I like the 'being in the right spot' attractant...
Best Deer attractant
For those of us who use deer attractants, no bait, which attractant have you used that actually worked?
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So honestly, I have used many different doe estrus type scents during the rut only, but never have seen much really tangible success. As far as attractant in the off season, I use Trophy Rocks for all my cam sites. During spring and summer I have tried Deer Cain, Acorn Rage, Ani-Logics Blocks, Lucky Buck Minerals, Cattle sweet blocks, Sweet horse feed, corn, apples and many others. Nothing and I mean NOTHING keeps deer there and keeps them coming back like Trophy Rocks. We cant have of this stuff out during the season in Indiana so I can't comment on how well it keeps them coming during the season - but a food based product isn't going to provide any attraction to rutting bucks anyway. They have one thing on their mind.... I have had bucks follow me to my treestand in the dark a couple times while using doe estrus on boots or a drag, and I have used estrus and tarsal scents in mock and active scrapes with good luck for cam photos. Can I say it actually attracted them? Probably not. They were probably going to use that scrape regardless, but I have had success with getting camera photos and getting LOTS of good pictures with it. Wildlife Research Active Scrape keeps them coming to the scrapes and along with their own urines and glands scents. My wife bought me a Wyndscent electronic scent disbursement system for my birthday, so I will try that this year. We will see how it works...
Lol so true. Having said that I started using Black Widow buck lure.I like the 'being in the right spot' attractant...
Here in Mauritius we have that long lasting trick, we burn the small termine nest (look like a rotten piece a wood). It makes a very light smoke that cover the human scent and attracts deers as they are curious animals ! worked very well for bow and rifle hunters here.
The first sentence pretty well sums up my wide variety of testing attractant scents. When baiting was still legal in MI, I bought a block of Big&J after seeing it on a bunch of hunting shows. While I didn't hunt over bait, I wanted to see what would happen, so I put it at a field edge behind our home with a trail cam. You would not have thought there were so many raccoons in the whole county as what came to eat up that block. :embara:So honestly, I have used many different doe estrus type scents during the rut only, but never have seen much really tangible success. As far as attractant in the off season, I use Trophy Rocks for all my cam sites. During spring and summer I have tried Deer Cain, Acorn Rage, Ani-Logics Blocks, Lucky Buck Minerals, Cattle sweet blocks, Sweet horse feed, corn, apples and many others. Nothing and I mean NOTHING keeps deer there and keeps them coming back like Trophy Rocks. We cant have of this stuff out during the season in Indiana so I can't comment on how well it keeps them coming during the season - but a food based product isn't going to provide any attraction to rutting bucks anyway. They have one thing on their mind.... I have had bucks follow me to my treestand in the dark a couple times while using doe estrus on boots or a drag, and I have used estrus and tarsal scents in mock and active scrapes with good luck for cam photos. Can I say it actually attracted them? Probably not. They were probably going to use that scrape regardless, but I have had success with getting camera photos and getting LOTS of good pictures with it. Wildlife Research Active Scrape keeps them coming to the scrapes and along with their own urines and glands scents. My wife bought me a Wyndscent electronic scent disbursement system for my birthday, so I will try that this year. We will see how it works...
Once I can confirm that rattling actually brought in a nice buck.....although at least 3x I called in other hunters. A few times over the years, I can confirm a grunt tube worked....most times they either ignore it or go on full alert. A buddy and I went in on a deer decoy and it worked better than that commercial garden product at repelling deer. You see these things working on TV hunting shows and think, "Hmmmm, that would be a good addition to my bowhunting arsenal"--then find out the reality in the real world of live, wild and pressured deer. Of course some will chime in that such and such worked for them that one time....but overall my approach has changed to being a stealthy and scent free as possible. Do not let them know for an instant that you are anywhere in their world until it is too late.
Yeah, now that I read your post, I kind of dismissed calls. I use a rattle bag and grunt/growl/wheeze calls during the rut also. I have attracted the attention of a few bucks, but really have never "brought them in on a string" like you expect to. Each deer has a different personality and they all react differently depending on the times of year or even that day. The more experience I gain, the less scent I use and the less I call. Quiet and scent free seem to be more bullet proofThe first sentence pretty well sums up my wide variety of testing attractant scents. When baiting was still legal in MI, I bought a block of Big&J after seeing it on a bunch of hunting shows. While I didn't hunt over bait, I wanted to see what would happen, so I put it at a field edge behind our home with a trail cam. You would not have thought there were so many raccoons in the whole county as what came to eat up that block. :embara:
Once I can confirm that rattling actually brought in a nice buck.....although at least 3x I called in other hunters. A few times over the years, I can confirm a grunt tube worked....most times they either ignore it or go on full alert. A buddy and I went in on a deer decoy and it worked better than that commercial garden product at repelling deer. You see these things working on TV hunting shows and think, "Hmmmm, that would be a good addition to my bowhunting arsenal"--then find out the reality in the real world of live, wild and pressured deer. Of course some will chime in that such and such worked for them that one time....but overall my approach has changed to being a stealthy and scent free as possible. Do not let them know for an instant that you are anywhere in their world until it is too late.
