Deer Attractants and Lures

I've never really used products like Doe-in-Estrus, buck urine, cover scents, or any other commercial scents or lures. The only things I use are scent-free detergent, soap, and I put leaves, sticks and dirt in the bins I keep my clothes in. Do you guys buy into these products at all and has anybody had success or problems with them?

I have had minimal success with scents. I seldom use them, I know they're not a cure all, but when I see the cardboard packages thrown on the side of the road from other hunters it makes me think that they've had every scent thrown at them and I'm better off being scent free.

Have you had any success with cover scents or rut type scents? I use scent free stuff and natural cover scents, but I've never used food attractants or rut type scents. I just have a hard time believing doe in estrus or buck urine or the like really work. I have a hard time believing that free ranging pressured deer are fooled by these scents. I could see myself using acorn or apple scent, but the only purpose for me would be as a cover scent.

I've had lots of luck with corn. Of course, thats on private property. I have found estrous lures tend to draw in their fair share of 18 month old, and especially button bucks, if you use them in late October or early November before the does get receptive. I had a Pope and Young buck I'd guess would have gone 140 follow an estrous drag one late October afternoon after he ran every doe out of the bed on the far hilltop trying to find the doe in heat. He walked behind a tree instead of my side of it at 30 yards,didn't get the shot.

Many times, you wont see the deer come in though, they will move in downwind and hold in brush looking and listening for "the doe", instead of just walking over and sniffing the stuff you put out. I've been using estrous and had doe wander through, and had bucks charge them from thick cover downwind, where they had been watching from.Used properly, and at the right time of year, they do work.

Yes I agree they do work but the trick is to be on the downwind side of your lure!! Larger buck always scent check the air on the down wind side, I find this true even went useing calls. They come in on the down wind side, you have to beat the nose , so you need to set up with that in mind!! Downwind of where you think they may be.

I haven't had much success with cover scents, but I think pine was the only cover scent I ever tried, and I was busted one cold morning by a group of does, so it turned me off using those altogether, I strive for scent-free.

I'm about the same as above. Last few years my idea is scent free > cover scent. My reasoning being if there's as little scent as possible , regardless of what the smell is, the better odds I have. I used dead down wind wash the last few years with no complaints. This year I switched to sportwash (uv killer), and while I spent most of my time in a ground blind. I was impressed with it. Using a black light it also does a good job at killing UV.

Now as for scent, iv had it work but not often. Iv tried rinks , code blue , and trails end #307. Only one I ever had deer notice was 307. Had a nice 6 damn near get on his hind legs to get at it one year. A doe sniffed it a bit one time (may have also been my scent on it , she was iffy but didn't run ), and a young buck fell for it once.

I tried estrous drags with no luck , but it doesn't work every time. And in all honesty , I haven't messed with scents the last two years. But I have had 307 work.

But corn is a great attractant as stated above.

I wash my clothes each time with sportwash. Stick em in a heavy trash bag . Throw in a earth wafer for measure incase there is some kind of scent in the bag. Exit vehicle , strip and dress , and put a earth wafer on my hat . My logic for that is your head is where you loose heat and tend to sweat from . Atleast a area that isn't well layered to help contain your scent.

I've got a footnote to add to this. Over the years, I've stopped using scent much. I prefer the scent free approach similar to fallvitals, but without a cover scent, instead I try to approach and exit my stand without crossing deer trails or the areas I think they frequent.

I do however carry a bottle of estrous scent during the early part of november, and a few scent wicks. If I notice bucks exhibiting seeking behavior, or chasing and following does that are not interested, or if the wind starts getting shifty I will sometimes tie a wick onto my haul up rope and lower it down so that the scent will be out there.