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Whitetail Scrapes & How to Use Them Making the Sale, Keys to Bringing Whitetails Close |
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By Todd Amenrud
If you've always hung the bow up at the end of peak rut, you don't know what you’re missing. Serious archers and muzzleloader hunters know how productive "late season" can be. Even in our northern latitudes, some years you may have rut activity that lasts through the month of December and even in to January. On the other hand, some seasons they go into "winter survival mode" early. Which manner they’re in will determine what tactic to use. Late season can also cause some predicaments that you wouldn’t normally have the rest of the year. Following are three guidelines to help fill your late season tags.
1. Take Their “Temperature”
To know which tactics will produce, you need to know the “status” of your herd. It will all hinge upon the temperature and snow, and whether or not there are does left to be bred. Frequently there are does that aren’t successfully bred during the main rut during mid-November. If they haven’t been bred they will come into heat 28 days later. And if “it” doesn’t happen that time they’ll come into estrus one more time 28 days after that. It is also possible for first year doe-fawns to come into heat their first time, this may happen anytime from December through February and occurs most often in areas where conditions are good and they have ample nutrition.
For which ever reason this happens it can lead to what some call the “secondary rut.” If you have this playing out in your area you’ll still see a lot of sign or you’ll notice a lot more activity on your trail cameras. When you’re dealt with this you’re better off using the same tactics that would be common during mid-November. Competition tactics like aggressive calling and rattling, or breeding strategies like a scent trail of Special Golden Estrus should still produce.
In areas that have a well balanced herd most of the breeding will have been completed during November and they may start to go into what I call “winter survival mode.” In fact, even if there is some breeding left to be done if you receive severe cold temperatures or get a lot of snow they can fall into a survival routine rather than “perpetuation mode.” If this is the case they may simply find an area nearby that suits their needs, or they may move miles away into winter yards. Here in the north they’ll need thermal cover and a wintertime food source, typically the snow will suffice as their water source. Once they start their winter patterns they’ll move much less. Even if they have ample food nearby, instincts seem to tell them when the weather is bad they may not intake enough energy to offset what they are burning so they simply stay bedded.
If they’re in this survival mode you’re best to hunt the major food sources. Corn and brassicas are my two favorite food sources for a late season ambush. If I can, I like to have both planted in my late season hunting plots; however, corn is a poor yield so you need a large enough plot to do corn justice. BioLogic’s Maximum or Winter Bulbs & Sugar Beets are my favorite late season blends.
2. It’s Cold Stupid!
Are you an Idiot? That's the question I get when I tell of times sitting in a treestand when the actual temperature was -20 Fahrenheit, and that's not factoring in the wind chill. “How can you stand it?" I explain that big bucks don't stop moving just because it's cold. As we talked about above, they will almost surely reduce their movement, but you have to be there when they are. I don’t like the cold and I think the deer would like it a little warmer too. However, with planning, proper equipment, maximizing your time and a warm attitude it can still be a very productive time.
When cold temperatures hit I try to maximize my hunting time. If there is a weather front moving through, I want to be in my treestand just before the front reaches my area. On these extremely cold days there can be a lot of deer movement during midday hours. When the temperatures reach below zero I will usually only sit for three to four hours at a time. So, whatever method of predicting deer movement that you use, try and arrive “just before” you think the deer will.
Stand approach can be very important. Carry your heavy outer layers of clothing to avoid sweating up on your walk to your site. Otherwise, walk slowly. If you sweat you're going to get wet and that equals cold.
Wool and other materials that wick moisture away from your body are invaluable during late season. In these nasty temperatures my main concerns are my hands, feet and head. If one of these falls to the cold it seems you're whole body follows. For my hands, I use wool gloves and lots of disposable hand warmers. I like gloves instead of mittens because I can still operate my release effectively.
