OutdoorMissouri.com

I remember as a youngster seeing basically what I would call a scarecrow in a deerstand that hung there all year long. I new the landowners son which bordered my Grandfathers farm. He told me that his uncle put it up there to get the deer use to the image of a man in that tree. This is not a new idea by any means and his uncle swore that it made all the difference in the world come deer season. Never tried it and I doubt I ever will but I believe it would help to a certain extent. I certainly wouldn't buy one though.

I think they would work too, but how far do you want to go, and still be able to claim any skill involved by the hunter?

Dave-t, just food for thought. I would bet the indians would have have used this method if it put food on the table. Would they no longer be considered hunters?

Skill shmill. Killing stuff isn't all that hard. The whole idea just seems retarded. Anal at least. I wonder how some of you guys ever find the time to enjoy hunting. With considering each friggin' detail and all. I will excuse [email]Keith@.[/email] That is his job.

As soon as you feel the urge to run buffalo off a cliff, and spend the winter in either a mud hut, or animal skin shelter, you can throw out hunting ethics.



Market hunters, and to a lessor extent Indians, are the reason we have specific game laws, and a code of ethics to hunt by. You and your family will survive the winter if you don't kill 6 deer this year, They wouldn't. That's the difference.



I will grant extra points though for every deer killed with self made bows, and hand made flint heads, while wearing a loin cloth.

Dave,



I think it's up to the individual hunter to decide that for themselves. I wouldn't take away from anyone that opted to use such a method. Fooling there nose is the biggest hurdle, especially in harvesting a mature buck. The dummy only helps one aspect, dummy. There is stand placement, scouting, practicing good QDM techniques, etc. That are much higher on the list in acheiving such a goal. For instance, if you get in a treestand are you really a hunter ? or your not a real hunter if you use a compound bow rather than a bow you widdled out of a piece of osage orange. Just where do you draw the line ? Within the rules of fair chase, and the rules set forth by the MDC and landowner, all is fair. In fact, I credit anyone who can think out of the box to acheive such. Come up with a new idea we haven't seen or heard, I dare ya. Then maybe I will listen to your dribble.

LA told me in Dave's case, it's definately dribble. I have the PM to prove it.

Purple dribble at that.

What would a dribble sound like anyway?
I still would not go to that extreme. Not because I think it makes someone less of a hunter. I don't really know what less of a hunter even means. If you hunt by the game laws, then your a pretty good hunter in my book. I just would not be one to hang dummies out in the woods. It seems excessive. That's all.

2B..you summed it up perfectly. I like the thinking outside the box stuff. Thats what keeps things fun IMO. I guess thats why I like gadgets so much. As far as the dummy thing, I am being facetious. I really am not concidering trying this. However, as 2B said, if someone tried it and it helped him bag a trophy, more power to him/her. You still gotta fool that nose and 6th sense they seem to have.

With ethics it is hard to draw a line for everybody to follow and feel comfortable with. I think it is a detriment to rely on too many gadgets and foolproof fixes. At some point you have to use your own ingenuity, and self-discipline, if you are to claim any skill.

I think that puppet is going over the line, but I like to do deer drives, and others find that appalling. Each to his own.

Actually Keith brought up this dummy thing over a year ago. This is not the first time he heard of this. I wouldn't take time to do such. I am plenty confident without having to place a dummy in a tree. The very best method for whacking a big one imho is the drop and insert method ( put your stand in a new location where you have scouted and found sign or seen a biggin move through ) the element of suprise is the ticket. That's why a easy to hang, quiet, stand is important to have in your nal.

Actually 2B, the very best method for whacking a big one employs spotlights, and centerfire rifles. If you don`t believe me, I can introduce you to our resident poacher. He has an incredible trophy collection.

@ MoCraig.

170, hopefully you turned the fugger in.

Whitetails have natural defenses, but come on fellas... I heard Kieth say something about the sixth sense. I beleive the animals are intune to thier enviroment, sense weather changes, predtorial presense and all that good stuff. But When you fool thier sight hearing and smell... they are just dumb animals that need to be close enough.

That sixth sense BS is nothing more than not having been stealthy enough and you're letting them know your around in some form or another.