Trad Gang

We used to use gallons of it for bear attractant best thing there was !

Guess I better not put it on my person in bear country.  :eek:    :scared:

Try distilled water plus pure vanilla and anise extract
1/2 the anise as vanilla as its potent

spray area in front of set up or above on a limb.

At kitchen craft they sell a pump sprayer (you pump it up and what liquid is inside is now an aerosol. There about 5 bucks and worth it.
You can make your own buck bomb with urine, attractment ,etc.

I tried some today as a cover scent to check my area and check the salt lick. I'll check the area once more a week before season opener Sept 8th. If the area shows an increase in activity then I'll say it works. I know I sure could smell it.

We use a Vanilla acorn Mix at times. Has always worked great
http://www.awayhunting.com/products/1576

I wonder in states where it is not legal to bait if vanilla would be considered baiting and cause the local hardworking DOW officer  stress.  I would not want that,

That's a tricky one, might be left to interpretation. Probably best to call and ask.  :readit:

I've tried various ways to apply it and have not noticed any real benefit.  However, it didn't spook the deer and I have heard from some that it works as a calming scent.  In my limited tests I didn't see any reaction positive or negative from the deer to it.

One year I mixed a gallon of apple cider, a bottle of vanilla extract, and a handful of mortons salt, and a small bottle of blackstrap molasses in a big pot....brought it to a boil, and poured it all into a 3 gallon jug I had. I dumped it all over a couple rotted logs in my hunting spot. The critters (not just deer) destroyed the logs.

I did not start this thread, but have wanted to ask this question myself.  Thanks all for the valuable feddback!

Put some in a tuna fish can sometime on a Sterno container.... brings in bears from miles around. of course bacon grease does pretty good too.

Bears love the stuff!

Craig, have you not had yellow jackets attracted to you when using it as a repellant? I have.

Used it for the First time back in 2000 when i still shot wheels, had 9 deer come through on me that morning on state land, all were lip curling like crazy and bobbing there heads, ended up killing two big does that morning, 4 weeks later on a night sit half mile down that road i used it on my boots to walk to my stand, 20 mins before close i had the biggest buck i ever got to release an arrow at, came in nose to the ground, on the scent trail like he was following a doe. Well i killed that buck at 20 yards, now he hangs on my wall.  It does work, don't know why i stopped using it. Guess like all thing unnatural in the deer woods, if you use it to much , deer will start taking caution to it.

Keeps gnats away too!

I use it every year works great !!!

Is there any consensus on what recipe works best? Just cut with water and spray seems easy enough...

Sam,
No have never had that experience with yellow jackets.

I use it in the early season seems the does like it. 2 years ago seen more bear than deer,  seems they like it also. Peanut butter and honey sandwich for lunch and vanilla  sent no wonder I got to carry a pistol now days.