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Q:
Should I be using scents? If so what kind? Just kinda always figured they were a waste of time. Do you drag a scent rag to your stand? I keep seeing big deer just out of bow range. Is this a solution to get them to come in?

Question by Del in KS. Uploaded on November 05, 2009

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from 86Ram wrote 2 weeks 47 min ago

If rutting try a combo dominant buck and doe in estrous I use buck bomb (both scents) but Code Blue etc may work just as well.
Find a scrape line if its in front of you freshen it with dominant buck and on the out skirts a little doe in estrous....get within bow range...or
make your own scrapes

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from rabbitpolice88 wrote 2 weeks 42 min ago

Good question Del, I have never used scents either. I have had people tell me they swear by it and others tell me it's spotty at best. I have just never spent the money on anything but a cover scent.

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from DakotaMan wrote 2 weeks 42 min ago

I'd suggest doe in estrus scent as this is the start of the rut. I drag a rag on my de-scented boots from likely trails or fence lines. A doe grunt can get them to come closer from up wind and the doe scent can get them to come over from down wind. I suggest taking the rag off your boots and hanging the rag on a low limb in your target area... last year I made the mistake of leaving the rag on my boot until I got to the tree... a nice buck followed the scent right to the back side of my tree and looked up right at me... busted. If I had done it right, he would probably have walked right into my target area without seeing me. I like scents. The buck I got last year came from a couple hundred yards upwind and passed me on the side. When he got downwind, he smelled the doe scent and came back to check it out. I did it right that time and got him 10 yards away right in my target zone.

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from Kentucky Hunter wrote 2 weeks 7 min ago

Dakotaman has it rite on the money in my op but when needing to get some sent out in front of you when hunting a tree line to a fields and you dont want to walk thur the feild with your drag rag i use a small kids fishing pole with a lot of weight on it with a rag soaked in hot doe estrus cast it out as far as i can past my bow rang and reel it back in leaves a nice sent trial to draw a buck in to bow rang and it has worked for me 2 times nows

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from codyboyd wrote 1 week 6 days ago

ya no, i was just out hunting this afternoon and i had a doe with two bucks that would make Jim Shockey cry following her. both spaced about 10 min appart. i know that a drag would work and i would recomend tinx 69 as my weapon of choice.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Jim in Mo wrote 1 week 6 days ago

Del, I have never used a scent on myself to hunt but, I have and do use a 'mask'. Not a skunk or fox smell but a spray that smells like dirt to me, like when you pull a large plant out of the ground. I just spray it on my boots and as much of my body as I can.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from adswartz wrote 1 week 6 days ago

I use scents and swear by them. First I start with getting rid of my own sent with sent killer type products: soaps, and sprays. Then I use a cover scent, something that matches my surroundings. An acorn scent if I am hunting near oaks, pine scent for pines or a universal earth scent like was mentioned above. As for other scents, I use a bowhunter's specialties all season scent starting in september seems to have mixed results. Have tried some musks, like Moon Fire, but didn't see any results from that. Had some action with a curiosity scent like Wildlife research #307. Also will use young buck or straight doe pee earlier in the year. This time of the year I switch to more rutting type scents. Like doe in heat or estrous doe. These will bring deer in and also stop them in there tracks if you place a few drops in the middle of your shooting lanes. Also try placing some scent wicks on a few branches at your sides on downwind of you. Another tip would be to add some dominate buck urine to this set up as well. A mature deer will wonder who is invading there territory and a lot of times come in kind of hot. You can also mix in some calling with this as well. Try a series of tending grunts just after first light. If a mature buck is in ear shot it is likely he'll come check it out. If you spot one milling the edges you can try an estrus bleet to try get him to close. Just don't call if they are looking at your. A sure way to get busted. I usually do a drag, like mentioned above as well. One side doe estrus the other dominant buck. I think over the years if you experiment a little and keep track of what worked when, you will get a good idea of what works and what doesn't for your area. I'd give it a try if I were you. And good luck!

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from MLH wrote 1 week 6 days ago

You might consider peeing out of your stand, belching, passing gas, smoking, and standing by a campfire before going out. Sorry, sort of ... just couldn't resist.

I am still amazed watching bucks with their nose to the ground following the exact path of my estrous scent rag. One walked within 5 feet of me. Another ran right under my stand and just stood there, looking around, perhaps wondering where the hot doe was. I want to try this with a doe decoy one day. Probably doesn't work on the big secretive bucks that wait in the shadows for the does to come to them, though.

