Has anyone used it?
Yes, I have used it and I have found it to be very effective.
There are a few stands that I use that require me to cross a possible deer trail close to the stand in order to get to the stand. On multiple occasions I have observed deer completely disregarding my trail to the stand -- it is as if they have no idea I have walked where I have walked.
I use the ever calm on the bottom and sides of my LL Bean rubber-bottomed boots, and I am confident that the deer cannot pick up the scent of my tracks.
It is one of the few scent products that I have used that actually lives up to a real-world test.
I recommend giving it a try.
no ,but had good success with deer dander
I use it and have had deer directly in my presence multiple times without spooking. I can't say it attracted them but it didn't scare them either so I usually use it.
I like it. Two bucks died in its presence last year.
Use it all the time....absolutely works.
Love the stuff and now in VA we can't use it. They have banned the use of any natural deer scent, urine, gland scent, anything that came from a deer outside of VA, in an effort to stop CWD.
Can't believe it.
ALDO
I use it. have been for many years . it does seem to make them a lot more calm. I don't know if we can't use it in VA or not. I thought it was only natural deer urine. but it may be anything from a natural deer.
do you guys spray it on the ground or on your boots or clothes?
There is different ever calm from sticks to sprays, which do you use?
interesting read
I use the stick. I have never seen it in a spray. I just wipe some of the stick on the bottoms and sides of my boots.
Like said above, it does not attract deer, but it calms them down and keeps them from spooking at my walk-in trail. I have seen so many deer cross my walking trail without spooking that I use it every time I hunt now.
I have been reading about this stuff for years. I actually had it in my had last year in a store and decided against it again.. However, after this thread I ordered a stick last night and plan on giving it a try. Good read.
I used the Stick, lasts longer. Used it on the bottom of boots and would even hang the canister near the bottom of my tree. I did not a few young deer actually come in and sniff the canister at times. I will have to do a bit more research on the VA Reg. I can only hope I can keep using it.
I used it last year and can tell you that I had more deer bed around me than every before. That does raise a little issue though when they are just out of shooting range and you need to get out of the treestand.
Ron
Interesting.... Wonder if anyone has experience if this works on elk? Do they make a ever calm for elk??
Hmm? Just checked, and they do have a elk herd calming scent... will try this next year. I have had 3 different bulls cross my entrance trail on their way to me, and blow up and leave with out a shot... :knothead:
I just bought some and wow does it smell, kinda like deer dander.
Ya`ll will think I`m crazy but the best calming scent or cover scent I have used was the old vanillakilla by Dan Fitzgerald. I have had deer lick leaves I put it on. As it gets closer to rut I use the old reliable Tinks 69. I have killed several that came to the spot I put it on a line.I also have killed a couple of bucks with their nose touching one of the Ben Lee tarsel gland set ups over a mock scrape. Now that we have trail cameras I have used a lot of different scents the past few years with a camera on them just to see. I get the most daytime scrape pics on the day dripper you buy from WalMart with the scrape scent . Last year I had a ton pf daytime public land buck pics in the scrape. They seem to hit it hard the second and third day its out then it tapers off. RCRC
I`m sorry the original question. I used the evercalm and had deer cross my trail in without spooking. That means its good in my opinion. RC
last night after work I did a little prep work to a brush blind just inside the woods (behind my house)
I sprayed some deer dander in the area when I was there.
We have had two does and two fawns feeding every night in our yard.
Last night we were eating supper and I see the mature doe walking towards the trail going to my blind with her nose in the air.
She walked right on the trail going in.
It works well
Going to Cabelas tommorow to pick up a fresh bottle and I may try the vanillakilla stuff also.
I put some on a decoy that had been sitting in the house for several years and it was placed without any other scent killer or anything, bare hands, the whole deal, a buck came in, smelled the decoy and no negative reaction, nose was right up and touching the decoy! Then he bent down and smelled the ground where I stepped and I hadn't put any on my shoe soles and he just about came out of his skin jumping back away from my scent. That told me two things, I needed to get some rubber boots and not wear them around the house and that evercalm WORKS!
Ok. Where do i get some of this stuff???? I'll try things people seem to believe in.
Dick's Sporting Goods sells it.
The first time I used it I was really skeptical. My dad would always say if it sounds to good to be true it most likely is! Well like many others have said this stuff works. I have had several encounters with multiple deer up close and I am a true believer in this product. I have never had so many relaxed deer around me. Time to get a fresh stick. Money well spent and a stick goes a long ways.
I feel like the only guy posting mixed reviews on ever calm, but I'll go ahead anyway. I shot the biggest buck of my life last fall... with a wheel bow (hate to admit it)... just as the buck crossed my trail he locked up and almost split, if it hadn't been for the doe he was following. I definitely think it works with the does and small bucks, but the big boy wasn't thrilled with the foreign scent in his area. I used it on my boots, after spraying them down completely with scent killer spray... I put on all my hunting clothes with rubber gloves to avoid any scent contamination, so I'm fairly certain it wasn't ME he was smelling.
Look, if it'll give you half a percent better chance of shooting a buck, hell... I say go for it!
Well folks, I've used a lot of "cover scents" over the years... Some of the "best" were Cover-Up's "Fresh Earth" (smelled like vanilla dirt, lol) and Pete Rickard's "Original Indian Buck Lure".
Well, I've been reading this post and figured I'd give it a SERIOUS try!!! I bought 2 sticks at Dick's yesterday. I had a "rewards" coupon, so they were actualy FREE!!!!! I will not be using any other cover scents or lures this year.
