Best Elk Decoy for Bow Hunting
Montana Decoy Co produces the best portable hunting elk decoys on the market.
If you are a backcountry hunter and you are looking for an Elk decoy for your pack, you need to pick up a decoy from Montana Decoy Co.
Here are 5 Reasons to Pick-Up a Montana Elk Decoy for Your Next Hunt:
- Compact - The decoy can fold up the size of a frisbee and be stored in your backpack or you can carry it with little effort.
- Lifelike - Once you have the decoy set up the HD photo imprint makes the decoy lifelike in the woods or in a field.
- Weight - The total weight, including poles, is less than 3 pounds.
- Two Great Ways to Use the Decoy - First, use the decoy when moving through the open ground as a disguise. Second, when solo hunting and calling to bulls, use the decoy away from you but in an area, the other elk can see. Distracting the elk from you and your location.
- RMEF - When you purchase a Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Cow decoy a portion of the proceeds goes directly back to the RMEF conservation and preservation of elk hunting for the next generation.
Montana Decoy produces five different designs providing every angle for your hunting pleasure.
Like the elk decoys? Montana Decoys Co. has decoys for your next antelope hunt, check out our review of the Montana Decoy Antelope here. Turkey Hunters they have decoys for you too, click here to check out our review of the Montana Decoy Co. turkey decoys.
Early Season Elk Hunters
When your elk hunting in 2022 requires you to get in close with the elk heard to get a close-range shot on that heard bull, you may need a decoy to distract that monster bull and allow you to get set up and take aim at a perfect shot.
Having multiple decoy options could come in handy depending on the situation. A cow in the meadow eating could be a perfect option when you are using your mew calls. How about a spike elk decoy when you are bugle-hard like those young bulls?
When you check out the Montana Decoy Co website, you get to choose from several different decoy options for your elk hunt.
Montana Elk Decoy Options
Eichler Elk Decoy
Features:
- Built from HD photo of actual cow elk
- Easy and Quick set-up thanks to elastic strings and clips
- Fits quick-stand for stalking
- Folds up for easy transport
Size:
- Folded 19" x 12"
- Unfolded 47" x 30"
- Weight 40 ounces includes poles, stings, and clips
RMEF Cow Elk
The RMEF Cow Elk is a special production for the benefit of elk herds. According to Montana Decoy Co. "The proceeds from each purchase of an RMEF Cow Elk decoy help to permanently protect crucial elk winter and summer ranges, migration corridors, calving grounds, and other vital areas, while focusing on securing and improving hunter access throughout elk country."
Features:
- Built from HD photo of actual cow elk
- Easy and Quick set-up thanks to elastic strings and clips
- Fits quick-stand for stalking
- Folds up for easy transport
Size:
- Folded 17" x 15"
- Unfolded 48" x 50"
- Weight 42 ounces includes poles, stings, and clips
Back Country Elk Decoy
The Back Country Elk Decoy is one of the smallest elk decoys made. Size allows for easy transport in the field and with the included poles you can have this decoy up in minutes.
Features:
- Built from HD photo of actual cow elk
- Easy and Quick set-up thanks to elastic strings and clips
- Fits quick-stand for stalking
- Folds up for easy transport
Size:
- Folded 9" x 9"
- Unfolded 21" x 43"
- Weight 8.5 ounces includes poles, stings, and clips
Spike Bull Elk Decoy
The Spike Bull Elk Decoy is a newer offering for Montana Decoy. This spike bull is a great option in the early season with young bulls bugling. You can use it also in the late season for cover or spot and stalk purposes. Like the other offerings by Montana Decoy, this is compact and lightweight for carrying in your pack or using as cover in a spot and stalk situation.
Features:
- Built from HD photo of actual cow elk
- Easy and Quick set-up thanks to elastic strings and clips
- Fits quick-stand for stalking
- Folds up for easy transport
Size:
- Folded 19" x 21"
- Unfolded 40" x 38"
- Weight 2 lbs 3 ounces includes poles, stings, and clips
Miss September
The Miss September is an excellent choice for those archery elk hunters looking to get in close with a herd. A newer option, this cow elk appears to be eating grass with its head down and rear pointing to the sky.