Many hunters have problems with their feet getting cold very fast. I like to use one pair of wool socks and rely on my boots to do their job. The liner design on many new cold weather boots wicks away moisture to keep your feet warm and dry. I believe that wearing multiple layers of socks actually does more harm than good. With only one or two pairs of socks your boots will typically have air space left and room for your feet to have proper circulation. If you have a tough time wiggling your toes you probably have on too many socks or need the next size larger boots. In severe cold I also like to use toe-warmers or heated insoles. These work just like the disposable hand warmers, but I do not start them until I get close to my ambush location. I don’t want my feet to sweat, or again, you’ll end up cold.
3. Perfect Practice
Your other gear may endure consequences from the cold as well. Do you know how your bow will perform in severe temperatures? Do you know how YOU will perform in the cold? I make sure that I take at least a couple shots in the same temperature that I'll be hunting in with the same clothing I’ll be wearing. Your bow probably will shoot a bit differently in - 20 as opposed to + 60. I've heard many people tell stories about how they couldn't physically draw their bow because of tense, cold muscles or because their clothes were too bulky. Wouldn't you like to know that before the moment of truth?
I messed up on a huge buck while hunting Manitoba a few years ago because of my clothing. I packed a full face-mask and put it on when I got to my treestand. The buck came along and I couldn’t settle in for the shot because I couldn’t touch my bow-string to my nose. I just couldn’t get comfortable so I let the buck walk. I cursed that face-mask and my stupidity for not practicing with it before heading afield.
Other equipment also needs to be considered. Calls that are blown into will put moisture into the call. Calls that are inhale only are typically freeze-proof. Some hunters turn their call around and inhale through the tube end. If the breeding is through in your area, remember to tone it down with your calling. Use soft, social vocalizations if that is the case.
Scent can still work excellent during late season; however, some of our dispersal methods will not. An Ultimate Scrape Dripper may freeze-up for you. I still make a lot of scent trails and simple Pro-Wick set-ups trying to lure in bucks from downwind. Here again, which scents to use will depend upon the status of your herd. If it looks like there may be does that have yet to be bred, Special Golden Estrus may still be your best bet. In fact, I will often use it to “light a fire” in my hunting area even if I think the breeding has concluded. Otherwise, Trail’s End #307, Buck-Nip or Select Doe Urine may be a less aggressive bet.
Deer have a temperature comfort zone just as we do. Many times in excessively cold temperatures they will stay bedded and not move much. To them, it may be that getting up and expending energy is not as important as conserving energy. However, I've seen some of the biggest whitetail of my life during freezing cold temperatures. My dad taught me during my first few years hunting that many times it's the hunter who can stay still, patient and alert the longest that ends up with the prize to show for their efforts. In extreme temperatures that's not easy. But, if you plan right and use the proper gear you can bag a cold weather buck.
Pulling the Drain-Plug
Using Funnels and Structure to Bag Your Buck
By Todd Amenrud
Sometimes a funnel will be obvious, but sometimes it may be a very subtle variance that causes them to travel in one spot. A beaver pond made part of the funnel that restricted this buck’s movement, but the other side of the funnel may not be noticed by many, it was just a subtle terrain break.
I got lucky and had chosen the right spot! In one morning I had counted over 50 deer, several “shooters” and had killed a mature 5 by 6. Almost all 50 deer passed by within bow range of my treestand. But looking at my set-up I would bet most hunters would not recognize why I picked the spot. It can be as simple as picking out a funnel between two obvious restrictions such as a swamp, river, open field or other obstruction. But the structure variance may be much more subtle or difficult to spot, yet to a whitetail it would probably be obvious. Learning to recognize these features can be a key to putting antlers on the wall and filling your freezer.
Much of choosing the proper stand site has to do with “structure.” In the same way that an angler finds the “spot on the spot,” the lay of the land and topography differences that restrict or “guide” movement are keys to stand placement. As with most animals, whitetail travel from place to place using cover and terrain to their advantage. Learning to recognize the transition areas, access points, and travel corridors of whitetail is a crucial to choosing your ambush location. In fact, if you choose the right funnel during the chase phase of the rut it can seem like God just pulled the drain-plug on a sink full of deer - just like it did for me on that day.
