Has a store bought doe in estrus product ever directly helped you kill a buck?

Can you honestly say that a doe in estrus spray/liquid directly led to you killing a buck? If you answer this thread just briefly explain and also give a quick run down of your hunting environment in regards to what you know about the amount of deer and the buck/doe ratio. Thanks.

 

Most of my hunting is in North Central Wisconsin, doe estrus scents have never helped me with the killing of a buck. My location has a very high deer population, too high, but a good amount of 3-1/2 plus year old bucks. This past year I have completely given up on estrus scents, I still use urine based non-estrus scents in mock scrapes but otherwise my money goes towards more useful products.

 

I've never had any deer respond to any store purchased scent product.

 

I can say yes. 11/11/11, I put out a combination of Tinks Doe in Estrus gel and my Boss buck Decoy. As soon as I set up my decoy, and had almost made it to the base of my stand, a group of bucks came in chasing a doe. There must have been 5 or 6 bucks. It was too dark, and I could only see by the full moon. Any way, I watched the largest of the bucks stop in his tracks and walk right up to the tinks gel and check it out. Now I didn't kill that buck because I was not in my stand and it was too early, but a couple hours later I had a buck come in, jump the fence and head right towards my decoy. I know he could smell the tinks and he was in full rut. So much so that he nearly mounted the rear end of my Boss Buck decoy. I put an arrow in him before he had the chance to, but I think the combination of that buck being high on the rut, the doe in estrus gel and the sight of another deer has his hormones going so hard that he tried to mount that antlered decoy. I wish I had it on film because it would have been an awesome scene.

 

I have never had any response by any deer. Ive put up sent wicks on limbs in a muddy area on a ridge line over looking a doe bedding area and left it there for the whole rut and never even had a deer track any where near the scent.I thought it would be a prime spot for a cruising buck but never any hits. Where a hunt there's not very many deer actually living on the property, it is mainly a pass through area and not a very good number of bucks come through but there have been a number of good bucks taken off the property.

 

yes, i use a combination of scent web and tinks #69 in the past....i had a 8pt come walking in like a champ and sniffed all over where i sprayed....my arrow flew and he dropped within 30yds....my trailcam picks up a lot more different bucks during pre-rut/full rut using some type of doe estrus too...like bucks i've never seen before on camera....this past year, I decided to try rut smokin sticks from tinks and it actually brought in a buck...this was my first time hunting in this area so i was surprised with it also....funny thing was, i saw a deer trail, walked in 70-100yds, setup in my climber, and baaammm, shot a buck....no homework or anything done...just plain'ol doe estrus scent....so my conclusion is, yes i'm a believer in doe estrus scents....

 

I have killed several bucks with the use of store bought "deer" scents.

 

I voted no, only because I don't use scents much, and can't directly attribute my success to the little I've personally used them. Scents are an area I would like to explore and utilize more often, but for some reason never find myself doing.

I will say the 2nd buck I killed this year came in straight down wind of me on a steady 15-17 mph day. He stood at 18 yards, straight downwind for close to 10 minutes before circling my position and giving me a shot. The only reason I feel like he didn't bolt was b/c when I saw him heading into my wind I squirted about 1/2 a bottle of Tink's 69 in the air and down onto the ground around my stand. I do believe he was smelling that estrus scent along with me, which enticed him enough to stay in the area long enough for a shot.

 

Absolutely! Nov. 2nd, 2007 I was sitting in my stand in the AM when I saw a small buck across a field. I had layed down a scent line walking into my stand that morning and I thought I would try to call the small buck over to me to see his reaction to the scent. I gave him a couple of grunts and he came right to my location. He immediately put his head down and began sniffing at the scent line I had put down. He kept going up and down that scent trail trying to find the scource. Pretty soon an 8pt came out and ran the small forkie off. He then started to go up and down the scent trail before disapearing back into a pine thicket. I thought it was over until I heard a grunt from the place the 8 had went into the thicket. Instead, out stepped a huge 14pt buck. He sniffed around a little bit and startted to leave. I hit the grunt call and he turned and began sniffing the scent trail again. He ended up following the scent to a spot that put him about 30yds in front of me. I zipped him and that was that. I was using Mrs. Doo Pee doe-in-estrus. Here's his pic.






Blessings........Pastorjim

 

I can't say for sure. I've killed several bucks while using scents. Did they come in to investigate the scent? I can't say for sure.

I've been recently playing with mock scrapes and IMO, this is a dynamite tactic to use if done properly. I've read and read everything I can about the subject and am getting a better understanding of how to use them, etc.

In the past, I've had small bucks come right in to an open bottle of Tinks 69, smell the bottle, usually knocking it over and spilling it all over the place. So I think it can work. To what extent I have no idea.

