Curious how many people save the tarsal glands from their bucks for use the following season. My uncle taught me to cut them off before dressing out the deer as to not get the meat tainted. Usually cut them off and toss them but now wishing I had some to hang off a decoy. For those that do, do you just vaccuum pack them and freeze or freeze in a zip loc?
My dad taught me the same. We've saved them a couple times. Both times we zip loc'd em and froze em. Following year though we only got results with smaller bucks showing interest but none the less they did attract deer I suppose :p
It is one of those shoulda, coulda, woulda, but didn't. I've wondered the same thing about effectiveness.
I'm not really looking for an attractant, just something to put near the decoy that will say "hey, I'm not a plastic stationary mold". They have bottled urine and such, but if a tarsal can be had for the price of a permit and be effective why not. I'd probably seal it and toss it in the freezer rather than a zip lock. Or maybe a mason jar and empty the bladder with the tarsal in it and freeze?
I have gotten tarsal glands off a friends buck and used them the same year but never saved them for a year ... I guess I would recommend trying to do the same thing if you know anyone who has recently shot one ... I have to believe it will be a lot fresher than sitting in a freezer for a year.
