I have a permanent stand set up at the western edge of a 20X40yd clearing in the middle of a thick spruce forest. I approach the stand from the west and so have never set foot into the clearing. The other night I called in a nice buck who approached from the east end and stopped about 35 yds away. My effective range is about 20 yds so I kept still and he left without seeing me (I hope).

I'm going back this weekend and thinking about using some doe estrus scent to bring him closer. My question is which of the following should I do:

a. walk into the clearing and pull a scent drag back towards my stand, realizing I'd be leaving my own scent in the clearing as well.

b. hang a scent wick at the base of my tree and rely on air currents to spread the scent outwards.

c. forget the scent and hope that this time he'll just walk within range on his own.

d. do something else I haven't thought about.

This is my first year with a bow so I would appreciate some input.
Thanks!

Well, if you don't have the right wind, the scent sticks won't help you much. If you do, that would probably be a good choice. I've never used them, so how well they work I really can't say. Scent wicks are also reliant on the wind direction. And if the wind direction takes the scent to him, it may also take your scent to him. If it were me, I would pull a scent drag across the clearing to where you want him to be. Maybe add some scent half way across so it seems to get stronger for him. But I would definantly have on rubber boots and would have sprayed them down with Scent-Killer. You won't leave much if any human scent if you are careful.

I had a bunch of Wildlife Research Trails End #307 wicks out last night and a nice six point had his nose high in the air sniffing the wicks. Like you, like me I am a first year bowhunter and I drew my bow back too soon. He ran a ways then stopped and I took a shot, but I was way too high. I am a true believer in scents if you place them right. He came in down wind of me and I had to stay real still. In my opinion I would not hang your wick right at the base of your stand but out from it to get him to quarter away from you so you could draw your bow back without detection. I will definitely learn from my "rookie mistake"

Good luck

Respect the woods, for you are part of nature too.

Fishing pole. Or some string and some weights. Throw your scent rag out and reel it in. Read that, never done it, but it seems to leave less scent than walking out there. Not that I put ALOT of worry, I find my rubber boots work fairly well, but I suppose I would throw it out and reel it in if I could.

--Jim

Size #1 Worm Hook and an Apple you say Huck? 100lb test...Don't you use a BOW AND ARROW?? LOL just kidding! Couldn't resist!That fishing pole thing sounds like a slick idea though!

Trushot }}------>