One of the first things you should do when approaching a new spot is to obtain an aerial photo, satellite image or topographical map. The first spots to focus on are the funnels. I don’t care if you’re hunting big timber, agricultural land or rural lots - there are funnels in your hunting area. With agricultural land and more populated areas, funnels are easier located because of the sections and man-made dividers, but there are bottlenecks everywhere. Wherever you can restrict their movement to a smaller zone there is typically going to be more traffic. Also, if you can confine their movement to a smaller area it’s easier to position yourself to remain undetected from their “nose.”
It’s actually best if you can use both, a satellite image and a topo-map. An aerial photo or satellite image won’t show you the terrain breaks, so it’s difficult to tell whether it’s flat ground or an incline. Some hunters would have looked at my spot that day and not noticed a funnel at all because the deer were free to travel anywhere. But they didn’t want to travel “anywhere,” they wanted to take the path of least resistance. My funnel was created by a beaver pond on one side of the funnel, which was an obvious barrier, but the other side was a subtle terrain break. Sure the deer could have traveled anywhere on the ridge-side, but they chose the easiest route.
When looking over an area I like to imagine it without any trees, brush or blow-downs first. Look for the points, topography breaks, steeper angles, edges or turns that will force or encourage the animal to go one way over another. If you try and foretell their travel patterns this way first, when you add the trees, brush and blow-downs back to the picture it can sometimes seem obvious where they will pass through.
We can actually influence whitetails to travel where we want. Around the beginning of August I will sometimes create my own trails by using a pruner through brush, and a weed-whacker through the tall grass and weeds. Mature bucks can often be found near the thickest, nastiest brush you can find. BUT, when traveling through the thick cover they will almost always travel the easiest route they can find. Again - the path of least resistance.
You can also fall trees to force them to go a certain direction. I do this a lot around my food plots, I push dozer pilings or fall trees to create funnels. Not only do I try to force them to travel through one of my “kill zones,” I also use these downed trees to block them from going downwind of me. I will actually pick out my treestand trees before I decide where to create these bottlenecks, always keeping into consideration the prevailing wind currents.
You can aid them in becoming accustomed to your man-made trail by adding some scent. I use Wildlife Research Center's Select Doe Urine and create a trail with it. Periodically I stop and make a scent-post with Coon Urine and some of the Select Doe Urine. I don't mix them; I'll pour some directly on the ground or on the base of a tree, two to four feet apart, near or directly on the trail. Many of the animals in the whitetail's world mark their territories in a similar manner. Just like the fox, coon, cats, elk or moose, whitetails will mark territory with urine and with other visual and scent oriented stimuli. It’s a sign to the other animals saying "hey, I live here too." I've watched whitetail approach a sign-post created a couple days prior, sniff the ground, and urinate directly over where I poured the scent.
Normally whitetails will use the cover to their advantage. However, I've seen the opposite while hunting open areas. They will use the wide-open to their benefit and they seem to learn that "distance" means “safe.” If they don't have thick cover to work with, they will usually take the path least noticeable to us or other predators. Several times I've witnessed mature bucks travel in dried up or shallow creek beds. All you could see was the tips of their antlers as they passed by.
Common sense and the conditions play a large role in predicting deer movement. During a forty mile-an-hour wind a whitetail will normally use travel routes that keep them protected from the gale. During very warm days whitetails will more than likely stick to the shade while moving. In fact, even in much colder temperatures, as long as it's "mostly sunny" whitetail seem to stick to the shade. A lot of ground can be eliminated by using your brain and paying attention to the conditions and choosing the type of structure that will provide the animals the most comfort and feeling of safety.
It may be advised once you find a good spot, to set up multiple stand locations so that you can play different wind directions and conditions. At a given time I may have as many as a dozen different stand locations to pursue one specific buck. This way you won’t burn a stand and ruin your chances at a mature buck by pushing your luck and hunting a site when the conditions aren’t in your favor.
