Congrats on the buck. Confidence in the lure is huge. If it seemed to have a calming effect on the deer then the confidence factor goes thru the roof!

Nice job! Beautiful deer!!      

Thanks Guys , He's the best Jersey buck I've taken . The pinelands area I hunt isn't known for big deer . Any deer over 100 lbs. here is bragging size and this one went 127 . I've shot a few around 116-118 but never over 120 . Other guys have shot some bigger ones but not me .
 I've seen a lot of deer over the years but few were as calm as these were . They were skittish like usual until they got downwind of the scrape with the pre-orbital gland on the licking branch , then thier whole manner changed . Most times I change their mood from calm to alert when they come in . Maybe I was just lucky , but I believe in this stuff .

Beautiful buck!

Ordered some yesterday Fred...congrats again    

Great job!!!

Good stuff right there.....congrats Fred!!!!    

TTT

Congrats, Fred. You should be proud of that buck. He is a dandy!!!

BTW: I have heard Dr. Kenneth Cooper, PHd, talk about scalp scent. This is the glad surrounding the base of the antlers. It is that glad that causes an old buck to have lighter color hair between the antler pedicles, on the top of their head. According to Mr. Cooper, when you see two bucks meet, many times they smell each others forheads. Each buck within their home range know the smell of the bucks in their area. When you put pre-orbital scent out, it probably causes the buck in the area to question who this new intruder is?

Dr. Cooper is the only person I have ever talk about scalp scent, and the importance it plays in the rut cycle.

Thanks for the tip on the scent and congrats!

Dennis

All in good time Bear ! Not soon enough .

Dennis , I believe you're right about deer noticing an intruder in their area , as I said I make a lot of mock scrapes and even scrape over existing scrapes using fresh deer feet . I difintely see more activity at scrapes that are not from the same area I got the buck feet . Also they seem to go beserk if I scrape over another bucks spot . I think my problem lies in the fact I was a fox trapper for so many years that I can read sign and can tell where most any animal will go but I haven't been able to figure out the time they do it .I know the where  not the when . When that happens I'll be deadly .

Fred, do you go to extreme measures to be as unscented as possible when making your mock scapes? Or just go in with what you happen to have on?

Just curious....

I have a trail cam over a scrape right now. It's been there about 5 days now. I'm waiting till I get my scent from Smokey to go in and check it so I can doctor the scrape.

I'll leave the camera with fresh batteries and new card to see if the activity picks up after adding the Smokeys Pre-Orbital.

Good stuff!!

Curt  99% of the time I shower with hunters soap either Scent-a-way or dead Down wind or the like before I leave the house . I keep my clothes as clean as possible without getting anal about it . I always wear rubber boots and try to approach my stand from an angle I think the deer won't be coming from , here I'm usually wrong . I don't touch the branch with my bare hands but open the bottle and kind of stick it over the branch without spilling it . I approach the scrape from the side and rake up the dirt to either the left or right depending on where I think the deer will approach . If I don't have a deer foot i use a short pine stick and carry it up the tree with me . I also notice that when I call or rattle and a buck responds he comes straight to my tree . Like he knows exactly where the noise came from . H Theyb ncircle downwind of me and most times scent me . I therefore get to my tree just before pink light if AM hunts or anytime in the afternoon and walk over to my scrape and freshen it and proceed to rattle or call from the scrape and then beat feet into my treestand which is located about 15-20 yards crosswind of the scrape ( hopefully ).I have deer show up within 15 minutes but usually about 1/2 hour seems to be my special time for morning hunts . Afternoons sometimes I call around 4 or 5 and deer come in around 6-6:30 . Happens too many times to be coincidence .
   Just read your question again if I'm not hunting just checking things out I always wash up and wear rubber boots . I worry about my breath and used to gargle with baking soda but now mostly eat an apple or potatoe or some carrots on my drive to the woods .

 Probably not the best way but works enough times for me to believe . Hope this helps .

Fred,
Awesome deer. Congratulations.
I have known Smokey since I was a boy. There isn't a nicer more genuine guy out there. He used to give me deer and coon urine when I first started hunting. I always liked getting gifts from him. I love to hear success stories involving his lure. It is great to see him...and you doing so well.

Merf