Tips for Hunting Elk with Decoys

Melissa Bachman shows how helpful decoys can be at bringing elk right into your lap.

posted on September 22, 2020
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

As many of us are making our last-minute adjustments to our guns and gear for the quickly approaching hunting season, it’s also a good time to think about new methods or gear you may want to try this fall. I’m getting my .300 Win. Mag dialed in with the Winchester Ballistic Silvertips in a 180-gr. bullet. This will be my go-to gun for several hunts this fall.

Now that I have my gun and ammo all setup, another thing that I’ve picked up over the past few years is a passion for hunting with decoys. Whether it’s chasing whitetails, stalking antelope, or bringing in a bugling bull, I’ve found that decoys make any hunt both more exciting and are super effective.

One of the first things many people think when the idea of a decoy is presented is thatthey’re too big and bulky for their style of hunting. That can be true, but I’ve been using the fold up Montana Decoys out west for both elk and antelope and have had incredible luck. They fold up extremely small and can be a huge help when bringing an animal in close and getting them to close the distance. Not only are they good for bringing in an animal, they can also be extremely helpful when trying to make your way across open terrain without getting busted.

I’m sure there are people out there who think a one-dimensional decoy can’t really be that much of an advantage in the field, and for those people … well, seeing is believing! Checkout this great video I’ve put together showing just on one hunt, how helpful a cow elk decoy can be at bringing elk right into your lap.

 

Latest

Fike Pheasants Sharon Worked With Mykah And Sydney To Teach Them How To Set Up For Flush Small File
Fike Pheasants Sharon Worked With Mykah And Sydney To Teach Them How To Set Up For Flush Small File

Young Guns: A First-Time Foray into Upland Bird Hunting

Under experienced mentorship, six young women go afield to experience all that goes in to harvesting game and potentially becoming lifelong huntresses.

New Guns 2026: SIG Sauer P322-ROSE ROMEO-RS

Chambered in .22 LR, the pistol offers a light-recoil, cost-effective alternative to 9 mm.

What Are Armor-Piercing Bullets?

This specialty ammo is designed for a very specific purpose, and it’s not for civilian use. But what is it exactly?

Spring Cleaning Your Concealed-Carry Handgun

If you’ve never tackled this task on your own, follow along with these basic steps.

What’s Up With Flyways?

If you’re not a waterfowl hunter, you might not be familiar with the concept of flyways. What are they, and what are the differences between the different flyways?

The Armed Citizen® Reload April 17, 2026

It's reality TV at its best: A brave hotel clerk is captured on video as she thwarts an armed robbery—and potentially worse—with her own handgun.

Women's Interests



Get the best of NRA Women delivered to your inbox.