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DIY Scent Beads

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13K views 16 replies 12 participants last post by  OhWell  
#1 ·
O.k. I know it's not "equipment", but didn't know where else to post this...

I have seen a number of companies that make scent beads as an attractant for hunting. I don't like to buy something I can make, sooooo...

I bought some "large water beads" off of Amazon for about $10 a pound. Since I will be bear hunting this fall, I bought some pure anise oil - $14 including shipping. I put about 1/4 cup of the polymer gel beads in a quart container, added about 1 TBSP of anise oil and filled the container up with water. Several times throughout the evening, I shook the container to mix the scent better (oil/water - you know, they don't mix). This AM, the end results was nearly a quart of STRONG anise scented gel beads. My wife hates black licorice, so I am not allowed to open the container in the house. :wink: I have enough gel beads and anise oil to make several gallons of these things... While I have not tried it, in theory you could use any urine scent, cover scent or other attractant scent in place of the anise scent. Less mess in dispensing scent.



 
#8 ·
IIRC those are similar to those beads used as "ammunition" in a certain type of pellet gun.
 
#13 ·
just received some to try scents with. i'm going to try vanilla first... and if i ever finish what i want from cabelas i will try doe pee and elk pee. it would be interesting to test one of these compared to a scent wick for dispersal and how long it holds the scent. heck if i got creative i could find a spot and shoot these out of my blow gun to disperse them... but not the pee ones, those would be dropped or tossed with a sling shot.
 
#14 ·
Well the vanilla ones look good, leaving this weekend and will try them out. I also did a set of anise ones as well. I just used a cheap water bottle, poured some water out, scent in, and put some beads in.
 
#15 ·
I know this is an older thread but I just thought everyone might like to know that you can buy those beads at Michael's craft stores for $3.00 for the smaller pack and $5.00 for a bigger pack and they're more than I'll use in a season
 
#17 ·
That is brilliant. I have been using them in stabilizers for years. I don't give them as much liquid and they stay smaller. Great for absorbing vibration. It never occurred to me to use them for scent dispersal.