Drag rags and Scent trails. Worth it or not?


VTbowman

Recommended Posts

I feel this is a good tactic but I have had mixed to poor results.

One problem I think I have is that by the time I go threw the fields and the woods, my rag is soaking wet from morning dew and/or wet snow, etc.

I know a deers nose is awesome but to me I feel its a waste to drag a scent trail if your rag gets soaked like that. Deluted for sure.

I then just put drops of the stuff on my boots but again the wet grass and snow seems to wash it away.

I went to Tinks69 Scent Bombs and saw that work once out of 100000000 times using them.

I then tried heating the scent bombs and "I" could smell it form very far away but still did not see "amazing results".

I have tried all sorts of stuff too with simular results.

Is all this scent trail and scent bomb stuff really worth it?

Last year I went total without using scent or lures and got my 3 deer still. Nice to do it without the $30 to $40 spent on scents.

I think back and find it really has not gotten one deer for me...

Yes I feel its worth it if your in the right area and use it at the right time, but to me its still a pain and not worth the $$$ to maybe raise your chances at a deer.

JMO

How do you lay down scent trails or use scent and lures?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Drag rags and Scent trails. Worth it or not?

First off, I have had very limited success with Tinks 69, often none......I have had extremely good luck with Steve Mohr's Widowmaker scents.......

I lay a double scent trail down, one with buck lure and the other with doe lure, to similate a buck trailing a doe........has had awesome effects during the pre-rut through the secondary.....

I have used Tinks and SM's doe pee for a distraction or cover scent with excellent luck.........I use the scent bombs for this. I've never had a buck come into smell a scent bomb.....while hunting.......but have seen fresh scrapes under scent bombs I left out over night........they also work great for dispensing cover scent like I had mentioned.

I also like making mock scrapes with buck and doe estrous scents in September.........bucks are laready starting to define their territories, and some early does may start coming into estrous..........those mock scrapes will see attention fast, and will see consistant visits till the rut is about ready....

Overall I have had pretty decent luck with the use of attractants and cover scents.......I think they are worth the cost.......I just by mine in advance, usually during the late season close-outs at most stores...........can usually pick up the stuff I need at 1/4 to 1/3 of the regular cost....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Drag rags and Scent trails. Worth it or not?

I don't know, but it sure is fun watching a deer cut your trail and watch the reactions. grin.gif

Last year using a scent wick with my own urine I sat high on a hill and watched a little buck cut the trail, and almost jump out of his skin when he got a whiff of it. grin.gif. He followed it for awhile, but lost interest for some reason. Earlier that same hunt though, I watched another small buck, cut the trail and follow it right to the spot where I picked it up. Perfect broadside 20 yard shot. That was kind of funny watching that deer, nose to the ground follow that trail and then get pick his head up and look around almost as if he was saying "wha happen?" confused.gif

grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Drag rags and Scent trails. Worth it or not?

There is a time and a place for using most scents. Buck scents work better than doe scents most times than not. Estrous doe scents better have you putting it out at the right time or its worthless. Once the bucks are with the doe it is almost impossible to get them away from them regardless of what "hot" scent you try.

Straight doe pee is the best cover out there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Drag rags and Scent trails. Worth it or not?

[ QUOTE ]

Tried to share with ohiobucks last year Clay, but he didn't want any for some reason. confused.gif

grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

You should have told him it was sighting oil. wink.gif

BTW, I used to do the drag rag bit too with mixed results. When I decided to keep it simple, be as stealthy and scent free as possible I've been far more successful than before.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Drag rags and Scent trails. Worth it or not?

[ QUOTE ]

I feel this is a good tactic but I have had mixed to poor results.

One problem I think I have is that by the time I go threw the fields and the woods, my rag is soaking wet from morning dew and/or wet snow, etc.

I know a deers nose is awesome but to me I feel its a waste to drag a scent trail if your rag gets soaked like that. Deluted for sure.

I then just put drops of the stuff on my boots but again the wet grass and snow seems to wash it away.

I went to Tinks69 Scent Bombs and saw that work once out of 100000000 times using them.

I then tried heating the scent bombs and "I" could smell it form very far away but still did not see "amazing results".

I have tried all sorts of stuff too with simular results.

Is all this scent trail and scent bomb stuff really worth it?

Last year I went total without using scent or lures and got my 3 deer still. Nice to do it without the $30 to $40 spent on scents.

I think back and find it really has not gotten one deer for me...

Yes I feel its worth it if your in the right area and use it at the right time, but to me its still a pain and not worth the $$$ to maybe raise your chances at a deer.

JMO

How do you lay down scent trails or use scent and lures?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm getting away from scents altogether myself. Like you, I've had very little success over the years when using them. Most times, it's usually a small fork horn that shows any interest at all!!! This year I'm hunting without any scents at all. I'd rather put my money towards new equipment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Drag rags and Scent trails. Worth it or not?

I have found that the only way these things work is to drag from your stand to your entry point of the woods. Think about it........deer are going to follow a scent to it's strongest point.......by dragging the scent the way I do, it outs the deer right under my stand........by doing it the way most hunters do, it put's the deer out by the spot that they first dropped the drag on the ground.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Drag rags and Scent trails. Worth it or not?

It depends on the area you're hunting, the scent your using and how pressured the deer are. I've had bucks follow a scent trail right up to the tree I'm sitting in using Tinks 69. If I'm laying a trail down I'll use Tinks. For Scrapes I use a tarsal gland and Tinks Combination. Nothing is fool proof but at the right time, it does work. I don't use them every time, only during the rut and if I'm hunting a well traveled corridor or scrape line. I try to stay as scent free as possible, watch the wind, and hunt high enough up see the deer first.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest MarylandQDMA

Re: Drag rags and Scent trails. Worth it or not?

I have tryed all only to find that they don't work all that well. there are two that work well for me.

the one is Deer Sense Wildlife Scent sticks. the ones that burn. I use part a and b together and will see deer 90% of the time after use. they may not be the bigest deer but at least they seem to come into the sent.

the other is my own urine for mock scrapes. this gets the big boys fired up. I'm going to forgo the sent sticks this fall and stick to mock scrapes. I had a big 10pt work over a mock scrape last fall so try again this fall for him using the same tatic.

Frank

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest DaveGP

Re: Drag rags and Scent trails. Worth it or not?

mixed results here as well...most of the time it doesnt seem to help me at all...or atleast not on the small farm im hunting right now. 2 years ago i was hunting and i had out hs specialties scent wafers in doe estrous and i have a smalled 9 come running nose down... he circled the area and didnt wind me and came running in... and well his antlers are hanging on my wall... havent seen any other real action though... i will say i have seen rattling work though! but make sure when you rattle you stop often and look around... i got busted by the biggest buck i have ever seen... and now havent seen him again!

dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.