Is Anyone A Believer In Deer Scents?

[Spysar]

Well, is it a gimmick? Or does it really work? What are your experiences with it? Did it do anything at all? Did it repel deer? Did you ever kill a buck where lure or scent was a factor? Do you have to have it, or take it or leave it?

[Cash 18]

I use trails end 307 one time I had a nice buck walk under me, I missed it. It ran towards where I walked to my stand, picked up my scent trail and ran right back under my stand and looked at me. I had put the scent on my boots to leave a trail so it just stared right at me. I never thought the buck would run back and I didn't nock another arrow. It was my first year bowhunting so I had a lot to learn. Good experience though, it was on November 1 so he was rutting then as well.

[dan]

A very very long time ago... In the early 1980's I think, I heard a buck fight in an over grown pasture. I ran to a spot nearly upwind of the fight and put out a canister of Tink's 69. The origanal, not from the new owners. And rattled antlers.
A 140's buck that I new well emerged from the pasture and circled slightly downwind and then walked thru the treeline. I should have shot him right then at ten yards walking but I waited thinking when he got to the scent canister he would give me a standing shot. About three feet from the canster he staired down at the canister took a sniff and loudly snorted and ran into the woods repetivly snorting off into the distance. I was bummed, but it was for the best cause not only did I learn a thing or two, but I also shot that buck the next year when he scored in the 160's.
Also had the same buck going thru that pasture randomly useing 5 or 6 trails to come out of his bedding area. One of the best trails was the last one so I used a drag rag and made a scent trail during the rut that crossed all the trails and ended by coming past the tree I was in. The buck showed on one of the other trails and followed the trail tghe other way.

Other than those two experiances all my scent use ended with it being ignored or having negitive results. I found it to be like a trap that you get caught in where you see small deer investigate and you get caught up in the game. For me now, ity seems way better to never try and beat a deers nose. Catching them by surprise seems to have much better results on mature bucks.

[Haus86]

[quote] I found it to be like a trap that you get caught in where you see small deer investigate and you get caught up in the game. For me now, ity seems way better to never try and beat a deers nose. Catching them by surprise seems to have much better results on mature bucks./quote]

I agree with Dan. I am sure people can get lucky once in awhile, but most of the people I know that use scents are only fooling 1 and 2 year old bucks. It drives me nuts when I see scent wicks hanging all over the woods.

[magicman54494]

I have not have good luck (actually no luck). I have a friend who has shot 2 good bucks that came right on a drag line to him. I don't know what product he used.

[Dor]

Not a fan. I would try a tarsal drag or something for fun, but I haven't used scents for 10 years plus. I feel its just one more thing to screw up an otherwise good set.

[Dewey]

I have had fairly decent luck using Doe to Door estrous scent but have had very little success with all others that can be purchased in the stores.
The Doe to Door is collected from the doe and shipped to you the same day so it is usually only a few days old when you receive it. Everything you can buy in the store smells very rancid if you ask me compared to what I use being that it is so fresh.
Using this scent I have yet to have a deer spook from the doe scent but they have spooked from my scent as I crossed a trail to hang a scent wick. For this reason only I have been limiting the use of scent wicks depending on the situation.
Sure you get mostly 1 1/2-2 1/2 year old bucks checking the scent out but I have also had older bucks do the same as well during the cruising phase of the rut.
I think scents are just like anything in that they have a time and place and you need to be very careful when you use them. I only use scents for about 1 week from Oct. 28- Nov. 4 when the bucks are actively cruising and very unpredictable otherwise I prefer to catch them by surprise.

[dan]

I think there are some big issues with scent collection procedures, contamination, and deterioration of pee type scents. I am sure some brands are better than others. 1st off, there are not enough whitetail deer in captivity to make the amount of doe in heat pee that is sold, so somebodys playing games. Maybe they are using axis deer pee? Maybe deluting with water?
From what I have heard most places collection is done by having the deer in a stall with a metal floor and a drain to do the collecting. Contamination would be extreme. Poop, feed, hair, human worker scent, etc, right down the drain with the pee.
Pee turns rancid quick and don't refrigerate well. It gets to smelling like ammonia.
The only pee that has ever smelled not like ammonia to me is synthetic. And really, I have some doubts about our ability to recreate a smell to fool an animal that can smell millions of times better than us.
Bottom line is a doe that is in heat will attract deer from a long way off, I believe from miles down wind. If bottles of pee really recreated it, it would be very unfair to use cause the bucks would come running within a short time when you put it out... My experiences have been very spotty at best.

[GBTG]

If you want to use a scent that gives a positive response use James Valley Scents intelligently as he describes in his pamphlet. I've used OTC scents with mixed results not his year with JVS.

[PASwamper]

I think there is always the possibility of them working in the rut. Thing is there's all different kinds even the real deal refrigerated stuff you can purchase at your local sporting goods store you never know which one to buy. I've had good luck with code blue on small bucks and even does but nothing big and I quit using scents the past couple years but don't completely rule out maybe using them again. I haven't tried the fresh stuff because I can't see paying as much as they charge and then storing doe estrous pee in my refrigerator! Most of the spots I was hunting this year I was able to be upwind of the deer anyway so I figure it wouldn't matter if I had scent out or not. I also don't like the idea that if a deer starts to smell the scent they'll sniff the air more and probably pick up my scent more easily. I feel like I'm better off hoping a hot doe comes past.

[headgear]

I think they might have a chance of working on deer that are not pressured but on the public land I hunt some of the 1.5 year olds will take a look and even some of them would just ignore the stuff. I have never seen an older 2.5 or 3.5 come into scent. I tried just about every scent there was back in the day.

[Schultzy]

For mock scrapes yes I'm a believer. I've got loads and loads of trail pictures over my mock scrapes. I use Buck Fever Synthetic Scents. It's Impossible for real doe and buck pee to hold It's value. The stuff I use Is home made and never looses It's value. Here's a link If anyone Is Interested. http://buckfeverusa.com/index.php

[Chasman]

As most replies I used it in my early years when I did'nt know it all.. Thats a joke. I can remember it like yesterday. Sitting in stand overlooking a very thin central WI cornfield that did not get enough rain and seeing a 1.5 year old buck coming toward me. Wind was blowing down to him and as soon as he hit the scent he bee lined 50yds straight to me. My first or second year hunting and I was a basket case. Never pulled up on a deer with a bow and did not have a clue about shot placement, yardage, anchor pt, you get the idea. Shot over his back at 15yds. I practiced shooting for hours the next day. Anyway used scents on and off and never really did anything. Attracted a few does from curiousity but zero bucks. Have not bought any now for at least 5 yrs. I have enough junk along already. It did not matter how careful I was I always was covered in the stuff trying to put out when I got to stand. I don't think it icreases my odds enough, location, loction, location.

[Spysar]

When some think of deer scent, they think it's deer pee. And it can be. But it can be a lure too, made out of glands or other attractants.

Many a trapper made a living on urine, lures, and baits. They were able to lure in some of the best noses in the woods. Like fox and coyote.....Sometimes just with lure, or urine.

There's no doubt about it. A scent CAN make game react. Since most animals make a living with their noses, it only makes sense that "deer scent" will work on deer.

Will it work all the time, in every situation? No, that won't happen. I do think, that if you get some quality lure, and use it when the time is right, it could help.

When is the right time and situation? I think that's something that everyone has to learn for themselves.

Using lure or scent also ties in to having yourself as scent free as you can....and that another discussion....

And one last thing...I think there is a lot of junk scent on the market today, especially anything synthetic.(tinks comes to mind)

[cwoods]

anyone use deer dander for a cover scent?