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from Big O wrote 1 week 6 days ago

YES SIR !
I use a drag rag and have had bucks "follow" me to the stand !
I use "hot doe" and mix it up with a "dominate" buck scent sometimes too.
No offense, but I NEVER thought you'd be one to ask this question.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Del in KS wrote 1 week 6 days ago

Big O while it's true I have shot many deer. The time or two I used scent nothing happened so I just quit buying the stuff. Then again I was mostly using a gun instead of a bow. Think I will try some tink's later today. Sorry if I went down in your estimation. Will try to get back up.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from muskiemaster wrote 1 week 6 days ago

I drug a drag with some special golden estrous to my stand, a 8 pointer came following that in couldn't get a shot though.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from idahooutdoors wrote 1 week 6 days ago

I use scents for cover and attractant when hunting the thick stuff, national forest cedar groves, etc., blind and still hunting...in the more open farm country I don't, as it is more of a glassing and stalking game.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Big O wrote 1 week 6 days ago

My "HEROS" NEVER FAIL/FALL they just try new things !
Got to LOVE that "hot doe" that works at "Tinks" by the way she's been putting out "GOOD STUFF" for years ! (lol)

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from Del in KS wrote 1 week 5 days ago

Well today I bought 25 bucks worth of golden estrus laid a trail and put out 3 scent bombs with rubber gloves on. A young 6 point came from down wind and walked across the scent trail. I could have shot him at 28 yards but he never seemed to notice the scent trail or the bombs.

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from Kentucky Hunter wrote 1 week 5 days ago

that some times happens del are the bucks in full rut in ks yet or per rut

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from huntnow wrote 1 week 5 days ago

ky hunter, i was in clay county today and noticed several, very fresh scrapes that were not there last weekend. i think we are getting close.

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from shane wrote 1 week 4 days ago

To me using scents is something I do for gun hunting. Have used them bowhunting during the rut a few times, but that's about it, and most of my deer hunting is all archery nowadays. I think that scents can be great for interesting deer in your location, but not something I would expect to bring deer into bow range with any regularity. You know, those damn deer, with their circling and long distance sniffing BS. Smart buggers.

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from rabbitpolice88 wrote 2 weeks 42 min ago

Good question Del, I have never used scents either. I have had people tell me they swear by it and others tell me it's spotty at best. I have just never spent the money on anything but a cover scent.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from DakotaMan wrote 2 weeks 42 min ago

I'd suggest doe in estrus scent as this is the start of the rut. I drag a rag on my de-scented boots from likely trails or fence lines. A doe grunt can get them to come closer from up wind and the doe scent can get them to come over from down wind. I suggest taking the rag off your boots and hanging the rag on a low limb in your target area... last year I made the mistake of leaving the rag on my boot until I got to the tree... a nice buck followed the scent right to the back side of my tree and looked up right at me... busted. If I had done it right, he would probably have walked right into my target area without seeing me. I like scents. The buck I got last year came from a couple hundred yards upwind and passed me on the side. When he got downwind, he smelled the doe scent and came back to check it out. I did it right that time and got him 10 yards away right in my target zone.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Kentucky Hunter wrote 2 weeks 7 min ago

Dakotaman has it rite on the money in my op but when needing to get some sent out in front of you when hunting a tree line to a fields and you dont want to walk thur the feild with your drag rag i use a small kids fishing pole with a lot of weight on it with a rag soaked in hot doe estrus cast it out as far as i can past my bow rang and reel it back in leaves a nice sent trial to draw a buck in to bow rang and it has worked for me 2 times nows

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Jim in Mo wrote 1 week 6 days ago

Del, I have never used a scent on myself to hunt but, I have and do use a 'mask'. Not a skunk or fox smell but a spray that smells like dirt to me, like when you pull a large plant out of the ground. I just spray it on my boots and as much of my body as I can.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from adswartz wrote 1 week 6 days ago

