I have used various types of Buck and Doe 3D decoys over the decades mainly for shooting practice arrows into to keep my archery skills fine tuned and honed in preparation for the actual hunt.  Shooting at a 3D deer target aka decoy from an elevated platform simulates the real thing and you get a better perspective of the arrow angle and whatever compensation is needed for that elevation for proper arrow placement to effect a quick humane kill shot. 

My good friend John Gaddy of Polkton, NC who is featured in my photo gallery page allows me to recycle his used 3D decoy targets and very often he will feel compassion for me after seeing what the condition of my 3D archery targets are and present me with a nearly new target and has given me new targets before as well......grin if you must! 

Below is a picture of what the normal buck decoy looks like which is about 15 yards from my shooting practice platform:

However, this morning I observed the buck 3D decoy/target was knocked off his legs:

I didn't take the time to closely inspect the 3D buck decoy/target and surmised that one of the local bucks was feeling a little frisky and needed a sparing partner and would check it out later when I re-inserted the legs and got it set back up for archery practice.

While doing some odds n ends in my basement workshop this afternoon, I happened to look out in the direction of the downed decoy and noticed there were five (5) vultures aka buzzards close by the 3D buck decoy and had to get a picture because no one would believe me when I told them that buzzards were staking out my buck decoy in preparation for a meal that had fooled them for sure thinking they were going to enjoy a very tasty venison feast. 

I hurriedly got the closest digital camera and went back up stairs and eased the sliding door open to the deck and got a picture before all of them took flight.  Notice one of the buzzards is in flight about six (6) feet off the ground and aligned close to the pine tree that I have my practice shooting platform in.  Several of the buzzards are still on the ground to the left of the decoy and got a picture before all of them took flight. 

Look closely at the below pix and you should be able to find four (4) of the vultures aka buzzards on the ground.

Below is pix of the buzzards that flew off and perched in a large poplar tree about 50 yards away:

After taking the picture, I went and placed the detachable legs back into their holders onto the body of the decoy and you have to rotate them about a 90 degree turn to lock them in place.  After realigning the detachable head, I set the decoy back onto the steel metal supports and checked to see if I could see any tell tale marks from what had knocked it off the leg supports.  Below is a close up pix of the hindquarter area and you can see the fresh antler marks/gouges apparently from the buck's antlers that wanted to fight my 3D Buck Decoy/target:

The antler marks on the hind quarter of the buck decoy was freshly made and definitely made by a real buck deer for sure!

In the past, I have had the antlers broken off my practice 3D buck decoy target from a buck but this is the first one that was totally knocked off his rocker so to speak.  I can only imagine what was going through Buck's thought process while he was stalking and challenging the buck decoy and the surprise when he knocked him over and the buck decoy still did not move.  I guarantee you his testosterone level was maxed out and his testicles probably swelled up the size of grapefruits........grin if you must!

In summation, this buck decoy is as real as it gets:  Apparently fooled a real Buck deer and not only that, five (5) vultures aka buzzards thought he was too since they were camped out close by ready for some fresh downed "plastic" venison.  One thing is for certain, vultures aka buzzards hunt for food by sight as well as smell too!

As the ole cliché, "A picture is worth a thousand words."   Yes, I am grinning for sure.

Web Published by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 10-27-13

NOTE:  I got an email from Monty Brown, retired OSDT Instructor and to quote him,  "Maybe the buck and buzzards know something that you don't - why don't you cut out the back straps and fry them up?  Although probably a little bit dry, you might be surprised at how tasty they are."  I just might send Monty Brown the back straps when I am through using this buck decoy for an arrow target and let him develop up a Venison Decoy Back Strap recipe.  Another grin is in order!

BUCK DECOY UPDATE

On 10-10-13 around 10:30 AM I noticed that the buck decoy's head was laying on the ground near the decoy and upon further inspection, it was observed that another buck had apparently tried to fight the decoy buck or it was the same deer earlier that had knocked the buck decoy's body off the legs.  See pixs below:

The pix above shows the fresh antler marks left on the buck decoy and both ears were detached along with one of his antlers.

I certainly am curious as to what the buck looks like that attacked my buck decoy; got the buck decoy's head back on with his ears and antler back in place and set up a trail camera close by and hopefully the buck will attack the decoy again.  Will just wait and see if it happens again.

Web published by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 11-11-13

I pulled the media storage card from the Primos trail camera on 11-24-13 and below a few images of the little culprit 3 or 4 point buck that probably was the one whipping up on my buck archery practice decoy.  Pixs below:

The little buck's horns matches the gouge marks on the decoy by his antler size and he is circling the decoy in the above pix surveying the scene so to speak.  Below a few more images captured of other deer in the back yard near the decoy:

I will put the SD memory card back in the trail camera and see what else shows up.  You can see my archery practice tree stand platform in the back ground with the white pvc bucket that is used to pull my arrows and bow up to the platform.  The trail camera is not orientated exactly vertical, therefore the trees in the background appear to be leaning to the left.....another grin is in order.

Web published update by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 11-24-13.

I pulled the SD memory card on 12-03-13 from the trail camera monitoring my Buck Decoy in the back yard and there were seven (7) images on there and below is one of them:

I think the deer know my freezer is topped off.......they don't show me any respect at all.....grin if you must.

Web published by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 12-03-13.