The deer attractants, scents, and lore’s industry is enormous and confusing and there are big marketing budgets trying to get your attention.  On today’s episode I talk about the fundamental things new hunters need to know about this subject to be successful. You do not need to pour money into scents to hunt deer, in fact, they may hinder your hunt.

Remember, there are things deer need, deer like, and deer are intrigued by. They need food, every day, about 5 times per day and if you can give them that or find where they go for it, you will have an advantage that is much larger than any scent. They like edge, cover, and habitat diversity, and if you can locate or create that, you will give them an area that they enjoy coming and staying. Whitetails are intrigued by licking branches, mock scrapes, and other whitetails. Adding those can sweeten the pot to draw them to an area day after day, all season long. 

The best attractants focus on what deer need and like. Deer are going to go somewhere to eat and bed, every day, no matter what. If you can find or create that, you have no need for lures and scents. The lures are only useful for a short time each season, but good habitat and food is useful every single day of the season. 

The less helpful attractants are only helpful some of the time. Lures may help sometimes, but they may also hurt sometimes. Other times they have no effect at all or they only interest younger bucks while repelling older ones. The cons often outweigh the pros. And the costs can be high. If you can find out what deer must have and use it to your advantage, you will have the best chance for success.

It is true that bucks are looking for does during the rut. But there is something else they are looking for on those days, and every other day before and after. It is best to provide what will perceive as more natural. Scents and lures may come across as natural but often they are not applied naturally, they get mingled with human scent, they are put in areas that bring deer in downwind from the hunter which causes other issues. Food, cover, and bedding don’t have this problem. So, remember that the value of an attracting scent can be overridden by the liability of the human scent you leave behind trying to spread it.

You want to avoid marketing gimmicks, no matter how tantalizing they may seem. Even things that do work, usually don’t work half as well as their marketing promises. And many things don’t even work that well. Scents and lures are of questionable effectiveness most days. Better to apply funds and focus on things that appeal to deer year-round and do not depend on the perfect day, wind, and chain of events to help you.

Listen to this podcast episode to hear more! 

If you are looking for ways to see more bucks during the hunting season, check out this video I did as well:

Show Notes:

Scent control is very important for deer hunting, but it can also be very simple and inexpensive. On this episode I cover five fundamental keys for scent control that are easy for new hunters and important for all hunters to master.

Take Aways:

  • There are a lot of products out there from magic soaps to cover scents to special washing machines and air tight clothing, some of them are helpful but they are no where near as important as these five keys.
  • It’s functionally impossible to eliminate all human and synthetic scent, trying to do so is exhausting. You need to minimize your scent and then be very conscious of where and how you leave scent.
  • The wind is a huge factor, but these five factors are critical no matter what the wind is doing.

Show Notes:

If you only have one vacation day that you can use for deer hunting this year, how can you tell what is the best possible day to take it? On today’s episode I dig right into the largest weather factors that impact deer movement so you can identify the days that give you the highest chance of success.

Take Aways:

  • There are a lot of myths and partial truths when it comes to deer hunting. Don’t believe anything you hear without kicking the tires on it.
  • Any day in woods is a good day, but when you have very few days you can be in the woods, you want them to count as much as possible.
  • You can take a trophy deer on any day during any weather. But your chances can change drastically based on the conditions.
  • If you don’t enjoy hunting in certain weather then don’t. It’s not worth the time, energy, and resources to hunt on a day that makes you miserable
  • Listen to this episode to learn the top two weather factors that impact deer movement and how you can leverage them.

Show Notes:

The best treestand for a new hunter depends on several variables. You might have a strong preference, but knowing which situations call for which treestands will help you improve odds for success and have more fun in the woods. On today’s episode I talk about the three primary types of treestands and when/where they are the best options.

Take Aways:

  • Ladder Stands: These get their name from being integrated with their ladder into one piece. They are the most difficult to assemble and setup, but they are also the sturdiest, most permanent and can afford the most room for people and cargo.
  • Climbing Stands: These stands are basically climbing contraptions that let you inch your way up a tree and then sit using friction to hold you. They are the fastest to put up and the most flexible, but they can be the most difficult to use.
  • Hang-On Stands: These lightweight barebones stands use a simple strap and friction to hang onto a tree. They are light, portable, and are distraction free. They are also free of amenities.
  • Each of these stands has a scenario when they are the best option, and the worst option. Listen to the episode to find out more.