I have a place where a bunch of deer cross that is 100 yards away from my stand but is out of sight from me. I am wondering if a drag would be a good idea with some tinks 69 on it. What do you think?
Scent Drags? Anyone use them?
joffutt1
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Started using a drag this year. Second time using it (yesterday morning), an 8 pointer enters the clearing I'm sitting in and picks up the scent...nose to the ground, following it around (I walked in a circle) - but looking at me too... I didn't see him coming early enough, so he was 25 yards away when I saw him, so didn't get a chance to draw on him....he moved to within 15 yards, and when he turned away I drew the bow, but he took off on the sound.... so, I'd say they work. Don't drag it to where you're sitting, drag it where you want them to go so you get a good shot...and, don't drag the thing for 1/2 a mile - they might follow it the wrong direction. I'd say, drag it from crossing trail to crossing trail with a circle in front of your intended shot area - and hang a tinks bomb or something from a branch in the area you want them to go.
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It has worked for me countless times, what do you have to loose by trying?
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Like Graybeard said what do you have to loose? Sometimes it has worked for me other times they have ignored it. Kinda like using grunt calls sometimes they are magic.:darkbeer:
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I've had lots of luck with scent drags. No giant bucks, but several decent 2.5 year olds, which is just about all I ever see in my area.
The more precautions I take to prevent human scent on the drag or the rope, the better the results have been.
I'd say start it on the trail they're using, and then head to your stand, but as someone else alluded to, drag it 20 yards on the upwind side of your stand, and then hang it 3-4 feet up a tree 10 yards passed where you wanna take your shot.
Spray your pants and boots liberally (scentblocker or scentlok or not) with a good scent eliminator before you get to the spot you want to start the drag, then once you get there, put on your rubber gloves, and spray them with scent eliminator also. Dip your drag in the scent or (even better) lay it on the trail and pour the scent on the drag (this gets their attention a little better, but you waste a little scent.) Tie the drag rope to your foot and walk slowly toward your stand. Try to prevent it from snagging on trees, branches, logs, etc. You want to leave a very "followable" trail.
While it's probably not necessary, I freshen mine up every 50 yards or so, by dipping it back in the bottle, or again pouring scent right on the drag.
Also, kill an old buck before he gets to the drag hanging in the tree. I've had them turn inside out when they get that much scent up their nose and there's no logical source for it, i.e. deer :mg:
And I know it sounds silly, but wear rubber or plastic gloves. Chances are you can get them somewhere. Heck, your local grocery store meat dept. or deli might even give you a few to use.
I use various scents, but I started using a local company a few years ago, and have been very happy with it. I figure it's fresher too.
Good luck, and send me a PM with your results.:darkbeer:
The more precautions I take to prevent human scent on the drag or the rope, the better the results have been.
I'd say start it on the trail they're using, and then head to your stand, but as someone else alluded to, drag it 20 yards on the upwind side of your stand, and then hang it 3-4 feet up a tree 10 yards passed where you wanna take your shot.
Spray your pants and boots liberally (scentblocker or scentlok or not) with a good scent eliminator before you get to the spot you want to start the drag, then once you get there, put on your rubber gloves, and spray them with scent eliminator also. Dip your drag in the scent or (even better) lay it on the trail and pour the scent on the drag (this gets their attention a little better, but you waste a little scent.) Tie the drag rope to your foot and walk slowly toward your stand. Try to prevent it from snagging on trees, branches, logs, etc. You want to leave a very "followable" trail.
While it's probably not necessary, I freshen mine up every 50 yards or so, by dipping it back in the bottle, or again pouring scent right on the drag.
Also, kill an old buck before he gets to the drag hanging in the tree. I've had them turn inside out when they get that much scent up their nose and there's no logical source for it, i.e. deer :mg:
And I know it sounds silly, but wear rubber or plastic gloves. Chances are you can get them somewhere. Heck, your local grocery store meat dept. or deli might even give you a few to use.
I use various scents, but I started using a local company a few years ago, and have been very happy with it. I figure it's fresher too.
