Common sense scents?

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Hatchet
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Common sense scents?

Post by Hatchet »

At my place we just hunt food plots and the orchard but this year I decided to spend some early season time in another orchard a couple miles from home.

We are practicing scent control as far as hunting clothes and airing and spraying blinds but I was wondering if you guys used any cover scents, attractants or urine scents?
Do you make scrapes? Licking branches?

As always any advice is much appreciated.
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Boo
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Re: Common sense scents?

Post by Boo »

I have never found any scent products to work. As far as scent control goes, I can't fool my dogs with any Scentlok or cover scent so I don't bother, I just pay attention to the wind. I know one guy who smokes like crazy, even in his stand and he kills good ones every year. I know another character who bathes once a week or less during hunting season and his kills are pretty amazing.
LOL! I still waste my money on deer urine to put on a decoy. Last year I had a good buck charge the decoy and stop 50 yards away and the wind was not in his favor. Apparently I am a slow learner :mrgreen:
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Re: Common sense scents?

Post by nchunterkw »

I primarily hunt on the ground in a ghille suit and do not use cover scents. I just take a shower before I go with scent free soap, and wash my clothes in that too and use scent killer. Works OK, but if a deer is in close (20 yards) and the wind shifts...I'm still busted. My philosophy is "try to smell like nothing and use the wind".

Deer notice anything new or different. Use an "apple" cover scent in that orchard and they will know something is off because it won't be the same apple smell.

Some guys swear by Evercalm. I've tried it and haven't seen it do much either way.
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Re: Common sense scents?

Post by xcaliber »

I use my personal favorites with success every season. You have to use them in conjunction with the wind and use them when they mimic what’s going on at the time or spook them out of your area. Some folks like just straight doe pee, other folks mix things up. Deer are curious creatures, and I feel that the way I use them works to position my shot. I use James Valley scents in the gel form. I make a light trail by using a stick to stir the product and then drag it on my way in from the point where I begin heading into the wind to my stand. I loop down wind the last 30 yards and set a dab on three branches head high blowing towards me with the trail in between scents and me. Won’t hunt without them.
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Re: Common sense scents?

Post by bobcattrapper »

I pour some Apple crush about 20 30 yds from my stand.All deer and big bucks come in.It actually permeates the air all around .Just make sure to get a fresh bag. The older stuff will still work but does not seem to carry the aroma far. 307 lure is the only one I buy anymore.Works fine for me any time.If your looking for something to spray on your clothes buy one that has silver in it. Lot of gimmicks and stuff to separate you from your money out there.
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Re: Common sense scents?

Post by longbow joe »

I use my homemade vanilla killer and doe p till end of Oct.
Then in November till winter seasons end regular doe p not rut regular doe p.... I like evercalm but it is just expensive doe p in waxy form.
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XB I GO
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Re: Common sense scents?

Post by XB I GO »

Ever Calm from Conquest Scents works. It is supposed to smell "like a deer bedding area". How they know that and make it I don't know. It comes in a stick so you can rub it on your shoes when you walk in, and rub it on a tree or something near your stand. Since its like wax it doesn't go away for a long time. The deer do seem more relaxed and less "sensitive" when I use Ever Calm.

I do make scrapes at the right time of year. I've had good bucks come visit a scrape. It is important to put a licking branch over the scrape and I use one of the drippers that spits out the liquid scent during daylight only.
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Re: Common sense scents?

Post by Hatchet »

Thanks guys. The info provided will keep my wheels turning for a while.
Take care
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Re: Common sense scents?

Post by Hillcountry »

Trying a new brand of scents this year. They are called Black Widow scents.
Never had any “tangible” results on scents except one spike horn that came right to me when I had one of those “smoke sticks” lit. He was young and stupid though…
This year I’m trying to keep my area as scent free as possible so I’m not checking cams weekly…let them stew a few weeks between checks.
I know bucks come through my area during the rut so the best times are still a month out. Maybe in the meantime I can kill a doe or a little 5 point that has been hanging around with the crossbow. End of Oct is muzzle tor a week then regular firearms Nov 9th. I have put out some licking branch gel already and some “extreme interest” scent in the scrapes. Also put some Ever Calm on my blind and ladder stand.
Of course, I washed my hunting clothes in scent free soap and put them away in plastic bins. Now to get out and hunt! Been too warm to date but hopefully some frost is coming soon.
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Hatchet
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Re: Common sense scents?

Post by Hatchet »

In my food plot I just wait til they stop and put their head down for a bite. But where I am hunting right now I just need something to get em to stop and sniff.

Baiting is not legal here. If it was I'd just drop some Apple Crush like Bobcattrapper mentioned. I feed in the off season when it's legal and if I dump that in front of a camera that hasnt got a pic in a while within 24 hrs I'll have deer there eating. It's the most intense apple smell I've ever smelled!

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JUSTANUFF
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Re: Common sense scents?

Post by JUSTANUFF »

Have not had much success through the years with scents. Trails End 307 was the only one and use it occasionally. I keep myself and my clothes clean and play the wind as much as possible.
A while back ago I came across an article involving a licking branch tree. It inspired me to make one. I call it my "treecoy". It's been up for years at the edge of a field where my stand is 20 yards from inside the woods.I change the branch out every year and use Smokey's Deer Lures exclusively. I start out with his preorbital and forehead lures that I apply to the branches. As the season progresses I add buck interdigital and tarsal gland lure to my mock scrape below the branch. I have had favorable results and some cool videos through the years.It also enables me to inventory whats around.Unlike the box store scents these are 100% pure and it's all I use now.
Last edited by JUSTANUFF on Wed Oct 06, 2021 10:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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janesy
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Re: Common sense scents?

Post by janesy »

I just make sure my clothes are always washed in scent free soap. And I'm clean. Otherwise I don't go crazy any more
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Re: Common sense scents?

Post by Normous »

janesy wrote:
Wed Oct 06, 2021 9:58 pm
I just make sure my clothes are always washed in scent free soap. And I'm clean. Otherwise I don't go crazy any more
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Re: Common sense scents?

Post by Deaf jeff »

i have had the best luck using a smoking stick (like an incense stick). the deer in my area are used to or curios to this smell and smoke is a natural odor eater. but sadly this item has not been available for a few years now. it was made in texas at the time . bums me out that its not available
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Re: Common sense scents?

Post by Sitkaspruce »

I don't use any scents while sitting in the ground blind, hunt the wind is our only common sense.

I do make home made scrapes by using tarsal glands and my own urine. I find the licking branch and scrape down to the ground and add a little of my urine. I have tested it against Tinks and Code blue and I got more photos of bucks and does on my pee than the other stuff. Tarsal glands get hung on branches for camera traps and around the blind as a possible cover scent.

I have not kept track on what I have eaten prior, but it doesn't seen to matter.

In two weeks, I will start the scrape lines and see what is around again this year.

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