Whitetail hunting tips

Hello everyone

I'm not sure if this topic was previously started and if it's legal for traditional hunting, but here it goes:
What are you using for deer hunting as far as scent control, baits, lures, etc? How and where you place the lures and bait? if you use them at all.
Thank You all

I don't use any attractants,and for scent control, I use the wind, its been working for a long, long time.

Scent control. You really can't buy all the special clothes and stuff and not have to pay attention to the wind. You'd probably waste hundreds of dollars on that stuff, even though the scent control camo jackets and stuff is awesome looking. What I do is of course hunt the wind and pay attention to thermals, etc. I also a week previous to season take my clothes that I plan on wearing outside to our porch and let them hang out there for a week to get the outdoor smells. Now calls, I'm not a huge call fan for deer hunting but I guess I could say there is 1 that works occasionally and might be worth it to carry with you. I carry a grunt call with me because occasionally it can make deer's curiosity bring them near your stand. Sometimes if I'm hunting a field and see a deer about 150 yards away I make a couple grunt calls which sometimes brings them into closer range. One thing though, don't overuse the call because it will scare them off. I like to use it very sparingly.

I'll beat a gum here. I also hunt the wind. I can't afford the special clothes and if I could I wouldn't buy them as they have been proven not to work. But many folks like them. I also use scents. I collect fox urine and skunk musk from my trapped fur, both can be bought at the store. The freshest I have smelled thats closest to what comes out of a fresh animal is tinks brand. Both animals are common here in Alabama. I wouldn't say it masks my scent, as this is impossible, just makes my scent not as strong, therefore, not alarming the deer as much. I will say this about scents, they will make a deer hunt the animal they smell. I have witnessed this several times. One time a seal had ruptured on a small glass bottle of skunk musk after I applied it to my boot heel. I could not put it in my pocket so I set it down on a pine stump. A doe came alone and sniffed of the bottle and just stood there looking around in circles. She would walk a ways around the bottle just looking. I have seen bucks and does do this. Hope this helps.

Amikee said:

What are you using for deer hunting as far as scent control, baits, lures, etc?

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Cleanliness and no colognes or scented UA deodorants (not just for hunting season - I can't stand most perfumes). I air out my hunting clothes for a week on the outside clothesline before the season.

Baits are illegal in NY (and I don't use them, but every sporting goods store has shelves full so someone is).

Lures - none.


I pay very close attention to the wind and assume a deer will ID me if he gets a whif no matter what I wear or carry.

I hunt the wind and try not to pass gas. :rotf: :rotf: sorry, couldnt help myself



P.S. dont listen to the "experts" on t.v., just buy a good old "Da Yoopers" cd and you will learn all you need to know about hunting lol.

I doubt if any of those scent control items do one bit of good. The best predators in nature hunt the wind and so do I! Even camo is unimportant as long as what you wear breaks up your outline.

I'm a firm beleiver in the deers ability to see UV and therefore I don't ever wear blue and wash my hunting cloths in scrapes of bar soap to avoid the UV brighteners.

Last Saturday I had a whitetail walk RIGHT under my stand. I was 16' off the ground. If I tried to shoot it from that position the arrow would have been coming off the rest. Had to let it walk about ten feet. In any event I wash my clothes in un-scented soap and change every day, I cut a path to a stand that is different from the deer trail. One tip I would suggest is scent. If the deer is moving it helps to have it stop. A scent might not make bucks come running to you from a country mile but if you put some in a shooting lane the scent can make the deer stop to smell it. Even skunk essence will work.
I put the stand up Thursday. Friday was opening day. At 10:30 I quit for my traditional thermos of coffee and donut. I stopped at the check station- nothing. Then had lunch at 2:00 p.m. 3 deer had come in. At 5:15 p.m. I had a bobcat walk right under my stand and in my opinion- smarter than the whitetail, it stopped, looked right at me, walked behind the tree, stopped again, looked right at me, walked off. (You can't shoot bobcat in this area). At 8:30 p.m. there had been one more deer.
Saturday- I didn't leave at 10:30 a.m. for coffee. Got the deer at 11:00 a.m. Sunday- zippo but the area was compromised by the Saturday deer, my tracks running it down, etc.
In any event- stay on a stand as long as possible. Good luck.
Venison, the other dark meat :grin:

