Drag rags
09-24-2002, 10:31 AM
#2
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: Drag rags
Woodline, I have 20 plus archery seasons under my belt. I've used drag rags off and on for those seasons. I only have one success story to tell and the success goes to the buck.
I had a tinks 69 soaked rag tied to my ankle while I walked towards my evening stand......All of a sudden I hear this ruckus behind me and I turn to see a nice buck, nose to the ground, trailing me....problem is, he see's me almost as quickly and I get the see ya later white flag waving at me....
Problem is, deer don't always trail the right direction....nature dictates, like a beagle trailing a rabbit, that you trail in the direction the scent is the strongest which should be the direction of travel. When you soak a rag, your strongest scent is wear you started and disipates as the rag is drug so in many cases, you might be doing more harm than good and a buck that crosses your trail could go the wrong way....
The more I learn about scents and their use in the woods, the more I do without them. I have had limited success with scents. I have never taken an animal using scents.....I've taken all but 1 of my bucks using a grunt tube.
<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>
<font color=red>Rob</font id=red>
I had a tinks 69 soaked rag tied to my ankle while I walked towards my evening stand......All of a sudden I hear this ruckus behind me and I turn to see a nice buck, nose to the ground, trailing me....problem is, he see's me almost as quickly and I get the see ya later white flag waving at me....
Problem is, deer don't always trail the right direction....nature dictates, like a beagle trailing a rabbit, that you trail in the direction the scent is the strongest which should be the direction of travel. When you soak a rag, your strongest scent is wear you started and disipates as the rag is drug so in many cases, you might be doing more harm than good and a buck that crosses your trail could go the wrong way....
The more I learn about scents and their use in the woods, the more I do without them. I have had limited success with scents. I have never taken an animal using scents.....I've taken all but 1 of my bucks using a grunt tube.
<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>
<font color=red>Rob</font id=red>
09-24-2002, 10:56 AM
#3
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Southeast Missouri
Posts: 968
RE: Drag rags
Woodline,
I would tend to agree from my experience. The best way to smell is to not smell at all. I just have very little confidence in store bought scents, and even though I have several hunting buddies that SWEAR by them, I have to go with what I've seen myself and the results are not very encouraging. I subscribe to the theory of using scent-killer and storing your hunting camoflauge in scent-free containers, wearing rubber boots, etc. I can tell you that in my 15 years of whitetail hunting experience, scent control is the key to baggig your deer year after year. I hope this helps.
GH
I love animals.......they're delicious!
I would tend to agree from my experience. The best way to smell is to not smell at all. I just have very little confidence in store bought scents, and even though I have several hunting buddies that SWEAR by them, I have to go with what I've seen myself and the results are not very encouraging. I subscribe to the theory of using scent-killer and storing your hunting camoflauge in scent-free containers, wearing rubber boots, etc. I can tell you that in my 15 years of whitetail hunting experience, scent control is the key to baggig your deer year after year. I hope this helps.
GH
I love animals.......they're delicious!
09-24-2002, 11:16 AM
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Almost Heaven WV
Posts: 649
RE: Drag rags
Well I've had success using scents...not scent drag lines although I've tried them. I more or less will hang a rag out and let the wind carry it where it may. I've taken more than several bucks this way although I will say that I've taken my biggest ones without scent rags involved.
For those of you that use scent killer...what's in it? How do you know that it doesn't smell to the deer? You could be spraying water on yourslef for all you know..What makes you trust the scent killer mfgrs. more than the scent mfgrs?
What makes you believe that "scent free" containers and rubber boots are indeed "scent free" They aren't...
Scent control, yes, I'm for it but let's not get carried away..
Truth of the matter is that most of the fellers you see sportin that scent control clothing in the ads, you know, the ones with the record book bucks, well I'd wager that most of that scent locking clothing was put on for the picture...not the hunt.
For those of you that use scent killer...what's in it? How do you know that it doesn't smell to the deer? You could be spraying water on yourslef for all you know..What makes you trust the scent killer mfgrs. more than the scent mfgrs?
