2Excited2Draw Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 I asked a similar question the other day, but not in the bowhunting forum. It is more of a general question for all deer hunters, but I hope someone here can help. I will be going back to hunt North/Central Kansas, from Nov. 22 - 27th, for the first time in 4 years! The breeding should be going strong and I am really pumped. What pointers can anyone give me about the best scents and calls to use and if there are certain parts of the day to be trying them? Forecast shows possible snow the first day or two as well, so if you deal with snow on a normal basis and know that something freezes and doesn't work, please let me know. I'm not asking if Tinks 69 is better than Code Blue and I have a feeling I will be using one of them, or something like them. There are so many different scents, I just don't want to be using something that will alert the deer, because it isn't the right time for it. Also, I've heard some say that rattling is better in the morning? Is there a better time of the day to grunt, rattle, etc. Since I only have the 4-5 days to hunt, I want to get it my best effort and any advice would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 Deer communicate all the time, not just at certain times of the day. Grunting will work now, and aggressive grunting can tick off a buck enough to draw him pretty well any time there are deer in the area, can also draw a doe in looking for a buck, have had that happen many times and had a buck not too far behind the doe. Good time to use the can call too. Have had just as much luck with rattling in the mornings as I have in the afternoons, so don't really think there is much difference there either, and have seen bucks spar and fight in both mornings and afternoons so do not think they really have a particular preference as to when they decide to be territorial in the way of fighting. On the scents, if the deer are rutting any doe in estrous scent should work we usually use tinks 69 here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Excited2Draw Posted November 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 I've always used scents, but not had a lot of luck. Maybe I've just not been in the right areas? Who knows. I thought about using a drag rag with a scent. Is there a good way to do this without getting my scent all over? The can has worked for me in the past. When grunting or rattling, it's brought in young bucks. I picked a new stand site when I was back this Spring that is pretty close to a bedding area full of pines/evergreens. My stand will be in a tree surrounded by evergreens. I will be well hidden and I think the calls will be effect with all the cover around me and the area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gliderman Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 make sure you use a clean scent patch. don't get human scent on it. wear rubber boots that are sprayed down good with scent killer and drag the line to the side of you when you walk. hang it on the branch where you want the big boy to stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted November 13, 2008 Report Share Posted November 13, 2008 Get the current issue of Field and Stream. They have an article titled the rut that explains deer activity October-December. They advise the use of grunt calls, rattling, buck urine vs. doe urine, when to make mock scrapes and so on. Not sure if I believe it all, and it may not hold true for every place in the country, but it's a great general resource. I'm using doe estrus right now, grunting, and will start rattling tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mik629 Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 I don't think there is a better time to rattle... but mind you I rattle about 30 min before to dark to shoot, that way if something is around and they take there time they will still come out during shooting light. I heard someone say it can take 45 min for a buck to come a rattle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhine16 Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 When thinking about something such as this, I always ask why would so and so happen? So why would bucks fight? Because one buck wants the other buck's girlfriend. That can happen all day any day in the rut, so I would say that rattling has the chance to be effective at any time of the day as long as a buck is in hearing range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flintlock1776 Posted November 22, 2008 Report Share Posted November 22, 2008 I have most of my success NOT using scents and calls. Know your land, get in early. I have tried and always get tempted by marketers but maybe some day I won't fall for any more of it and hunt without it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest remington88 Posted November 26, 2008 Report Share Posted November 26, 2008 i live and hunt in central kansas and the bucks are locked up with does right now i was out this afternoon for about a 5 hour sit and seen 2 bucks about 50 yds out and i grunted and bleated and everything they didnt even look at me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tink Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 South Texas Rut is not here yetI had 25 does and 5 smaller bucks ( 6 pt largest( basket buck toy buck at my blind Sunday morning no shooter bucks I filmed at lot of the does looking at the Orange Tink's scent bomb over them in a bush and Will show it to folks that think estrous doe scent will"SPOOK" Does. It's human scent not doe urine that spooks bucks & does alike The biggest joke on sportsmen is some little scent makers that say don't use too much Its very powerful whena adult doe empties her bladder she dumps all her urine not 3 drops. I wear Muck boots even here in South Tejas and Spray down with A Silver based spray. it works. 5 min after I got in my ground blind I had deer so close my Nikon range finger would NOT range them 9 ie 11 yards or less=no range readout) Bowhunting deer without an attractant scent is like cat fishing without bait at night. Happy trails Tink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted December 11, 2008 Report Share Posted December 11, 2008 whena adult doe empties her bladder she dumps all her urine not 3 drops. Actually ive heard that some of the older does may pee a couple of drops when laughing too hard... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Excited2Draw Posted December 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2008 Well, I can tell you that the bucks came looking for a fight when I used the grunt call. Mostly 2 1/2 & 3 1/2 year old bucks. A nice 5 1/2 year old turned and came to the edge of the thicket, but when he saw two more bucks who came to the grunt he turned and walked away. Must have figured they were the ones grunting. Saw several bucks with does and when I grunted at them they turned away from me and took their does with them. The scents, I used Tinks 69 and Buck in Rut, attracted deer, but I noticed the older bucks become very cautious once they got the scent and saw no deer. Maybe I should have used a decoy with the scents? The rattle bag brought in on small fork-horned buck and that was it. Would hit it every 1 1/2 hours or so, with about a 30 second sequence. So, what does all this mean? I know the rut was strong while I was there, one old buck had 4 does with him and another had 6. So, I figured out what worked for me this year, with the rut in full swing. However, who knows what will be effective for me next year, as I will be hunting during more of the seeking and chasing phase. Good luck to all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tink Posted December 12, 2008 Report Share Posted December 12, 2008 I ahve had Tinks # 69 pull buck off does they were runnign with. no rut activity at our lease in South TX so far Rut was late late in the Mid west they are calling it the rut that never happened Thanks Tink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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