isatarak

I agree with what has been said. I think there is a lot of BS in hunting mags. You read a story about someone getting a monster buck and the story reads like beautiful classical music. You talk to someone you know that got a big buck and 9 times out of 10 times it's just the fact of being in the right place at the right time. That's not to say we shouldn't study and try to be the best we can be, but some of this stuff just goes to the extreme.

Tribal

I agree 100%. The biggest gimmick of them all is scent lock! I know many guys like to think there is magic clothes but the fact is there is not. It has been proven. I read a great article on one of the bowhunting review sites. And this outdoor writer stated all the facts about scent lock and as much as he hated to say it its all marketing razzle dazzle. By the time that garmet even reaches the retailer the carbon has already fully absorbed odors and the only way to effectively reactivate it is 1200 degrees which would destroy the garmet. Its a fact! I will try and find that article, but I cannot even remember where I saw it. But he had all the milatary facts to back it up! He even said he spoke to spokesman for the leading companies of scent block companies and all they say is its field tested but other than that no research for anything. lol How do you field test it????

c903

Dirt2:

Excellent points, well written, and quite entertaining. You can extend your views to include much of the equipment.

I too went through the "gadget" phase. I believe the experimental stage to be a natural part of the transition most bowhunters go through as they advance and mature in the sport. However, you will not get there, or it will take longer than necessary, if the principal purpose of bowhunting is not always foremost i.e., hunting.

Based on personal experience, I firmly believe that if a person constantly weighs the actual requirements of an average deer hunt against the value and worth of the stuff that is hanging off his or her bow, all the "fool the deer" stuff hanging on their body, crammed in their packs, and sprayed or rubbed on their clothing, body, brush, ground, they would eventually see the light and begin to discard much of the trash. I did, a long time ago. The freedom from those bonds -and the savings, make bowhunting far more enjoyable.

My philosophy regarding cover and attractant scent is; rather then advertising your presence by using various scents in an attempt to fool a deer's nose by trying to appear to be something acceptable to the deer, why not try as hard to NOT have your presence detected.

Cougar Mag

Motor oil? Go pour some motor oil in scrapes and we will just see what happens! LMAO![8D]

DoeCuller

I'm not a big spender on gadgets I don't think. Unless you call that high dollar site on my bow a gadget.

Fieldmouse

Dirt,

You better try again to stir the pot because I think everyone agrees except the gadget saleman.

I have hunted with scent. It's been doe in heat. Just to get the buck to stop and put his head down. I won't hunt with fox piss and stuff like that because I fear them making the match between the store bought scent and me. I will rub my boots in fresh deer poop on the way to my stand. If you do this though make sure you clean your boots before climbing the tree. The last thing you want is "crap" falling from your boots when deer are below you.

At the end of the season when the second rut came in, my freind made his own scrape and sprayed some doe in heat junk. It confused this huge 8 point that I had been seeing regularly in this spot. He didn't shoot him because it wasn't bigger then the 10 point he got earlier in the season. Next year I plan on trying my own scraping ability late in the season.

Dirt2

I'm feeling all sunny now, I thought I was gonna get my s%$^ handed to me. Thanks everybody. I should point out that I have fallen for more than one gadget in my time.

Cougar Mag, you should read the study, I'll see if I can find references to it. As I recall they set up some five types of mock scrapes, put buck urine in one, doe urine in another, human urine in another, motor oil in yet another, then left the fifth one w/o scent.
Basically, the results of the test showed no significant difference in the number of buck visits to any scrape. If you're wondering why they chose motor oil, well, so am I! Only thing I can think is the study was done in the deep south, TX or GA or somewhere, and we all know those southrons have NASCAR on the brain.

dick cress

I have read that the hunter can urinate into the scrape and it works just as well.

I must admit that some gadgets do make things simpler so I have a few and will no doubt buy a few more in the years ahead.

stealthycat

last fall I hunted with my longbow, no sights, in a tree stand that cost me $50 using screw in tree steps. I didn't use scents, cover scents or any calls. I had fleece camo that I had washed in scent free detergent. That was about it - and bagged the biggest buck I've ever killed

WV Hunter

Dirt2....I agree also. KISS

But.....if you do, you can't keep up with the Jones' [:-] Some folks live for that.