When someone mentions the word structure, fishing pops into my mind. Both fish and/or the bait they feed on, usually relate to some form of structure. You want to find the "spot on the spot" - the "something different” that will attract the fish. For whitetails it's to a certain degree the same. You need to learn to read the structure. Identify the areas whitetail frequent, and then discover the reason whitetail favor that spot and you'll start putting more notches in your bow.
True Slug-Gun Accuracy
By Augustus Fletcher
Brian Smith with a monster buck taken with his trusty designated slug gun (DSG). By setting up your own DSG and following Brian’s advice, you can hit the deer season with confidence that point of aim equals point of impact, when you pull the trigger on a shotgun slug.
Photo: Lightfield Wild Adventures TV
Gun deer season is perhaps the most eagerly anticipated hunting of all, especially if you gauge things by popularity. Woods and fields are loaded with everyone from seasoned experts to absolute rookies, all hoping for the same thing: a deer within range that can be killed with a single, well-placed shot.
In some areas, rifles are allowed. But more and more deer hunters on the modern landscape chamber slugs into shotguns that are used for other pursuits at other times. Slugs fired through shotgun barrels are often mandated by law, and often cursed by those who must use them.
That’s because shotgun slugs have gained a reputation for being randomly accurate then randomly way off, and at the moment of trigger pull it’s hard to say which one you’re about to get. Or, reasonably accurate out to perhaps 50 yards, or 80 yards, beyond which accuracy and confidence fade significantly.
It’s a cryin’ shame for a lot of reasons, says Brian Smith, co-host of Lightfield Wild Adventures TV. After many years of hunting all manner of big game all over the world, he and brother Mark have refined a system for building impressive and repeatable accuracy with what they call designated slug guns (DSG).
Following their recipe for success will improve your shotgun slug accuracy, too.
“Killing shots come from knowing where the bullet is going, every time,” says Brian Smith. “We go everywhere and shoot every kind of animal with our DSGs, even out West, where a lot of people think you have to have a rifle.”
What’s a DSG?
Here’s the concept behind the designated slug gun.
“No matter what slug you shoot,” explains Brian, “once you get that firearm sighted in, don’t change it. Don’t take the barrel off of it, or the scope off of it. Leave that gun for what it is, your designated firearm for shooting slugs.”
Accused of being a bit picky, especially given that generations of hunters have been using the same shotgun for waterfowl or pheasants one weekend and deer the next, he says, “what would happen if you took your .30-06, got it all sighted in, and right before you leave for deer hunting you removed the barrel and put a different barrel on it?
Virtually any shotgun can become a DSG, Brian says, although some work better than others.
“The best DSG you can make for yourself,” he says, “is one where the barrel doesn’t move around much. (Remington) 870s make good DSGs. H&R makes a break-action single shot slug gun that’s great, because the barrel is fixed. On a lot of semiautomatics, the barrel floats a lot, but we’ve had luck with some of them.
“Bolt actions are best, because they’re pinned, the barrel can’t move; it’s as permanently affixed to the receiver as you can make it.”
A crucial piece of the system is the slug itself, and the Smith brothers rely on Lightfield slugs, which are built around numerous patented technologies developed for military use as far back as the 1970s. “It’s a long story,” says Brian, “but for military use, the shotgun slugs had to be accurate out to 150 yards when fired out of a smooth bore, with human lives on the line. They’re hourglass-shaped slugs with a permanently fixed post wad that acts like veins on a dart, staying with the slug all the way to impact. When you pull the trigger, the powder ignites instantly and the slug expands to completely fill the barrel, so no gases escape. The slug is spinning as fast as 53,000 rpms down the barrel. You get incredible velocity and accuracy.”
The combination of a designated slug gun shooting this ammo allows him to consistently put numerous slugs into the same hole at 50 yards, says Brian, “touch slug hole to slug hole at 100 yards, and shoot groups with every shot within 2 1/2 inches at 150.”
When you can consistently shoot like that while packing the brute force knock-down power of a shotgun slug, you have complete confidence on your side when a chance presents itself in the deer stand. But to get to that point, there are some key considerations as you firm up and sight in your designated slug gun.
