I have used a lot of different deer scents on and off over the years. I'm not really sold that they work. It has spooked several does. And has only attracted a few bucks. What is everyone's thoughts on them and if you use them what's your favorite ones to use? Thanks for the help!
A preorbital scent from Smokys or Paul Pollick . I have found deer pee to be next to useless. Think about it....the woods are full of deer pee. Pee is just a cheap abundant source for scent companies to make $$. Preorbital is not in abundance but a little goes a long way. Try some on overhanging branches then let the deer do the work for you.
I have used Smokeys Pre-orbital scent with some luck too. I also have had great success with James Valley Scents. With an estrous scent, I have laid down scents with a drag as I walk to my stand leading the trail past where I want a buck walk. I also place two scent wicks out in front (upwind) one on the left and othe on the right so if a buck is approaching behind me he will turn when he hits the scent of the wick and not get downwind of me. Picture a V with me at the base and the wicks at the top points. I will leave a wick sometimes directly upwind so the buck is distracted and I can draw my bow. Buy the scent directly from them for freshness. The bottles sold in the stores can be old a go bad. At the end of the season, they just put the extra back in the warehouse until the next year where it gets warm. The old stuff will likely spook the deer.
I have ran drag rags before. I have had 1.5 year olds follow them in. But it seems to really alarm my does. Both of your comments make sense. I have hung scent bombs up to mask my scent and to stop deer for a shot. But I'm wondering how many people have had any luck using them on more mature deer. I am leaning more to your thoughts on the subject. I think its mainly gimic. But if I'm wrong I want to know because I want to use any tool that could help me.
A great archer ( has shot professionally & hunted for many years with great success) and I were talking about this the other day. He explained that when using doe in estrous scent other does will stay clear as it makes them very nervous. They don’t want bucks chasing after them by mistake. He still uses it as a cover scent but only after he has shot his doe & is focused on his hit list bucks.
I have tried different scent products throughout the years. Most I've tried saw very little positive results. The one type that has worked is the preorbital scents. I've tried 3 brands and 2 of the three have produced enough positive results to purchase again. The 3rd had a little interaction but nothing to make me want to try it again. The two that worked well is Smokeys Wicked Wicks and Pollards. The one that didn't seem to work was Innovative Outdoorsmans Draw n Hold. The biggest difference in the scents that worked well vs not working well was a noticeble smell of any kind. The Smokeys has a deer musk type smell to it, the Pollards has a sweet smell and the Innovative Outdoorsman had no smell at all that I could detect. The smokeys is a honey brown color, the Pollards has a creamy pink color and the Hold N Draw is a bluish tint gel with a bit of hair and dirt in it. Give one or both of the two preorbital scents a try and hang a camera on them. You will be surprised. This fall I used a tactic from an article written by Gene Wentzel on using preorbital scent from a strategically placed rope. This worked quite well for me and was interesting to see all the interaction they got when coupled with a quality preorbital scent product.
I've had similar experiences as you've had with scents. Stopped using them and have had much better success since. Waste of time and money in my opinion.
as I have expressed before--consider this--how many bottles on wall of sporting goods store 100 ? how many stores in your area ? How many in your state ? how many in the good ole u s a ? so lets guess now--- 100 bottles in stock most stores X lets say 1,000 stores in many states, = 100,000 bottles x 50 states = 5 million---- do ya think we really have that many penned does to fill all these bottles ??????? I don,t waste my money
I would agree on the big box store type scents being made by the 1000's and it being old from sitting. But as a trapper as well as a hunter, I look at smaller lure makers that actually make scents/lures that work. I'm not making claims to anything pulling in monster bucks every time you sit but to get bucks on your cams, the above scents will do it. Find the article written by Gene Wentzel and give it a read.
I’ve used dozens of scents from urine type to cover scents etc. I swear by natural earth cover scent, but only used in tubs for storing my non-carbon clothing, to give them a natural odor. I never wear the scent disks while hunting. Scent free otherwise is my strategy except on my boots. I do smear a light touch of Ever-calm on the tips of my boots. The only place that stuff goes on the boots is where they typically show signs of wear from walking through brush. Basically the very leading edges only and just a little bit! Keep in mind, that is not during early season. Early season is knee high rubber boots, minimal layers and no scent other than my Thermocell fresh earth smelling bug repellent for September marsh hunting. For the most part I find other scents counterproductive on deer over 2.5 yrs old.
