Homemade antelope decoy

[andrew_in_idaho]

I am a cheapskate so I couldn't stomach shelling out the big bucks for an antelope decoy that looks just like all the rest, so I made my own, in total it cost me about $35 but I'm OK with that since production decoys run double that or more. I'll let you all know how it works after next weekend but in the meantime here's a couple pics. Let me know what ya think, will it work or not?

[Bean Counter]

  I'd buy one!

[AlpineMuley]

Make a small peep hole to look through the body and your golden!  Nice job.

[DeerThug]

Also add a fold out hinged leg on the back and then you can use it as a shooting rest or have it stand as you lay under the belly of it and shoot prone.  no sencs getting all close and have to put it down to shoot.

[Stein]

Looks good to me, I just ordered the set from Cabelas and now wish I had thought of that.

[Bean Counter]

Sounds like Andrew found himself a business venture. Soon he'll be swamped with orders, and keep hiking the price to where he's charging more than the decoy he turned his nose to at Cabelas 

[andrew_in_idaho]

Also add a fold out hinged leg on the back and then you can use it as a shooting rest or have it stand as you lay under the belly of it and shoot prone.  no sencs getting all close and have to put it down to shoot.

Eventually I was thinking about putting legs on it for permanent use at a water hole, I won't have to put it down because it has a handle high up on the back so I can hold it and my bow at the same time. We will see if it is as good an idea as I think it is

[BULLBLASTER]

I've never hunted antelope but don't see any reason why it wouldn't work. Good thinking. Looks just like lots of decoys at the stores. 

[Jonathan_S]

Looks good to me 

Antelope have super sharp eyes.  I wouldn't want to use it for more than setting up for a shot 200+ yards unless an experienced antelope hunter told me otherwise.

Take this with a good grain of salt as I have done no more than snap photos and drive past antelope.

[andrew_in_idaho]

Well the decoy didn't get the reaction I had hoped for, but considering the bucks tended to be running together right now I wouldn't expect much territorial/defensive reaction from them. I'll try again in 3 weeks. I did sneak within 25 yds of a big buck yesterday evening, he was bedded facing directly away from me watching the landowner work on his combine, somehow despite all conditions being perfect when I drew my bow he must've caught movement because he was off like a rocket. Also managed to close the distance on another nice buck this morning to 60 yds but misjudged the distance and sent an arrow over his back, unfortunately my rangefinder battery died yesterday otherwise there would probably be a picture for you all tonight. All in all saw a pile of antelope and learned a lot about hunting them since this was my first experience with antelope hunting. Also scored access to quite a bit of private ground.