Untapped hunting experience?

[retrieverman]

Most wild animals are accustomed to seeing cows so it doesn’t really concern them to approach or be approached by one. Cows are also big enough to hide behind. Cow decoys are not to entice other cows, they are to be hidden behind. And they work pretty well. Or atleast it did, until the foam insulation I made mine out of was snapped in half by the 50mph panhandle wind. I don’t know who was more surprised. Me or the antelope. Took me like 2 hours to catch up to all the stupid pieces of my stupid fake cow.

A cow decoy/blind might work on some deer, but the ones behind my house here in east TX definitely aren’t fans of cows. I’ve had deer on a food plot multiple times, and if my cows migrate into the area but across the fence, the deer will head back into the woods every time.

 

[AER244]

A cow decoy/blind might work on some deer, but the ones behind my house here in east TX definitely aren’t fans of cows. I’ve had deer on a food plot multiple times, and if my cows migrate into the area but across the fence, the deer will head back into the woods every time.

Ha. I’ve actually only used a cow decoy on antelope. If it weren’t so damned windy everywhere I can hunt, I’d likely use one (or any appropriate Montana-esque decoy) a lot more often. Same with portable ground blinds. I was more trying to explain the theory behind the cow, cuz @ElkStalkR did a great job of explaining the results.

 

[dennishoddy]

A cow decoy/blind might work on some deer, but the ones behind my house here in east TX definitely aren’t fans of cows. I’ve had deer on a food plot multiple times, and if my cows migrate into the area but across the fence, the deer will head back into the woods every time.

I’ve busted many deer walking into a blind at night that were bedded with cows in the dark. They feel safe with extra eyes? Don’t know.
But my daylight experience is the same as yours. Cows = No deer.

 

[AER244]

I’ve busted many deer walking into a blind at night that were bedded with cows in the dark. They feel safe with extra eyes? Don’t know.
But my daylight experience is the same as yours. Cows = No deer.

Now that I think about it- I’ve seen deer walk thru a herd of cows with no qualms, but I don’t see them communing often at all. Only witnessed instances I can think of were in late winter. I can’t remember capturing both simultaneously on trail cam either.

 

[retrieverman]

Now that I think about it- I’ve seen deer walk thru a herd of cows with no qualms, but I don’t see them communing often at all. Only witnessed instances I can think of were in late winter. I can’t remember capturing both simultaneously on trail cam either.

I’ll never catch a cow and a deer on camera unless the cows are somewhere they’re not supposed to be, and that has happened. I had to get a friend to go over and try to fix the camera after the cows got through rubbing on it.

 

[ElkStalkR]

Yea as mentioned get behind the cow and sneak up on your target. Also as mentioned low wind days are a must.

For geese it works best early in the morning with the sun at your back so they are staring at a moving blob they can’t really make out due to the sun.

You get all the variables just right your likely to get close enough for a shot but it’s far from successful every time.