Denver Deer Pee... Ask Leroy Dibbles
So honestly, I have used many different doe estrus type scents during the rut only, but never have seen much really tangible success. As far as attractant in the off season, I use Trophy Rocks for all my cam sites. During spring and summer I have tried Deer Cain, Acorn Rage, Ani-Logics Blocks, Lucky Buck Minerals, Cattle sweet blocks, Sweet horse feed, corn, apples and many others. Nothing and I mean NOTHING keeps deer there and keeps them coming back like Trophy Rocks. We cant have of this stuff out during the season in Indiana so I can't comment on how well it keeps them coming during the season - but a food based product isn't going to provide any attraction to rutting bucks anyway. They have one thing on their mind.... I have had bucks follow me to my treestand in the dark a couple times while using doe estrus on boots or a drag, and I have used estrus and tarsal scents in mock and active scrapes with good luck for cam photos. Can I say it actually attracted them? Probably not. They were probably going to use that scrape regardless, but I have had success with getting camera photos and getting LOTS of good pictures with it. Wildlife Research Active Scrape keeps them coming to the scrapes and along with their own urines and glands scents. My wife bought me a Wyndscent electronic scent disbursement system for my birthday, so I will try that this year. We will see how it works...
I'll have to try some of those Trophy Rocks this year. Thanks for the recommendation!
Team fitzgerald deer dander and vk scents
The only attractant that has ever worked for me is by Conquest Scents. It’s VS-1, vaginal secretion. Made a drag and drug it to my stand. Hung drag from tree upwind of bedding. Scent blew through the bedding (buck was scent checking beds at noon on the 3rd of November) and he smelled it. Buck walked around the bedding, hit the scent drag trail and walked directly to my stand. Shot him at 7yds. Mature 8pt around 4 years old on public PA Game Lands.
Like I said, I don't know what kind of success you would have during the actual hunting season when the deer are rutting if you are able to have it out there during that time, but these things last a long time even in damp or wet areas. The deer will actually eat the soil around them also. The other critters don't bother too much, whereas the feed blocks and loose feed attract tons of raccoons and other animals. I wait around until I see a decent sale (around $9.99 for 12lb. version) and I buy 10 or 20 of them. Many I am even reuse the after the hunting season is over since they are not completely gone.I'll have to try some of those Trophy Rocks this year. Thanks for the recommendation!
Don't use often but Tinks 69 and Black widow has worked for me.
I hunt over primary scrapes that have been in the same spot yr after year. funnels usually.. I work em starting in around june with human urine and morph into straight Ammonia diluted with water 2/16 oz h2O...they check out the scrapes like your dog checks out a fire hydrant or mailbox post. A gallon of ammonia will give two yrs worth attractant for 7.00$... I live and hunt between two golf courses, plenty of food all yr.. so a curiosity scent seems to b pretty reliable.. Where u actually hang your stand has the most effect on success....there r No Shortcuts or miracle ointments....Good Luck!!!!
In Michigan Trophy Rock works well.
Corn mixed with root beer and vanilla
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Corn mixed with root beer and vanilla
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I haven't used many manufactured attractants outside of mineral stations. However, my favorite attractant is using a scrape, rub, and liking branch in an open food plot 30 yards or so from a tree stand. I cut bass wood samplings about 3-4" in diameter. Use an auger to put a hole in the ground and plant it. You can also put a piece of pvc tube in the hole allowing you to more easily remove and add new each year. I don't need to use any lures or scents, the deer just start using them naturally.
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Rattling. It works during pre rut and during the rut. They come in angry, hair standing up, snorting. Very limited success with artificial antlers or bags. What has worked for me are real sheds...the biggest I could find, and beat them together like bucks trying to kill each other. I've broken tines on my sheds thrashing them together. Nothing sounds like real bone. Throw in some angry grunts while rattling and you've got a lethal combination.
I use Lowe's Buck Butter https://www.loweswhitetail.com/ it is a calming bedding scent. I doesn't draw deer in, but it does keep them around long enough and calm enough for me to get a shot off. I believe that by and large hunters get over anxious about their odds and are willing to spend way too much to stack the odds in their favor. What scent, gadgets, gimmicks, bait, food plots, trail cams or high tech equipment did Fred Bear use?
Corn pile, feeder or food plot will attract deer the best.
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