you dont mind other people using your ideas. Thanks
 
I love it when people use my ideas. I can't claim to be the first to make silhouette decoys though. I made a tracing. I hope this works, if not I could probably email copies to anybody that wants one. The squares on the paper are 1"x1". Draw 1"x1" squares on a piece of paper to make a pattern, or directly on cardboard, foamboard, coroplast or whatever you decide to make the decoy out of. The squares act as a guide for drawing the silhouette. Draw it square by square and yours will come out fine.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/Weasel-UT/Guns%20n%20Accessories/IMG_1748.jpg

I like using coroplast (what election signs are made from) since it's durable and waterproof. Make a stand with wire clothes hangers.
If any of y'all make the decoys, post some pics, okay?
 
That's great Weasel! That coyote in the pic sure paid a severe price for his territoriality, didn't he?;0)
I'll bet you that a coyote couldn't care less which way a fox is looking. He's going to kill it any way he can (or get killed trying if it's your fox he's after;0). I do believe you have a point about other fox though. An aggressive looking, larger red fox could scare off a beta red fox. A grey fox might still come in I think. Those little buggers are known to be pretty aggressive. I mean they've been known to take on coon (they don't do well in those confrontations but they take them on anyways). Red fox tend to be more shy compared to greys. I think you got the perfect size! I think the proof of the pudding is in that 'yote (and probably others) that you shot! A little red fox urine would complete the set-up!
 
i don't know who makes the silhouette that i use but it come with a rabbit fox and fawn i think look up last weeks easy decoy post. they are easy to carry the only problem i have is frozen ground makes it hard to set the stakes.
that coyote decoy will be used more and more as january and febuary gets here.
i also use a toy stuffed rabbit,chow painted up to look like a fox{i almost had it shot by adc in there air plane}
trukey decoy, feathers,riger rabbit,and planning on buying a jack in the box. i feel decoys work even better for bobcats.
 
I think Renzo is the maker of the silhouette set with the fawn, rabbit, coyote and fox. I called to see if they'd sell just the fox silhouette, but they won't. I like using silhouette decoys as opposed to full body decoys. One reason is they are easier to carry. The most important reason is that the silhouette can be placed edge-wise to you and your partners. That way if somebody sees it from a distance and takes a shot, they are shooting cross-wise to you and not AT you.
 
Well all I can say weasel if you didn't have such great idea's you would have to worry about people wanting to copy them.:) I really think that fox will work good where I am from cause predators can see for miles here. We don't have alot of hills or tree's. Thanks again for the pattern and I will for sure let ya know if I make one and it works for me. If it does I will have to dedicate the first yote to you. Later
 


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