Virginia - would you use an esterous scent this weekend?

7.62NATO · 11-03-2011, 05:58 AM

Reading the various reports here, it seems like things are starting to pick up in whitetail world. Muzzleloader opens this Saturday, and I am ready. I just don’t want to use an estrous scent too early and spook deer. I was planning on using buck urine but now that the deer are moving more, I’m wondering if I should skip the buck urine and go straight to the estrous. Is the time right for estrous, or do we still have another week or so?

Thanks to the bowhunters who provide us with valuable info.

VAhuntr · 11-03-2011, 08:32 AM

Friend of mine watched 7 deer last night feed together in southern Virginia(on the VA/NC line). He said there were 3 bucks and 4 doe and the bucks seemed to only have food on their minds. I plan to wait and see for myself Saturday morning. If I like what I see I may try some that afternoon.

mackesr · 11-04-2011, 05:02 AM

We have been seeing some bucks searching over in Culpeper recently, but not a lot. It would seem to make sense to have some estrous lure out in case a searching buck comes across your scent trail and follows it in. Just my honest opinion. However, I will say also that I have been trying different estrous lures the past few years and have not had any luck with them at all. I even tried the expensive code blue with no luck. I remember having small bucks come in to my tinks 69 back in the old days, but have not had any luck with the new and so called improved scents. I do use some cover scent and that has been working well, but not the estrous lures. I will keep trying as I like to use any edge I can when it comes to bucks.....

Stonewall308 · 11-06-2011, 09:41 AM

I went hunting on Wednesday and got a small buck at 35 yards with my crossbow. I saw another slightly bigger buck as well, both looked like they just had food on their mind.

I had two golden estrus lures hanging, but the deer were walking with the wind and they probably didn't smell the lures.

I plan on going this Thursday again, and using estrous scent again. It is definitely late enough in the season to use it.

Stonewall308 · 11-08-2011, 12:21 PM

Whats up with the dang rut in Virginia??!? Anyone seeing any rut activity?

I would expect that some chasing and cruising is going on. Planning an all day sit tomorrow, and using estrous again. I'll let you know if I see any rut activity.

It is supposed to be a high of 69 tomorrow, and a high of 50 on Friday. Too bad everyone and their brother will be out Friday with a muzzleloader, and I am still bow hunting for lack of a boomstick.

coolbrze0 · 11-08-2011, 04:25 PM

In NOVA, the rut has been on for about a week. A buddy saw a sm. 8 breeding a doe last week and I took a nice 11 pointer Sat. that was chasing 2 does. Saw 6 doe & one 5 pointer this a.m., he didn't care less about the does. You can usually tell when the rut is hot by the # of dead bucks you see along 66, 28, 3000, 7100, etc. Going out again tomorrow until noon, we'll see what it brings...

mitchmtm1 · 11-08-2011, 05:06 PM

Like coolbrze said the rut looks like it is rolling along in NOVA. I shot a big six on saturday that that came in to a little rattling....nose to the ground. He must have gotten a but whopping recently since he had a broken tine and a badly torn ear from fighting.

My friend got a 7 this evening just strolling around and nose down.

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mackesr · 11-09-2011, 08:39 AM

I killed a big seven pointer on Sat. and he was rutting pretty hard. His neck was really swelled up and his tarsal glands were stinking bad. He was actually refreshing a scrape when I shot him. On Monday I had two smaller bucks come out and they were not rutting at all. I took out the bigger of the two and he was a 1 1/2 year old four pointer. They are definitely cruising and thats the time I like to be out there, before they find a doe and settle down with her.