Good luck, and send me a PM with your results.:darkbeer:
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Had a buddy of mine that made a scent drag and drug it in the way he walked in. Then on the way out had a buck follow him out in the dark grunting like crazy. The buck started to run after him and he had to scream and yell and act crazy to get the buck to stop.
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Ditto. The only success I ever have is calling one in with the grunt. I have called in 4 different bucks grunting at them. I have tried rattling twice this year, nothing. I have tried dragging before, once again nothing. I have put out sent bombs, sent sticks and even tried mock scapes with no success.
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I am watching this thread. I have had a few smaller bucks run across the same passing, haven't seen the "big one" yet, but i think I am going to try this because if I can get more to turn toward me...better chance of a big 'un getting upset at a little guy trailing his territory.
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I used to try them and never had any luck with anything other than 1 1/2yr olds. I've even seen more mature bucks cross right across a drag trail and just keep going without the slightest hesitation or alert. I have had luck with rattling and grunting. I never used to have rattling luck until I began using real antlers.
So, to those that have luck with drags...what scent do you use. I've tried the cheap Tinks 69 and the more expensive Code Blue and Golden Estrus all without luck....
So, to those that have luck with drags...what scent do you use. I've tried the cheap Tinks 69 and the more expensive Code Blue and Golden Estrus all without luck....
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i make my own with a rope and a shredded t shirt. i put a cheap gas station carabiner and clip it to my belt loop so im not carrying it.
the best place to use a scent drag would be a small open area such as a small food plot or field. deer can enter all over a small plot and you rely on luck, previous sittings, and the wind to determine where to sit on that plot. during the rut before i get on stand ( i have 6 small half to 1 acre plots ) i will walk thfield end to end with a scent drag. if a buck comes across the way out of range and hits that trail there's a good chance he's gonna follow it.
hope this helps.
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Here's the drag I started using last year. H.S. Retract-a-drag
![Image]()
The company that produces the scent that I use is Lowe's Whitetail Scents. For the remainder of the season I'll be using their Suicide Buck scent which is doe in heat with an estrus swab in the bottle. Peak breeding doe urine from what I understand. They have others too. Do a google search. They do ship, but if I couldn't get it local, I would probably use this other company.
Stoney Creek Whitetails scents. He uses USPS priority mail and ships the scent with cold packs. He's in Somerset County PA, which shouldn't be too far from you joffutt1. He's also a member on here and contributed a LOT of information on scents last year. Haven't read much from him this year. Probably too busy with repeat customers....
Seems like the good scents are expensive, but it also seems like they work. I'll pay more for stuff that works.
The company that produces the scent that I use is Lowe's Whitetail Scents. For the remainder of the season I'll be using their Suicide Buck scent which is doe in heat with an estrus swab in the bottle. Peak breeding doe urine from what I understand. They have others too. Do a google search. They do ship, but if I couldn't get it local, I would probably use this other company.
Stoney Creek Whitetails scents. He uses USPS priority mail and ships the scent with cold packs. He's in Somerset County PA, which shouldn't be too far from you joffutt1. He's also a member on here and contributed a LOT of information on scents last year. Haven't read much from him this year. Probably too busy with repeat customers....
Seems like the good scents are expensive, but it also seems like they work. I'll pay more for stuff that works.
I used one just the other day with mixed results.. i started it on the way to my stand then i did a big circle going down a fence line and trough the crp field then back to my stand.. i saw 5 bucks that morning, 4 of them followed the trail right by my stand, the 5th and one i wanted to shoot found the trail followed it for maybe 20 yards and then decided against it and went back over the hill the way he came..
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I have had no luck with sex scent drags (in my area) to be very honest but my buddy certainly has and I have seen it work.
It just depends on the deers attitude at the time....as well as population levels and area.
I have seen it work best in low density area's (deer population) and in area's where there are no trails and terrain is wide open.
It has to be unique....a deer isn't going to follow one scent when there are hundreds of the same scent tags within the same area :sad:
It just depends on the deers attitude at the time....as well as population levels and area.
I have seen it work best in low density area's (deer population) and in area's where there are no trails and terrain is wide open.
It has to be unique....a deer isn't going to follow one scent when there are hundreds of the same scent tags within the same area :sad:
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