Think Like a Slug-Gun Shooter
“In order to become the best you can be as a slug-gun shooter,” says Brian, “you have to think as a slug-gun shooter.”
There’s more to this subject, and we’ll get to it in future articles, but here are some of the major keys you can put to use right away.
• Hold on tight while setting the sights.
“At the range, you cannot shoot a slug gun like you’re shooting a rifle,” he says. “When you sight in a rifle, you have the rifle on a bench rest and don’t touch the front end of the gun. You simply look through the scope and pull the trigger. The recoil forces the barrel to jump, but the brass-jacketed round will outrun the muzzle jump. (The bullet is out of the barrel and on its way, in other words, before the recoil causes the barrel to jump upward.)
“If a slug gun is fired while you’re not holding the forend down, the barrel will jump and throw the slug up in the air, as much as six inches at 100 yards. So you think you have it dialed in, but what you actually did was dial in the muzzle jump. So you get out there hunting, and you’re holding the gun with both hands, a deer is in your sights, you shoot, and you’re hitting way low.
“Even though a shotgun slug is really fast, it’s not as fast as a rifle bullet, so you have to hold a slug gun down firmly as you sight it in.”
• Keep your slugs cool.
On sighting-in day, particularly if it’s a nice warm afternoon, keep your slugs in a cooler so they behave the same as they will on hunting days.
“Slugs are made to perform best in cool temperatures,” says Brian. “That’s because most deer hunting takes place on cool or cold days. If it’s a nice hot day at the range, and your slugs are sitting out in the open, soaking up the sun, they’re going to perform differently than they will during hunting season, when it’s probably going to be a lot colder. If you sight the gun in with those hot slugs, you are dialing in accuracy, but it won’t be repeatable when it’s colder outside. We keep our slugs out of the sun, in a cooler, until we’re ready to sight in. Then we take them out and shoot them while they’re cool. It makes a big difference.”
There is much more to this story, and we’ll be exploring the finer points of slug-gun hunting in coming episodes. For now, the big takeaway is that consistent accuracy is “not only possible, but you should expect it,” says Brian.
Given how precise deer hunters are with so many other aspects – scouting, stand placement, wind direction, scent control and on and on – it is a cryin’ shame when, at the moment of truth, you feel like you’re sending forth a ball of lead with all the predictable accuracy of a knuckleball heading toward home plate.
You can read more about the latest slugs and watch episodes of Lightfield Wild Adventures at www.litfld.com.
Whitetail Scrapes & How to Use Them
Picking a Scrape or ‘Scrapping’ Your Pick
By Todd Amenrud
From October through December there are a number of ways to use a buck’s scrapes as the focal point of a hunt. However, without the use of a trail camera or an Ultimate Scrape Dripper it might be difficult to determine when the scrape is being hit. A good number of scrapes are made and seldom freshened again, and a good majority of scrapes are made nocturnally. How do you know whether you’ve picked the right scrape location or if you should scrap the site for somewhere new?
Each fall when the amount of sunlight starts to decrease bucks start to produce increased amounts of the hormone "testosterone.” When the testosterone levels rise, antlers harden and the velvet starts to dry and fall off. From this time on the whitetail buck is ready to breed. During this period the bucks start to leave scrapes.
A scrape is made by the buck pawing the ground and whisking the leaves and dirt away under an overhanging interaction branch, often referred to as a “licking branch.” He will normally chew on, and rub his forehead and pre-orbital glands on the overhanging branch as well. The majority of the time he'll also urinate down his hocks and over his tarsal glands into it. The order of these steps may vary from one buck to another, but most often they will occur in exactly this order.
Some call a scrape “a buck's "calling card" to the does.” I disagree; I feel a scrape's primary function is to be a buck's "breeding-territory marker,” and it's left for ALL of the deer in the area, especially the other bucks.
