brushbuster07

I hunt north of Dubuque in Iowa right along the Mississippi and for the past two muzzleloader seasons I have tried bleat cans, rattle bags, grunts, estrus, and tarsal gland scent and haven't really had a huge success. At the time of early muzzy here pre rut is in full swing by the last week of the two week season. What do you guys think is a good stategy for this time? The buck to doe ratio where I hunt is extremely high. I'd say one to one. I've never seen so many bucks in my life. The place I hunt is a dead end road with only one house on it. Big bucks seem to love this place. Let me know what ya think. I'd love to have a big one to post after season!

superstrutter

Only on hunting shows or videos. Seriously, I've never hadmuch good luck with deer calls.I've tried the can several times and the only thing I called in was a fawn.I've grunted some, but to no avail. I don't bother hunting with calls or scents and I kill plenty of bucks, some good ones too. The deer in my area just don't respond well to calls. As for scents, I just don't think they are necessary.

nyorange

I found that scents are only useful during bow season. They don't actually attract anything but they are useful for gving you a shot by having the deer stop at a predetermined spot where you can get off a shot. I usesome little jar of gooey stuff by james valley? or something like that(it reeks)and put it on a branch in a good shooting lane. The deer usually seem a little curious and will stop and smell the stuff giving me my shot. At least for me the stuff has never attracted deer to a locationthat they weren't all ready going to. Putting it up in an area thinking that it will bring them in from afar due to the smell has never worked for me nor anyone I personally know and seems like a waste of money. For rifle hunting I think its a complete waste as I don't need them to stop at the woods hunting distances I hunt.Maybe if I was hunting200 yds away and needed him to stop somewhere to get my shot it would be useful but everything I shoot at is less than a 100yds away, usually much closer, and they are in the kill zoneas soon as I see them and determine whetehr I want to take them.I would love to hear of anything that actually attracted them from afar but that just seems to be a marketing ploy.
Good luck with whatever you try. Take care.

whitetaildreamer

I've never used scents as an attactant but I believe that they work as a cover scent. We are only allowed to use synthetic scents up here. As to calling, I think it works but there are alot of variables involved. What calls work depend on where you are hunting as well as what time of year. Pre-rut doe bleats work very effectively if you have a large buck population. During the rut I have used domonate buck calling effectively. It's really cool to see a big buck bust in to this call especially if he believed he is the dominate buck in the area.

Marylandbowhunter

Calls and sents do work allthe time but when they do watch out . I look forward to that one week of the season when rattling works . I call in quite a few deer every year using calls I am a beliver in them

WBowhunt

Yes and No, When used correctly at the right time of the year they will work. You need to learn to use them correctly. Using a Can call and sitting there flipping the thing over and over every 2 minutes is more likely to send the deer packing. I will use a grunt call like Tru talker in the pre rut only when I see a buck and then only once if I am sure he heard it. He will stop and look in my direction. But then stop. If I am hunting in thick cover, I will grunt or use a doe bleat can once about every 30 minutes and that is all. Deer do not just walk around the woods making noise for no reason.
As far a scents go, deer are curious animals and will investigate the scent of a new deer in the area or a doe in heat. If used in moderation and place well up wind where you can get a shot it can, as already mentioned, get the deer to stop in a shooting lane to give you the opportunity.
There are no shortcutsin deer hunting, that is why they call it hunting and not harvesting. You haveto do your homework and scout and learn toread the signs deer leave behind and figure out where they are going, why and when and then pick a spot that will put you in place for a clean shot.
Good LUck.

wis_bow_huntr

Any scent and call will work if used correctly and at the right time and right place. Ive had very good luck with scents, rattle bags, and calls. You need to make sure you use the right call at the right time as well as scents.

CamoCop

x2 i haven't ever had luck with scents but i have extremely good lucks with calls, primarily grunt tubes. i called in a buck during ML season last year to within 80 yards of me. he was still walking straight to me up untill the 245 gr. powerbelt hit him. he was grunting back with every step he took. i have also had success with rattle bags, just not as much as with the grunt tubes.

rodclop

on a controlled hunt i got drawed for in oklahoma itook a tarsal gland of a buck that was in rut and put some buck urinefrom one that was in rut and froze it till my hunt the morning of my hunt i let it thaw out alil andput it in a fork of a tree about25 yards in front of me and used the grunt call "true talker" and atleast 5 min later a buck ran in turned out to be the biggest buck taken on thatWMA. So do thet work matterson how the deer isacting around u.

Rebel Hog

The only call I use is the Fawn Bleat when hunting Does.....If I use scents, it's natural woods scent.....