Poll: Calls vs Lures

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Calls vs Lures

Calls
67
86%
Lures
11
14%
 
Total votes: 78
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Re: Poll: Calls vs Lures

Unread postby <DK> » Sat Sep 15, 2018 2:21 am

mauser06 wrote:I've had OK results with some scents..but always high end stuff from a good collector. Only once was a mature buck. I knew he was bedding on property I couldn't touch. He used the farm I could hunt...I got as close as I could and when the wind was blowing towards where I suspected he was bedding. I absolutely saturated the air with buck urine. Sprayed it as I walked in...sprayed it as I climbed...sprayed it as I sat in the tree. The air stunk heavily of buck. Right before dark he came trotting over the ridge looking for a fight. 8yds away and all I could think of was "I can sit between his antlers!!!!". I drew back several times....I couldn't see through my peep. Learned a hard lesson. I let him walk...I knew I could get an arrow in him...but it just didn't feel right so I didn't release it not knowing where it'd go. I could see him, my pin, the ground etc.

Buck scent is something id really like to try. Iv been reading that when you have one not wanting to show himself its not a bad tactic to try. Thanks for the story too, my cousin did the exact same thing few years ago w those buck bombs and shot a real bruiser!


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Re: Poll: Calls vs Lures

Unread postby <DK> » Sat Sep 15, 2018 2:36 am

csoult wrote:Calls, but there's a time and a place.


Best point that can be made about either one. Calls seem to work best when the deer can be seen but lures are best when you want to try something blindly and see what happens. I wouldnt run a drag rag any random place and I wouldnt just shoot calls all day for no reason. The illusion or scenario has to be setup correctly and its difficult to do sometimes. So I cant agree with you more on that.

I always forget to try the snort wheeze too... Everytime i think back to big buck encounter I couldnt get to leave his doe, I think I should have tried it. Just last year in late Oct I saw a really nice 140s buck following doe group and he didnt care one bit about my grunt or estrus call. Thinking back, id bet that was the perfect time to do that.

As far as rattling goes, id really like to learn how to do it properly and be successful least one time in my life. I believe if its done at the right time of day and in the right location where deer feel secure moving around it can be productive. Havent gotten that far yet though. It sure doesnt happen like on tv... One thing Boogieman and I talked about awhile back was that we have never really seen deer fighting middle of the day or wide open area. My exp has been they fight more at night or early morning. I have seen small bucks get up in a bedding area and spar a little but I personally have never SEEN two mature bucks fighting, iv heard it though. Thats something else id like to exp someday.

I think majority of us on here subscribe to the tactic of surpise attacks. Although I feel like a little variety can sometimes be a good thing when chasing whitetails...
Last edited by <DK> on Sat Sep 15, 2018 2:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Poll: Calls vs Lures

Unread postby <DK> » Sat Sep 15, 2018 2:37 am

timberninja wrote:Smokey's pre-orbital on a licking branch... cruising bucks want to know who the new guy is. mid October for best results.

Thank you TN for the info and tip. Cool username btw
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Re: Poll: Calls vs Lures

Unread postby <DK> » Sat Sep 15, 2018 2:40 am

I will say one of the best tips a fellow beast has given for calling is when youre setup for a morning bed hunt and the buck is coming in too soon before shooting light - send a soft grunt call. He could hold up a little and maybe it buys you extra 5 mins longer to see your pins. That tip came from Dewey
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Re: Poll: Calls vs Lures

Unread postby hambone » Sat Sep 15, 2018 4:12 am

Overwhelmingly calls. I have had some luck with James Valley Scents in the past and continue to use them. But for me its the call (Haydels DG87). I don't blind call unless there is a precipice/water/etc. behind me so the buck can't circle downwind of me and flee before I ever see him. Normally I will only call to a buck that is heading in the opposite direction. Sometimes they turn and come right in and sometimes they don't. I have had success twice, over the years calling "hot" does to my tree, while using a fawn bleat call. Both times a mature buck was in tow. If you could keep the crud out of it so it would work properly, the old K-Meer Deer call by Lohman would bring does running at the right time of year, as well. I broke down and bought a custom call from Mike of Timber Freak Game Calls a couple years ago. Although it hasn't seen much use, as I haven't needed it, I do like the way it sounds. I still bring along my trusty old DG-87. Some old habits really do die hard.
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Re: Poll: Calls vs Lures

