i don't know the answer to that. last year i did do a little experiment. i put out some #69 in very early season down in Ga. at dusk, at first 2 nice bucks came in, and a few minutes later a 3rd. they sort of congregated around the lure, but were not at all aggressive w/ eachother. i couldn't count points and i was in a 'at least 4 on 1 side county'. i say not at all aggressive, but there was a tiny show when the last one showed. i think he ruled that roost as the other 2 seemed to get a bit nervous about him, but there was no show of dominance i could pick out. i put it on their trail to the lake, not far from the edge - so they could have just been coming for water as they didn't stick their noses on the wick, but they did hang around just by it - so long that my buddy had to scare them off w/ the boat for me to get down.

I've been told the estrous scent would repel the does and they would leave the area. If the bucks are following them then they would leave also. Non-estrous does do not like to hang around with estrous does. Even though the buck is technically ready, not all of the pieces of the puzzle are in place yet. There hasn't been enough chasing scraping and fighting, he may feel something is wrong. This year I'm going to use vanilla as this is supposed to keep the does hanging around.

I like to use a grunt call...especially the true talker by H.S. I have really good luck with this call in the past...

Only scents I use would be cover scents to try and disguiseany human odor. I also use the White Oak Acorn scent wafers when hunting my stands around oak trees. I will also use my true talker occasionally if things are slow!

I carry a grunt tube but hardly use it at all during the early bow season. I used it a couple years ago after missing a dandy9 ptr. Arrow went over his back and he ran off. I dug out the grunt tube and gave a couple short soft grunts...he came back to investigate and I sealed the deal on the second arrow.

I use a grunt tube and I also tickle the antlers a little. Nothing big just make it sound like a couple of small bucks messing around.