I'll keep you posted!!!!! :archer:
This doe I took on Tuesday night was the first time using ever calm. Found this post on Sunday, bought a stick on Monday, hunted Tuesday, and killed this doe.
Stalked in to 15 yards. She was in a clover field and crossed my path I walked in on and was standing 30 yards from where I initially applied it to my boots. It got all over my hands and the stick was in my side pouch of my hip bag. What I'm saying is, I smelled like a deer. Scratch that... I reeked! I almost couldn't stand the smell in the tree stand because I was so careless applying it to my boots and I got it all over me.
Well this doe let me stalk in to her to 15 yards in the middle of a 10" high clover field with zero cover. While she is a yearling, she was directly downwind of me on my final approach.
I'm a believer!
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/DC4BFD00-DBA6-4593-8DAA-C79DB1737CF3.jpg) (http://s1007.photobucket.com/user/mzirnsak/media/DC4BFD00-DBA6-4593-8DAA-C79DB1737CF3.jpg.html)
Can't wait to encounter a more mature animal with this stuff in action to get a little more data...
Don't and haven't. Have had deer cross my trail and never blink and then again just the opposite. Also have had them bed near me on numerous occasions. Just another gimmick as far as I'm concerned. Sort of like that new driver that's coming out that will add another 10 yards to your drives. Good old P.T.
Well, went to Dicks today & bought a stick. Will let you guys know what I experience with it.
Really seems to keep them calm. They smell where I stepped but never alarm. I put some on a stick and stuck in the ground, a doe and yearling walked right up to the stick and sniffed. They acted like it was no big deal. Meandered on into the swamp.
I posted on 09/18 that I had two bucks die over it last year. Now I can say Ive had 3 bucks die over EverCalm.
Granted none of my 3 bucks since last season were geezers but Im just a deer shooting fool and Im thrilled to see any deer wear my tag so Ima stick with it til I get tired of shooting 2 1/2 year olds.
Im sold that it does at least "help" distract a deers nose if not get the best of their curiosity, sometimes. Im sure the longer that I use it, sooner or later an old doe or an older buck may have a bad reaction but Ive got my moneys worth so far.
Where are you guys putting the stick on? boots ? Target area?
I put it on my boots.
Sounds like it attracts hunters anyway.
30....haha.
Kind of like fishing lures.
I've done all kinds of crazy stuff when hunting....everything seems to get good and bad results, depending.
I think deer are like people- some are curious, some are scared of their shadow, and some just don't care...they're on a mission.
I am giving the stick a try this year. Have not had a deer close enough for them to smell it. Bad season so far. Very bad.
I have used Kershners Trail Maker with success. In past years I shot deer that followed it right in to me.
Deer are still individual creatures and nothing works on all of them.
I had an optimal situation to test the effectiveness of evercalm during last evening's hunt.
Wind was 15-20mph from the east. I had rubbed some evercalm on branches and my treestand platform once I was settled in. Deer were on the move and I had three come from my east and walk past my stand. They milled around feeding for 45 minutes 15 yards downwind of me. Not one of those deer acted interested in my presence. I was impressed! But what really convinced me was the 2.5 year old 8pt that came in from the west (directly downwind of me). He worked over a scrape, spent a good 15 minutes feeding and then proceeded to walk directly to the base of my stand. I may have had some residual evercalm on my boots... That buck fed right on past me without any indication he knew I was there!! Good stuff IMO.
Why didn't you shoot him?
Waiting to cross paths on another deer I have on camera. This particular piece of ground is very small, maybe 7 acres and it is all bedding ground so I am trying to hold out. Besides, my 10 year old daughter has laid claimed to this buck :)
Good reason to hold out!
Had a young doe come in from a cross wind last night and she milled around for an hour or more just 15 yards from my stand. She was sniffing the air nonstop but never left the area until I had to shoo her away. Also had a big 3 point come in from behind me and lick my application of evercalm off of the tree my stand was in. When he was done he stuck around for a good 10 minutes.
I bought some and started using it. Can't say that I had a situation where I thought it helped - just didn't have deer straight down wind much. But it didn't hurt anything that I know of either.
I got to thinking more about it though and have stopped using it. The stuff comes from deer farms, and in my part of the country there have been a number of CWD cases in captive deer herds. Deer within the fence escape, and suddenly we have had new outbreaks in the wild herd. I am personally convinced that most if not all of our CWD problems have come from captive herds.
Maybe the place making this stuff had been CWD free so far, but how can I know it will always be? There are too many examples of it spreading from one herd to another. The last thing I want is to take a chance on being indirectly responsible for spreading a disease into a wild herd.
Just my opinion, but purchasing products made from captive deer has indirectly ultimately led to the spread of CWD. And in this case we are applying actual secretions from captive deer in our woods.
I'm going to pass from now on.
I haven't had issues with deer smelling where I walk...ever really. Scents have worked once for me and spooked deer all other times, I go without now. All the scent removal sprays have shown ineffective as well. I broke my rule and used a real good natural local doe urine, collected by the deer peeing into a bedpan, yes they are trained, and had nothing positive happen on a mature buck this year as it crossed the wind of it. And I know he smelled it because he spooked. Forget it IMO. I think it builds Hunter confidence.
I killed a small doe yesterday that came in directly down wind. She was a little bit shakey but was smelling the area I had put the stuff. she stood a second the got relaxed and strolled by fairly calm. I watched my wind string point directly to her and I was only 14 feet up. I`m not sold its perfect but I will say it for sure did not hurt this time.
after deer season or if I can get my last buck tagged I`m gonna buy different scents and scatter then in different areas with trail cams on them just to see what happens.
I did this with scrape juice and had a dog come in to the scrape and flop around in it.