What makes you believe that "scent free" containers and rubber boots are indeed "scent free" They aren't...
Scent control, yes, I'm for it but let's not get carried away..
Truth of the matter is that most of the fellers you see sportin that scent control clothing in the ads, you know, the ones with the record book bucks, well I'd wager that most of that scent locking clothing was put on for the picture...not the hunt.
09-24-2002, 11:17 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Orma WV USA
Posts: 1,791
RE: Drag rags
I've only used a drag once and had success with it...if you can call it success. I made a drag with Miles Keller Challenger Gel. I hunted the morning with it dragging behind me. When I returned in the evening. A nice buck was on my trail, nose to the ground walking towards my stand. Problem was, I was in the field watching him walk the trail right to my stand, and I never had a shot.
09-24-2002, 11:33 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: WEST PALM FLORIDA
Posts: 2,890
RE: Drag rags
I disagree with cyclone on this I always seen more animals when I wearing sent lock and cant remember being winded by any while I was wearing it, busted by movement but not sent , on the other hand I've been in the woods with out it and been busted by my stink several times so I would say it works for me
If information provided by the members of this board have helped you please let us know .
If information provided by the members of this board have helped you please let us know .
09-24-2002, 02:32 PM
#7
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Southeast Missouri
Posts: 968
RE: Drag rags
Cyclone,
I can see where you're coming from. You're saying if i think that one company is dishonest, what makes me think another is. I think that's what you're saying. In any case, the scent neutralizer I use has quite a bit of baking soda, and some other things in it.( don't know exactly what as I don't have the bottle on hand right now.)
I started using it after I read a little about them. You are correct, rubber boots, and the containers are probably not TOTALLY scent free......but they do reduce the amount of unwanted scent that comes in contact with your clothes. Rubber boots will effectively stop you from leaving your own human scent from your feet. You can take that to the bank. As to how I know if it even works or not?
I was bowhunting with a freind of mine 2 years ago. He called me one evening and told me that he had seen a lot of deer movement the last few days, and told me if I could get a day of vacation squeezed in, he thought he could put me in a prime stand location. (Thank goodness for hunting buddies!) Anyway, early the next morning we get on our atv and head to the stand site. We parked about a quarter mile away from the stand site. I pulled a bottle of scent Killer spray out and started dousing myself down. I had read a little about it, and decided I would give it a try. After i had soaked myself, i offered it to him. He kinda crinkled his nose up and said something like,"Aww, that stuff doesn't really work does it?" Anyhow, the plan was for me to hunt a stand site in the bottom of a large hollow. He would walk with me near to my stand and then proceed to another spot about a ridge over. When we walked in, we were walking paralell with each other about 10 feet apart. I set up my climbing stand, and he proceeded to climb over the ridge behind me. I quickly climbed my tree, and settled in. I could see where he had stirred the leaves up on his way out. About an hour and a half later I spot a small buck feeding down the hollow about 100 yards from my stand. I watch him for a bit and when the time is right I stand up, and get in a position to shoot. After several minutes, he finally makes it up to my stand. He's standing about 40 yards from me, and everything is perfect. Wind blowing from him to me, he's calm and I need him to come in about 10 or 15 yards so I can make a comfortable shot on him. I notice that he is walking slowy toward where my buddy had exited the area. My mind races as I look for an opportunity that is quickly slipping away. Sure enough, he immediately goes on the alert. Walking stiff legged, head down with his ears layed back. He jumps straight back the way he came and tries to circle a little farther out. As soon as he came near where he could smell my buddy's scent trail he would jump back the way he came and circle again. He did this 4 times before he finally just bolted and left the area. Dejected I sat back down, and waited. After about 2 hours i spot a doe feeding down the hollow on the same general path the buck walked. Everything looked as if it would play out the same. Then out of the blue she turned and walked inside of the tree i was in, instead of feeding out and around as the buck did before. She ended up about 13 steps away standing and browsing a small sapling, RIGHT IN MY PATH WHERE I HAD WALKED IN! 13 steps is a chip shot. Needless to say, she ended up in my freezer! I am 100% convinced that had she walked another 10 feet and encountered his scent trail, she would have bolted just like that buck did before. I have been convinced that the stuff works ever since. I don't want to start a flame war or anything, and I will be honest and say that I am NOT a buck only hunter. I am just as pleased with a doe as I am with a buck. I will admit that if you want to kill a trophy buck, you might need to do things a little different than I do.
