Scent help

[chummer]

With one in the freezer I am hunting for a big boy the rest of the year. I have three studs that I believe are still bedding in a big swamp that borders my property. This swamp can not be accessed by humans. It is about .5 mile from my plots, thus the 1 hour after dark photos. I have two killer spots to cover this swamp from 200 yards away(riffle season). From past experience these bucks will scatter soon. I was looking for a scent to maybe draw them out during shooting light. I just bought a tarsal gland scent. I figured it is still to early for estrus scent. Any thought to get these guys charged up and moving?

 

[ruskbuckss]

Have you ever tried rattling to try to draw them out. I have had limited success, calling in a few bucks with horns. It's worth a shot.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Tarsal scent plus some rattling. Mix in a few grunts, but not the deepest " monster " grunts. Make them think it's a teenie-bopper they can lick easily !!;)

 

[chummer]

The only thing I have ever called in is yearlings. I will give it a shot. Do you blind call or wait till you see one. I always thought calling at first light would work but not so far. My plan is to hike my climber in Friday afternoon and hunt it all weekend. It is a hike and will be torture to get one out of there but these are two of the biggest bucks I have ever seen. Maybe two days of dropping scent I can get one fired up.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I blind call in hopes that something will hear the grunts. I use a can call for doe bleats and then make a few grunts. I wait about 1 minute and then make a couple more grunts. Then I just wait & listen. I ONLY do calling sequences when I'm very well hidden up in a tree stand. I use pines, hemlocks, spruce trees to break my outline and surround me in an " aerial blind ". Scent - along with calling, can be effective - especially during the seeking phase right before the peak of the rut hits. Once a number of does come into estrus, the bucks won't leave the does for a call any more than a kid will leave an ice cream cone for a green salad.

 

[Booner21]

I think during the rut and on cold fronts they will move earlier my strategy would be to keep the pressure light when the time is not right and strike when the time is.

Most of my buck pics are after dark as well and because of that I have yet to hunt outside of my tower stand 15 ft of the road with my son. I don't think there is any scent that will draw them .5 mile to get them there earlier. Only thing I know is get them bedding closer, hunt closer to the bed, or hunt when they leave their bed earlier.



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[chummer]

Didn't need the scents but the grunt call worked awesome. Called in two fighting bucks. They fought for about 20 minutes playing grab ass with each other. He finally stepped in the clear. 40 yard chip shot for the 30/o6. I love it when a plan comes together.

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[bueller]

Congrats chummer !!!

 

[Bill]

Spent all day traveling yesterday and all today getting stuff ready, so I missed this. I would have played it different. But apparently I would have lost. :)

Congratulations!

 

[chummer]

Spent all day traveling yesterday and all today getting stuff ready, so I missed this. I would have played it different. But apparently I would have lost. :)

Congratulations!

For future reference what would you have done?

 

[chummer]

Just dropped him off at the Butcher. Dressed out at 168# That is a top end buck for my area. There aren't many that get bigger than that. I thought he looked bigger on the trail cam.

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[chummer]

Better pic

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[chummer]

One more

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[Bill]

Spent all day traveling yesterday and all today getting stuff ready, so I missed this. I would have played it different. But apparently I would have lost. :)

Congratulations!

Just re read your post and see you didn't actually use the scent. That's the first thing I wouldn't do. I don't like any smells. Not a farm country tactic but I'd have gotten as close the their swamp hideout way before light and spent the entire day waiting. Don't usually carry a call but sometimes do pre rut. When I do have it I only call to a specific deer after I've seen it.

Your tactic worked better.

Congrats again, you're on a roll this year. I haven't even been on a stand yet. 80 degrees today :(.

 

[chummer]

Just re read your post and see you didn't actually use the scent. That's the first thing I wouldn't do. I don't like any smells. Not a farm country tactic but I'd have gotten as close the their swamp hideout way before light and spent the entire day waiting. Don't usually carry a call but sometimes do pre rut. When I do have it I only call to a specific deer after I've seen it.

Your tactic worked better.

Congrats again, you're on a roll this year. I haven't even been on a stand yet. 80 degrees today :(.

I am sure you and your crew will start dropping some slobs soon. I was lucky, rain and warm all week. I hit a 40 degree cold front Friday night before the weekend hunters got out. Had a perfect wind and a mile from the nearest road. Everything set up perfect.

 

[wbpdeer]

Congrats on getting your buck. Always great when a plan comes together.

Bet you enjoyed watching a buck fight. ;)

 

[chummer]

Congrats on getting your buck. Always great when a plan comes together.

Bet you enjoyed watching a buck fight. ;)

First one I have ever witnessed. Unfortunately because of the beech trees I listened to it. The interaction after I could see them was awesome. Every time the 6 came within 20 yards he would posture up and the six would change direction. The snort wheezing was awesome. I felt like even though they were fighting each other they both wanted a piece of me. Unfortunately for one of them he got a piece. Even after the shot and he bolted the 6 stood at 20 yards wondering what was going on. I could have shot him 10 times. It was like the 8 ran away because of him and he was so proud. I have been hunting 30+ years and never seen anything like this.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Nice job Chummer !! I'll bet with the work you're doing up there, things are only gonna get better for you and the deer.

Do you now have enough meat to get you thru the winter until it ends next June up there ??? :D :eek:

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Great job chummer. Congrats on a nice buck.

 

[chummer]

Nice job Chummer !! I'll bet with the work you're doing up there, things are only gonna get better for you and the deer.

Do you now have enough meat to get you thru the winter until it ends next June up there ??? :D :eek:

Ha ha. Hoping for another mild winter...one that ends by May. I am spending the week in Shippingburg PA for work. Based on the number of road kills you guys have some deer around. Beautiful state with the rolling mountains. Our leaves are all off so it is nice, I am getting two falls for the price of one.