With all the TG members here, I was curious what their favorite deer LURE is. I'm not talking Scent Eliminators, Masking scents etc....
I want to know, hands down, what is your "Go To" deer lure for your mock scrapes or using in existing scrapes and why.
Since I started this...since they came out and I sold exclusively here when I had my Trad shop opened, are John Collins lures...James Valley. My favorite over the years has been Scrape Gel. In fact, I just got my dozen jars in yesterday.
My hunting buddies and many satisfied customers swear by the gel and strong scent these lures produce. So...if you fellas had just one choice to make in selecting a LURE, what would it be.
I have never made a mock scrape, however I would like to try this technique eventually. What I normally use is a retract a drag with some Premium doe estrus sprayed on it during the first weeks of November with some success. Maybe this doesnt count but I thought I would share :thumbsup:
James Valley Full Rut. I have my own homebrew I'm trying this year. I like the James Valley Doe lure most of the season.
I do scrapes any more(would spook them in SJ)all I do is drag a pair of hock pads behind me and hang them on a branch at the stand.
Aqua Velvet or Old Spice for me Skipper. :eek: Code Blue Doe Estrous. Worked pretty darn good last season. :thumbsup: :archer:
I'm going to try Cronks deer lure from maine this season,, I believe its more the grunt call that brings em in for me though..... just 1 very very short grunt every 1/2hr and its been 5 bucks in a row since I slowed down on the grunting tube.
Bob Kirschners, silvertop and roam is my favorite and early season i sometimes use curiosity.
i have used kronks before and it worked really well
Tinks and my own lure created by Maxwell House.
Rob
I used to like Sure-Kill scrape mate. It got hard to find.
Whatever you can't buy at the local sport store!
I've seen more mis-used lures that scare the bejabbers outa every deer around for the next 2 years after a bad encounter!
Joe I don't use anything except does, natural food and funnels the deer travel through. I even stopped using grunt tubes and other calls.
I could be wrong but I don't think I know the "right" time to use these things.
Gotta agree with Joe and Mike: John Collins makes some serious stuff. James Valley Lures all the way!!
wall hanger by james valley
and
Buck fever pre-post rut
Non of that stuff works out here. It all spot and stalk in most cases.
Corn! :knothead:
ive never found any "scent" that works. I got some highly praised Tinks stuff last year, a spike walked by it, blew, and is still running as far as im concerned
1- Buck & Doe tarsal glands I freeze & use in November.
2- Vanilla
3- Peeing in a real/mock scrape.
4- James Valley Scents
Free tip. I use a sterile specimen cup,drill holes in the lid,line inside with foil, saturate a scent wick, put it in with a hand warmer hot pack. Put the lid on, it will last most of the day. it has worked more than a few times.
Tinks or plain old dumb luck.
I have had luck with Code Blue and Tinks. I also had success with Indian Buck Lure many years ago. All of that being said, Tinks is most often used in our deer camp. It is a lot of fun to watch a buck walk to Tinks rag made out of toilet paper.
Me too, never had a scent do much more than have deer move off cautiously. Used to do all the mock stuff, I'd get so frustrated because I used to talk with Paul Brunner from Montana quite a bit and they had all kinds of results with scents and mock scrapes on video. He'd give me advice, I'd match what they did but ZERO. Just a different area I guess. When I started looking for real ones(scrapes) and being mobile- moving if need be to hunt a more active area-thats when I started to really see some good animals. But you also risk blowing a hot area searching for it.
Using lures sounds like a lot more fun, I wish it worked better around here. I did have two does in northern Maine come to a fresh tarsal gland cut from a local buck. They were passing by and stopped to sniff it for a few moments.
Funny though, plenty of guys around here claim a bottle of Tinks(or any other store bought scent) "brought 'em right in running." I cant say I've even remotely had that result.
James Valley for me. Best I have used.
I think a lot of "attractants" get over-used. I use scents sparingly, just enough to peak curiosity, and I like to put them where I am between where the deer are and where they are headed. I try to remain scent free, though the only thing I'll use on myself is a little earth scent. (emphasis on the little) Don't wanna be like a middle school girl wearing half a bottle of perfume. In fact, my favorite attractant is to eat an apple while sitting in the natural ground blind.
Same goes for those calls that "bring them in on a string". More often than not, grunt tubes have either no effect or send them packing. My experience has shown that the bucks that are close by often ignore a grunt tube, while the ones hanging out there a hundred yards away will become curious and circle down wind and see where that came from. A snort wheeze is more effective, but only on the bigger boys. I've seen younger bucks tuck tail and run. A can call will go from "I'm over hear big boy" to "Everyone get outta here" if you happen to do it too long. Rattling works if your timing is right. That's really the only time I'll use a grunt tube.
All that said, I see more deer a closer ranges if I just sit down, shut up, and don't move. We've all seen these products work on TV though right? Well, the most important word in TV marketing (and hunting shows for that matter) is "editing".
Home made
I worked in a sporting goods store for 13 years, and after using the James Valley scents the first year it was the ONLY scent i would recommend!! I love all of thier line, but Wall Hanger has worked best for myself. I sure wish someone up here still stocked it.
Bill
Appritation scents work awesome!!! Dead Red works for me. I know thats are not looking for scent elimators, but their phantom hunter will take the smell of gasoline off of a rag!!! Check em out, and if you have any questions about if there stuff actually works or not, just shoot me a pm
Sometimes the scents and calls work on certain deer and at certain times. I have had more luck in the 2nd rut with the scents than at any other time. It seems where I have hunted there are more bucks cruising in the 2nd rut. This has just been my experience in North Louisiana and South Arkansas.
I have never had any scent work for me. Maybe I never used the right stuff. I used to pull them in with a doe estrus bleat all the time. Now that every hunter in the woods has a can call, I don't even get much action on that. I think to some extent the high hunting pressure and so many using the same call or scent just spooks the deer. Maybe something like the James Valley that everyone isn't using would be better.
Deer Herd in a Bottle from VS-1. Not a "lure" just calms them down. More of a cover scent I'd say
QuoteOriginally posted by Rob W.:
...my own lure created by Maxwell House.
Rob
Folger's works for me.