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Deer Scents When Why And How

Deer scents are used to attract deer, cover your human scent, or create curiosity by mimicking natural deer odors in their environment. Here’s a breakdown of the different types of deer scents, when, how, and why to use them:

1. Doe Urine

• What it Mimics: Doe urine is the natural scent of a female deer.
• When to Use:
  • Year-round, but most effective during early season (before the rut) and in areas where does are common.
• How to Use:
  • Apply to scent wicks, drag rags, or spray it around your hunting area, particularly near scrapes, rubs, and feeding zones.
  • Use as a cover scent by applying it on your boots or lower clothing to mask human scent while walking to your stand.
• Why Use:
  • Bucks and does alike will find doe urine familiar and non-threatening.
  • It helps calm deer, making them less likely to spook.
  • It can also mask human odors in the hunting area.

2. Estrus Doe Urine (Doe in Heat)

• What it Mimics: This is the scent of a doe in estrus, indicating that she is ready to mate.
• When to Use:
  • Best used during the peak rut (November), when bucks are actively seeking mates.
• How to Use:
  • Apply it to scent wicks or drag rags, and place them near scrape lines or travel corridors where bucks are likely to be.
  • You can also create scent trails leading to your stand using a drag rag soaked in estrus urine.
• Why Use:
  • Bucks are highly attracted to this scent during the rut, as it signals a doe is in heat and ready to mate.
  • It can entice a buck to investigate or follow the scent trail.

3. Buck Urine

• What it Mimics: The scent of a male deer (buck).
• When to Use:
  • Primarily during pre-rut and rut (late October through early December).
• How to Use:
  • Use it near scrape lines and rubs, where bucks are establishing dominance.
  • Spray it on scent wicks or directly on the ground to simulate the presence of a rival buck.
• Why Use:
  • Bucks may respond aggressively, as they perceive the scent as a challenge to their territory.
  • It can provoke dominant bucks into investigating or confronting the intruder, giving you a better shot opportunity.

4. Buck Tarsal Gland Scent

• What it Mimics: This scent comes from a gland on a buck’s hind leg and is used to mark territory and communicate dominance. It smells musky and is often stronger during the rut.
• When to Use:
  • Best during the rut when bucks are establishing dominance and marking scrapes.
• How to Use:
  • Apply it near active scrape areas, or spray it on scent wicks around your hunting location.
  • You can also use a drag rag soaked with tarsal scent to simulate a moving buck.
• Why Use:
  • Dominant bucks will investigate the scent, especially if they think it’s a rival trying to claim their territory.
  • Younger bucks may avoid the scent, but mature bucks may come in ready to fight.

5. Doe Pheromones

• What it Mimics: A blend of hormones and scents released by does, signaling their reproductive status.
• When to Use:
  • Use during the rut when bucks are most focused on finding receptive does.
• How to Use:
  • Apply to scent wicks or use a drag rag to create a trail to your stand.
  • Place it near areas where bucks travel during the rut, like scrape lines and rubs.
• Why Use:
  • Bucks can’t resist the smell of a doe in heat, especially during the peak rut.
  • It creates a powerful illusion that a doe is nearby and ready to mate.

6. Scrape Scents

• What it Mimics: A blend of buck and doe urine and glandular secretions used to mark scrapes. Scrapes are areas bucks paw on the ground and urinate in, often under a hanging branch.
• When to Use:
  • Best during pre-rut and rut when bucks are actively making scrapes to mark their territory and attract does.
• How to Use:
  • Apply scrape scent directly into scrapes or mock scrapes that you’ve created in your hunting area.
  • Use it near scrapes to simulate a new buck or doe in the area.
• Why Use:
  • Bucks will return to check scrapes frequently, and the addition of fresh scent can make them curious or aggressive.
  • It helps trigger territorial behavior, bringing bucks back to the area.

7. Mock Scrape Scent

• What it Mimics: Similar to scrape scents, but often a stronger mix of buck urine and tarsal gland secretions to enhance the smell of a dominant buck.
• When to Use:
  • Use during pre-rut and rut to stimulate scraping activity.
• How to Use:
  • Create a mock scrape in a strategic location and apply the scent.
  • Scrape scents should be refreshed regularly to keep the scent strong.
• Why Use:
  • Bucks will believe another dominant buck is challenging them for territory, and they will return to investigate or re-mark their scrapes.
  • It draws in bucks, giving you a better opportunity to observe their behavior.

8. Curiosity Scents

• What it Mimics: These scents can vary but usually include natural smells like apples, acorns, or sweet-smelling products designed to pique a deer’s curiosity.
• When to Use:
  • Effective throughout the hunting season, particularly in areas where natural food sources (like acorns) are abundant.
• How to Use:
  • Apply to scent wicks or directly to the ground in feeding or bedding areas.
  • Use sparingly to avoid overwhelming the area with scent.
• Why Use:
  • These scents play on a deer’s natural curiosity, especially if they aren’t on high alert.
  • It can lure deer into the area out of interest or to investigate the unfamiliar smell.

9. Cover Scents

• What it Mimics: These scents mimic natural smells in the environment like pine, dirt, or acorns, helping to mask your human odor.
• When to Use:
  • Year-round, particularly when hunting in thick brush, forests, or near food sources.
• How to Use:
  • Apply cover scent on your boots, clothing, or hunting gear to blend in with your surroundings.
  • Spray it in your hunting area to eliminate or mask your scent.
• Why Use:
  • Deer have an excellent sense of smell, and cover scents can help prevent them from detecting your human odor.
  • It makes you less noticeable in the environment, reducing the risk of spooking deer.

General Tips for Using Deer Scents:

• Location: Apply scents in areas where deer are likely to frequent, such as along trails, near food sources, or in bedding areas.
• Wind Direction: Always consider wind direction when using scents to avoid spreading your human odor.
• Avoid Overuse: Using too much scent can overwhelm the deer or make the scent seem unnatural. Less is often more.
• Timing: Deer are most responsive to scents during the rut, but different scents can be effective at different times throughout the season.
• Freshness: Always use fresh, high-quality scents, as stale scents can deter deer or make them wary.

By using the right scent at the right time, you can greatly improve your chances of drawing in deer and increasing your success in the field. Deer are highly attuned to their environment, including smells, but moving fresh deer pellets or droppings from one area to another (e.g., 20 miles away) is unlikely to make them curious enough to investigate. Deer droppings primarily indicate the presence of other deer, but they don’t carry the same strong territorial or mating signals as scents like urine, tarsal gland secretions, or estrus scents.

Here’s why fresh deer pellets are unlikely to draw significant attention:

• Droppings as a Passive Sign: Deer pellets mostly signal where deer have fed and are not typically associated with immediate behavior like scent marking or communication. Other deer might notice them but wouldn’t react strongly or feel compelled to investigate.
• Lack of Scent Attraction: Unlike urine, which contains pheromones or signals related to territory or mating, droppings don’t carry the same intensity of scent that would typically attract deer.
• Territoriality: While deer are territorial, they are more sensitive to the scents related to dominance or mating (e.g., tarsal gland or estrus), and less likely to investigate the mere presence of another deer’s droppings unless combined with these stronger scents.

To truly attract deer, you would likely have more success using scents like estrus doe urine or creating a mock scrape in that new area. Droppings alone won’t create the curiosity or territorial drive that more potent scents can.