Rather than concentrating on field edge or perimeter scrapes I like to search out scrapes closer to the bedding areas. Your chances are better there for an encounter during legal light. Look for the largest scrapes, scrapes that have been freshened again and again, and clusters of active scrapes.
Rather than using a buck’s natural existing scrapes, mock scrapes can also be a great way to entice bucks into an area. My best luck comes from making a series of mock scrapes and using Ultimate Scrape Drippers over them…my own little fake "scrape-line" so to say. The Ultimate Scrape Drippers are heat activated so they drip during daylight hours. This conditions bucks into showing up during legal shooting light and staying in the area longer. This method has produced several P&Y qualifiers for me.
Targeting the right area is very important. You can't just go out to any overhanging branch and expect to create a successful mock scrape. I tend to pay less attention to scrapes made on field perimeters and concentrate on ones closer to bedding and secure areas. You want to target an area that a buck is claiming as his. Move in and make it look and smell like there's a rival buck moving in on his turf.
Once I find the area, I search out the same type of tree with the same height overhanging branch (licking branch or interaction branch) that the buck originally approved of. Try to duplicate the variables that the specific buck that you're after originally preferred. I may also make my own phony rubs with my pruner or a wood-rasp.
You can also use the buck’s natural existing scrapes. In the whitetail world the same scrape may be utilized by many different bucks. However, more often than not I’ll make my own, trying to copy the specifics found with the buck’s existing scrape.
The actual mock scrape is best created with a sturdy stick found in the area. Try to make the scrape on flat ground if possible and make sure it is free from all debris.
I like to use several drippers and possibly vary the scent used in each. I believe with more than one "mock" you’re increasing your chances that something's going to be right with at least one of them that will draw a response. I’ve used as many as six drippers and created as many as a dozen mock scrapes in an area about the size of an acre. My two favorite scents are Active Scrape, and Trail's End #307 used in the dripper. However, you can use any liquid scent as long as it will flow through the dripper. With the larger size of the new Magnum Dripper 4 ounces of scent can last up to three weeks.
Another product that I want to try more that was new last year is the Hot-Scrape Kit. This comes with a conditioner and activator to make a simple, fast mock scrape that you may hunt immediately. You can also use it to make a buck’s existing scrape, or scrape area, smoking hot. This kit can be used in conjunction with an Ultimate Scrape Dripper or on its own.
Timing is important for mock scrapes to work. In the Midwest I seem to have my best luck from the second week of October through the first week of November. And, then again from around Thanksgiving and into the first part of December. When the bucks are actively chasing and breeding, mock scrapes are probably not your best tactic. You want the bucks to be in "claiming and protecting breeding territory mode."
Don't expect your exact mock scrape(s) to necessarily get hit. Sometimes they may cream the actual mock scrape, but my goal is simply to draw them to the area during legal shooting light and hold them there for a longer period of time.
Several years ago I learned another trick from my brother-in-law Mike Berggren. Four years ago he was hunting one of his larger food plots and had numerous nice bucks come into the plot during legal hunting light but could never get a shot because everything was out of range. He told me how the bucks had scrapes all around the perimeter of the plot and they were just tearing them up…just not the ones closest to his set-up. He watched this for a couple days and got tired of the bucks using the scrapes on the other side of the plot or out of range of his arrow, so he cut off all of the licking branches accept for a couple near his treestand. He arrowed a Pope & Young buck the next time he sat in the stand.
Since this episode we have tested this theory and will now even create mock scrapes in the areas where we want them to be and take out the licking branches where it is difficult to gain the advantage. Pre-rut, and somewhat during post-rut, a good majority of the bucks that enter a food plot will use these scrape locations. In fact, often for those “breeding class” bucks (and the small ornery ones) it’s the first thing they do when they get to the plot. If there isn’t a good overhanging branch in the area, we will often make our own by cutting one off of another tree. If it’s already been an actual licking branch from another scrape, all the better – then it’s got the natural smells deposited from the forehead and preorbital glands of the deer in the area.
