Scents or Lures? Waste of money?

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whiteoakacorn
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Scents or Lures? Waste of money?

Unread postby whiteoakacorn » Thu Aug 08, 2019 6:27 am

Does anyone put much faith in any of these scent products? Mock scraps? I have tried many different things over the years without much luck. The only one that ever came straight at it was on a curiosity scent. It was one of the cheaper ones too.

I like the idea of setting up some mock scraps but don't have a lot of faith in the products. Am I wasting time checking them out?


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thwack16
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Re: Scents or Lures? Waste of money?

Unread postby thwack16 » Thu Aug 08, 2019 6:43 am

Your body makes the best product for mock scrapes that I've ever found (pee).
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Re: Scents or Lures? Waste of money?

Unread postby Huntress13 » Thu Aug 08, 2019 6:56 am

I have had luck creating a mock scrape and getting deer visiting it. However, I have not had a deer I wanted to shoot visit it while I was in the stand. Had deer on camera there using it, but it was just a bad location. It is right next to a thick doe bedding area, but the bucks are another 75 yards out when they scent check, and that is off our property. So I would tell you that location has a lot to do with success rate.

Other cover scents or curiosity scents seem to make the deer more alert, looking for the source of the smell. They may keep the deer in the area a little longer, but the deer are looking around a lot and working their noses a lot. So not sure if it's really a benefit putting them on alert like that. Your mileage may vary.
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milkweed-militia
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Re: Scents or Lures? Waste of money?

Unread postby milkweed-militia » Thu Aug 08, 2019 7:06 am

thwack16 wrote:Your body makes the best product for mock scrapes that I've ever found (pee).


Yup.
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Re: Scents or Lures? Waste of money?

Unread postby stash59 » Thu Aug 08, 2019 7:07 am

If your hunting in heavily pressured areas they're probably not worth it. I've had success using them in semiwilderness areas. Even had mature bucks follow scent trails I laid down. But it's been years, so maybe they've wised up in those areas too now.

I do like preorbital gland on licking branches. For getting summer inventory pics. But just when you first set things up. Although it may work just as well to just dig up the dirt under the licking branch. Deer are often attracted to freshly dug dirt. Once one finds it and uses the licking branch. Others will use it also. Peeing in it is optional!!!

Biggest key is location. Lot's of intersecting trails. Or terrain that forces deer into corridors. Then once a licking branch get's established. Most deer will go a little out of their way to hit it.
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Re: Scents or Lures? Waste of money?

Unread postby backstraps » Thu Aug 08, 2019 7:08 am

I know guys that have had success pulling in bucks for pictures over the scent dripper scrape things.

But, when I first read your topic heading... I jist said to my self YES :lol:
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Re: Scents or Lures? Waste of money?

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Thu Aug 08, 2019 7:31 am

As far as doe in heat scents they do not work on mature deer.
A buck knows each individual smell of each male and female in his range.Thats why scrapes exist to find out which specific deer used it.

Imagine a buck visiting a primary scrape everyday for 2 years straight when any foreign oder is put in that location they are going to know it's not a normal smell and be very cautious.

Like a non smoker going into a smoker's house the scent is so strong it almost knocks you over.

I do think you can use shed antlers and get sap going in trees previously rubbed this will make anything territorial in the area more likely to react. The fresh sap is attractive to bucks.
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Re: Scents or Lures? Waste of money?

Unread postby Drenalin » Thu Aug 08, 2019 7:41 am

I have had virtually no luck with them, outside of an occasional younger deer getting a little curious. I've stopped using them altogether. I assume they work sometimes, in some locations, but they haven't worked for me.
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Re: Scents or Lures? Waste of money?

Unread postby fr0sty » Thu Aug 08, 2019 8:12 am

The only scent I occasionally use is pre-orbital gland lures on a licking branch over a mock scrape.
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Re: Scents or Lures? Waste of money?

Unread postby Horizontal Hunter » Thu Aug 08, 2019 8:17 am

Drenalin wrote:I have had virtually no luck with them, outside of an occasional younger deer getting a little curious. I've stopped using them altogether. I assume they work sometimes, in some locations, but they haven't worked for me.


Pretty much the same experiences here as well on pressured public land.

Doe in estrus scent is also a very effective doe repellent so keep this in mind if you have a doe tag to fill.

I think that they get educated very quickly. Hunters put out scent too early and improperly educating the local deer.

If one really wants to use scents I would suggest using a lesser known scent that comes from one deer only.

Every season the woods are literally painted with buck bombs, rinks, and the like. Randy teenage deer will respond but the big boys know better.

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Re: Scents or Lures? Waste of money?

Unread postby muddy » Thu Aug 08, 2019 8:31 am

I've had tremendous success with scents over mock scrapes for trail cam inventory purposes only. After I get the scrape going I just treat them with processed PBRs and Busch Lites.

Hunting I have never had good things happen with using scents.
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Re: Scents or Lures? Waste of money?

Unread postby greenhorndave » Thu Aug 08, 2019 8:38 am

Used doe in estrus once. Buck came checking downwind of doe bedding, in on a quick beeline to a area I put it on and immediately took off the other way once he got his nose near it.

Some of my hunting buds use them, but I'm done with them. I prefer the art of surprise.
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Re: Scents or Lures? Waste of money?

Unread postby Dewey » Thu Aug 08, 2019 9:05 am

Scents and lures are great if you like seeing and killing immature bucks. Not so great on mature bucks. They have likely already smelled all the fake store bought scents out there and wised up to them. If they didn’t they would already be dead.
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Re: Scents or Lures? Waste of money?

Unread postby hambone » Thu Aug 08, 2019 9:22 am

There is no pixie dust. So nothing magical, here. Though, from many years of experience with them, I will say that there are times when JamesValleyScents work. I prefer Full Rut gel for pre rut/rut and Wallhanger Dominant Buck Lure gel all year. I will say this about Wallhanger. Just like using doe in heat lure at the wrong time of year can alert or spook a doe, the Wallhanger will skeer the crap out of does in early season and possibly skeer young bucks, all year long. I've actually had a doe lick the Full Rut off of a scent wick (tampon) I had hanging, in mid-November. She worked it long enough for me to kill her lover while he was watching. The Wallhanger will work as a "cover scent" too. I have had does get down wind of me, several times over the years, when I've been surrounded by Wallhanger. They seem to smell something (I'm sure its me), but they relax and carry on, when Wallhanger is associated with my scent. This only works for a few weeks. From about the time when does switch their interest over to the bucks, from caring for their fawns. It usually works, right up until after gun season, when any amount of human scent will cause them to flee. I don't use any of this on public and never count on anything to work 100% of the time. I just know from my experience that JVS's work enough that I don't mind parting with my money for a couple jars a year. :whistle:
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Re: Scents or Lures? Waste of money?

Unread postby cspot » Thu Aug 08, 2019 9:36 am

Scents and lures to me are like decoys for turkey. Sometimes they work great and sometimes they work against you. Personally I seldom use them.


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