I had an opportunity not long ago to visit a local deer farm that also bottled deer scent. They were in the midst of bottling up doe estrus while I was there. The biggest thing I will tell you that I noticed was the enormous difference in smell between the fresh stuff and the bottled stuff at Wal Mart. The fresh stuff smelled a lot different. It didn't have the nasty stink to it like we're used to with the commercially bottled stuff. It actually smelled like... well... pee.

 

Not that I can say yes to. I have layed down many a scent trail on my way into my stand both in the morning and evening. I have never had a buck come in with his nose to my trail.

But I may have killed a buck that the scent did bring into range just checking things out. But I cannot say 100% that scent has led to me killing a buck.

I hunt in both suburban and large agricultural lands.

 

Never worked for me, but, worked for my dad last year. He put out a wick with Sp Golden Estrous about 15 yards from his stand.

Then walking to the stand, heard a deer running his way full speed. A young 8 point ran directly to the wick, and was so pre-occupied, dad was able to load his crossbow and shoot him. Pretty wild encounter for him, and he now swears by the stuff.

Just like any other call, scent, etc.., 99 out of 100 times you won't see a thing. But, it just takes a buck in the right frame of mind!

 

Many bucks! Most youngbucks though. But mybest archery buck came right up my drag line, and had his nose in the rag when he got center punched. 5 1/2 year old 8 pointer 232lbs dressed, scored 152 4/8ths. Public land.

 

I have never had any success with scents, the only response i ever recall having were two does that crossed my scent trail (tinks 69) one stopped and squatted and peed on the scent trail .

 

I would have had to vote for both,,cause its kinda sorta! I SHOULD have killed a massive 10 in the high 140's range but belly haired him. I had laid down a Tinks drag rag trail, heard a Buck chasing Does but could not see him. I grunted him away from the Doe's and when he hit the trail he came in on a string with nose on trail I had laid. He was moving good, I paniced and didnt try and stop him, squeezed off and belly haired him at 10 yards I had quite a few mishaps back in those days on nice Bucks but have since learned to calm down and make better decisions! But yeah I should have killed him. I hunt BIG woods, and the Doe to Buck % is def higher for the Does!

 

Yes.
2 that stopped down wind of the scent allowing me to squeeze an arrow thru some really thick stuff, that had they not stopped, I'd not have gotten a shot.

And one that was circling well down wind out of range, hit the scent and came charging in to give me an 11 yd shot. (buck fever synthetic, not an estrous scent)

Another one quite a while ago that hit the scent I had out and walked right in smelling it & lip curling.

All the others except where noted were estrous scents

 

My first bow kill - 1978. I was in a tree stand. I put some "Rut" on a cotton ball on a branch about 3' off the ground. A 4pt came up to smell it. I arrowed him with his nose less than an inch from the cotton. "Rut" was a scent made by the "Stumpsitters" who are now Deer and Deer Hunting.

Since then I have had many bucks come to scent. Last year I watched an 125" or so 8pt use the scape I made several times using Code Blue.

For what it's worth. I have been using made made scrapes quite a bit the last 10+ years. I ran 29 scapes last fall (3 lines and 3 different properties). I passed 16 different bucks. The only one I wanted was about 160" and stood broadside at 50 yards. Just to far for me. This year I will snow fence the cross country ski trail he used and direct him to 40 yards or so. That is where the scrape will be. I will cut the licking branch from that scrape and move it to the new spot. I have moved many licking branches from different places. I think this has been one of the keys to getting bucks to use my scapes.

This 142 8pt was shot coming to a scrape I made. It was 6 years old. I passed it when it was 5 using the same scrape. HINT: NEVER LET YOUR BUDDY SIT ON YOUR STAND!




This 147" 10pt was shot at a scrape I made. HINT: NEVER LET YOUR BUDDY SIT ON YOUR STAND...X2



Off the top of my head I can think of 4-5 others that came directly to my scent or now my man made scrape.

 

I've had the opposite luck with doe scents. 2 years ago I had a mid 160's buck cross my tinks doe pee walk In trail at 10 yards from my stand and come out of his skin 5 seconds later, off he went. This same buck had crossed my walk In trail on other previous hunts but never reacted much at all to my rubber boot steps that had no tinks on them. There's a good chance I'll never use this stuff again. I'll never know for sure what spooked this 5.5 year old buck but I'm pretty sure It was the tinks that did It.

 

Yes, i had doe estrus work once 6 years ago. I spray it on my boots during bow season, and put a few drops on the ground every few yards all the way to my stand. The buck was going in a path the would cross over my scent trail. I watched the buck from my stand ( 400yds away) Stop on my trail and started sniffing the doe estrus, he basicaly followed my exact path all the way to my stand and was able to stick a arrow in him at 25yds. But other then this kill i can not contribute doe scent to any other kills.

 

Most of the time it's hard to tell if it helps but there have been a few times where it had to have been. I guess that's why the votes are currently 50/50. It works but it's just hard to tell sometimes. I'm sure wind and everything else played a part as well.