Swampmonster

I'm not an expert, but think this may help someone - possibly.

I am pretty much done with this season now and have been experimenting a bit with scents. I've taken some real whoppers, filling my tag in every state I have hunted, using scents from Wildlife Research, Hunters Specialties, etc., etc. and a few others. I know many will disagree, but I am beginning to think it doesn't matters which scent product you use. They all seem about the same. It seems to me the main thing is how and WHEN you use the scent. I have been taking my 12 year-old into the woods at about 2:30 AM each day so he can take game in case I hit upon something -- or not. Monday he took a nice 5X5 at exactly 7:05 AM. Don't know if I made it happen or if it was just raw luck, but here is what we did:

1. At 3:00 AM we were padding down the trail SLOWLY! and quietly, almost as if still hunting. We did this from the moment we got out of the auto, not slamming doors, not talking (but in whispers). By 3:30AM we were fairly well into the woods.

2. WE WERE WALKING INTO THE WIND. I think this is more important than anything else. Many times I have purposefully avoided taking a shower and just let myself go to pot to see if it made much of a difference. It certainly does- no doubt about it. But you can minimize the effect of your smell by taking wind VERY seriously. Check weather websites to find anticipated wind direction and plan your hunt appropriately. Even after letting myself smell like a zoo animal, I was able to get within 30-40 yards of deer in the wee hours of the morning simply because of playing the wind. I got snorted at many times; but had I wished it, I could have shot many of those deer before they knew what hit 'em. THE ONLY reason for this was that I played wind direction.

3. On this particular morning, we showered before leaving (which is my habit, by the way - ), scrubbing myself all over with baking soda, washing my hair with baking soda, brushing my teeth with baking soda and using baking soda for deodorant. My camo/hat had been washed in baking soda and I put baking soda in my hair, down to the scalp. I also put baking soda in my shorts. Arm & Hammer made a killin' off of me this season.

4. By 4:00AM we were moving cross wind to get on stand. We crept into the woods at an amazingly slow pace, a step every 5 seconds or more. By 5:00AM my son was on stand. After placing my son, I moved ahead about 20 yards to place the doe in estrus scent so that it would waft into the woods 20-30 yards ahead of us, cross wind. I think I used a syrup-like gel from Wildlife Research, but it really doesn't matter. These companies want you to believe their urine is THE Urine and that it just HAS to have been collected this year. It is just a myth - i am pretty convinced of this. The stuff I used was 2 years old. Indeed, I am only half joking when I say I am almost of the opinion that anyone could urinate in the woods and have the same effect as the doe urine. But I'll have to experiment with that next year. Here is how I placed the scent:

As a result of experimenting, I think I have come to the belief that if I use scent bombs, wicks, etc. I will get almost NO response. I have had deer run right through my area and if the scent is not freshly placed (5-10 minutes), they will not stop. So I have abandoned wicks, etc...

I think the claim that you need to use plastic gloves when handling scents is pure hogwash - except that it helps keep urine off of your hands. I think it makes absolutely no difference to the deer.

So, when I went to place the scent for my son, I took the small bottle of urine syrup and just started flicking splashes of scent on tree trunks, leaves, a little on the ground, here and there. I just threw the stuff in a wide region. Then I took the bottle, inverted it on a branch, so that the remaining scent would trickle out down the branch or drip onto the ground. Then I crept back to my son.

At around 5:45AM, I turned my son a bit into the wind, gave him a hug, sneaked behind him and sat down. At one point the wind swirled, and OH MAN, that urine came our way. Whew! It was the first thing my son mentioned when all was over.

We sat STOCK STILL for over an hour.

At exactly 7:05AM we heard very quiet steps coming our way. My son instantly set up for the shot, though we could not see the animal. We heard a grunt and then we knew. More grunting, a few more steps. The buck came out head low to the ground. He stepped out into the open, lifted his head pretty high, then lowered again. A few moments later I heard the shot and saw the buck scurry away. He ran only about 50 yards and collapsed.

I'm still trying to think this all through, but maybe it can help someone in its current raw form - maybe not.

hunter60

I'm glad your son got a deer. Yes scents do work sometimes. What I don't like about it is everybody & there brother buys the stuff walks out in the woods puts some on the ground & gets lucky.