Unread postby Dewey » Sat Sep 15, 2018 4:34 am

I have had success with both calling and scents. Over the years I experimented with just about every scent out there but the only one I ever had any success with was Doe to Door. It's extremely fresh being collected from an estrous doe and shipped to you the same day. Had some pretty crazy days using it but the problem was most of the bucks came in downwind to the scent and I got busted more often than not. These days I avoid scents and focus more on not being detected. I haven't used any scents for about 10 years now. I always carry a grunt call but rarely do any blind calling. Mostly use it for a buck in the distance that likely will not be headed my way. I have killed a good number of bucks doing that. Always exciting when they come in on a string but the problem is they are really on the edge so you better only take a high percentage shot. I much prefer taking shots at bucks that have no clue until the arrow zips right through their lungs. Guess that's why I mostly avoid calling or scents these days.
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Re: Poll: Calls vs Lures

Unread postby fireforeffect » Sat Sep 15, 2018 4:58 am

Calls for me. I've had a lot of success with a grunt tube, and I've even had moderate success rattling in areas with high buck densities. It's difficult to use a scent lure when you're downwind of the deer, BUT... you can use their noses against them by setting up downwind of areas that they scent check like doe bedding, stand sites, and food sources.
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Re: Poll: Calls vs Lures

Unread postby <DK> » Sat Sep 15, 2018 5:31 am

Dewey wrote:focus more on not being detected.

Yeah I agree w you and I think majority of us on here feel same way about it. I dropped your line about using grunt call for a AM bed hunt. Great tip, thanks for that one.
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Re: Poll: Calls vs Lures

Unread postby Octang » Sat Sep 15, 2018 6:54 am

I favor calls over lures, but as a trapper I believe in the power of lures too but I haven't dabbled in them too much deer hunting. I plan on trying an experiment later in October and putting some doe in heat lure in front of a trail cam and see what shows up and when.
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Re: Poll: Calls vs Lures

Unread postby Abishai » Sat Sep 15, 2018 8:56 am

I have brought in more bucks with my Primos Buck Roar than I've kept track of. I can tell you two times that I think a scent helped me. One time it was doe estrous pee during the rut and one time it was Evercalm. Not really worth all the money I've spent. I love me some grunts and wheezes though.
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Re: Poll: Calls vs Lures

Unread postby Dpierce72 » Sun Sep 16, 2018 1:53 am

Octang wrote:I favor calls over lures, but as a trapper I believe in the power of lures too but I haven't dabbled in them too much deer hunting. I plan on trying an experiment later in October and putting some doe in heat lure in front of a trail cam and see what shows up and when.


Simple! That's why I like the thought. Thanks for the tip.

I set cameras on mock scrapes all the time without applying scent. Wonder what the difference might be? Will you put it in a mock scrape or just in the area w/no visual?
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Re: Poll: Calls vs Lures

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Sun Sep 16, 2018 4:17 am

Killed a 2.5 over scent.
Bunch of horney teenage 1.5 yr old bucks seem to come in...
Scared more deer w/a grunt tube than anything.
Bleat can seems to work on Bear & Coyote.

Go figure.
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Re: Poll: Calls vs Lures

Unread postby Southern Buck » Sun Sep 16, 2018 1:08 pm

Never had any luck with lures, but I’ve called in a number of bucks (none mature) using everything from cans to grunt tubes to pack racks. I do blind call some and when I do I do it aggressively using a grunt tube and pack rack (sound carrys further), but never outside of rut. Early and late season I only call as a last ditch effort to pull a buck in my direction. If I have a visual on a buck moving away from me, I start calling softly going from my least aggressive call (doe bleat) up to the most aggressive (snort wheeze) until I get his attention. His body language will also give me cues as to how aggressive I can be without hopefully spooking him. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. It certainly seems to work a lot better in thick areas. If that buck can look in the direction of the call and not see another deer, he won’t commit.
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Re: Poll: Calls vs Lures

Unread postby john1984 » Sun Sep 16, 2018 1:32 pm

I quit on scents a few years ago. Only worked on 1 year old bucks. I rarely call. I had a nice 120" class buck follow my human scent trail once, but it was earn a buck that year :roll:
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Re: Poll: Calls vs Lures

Unread postby Octang » Mon Sep 17, 2018 1:02 am

Dpierce72 wrote:
Octang wrote:I favor calls over lures, but as a trapper I believe in the power of lures too but I haven't dabbled in them too much deer hunting. I plan on trying an experiment later in October and putting some doe in heat lure in front of a trail cam and see what shows up and when.


Simple! That's why I like the thought. Thanks for the tip.

I set cameras on mock scrapes all the time without applying scent. Wonder what the difference might be? Will you put it in a mock scrape or just in the area w/no visual?


I was planning to just use the scent, to eliminate as many variables as possible. However, I can see an argument for including a mock scrape and could change my mind yet.


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