I often hunt into the wind but do not wory much about it I have not seen any great importance to scent over signt and sound with Deer, I have watched Deer slip away from folks from a distance with a spotting scope and theur reaction is usally with the ears and a gaze not a sniff, there are so many human smells in the woods from logging and recreation I don't think they distinqush it as trouble but it makes the scent makers rich, I have more than once crawled into a herd of Elk in the thick xmas trees with the wind at my back that I could almost touch their legs, but brak a branch or let then see me and they were gone, I used to play withthem when trapping when I found a herd, to each theri own one must do what gives them confidence, then again maybe I smell like an animal :idunno:
This reminds me of a friend who went bowhunting years ago with skunk scent and had ol' Pepe hopping after him for an hour before he made it back to his truck and got inside :shocked2:

Watch the wind and hunt with it in mind.
Never used the scents that are for sale, but the camps smelled like a vet's clinic.
Now I am a coffee drinker from way back. Drink my coffee before I put on my Camo's. Don't know which deer like regular or de-caffinated.

i never use attractants when hunting, i just try to be mindfull of the wind direction ( which isnt always in my favor). for cover scent i just stand in the campfire smoke for a bit. somethings that i do a few days before a hunt are: drink lots of water to flush out my system, switch to unscented hygene items, and i avoid heavily spiced foods (garlic, curry, cumin, parmesan, etc.) for fear of the added smell on my breath and in my sweat. ok, maybe im a little OCD, but makes me feel more "under the radar" :haha:

this may sound a little gross, but i figure if im hunting deer, i might as well smell like one.
put about 1/4 cup deer droppings in 20oz bottle.
add hot water.
shake up a bit.
let sit for a few days.
pour 5oz in a 25-32oz spray bottle, fill rest with water. spray on bottom of feet :grin:

i have to cross one of three trails that lead to my favorite stand and whenever deer cross my path they always look right at my stand. started doing this a few years back and not one deer has looked at my stand. they stop to smell it every time but never look at my stand. and half of them act all sorts of goofy when they smell it. even big bucks will start dancing and hoping around.

From my experience the surest way to find deer is to hunt squirrels. :haha:

Seriously, hunting squirrrels I see lots of deer, and then I run into deer hunters who complain they haven't seen anything for days. Had a deer walk close enough to me a couple years ago I could have bayoneted him, and I wasn't wearing camo or using bait or scents.

Curious, most skunks clear the area when they detect defense musk. That skunk must have thought he found a buddy. :haha:

"Curious, most skunks clear the area when they detect defense musk. That skunk must have thought he found a buddy.'

That is what Gary thought as well, and an horndog one at that!

Dang, I keep waiting for someone to add Coues whitetails to the list.

I hunted them as a kid using both 32-40 and 30-30, and I have a growing itch to get back down there and try it again with a muzzleloader. Most of what you read today is all about long scopes and cartridges about as long, but I know from personal experience a good hunter can put one in front of a muzzleloader.

:rotf:

I have also used skunk essence on my boots when I bowhunted years ago. I would have deer follow my tracks all the way to my treestand and just look up at me when the trail would end; very comical indeed. I am not a big believer in camo for deer but I am a firm believer of scents for both trapping and hunting.

Deer can scent you downwind for several hundred yards easily; I have seen it from treestands on bedded deer many times while other hunters moved into the area.

Our early Oct. season I hunt corn fields.Wind can be any direction.
I wash my clothes in Baking soda and hang to dry.
Next I get a fire going and hang clothes around it.Then dump on wet leaves and smoke them.
After smoking,into a plastic bag till hunt.
Myself
Before I go out,everytime,shower with Ivory soap.Hair and all.
No deoderants at all.Baking Soda can be used.Brush teeth and take Peppermints along and have one in my mouth at all times.
I have had the wind blowing over my shoulder while sitting on a lawn chair in the corn rows with deer at 5-10yds.Closest was in suprise rain with the flinter.All 5 doe went past and gun would not go off(3x).If it had it would have been a 2 row shot.

I'm not a believer in scent control, but do occasionally hang hunting clothes where they pick up odors from the horses. This past muzzleloading season I hung up the clothes in the horse trailer, with a horse tied to either side. The clothes hung there for a week until my wife's horse reached in through the vents, pulled the clothes out and mashed them in his manure and urine.

I don't enjoy the horse's sense of humor.

Just pay attention to the wind, but don't obsess about it.