Scent and Lure Basics
By Marina Childress,
OTR Influencer
Using deer lures and attractants can increase your chances to bag a big buck, especially during the rut. Rutting bucks become so focused on breeding that they’re more susceptible to scent-based attractants.
If using scents seems intimidating, read on. Let’s start with the basics.
What type of lures/attractants are most effective?
Urine-based scents are the most popular, largely because they can be highly effective during different phases of the hunting season. But you should use the appropriate type of urine scent for the time of season you’re hunting. For example, curiosity scents are best for early bow seasons, while estrous doe scents become more appealing as rut activity starts.
When is the best time to use scents?
Deer lures are effective throughout the entire hunting season, but you should align your scent choice with the deer’s natural behaviors for that specific time. For simplicity’s sake, we can break down the season into pre-rut, rut and post-rut.
During the pre-rut, food-based attractants (think corn, acorns, apples and mineral blocks) and non-estrous urine scents are highly effective. Use food attractants in feeders or near travel routes to draw deer to specific areas. Non-estrous doe urine helps create the impression that does visit the area frequently.
In the early season, deer are focused on feeding and establishing territory. Bucks are still in bachelor groups, and does are not yet ready to mate. They mostly have food on their minds, but they are social creatures and are curious when other deer – or your non-estrous scent – are nearby.
When breeding activity starts, bucks are actively searching for does in estrus. This is the most aggressive time for bucks, and they are solely focused on breeding. Estrous doe urine is a great way to get the attention of bucks looking for a date.
When the majority of breeding is done and we enter the post-rut, bucks are still searching for the few remaining estrous does, but their focus shifts back toward feeding and recovering from the rut. Still, estrous urine lures can be effective. There are always a few does that don’t get bred, especially in areas with skewed doe-to-buck ratios, and yearling does sometimes go into estrous a month later than their more mature mothers and grandmothers. Bucks can’t help but investigate the scent of a hot doe during that time.
Food-based attractions are always an option and are important since post-rut deer need to replenish their energy. Corn, acorns and other food-based attractants will be effective in drawing deer back to feeding areas.
What about mock scrapes?
Mock scrapes are another useful tool to draw bucks, but it’s not as simple as randomly selecting a spot and removing the leaves and debris. Location and the little details of a mock scrape make or break it.
Using the right location, whether on the edge of a field, wood line or close to a bedding area, means your mock scrape will be noticed by more deer. Selecting the right overhanging branch — one of the most important parts of a mock scrape — as well as adding extra scent will help get a buck’s attention.
Tips and tricks:
- Wind direction — Always pay attention to prevailing wind. Place a lure upwind from your hunting spot so deer have to come into view of your stand to check it out.
- Scent control — While using deer lures, take care to control your human odor with scent-killing sprays. Wear scent-treated clothing and be careful while handling your gear. Wear rubber gloves when creating mock scrapes or handling scent canisters.
- Use scent in the right areas — Place lures in high-traffic areas such as trails, bedding areas, scrapes and near food sources.
- Don’t overuse — Too much scent can overwhelm or alert deer. Use just enough to attract them without making it seem unnatural.
Success with deer lures and attractants largely depends on a combination of factors such as the type of lure, timing, location and how well you understand deer behavior. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things. You’ll likely learn a few lessons the hard way, but you’ll also find new tools to add to your hunting arsenal.