Here you can see Miss September with the Back Country Decoy giving an appearance of multiple feeding elk on a hillside. Like the other offerings by Montana Decoy, this is compact and lightweight for carrying in your pack or using as cover in a spot and stalk situation.
Features:
- Built from HD photo of actual cow elk
- Easy and Quick set-up thanks to elastic strings and clips
- Fits quick-stand for stalking
- Folds up for easy transport
Additional Accessories for Elk Decoy Success
Quick Stand Big Game and Deer Decoy
Check the Price for Quick Stand on Amazon - click here!
Decoy Carrier
Check the Price for Decoy Carrier on Amazon - Click Here
Who Is Montana Decoy Co?
Montana Decoy Co was started by Jerry McPherson in 1996 looking to give hunters an edge in the field. In April of 2012, Montana Decoy Co was acquired by Flint Holdings, LLC and Jerry stayed on to help design and develop all different animal decoys.
Jerry is still at Montana Decoy working on designs for typical archery decoys including Deer, Turkey, Bison, and unique options like buffalo, farm cows, and predators. While working on designs Jerry also writes and posts articles on Montana Decoy’s website blog.
Elk Decoy is it worth it?
Not every hunter will use a decoy and not every situation requires a decoy to make a shot. But when you’re working the rut and it’s difficult to get the attention of a herd bull, you may consider adding a decoy to your toolbox.
I’ve used Cow decoys myself on several occasions. When I was up in the White Mountain of Arizona, we were calling in a bull that just wouldn’t work himself any closer than 75 yards. We had success pulling him into the 30-yard mark once we popped up our cow decoy and stuck her partially behind a tree.
We had to hide the elk a little on this occasion as we were bugling and pretending to be a larger bull wanting the cows in the area.
This partial disguise of our Montana Elk Decoy worked perfectly to get the interest of that bull to come closer than the initial 75 yards. I’d like to tell you we were successful on this hunt, but we didn’t take a shot at the elk. The problem was, that he wasn’t as mature as we’d hoped for.
Best Elk Decoy Tactics
Elk decoys and hunting elk involve two key components. First, you cannot be winded. You need to stay downwind from the elk as their sense of smell is will bust you every time. No need for a decoy if they smell you!
Second, you need to sound and look like an elk, sometimes. Using the elk decoys when cow calling or bugling is good to let the other elk know who’s talking. Sometimes when you call without any decoy the animals will be somewhat skeptical when they eventually get close enough and can’t either smell another elk or see another elk. So set up your decoy and call, let’s see who is willing to check you out.
Don’t be scared to throw up those decoys from a great distance. If you are 150-200 yards from a herd or if the herd is on the move and you’re out front of them, try putting up the decoy to see if they change directions. The decoy can be helpful to grab the herd’s attention and sometimes get them to move toward your position.
Another tactic involves using the decoy to move across an open area. If you’re downwind and you disguise yourself with the decoy you can move across open areas to get a better position on the herd bull. Remember there will be a lot of eyes on you so move like an elk.
Work the decoy on your next scouting trip. Make sure you’re downwind but try a few tactics out to understand their reactions. But remember, if you’re hunting in the early season rut every situation can change and those herd bulls will be difficult to pull away from their harem.
Should You Implement a Montana Elk Decoy into your next Hunt?
You should consider the Montana Elk Decoys for a couple of reasons. First, they are lightweight and compact, so they don’t take up a lot of space in your pack and they won’t be heavy carrying up and over those mountains. Second, why not? Having a decoy that is this portable should be part of your toolbox. You have cow calls, probably multiple types making multiple sounds, you have calf calls, you have bull bugle calls and I’m sure a few different types of sound. So the next tool in the box is the decoy. Put it to work for you. Get a good bull or just distract the herd for a good shot.
You won’t be unhappy having his decoy in your pack when those elk need a little incentive to move toward your position.