Again these are only opinions, and as some people say, Opinions are like a#$ holes, everyone has one.
Sorry for the lengthy post.
GH
I love animals.......they're delicious!
Edited by - Grasshopper13 on 09/24/2002 15:38:34
I can see where you're coming from. You're saying if i think that one company is dishonest, what makes me think another is. I think that's what you're saying. In any case, the scent neutralizer I use has quite a bit of baking soda, and some other things in it.( don't know exactly what as I don't have the bottle on hand right now.)
I started using it after I read a little about them. You are correct, rubber boots, and the containers are probably not TOTALLY scent free......but they do reduce the amount of unwanted scent that comes in contact with your clothes. Rubber boots will effectively stop you from leaving your own human scent from your feet. You can take that to the bank. As to how I know if it even works or not?
I was bowhunting with a freind of mine 2 years ago. He called me one evening and told me that he had seen a lot of deer movement the last few days, and told me if I could get a day of vacation squeezed in, he thought he could put me in a prime stand location. (Thank goodness for hunting buddies!) Anyway, early the next morning we get on our atv and head to the stand site. We parked about a quarter mile away from the stand site. I pulled a bottle of scent Killer spray out and started dousing myself down. I had read a little about it, and decided I would give it a try. After i had soaked myself, i offered it to him. He kinda crinkled his nose up and said something like,"Aww, that stuff doesn't really work does it?" Anyhow, the plan was for me to hunt a stand site in the bottom of a large hollow. He would walk with me near to my stand and then proceed to another spot about a ridge over. When we walked in, we were walking paralell with each other about 10 feet apart. I set up my climbing stand, and he proceeded to climb over the ridge behind me. I quickly climbed my tree, and settled in. I could see where he had stirred the leaves up on his way out. About an hour and a half later I spot a small buck feeding down the hollow about 100 yards from my stand. I watch him for a bit and when the time is right I stand up, and get in a position to shoot. After several minutes, he finally makes it up to my stand. He's standing about 40 yards from me, and everything is perfect. Wind blowing from him to me, he's calm and I need him to come in about 10 or 15 yards so I can make a comfortable shot on him. I notice that he is walking slowy toward where my buddy had exited the area. My mind races as I look for an opportunity that is quickly slipping away. Sure enough, he immediately goes on the alert. Walking stiff legged, head down with his ears layed back. He jumps straight back the way he came and tries to circle a little farther out. As soon as he came near where he could smell my buddy's scent trail he would jump back the way he came and circle again. He did this 4 times before he finally just bolted and left the area. Dejected I sat back down, and waited. After about 2 hours i spot a doe feeding down the hollow on the same general path the buck walked. Everything looked as if it would play out the same. Then out of the blue she turned and walked inside of the tree i was in, instead of feeding out and around as the buck did before. She ended up about 13 steps away standing and browsing a small sapling, RIGHT IN MY PATH WHERE I HAD WALKED IN! 13 steps is a chip shot. Needless to say, she ended up in my freezer! I am 100% convinced that had she walked another 10 feet and encountered his scent trail, she would have bolted just like that buck did before. I have been convinced that the stuff works ever since. I don't want to start a flame war or anything, and I will be honest and say that I am NOT a buck only hunter. I am just as pleased with a doe as I am with a buck. I will admit that if you want to kill a trophy buck, you might need to do things a little different than I do.
Again these are only opinions, and as some people say, Opinions are like a#$ holes, everyone has one.
Sorry for the lengthy post.
GH
I love animals.......they're delicious!
Edited by - Grasshopper13 on 09/24/2002 15:38:34