I use scents and swear by them. First I start with getting rid of my own sent with sent killer type products: soaps, and sprays. Then I use a cover scent, something that matches my surroundings. An acorn scent if I am hunting near oaks, pine scent for pines or a universal earth scent like was mentioned above. As for other scents, I use a bowhunter's specialties all season scent starting in september seems to have mixed results. Have tried some musks, like Moon Fire, but didn't see any results from that. Had some action with a curiosity scent like Wildlife research #307. Also will use young buck or straight doe pee earlier in the year. This time of the year I switch to more rutting type scents. Like doe in heat or estrous doe. These will bring deer in and also stop them in there tracks if you place a few drops in the middle of your shooting lanes. Also try placing some scent wicks on a few branches at your sides on downwind of you. Another tip would be to add some dominate buck urine to this set up as well. A mature deer will wonder who is invading there territory and a lot of times come in kind of hot. You can also mix in some calling with this as well. Try a series of tending grunts just after first light. If a mature buck is in ear shot it is likely he'll come check it out. If you spot one milling the edges you can try an estrus bleet to try get him to close. Just don't call if they are looking at your. A sure way to get busted. I usually do a drag, like mentioned above as well. One side doe estrus the other dominant buck. I think over the years if you experiment a little and keep track of what worked when, you will get a good idea of what works and what doesn't for your area. I'd give it a try if I were you. And good luck!

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from MLH wrote 1 week 6 days ago

You might consider peeing out of your stand, belching, passing gas, smoking, and standing by a campfire before going out. Sorry, sort of ... just couldn't resist.

I am still amazed watching bucks with their nose to the ground following the exact path of my estrous scent rag. One walked within 5 feet of me. Another ran right under my stand and just stood there, looking around, perhaps wondering where the hot doe was. I want to try this with a doe decoy one day. Probably doesn't work on the big secretive bucks that wait in the shadows for the does to come to them, though.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Big O wrote 1 week 6 days ago

YES SIR !
I use a drag rag and have had bucks "follow" me to the stand !
I use "hot doe" and mix it up with a "dominate" buck scent sometimes too.
No offense, but I NEVER thought you'd be one to ask this question.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from 86Ram wrote 2 weeks 47 min ago

If rutting try a combo dominant buck and doe in estrous I use buck bomb (both scents) but Code Blue etc may work just as well.
Find a scrape line if its in front of you freshen it with dominant buck and on the out skirts a little doe in estrous....get within bow range...or
make your own scrapes

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from codyboyd wrote 1 week 6 days ago

ya no, i was just out hunting this afternoon and i had a doe with two bucks that would make Jim Shockey cry following her. both spaced about 10 min appart. i know that a drag would work and i would recomend tinx 69 as my weapon of choice.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Del in KS wrote 1 week 6 days ago

Big O while it's true I have shot many deer. The time or two I used scent nothing happened so I just quit buying the stuff. Then again I was mostly using a gun instead of a bow. Think I will try some tink's later today. Sorry if I went down in your estimation. Will try to get back up.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from muskiemaster wrote 1 week 6 days ago

I drug a drag with some special golden estrous to my stand, a 8 pointer came following that in couldn't get a shot though.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from idahooutdoors wrote 1 week 6 days ago

I use scents for cover and attractant when hunting the thick stuff, national forest cedar groves, etc., blind and still hunting...in the more open farm country I don't, as it is more of a glassing and stalking game.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Big O wrote 1 week 6 days ago

My "HEROS" NEVER FAIL/FALL they just try new things !
Got to LOVE that "hot doe" that works at "Tinks" by the way she's been putting out "GOOD STUFF" for years ! (lol)

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from Del in KS wrote 1 week 5 days ago

Well today I bought 25 bucks worth of golden estrus laid a trail and put out 3 scent bombs with rubber gloves on. A young 6 point came from down wind and walked across the scent trail. I could have shot him at 28 yards but he never seemed to notice the scent trail or the bombs.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from Kentucky Hunter wrote 1 week 5 days ago

that some times happens del are the bucks in full rut in ks yet or per rut

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from huntnow wrote 1 week 5 days ago

ky hunter, i was in clay county today and noticed several, very fresh scrapes that were not there last weekend. i think we are getting close.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from shane wrote 1 week 4 days ago

To me using scents is something I do for gun hunting. Have used them bowhunting during the rut a few times, but that's about it, and most of my deer hunting is all archery nowadays. I think that scents can be great for interesting deer in your location, but not something I would expect to bring deer into bow range with any regularity. You know, those damn deer, with their circling and long distance sniffing BS. Smart buggers.

0 Good Comment? | | Report

Post an Answer