Just like duck hunters who use lifelike decoys to lure ducks to a secluded pond, deer can also be attracted in that fashion. Be it the visual type or by taking advantage of the deer’s sense of smell, there are a few tricks to lure the deer that will soon be mounted on the hunter’s wall.

Decoying can be a dangerous tactic if you don’t follow some safety precautions. Even if deer scamper away by the scent of humans, an aggressive buck is something to look forward to, especially if it starts charging in the hunter’s general direction.

There are a few products in the recreational market to emulate certain smells and resemblances of a deer intruding on another’s territory. As hunters know deer are territorial in nature and a standoff with another buck would be a sight worth seeing, as long as it’s not aimed at the hunter himself.

Realistic decoys can be time consuming, depending on your artistic level. Unless decoy deer are sold at Wal-Mart then it would be easy, but for now it’s all about toying with a deer’s sense to protect its territory.

Once you’ve created a life-sized buck in the garage, it’s time to eliminate the scent. A decoy deer that smells of paint is something that any creature would be wary about, so it’s best to sit the decoy out to air dry before letting it ‘loose’ in another buck’s territory. Spraying some scent removers all over the deer is the perfect way to mask any human smells. The trick here isn’t just to lure, but to trigger the buck’s aggressive nature as it begins trailing the intruder. The effect can also be achieved by scraping the tree in a similar fashion and spraying it with some synthetic deer urine. That way, it will cause the buck to go crazy and once it’s sighted, just get ready to see what Animal Planet would have shown when it comes to deer. Just let the buck vent out a little on the poor, defenseless fake buck before shooting.

Though there are a few stories of failed decoy attempts that may have caused some injury to a hunter, this tactic is an effective way to bring that aggressive buck that will soon be mounted on the wall. Safety precautions and a good, clear position to shoot is also important for the hunter as it may very well mean his life if an angry buck spots him.