Via Gord Nuttall
Via Gord Nuttall

Bull Moose Hanging Up? Try Using a Life-sized Cow Decoy

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Gord Nuttall
Gord Nuttall

Decoy Placement

Place the cow decoy in an open area that has game trails leading into it, positioned so that a bull entering on one of the trails gets a broadside view of it. That way, the bull will travel farther into the clearing to investigate. The same principle applies to thickets or other areas lacking an escape route from predators—you want to make it easy for the incoming bull to notice the decoy from a distance.

You also want to find a contrasting background to help showcase the decoy; since it’s big and black, this usually isn’t a problem. After spying the decoy, a bull will most often circle downwind in an attempt to catch the cow’s scent and to confirm that it’s a receptive female. So when placing the decoy, also make sure you’ll have clear shooting lanes downwind of it.

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