Deer Scents - Do They Work?

[Doc]

Hunters spend jillions of dollars on doe urine, estrous scents, etc., etc.  So, since no one has successfully interviewed a deer yet, the question is, "Do they work?" The only thing I can go by is personal experiences and the experiences of other hunters. So I thought I would ask. What kinds of experiences have you people had with deer scents, and how effective would you judge them to be? Now, I'm not talking about  experiences that can be explained by possible coincidence, but rather things that have occurred that you are very sure that wouldn't have happened if you had not used the scent.

 

Personally I had one experience where using a drag-rag definitely worked. I had one time (out of many attempts) where a buck followed my trail exactly with his nose glued to the ground following that drag-rag scent. He passed right through my shooting lane at 15 yards, right where I had walked with that rag. The deer was not what I was looking for so I didn't shoot, but the whole experience left me a believer.

 

So how about the rest of you? What have you seen regarding the use of deer scents?

[Four Season Whitetail's]

Doc i have used Tinks before and had it work great and then use another time and have them turn inside out trying to get away from them. Its all about the pheromones when it comes to using doe in estrus and you can only get them in fresh collected scent. Its all about the VS.Vaginal secretions..from does that are in the 58 to 63 hour breeding window when it comes to collecting on the farm. If you have a friend of a friend of even a friend and can get your hands on this in the month of November...Hang on because you will have bucks..mostly young bucks pin you up in the tree because they will not leave the area. Kinda scary to have 3 little guys beady little eyes staring at you as you come down the tree a half hour after dark and you know what that thing in their pants are thinking>>.LOL

[pawle76]

this is a question I have asked myself so many times and still have no definite answer either way. I have used the whole spectrum of brands and scents, from tinks to Wildlife Research Center from Doe Estrous and or estrus to Buck urine and scrape scent. Cover Scent and scent killer. Is it better to be totally scent free or to use scent killer with earth or pine scent ? Honestly I have no concrete proof that I could say yeah that buck came in because I used Brand X scent. The one thing I know for sure works is grunting and snort wheeze calls. But I also know that there are times when it works and times when it doesnt.

[burmjohn]

I used to buy the stuff, to be honest I havent the last ~5 years and have not seen one single change while out in the field.  IF a buddy was ordering some fresh stuff from a farm (frozen) I'd jump in for $10 bux, but the stuff in the store is 1000% BS.  Ask anyone that knows about pee and what happens at room temp after just a few hours.. 

[Sudzy8]

I have used doe in heat and dominant buck lure (from a local deer farm) for years in mock scrapes. It doesn't bring deer to me but it will make a buck come over and investigate if they are passing through. It helps present a clear broadside shot when they put their noses in the scrape.

[BizCT]

Never tried it. Not worth the risk of scaring deer away in my opinion.

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[nyslowhand]

Let's just say, I wish I had all the money in my pocket that I've spent over the years on attractant scents.

 

Do they work, as you asked? In the right situation, conditions, buck density, time of the rut, with a receptive buck within "smelling" range, the correct scent and if he's in the mood, inquisitive enough and hasn't also picked-up any human scent - Sure! More often than not, you have little control over making all these stars align.

[sweet old bill]

When I had my bow shop I would buy from a deer farm, and then package it myself. It was kept in the old ice box, till I sold to a customer. I would make sure they understood that if was real deer sex lure or pee. Not to be kept on the dash board of the truck or care, or it would spoil. Did it work in lots of cases, yes, and in some days, "no". When the buck is ready and the doe's are still not ready in the woods the buck gets a smell of a doe in season and he will follow his nose,

 

I use to find a buck scrape and put a drop or two on the scrap and then put some  q tips out with just a drop on the q tip and lots of times the buck could be lead to go past my ground blind or tree stand.

[Doc]

No drag-rag success stories? I thought we would be loaded with them. I had that one undeniable success story with a drag rag, and that was using Tink's off the shelf stuff. But I haven't had it work since. Of course, when using a drag-rag, you do have to go where a buck is likely to cross your trail (during that particular hunting session). But, I did see some potential with that one episode. I was just curious what other people's experiences were. So far it doesn't sound like a lot of people have had a lot of luck with that stinky stuff.

 

I know there are people who claim wild success with artificial scrapes using drip tubes and other procedures. haven't tried it myself yet so I have no personal experiences with that tactic.

[HectorBuckBuster]

I have use Tinks before I I believe it has to do with timing. I used TInks one year, just put my lure out, and with in 15 minutes of getting in my stand I had a 5 point down. I also used a local lure called Fritz's, and have seen alot more activity with that stuff, I was hunting in a gulley with Fritz's one year and just got to my stand, I put my scent out when I got to my stand at 4pm, I then got in my climber stand, and was starting to pull my bow up, and there was a buck at  30 yards and closing. I was getting a arrow out of my quiver when he was at 6 yards smelling the cotton ball, and shot him right there. My hunt lasted a total of 10 minutes that night. Was back home with buck by 4:30. It seems to me the doe's spook alot more then the bucks. I started trying antler ice last year, and have had several deer come in, with their noses up, and just a smaller buck. I would say 99 percent of my stands are in nature funnels too.

[Uncle Nicky]

I have much more faith in estrous scents than I do in other gimmicks like calling, rattling, & grunting. I don't know so much about tarsal glands or other pre-rut scents, I've never tried them. I've had multiple bucks come into a scent wick with estrous scent, but I've only tried this during prime-time rut (last week October-first 2 weeks November). I will also say the overwhelming majority of bucks I've seen fooled by commercial estrous scents are smaller, spikes & forkhorns.

 

I DID observe a huge buck a few years ago, he circled downwind of the scent wick, didn't see what he was looking for, got on a rise, laid down for a while, again didn't see what he was looking for, and eventually moved on. He was obviously wise to the game.

[growalot]

In the dark Ive been charged...during the day I have had some luck and many spooked deer...I do like the smoking sticks...what has worked are stupid house hold food scents....fruit smelling car fresheners...air wicks, burning scent candles...Yankees are the best but cheap cherry candles have worked....brings them around  out of curiosity

 

But buck urine and a moving decoy mid Oct is the best...first sound of fights and I get the buck out....