When I hunt the site I will often also use scent to seal the deal. Dragging in a trail of Special Golden Estrus during pre-rut or setting out some wicks soaked in Trail’s End #307 during early season can position a “shooter” exactly where you want him.
A hunter should use all other aids and information in conjunction with scrapes. Know where the does are bedding, what the preferred food sources are at that time, where your target buck is bedding, and where he may have other hot scrape areas. Take in the big picture of the whole area and use all of the scrapes in relationship with other factors before making your set-up.
Making the Sale, Keys to Bringing Whitetails Close
Part of the fun of hunting is trying new and different techniques, trying to “make something happen.” Here the author poses with a buck that was lured in by calling and scent.
By Todd Amenrud
The big Minnesota buck stood at the edge of a picked corn field about 250 yards away. Even at that distance I could see he was a definite “shooter.” Rather than skirting the field and coming by my stand located just off of the corner of the field, he chose to cut straight across the middle. What to do? I picked up my rattle-bag and cracked it as hard as I could. He stopped and turned his head in my direction. I hit the rattle-bag a second time and he came on a steady trot in my direction! Once he reached 100 yards he slowed to a fast walk and started to swing downwind. Long story short - he stood 60 yards downwind of me hardly moving a muscle for over five minutes. The only movements were his ears and his nose waving in the breeze trying to locate the two bucks that he had heard fighting. He turned and slowly disappeared over the ridge.
What makes a situation seem real to you? If you can see it, hear it, smell it, touch it - the more senses we appease, the more that condition will seem real. If to us, why not a whitetails? By using different techniques a hunter can appeal to a variety of the whitetails’ senses at once. On that day I sure wish I would have had some scent out to coax him in the final 60 yards.
Decoying can appeal to their sight, calling can fool their hearing, and scent, or the lack of, can trick their sense of smell. Why not appeal to all three at once or at least combine two of them. After having success with scent and with calling, I've been experimenting more with decoys. I find that when using decoys, adding scent, calling, or a combo of both will almost always help, but you have to pay attention to a few details.
First, you have to start with the correct decoy. I believe that decoy posture and movement are particularly significant. Some decoys are in an alert posture. This typically brings other deer in alert and edgy also. You'll often get them to come to within forty to sixty yards or so, snorting and stomping the ground at your decoy. Or maybe it’s at whatever has your decoy so alert.
When is it natural for a standing deer to be totally motionless - when it’s alert and about to bolt? I’ve done a number of different things to add motion to a decoy, from tying a string to a chicken feather or white hanky, taping the string to the hind end or ear of the decoy and letting the wind move it, to tacking a real whitetail-tail to the hind end of the decoy and operating it with a monofilament line. Granted, in a fifteen MPH wind the chicken feather was fluttering so fast it looked like the decoy would soon take flight, but I believe even that extreme motion is better than no motion at all. There are decoy kits on the market that help to convert standard decoys into motion decoys and decoys that come with moving parts so hunters have many options.
Sometimes an alert posture will work. In fact, sometimes I want an alert, aggressive posture. For instance, if I’m after an older, more dominant buck then “playing the competition card” and using aggressive tactics has worked great. When after younger bucks or any deer, success depends on many other factors.
What time of year is it? Are you after a buck, doe, or will any deer do? What age class buck are you after? Best advice here, think about what “the specific” deer wants at that particular time of year and give them a reason to close the distance. For any deer, any time of year, I feel a decoy in a feeding, greeting or bedded posture is best.
As far as scent goes, you first have to start by eliminating foreign smell. After your decoy is cleaned in Scent Killer Soap, only touch it with gloves and make sure it's stored in a place where foreign odors are not going to transfer on to it. If you have to transport your decoy, place it in a garbage bag or something that will seal out foreign odors.
When choosing lures and scents, again, think about what the deer wants at that specific time of the season and give it to them. Early season with a doe decoy I might use plain doe urine…just something to add realism to the scenario. Closer to the rut with a buck decoy sometimes I'll use a combo of Active Scrape and Mega Tarsal Plus. One gives a full spectrum scrape aroma and the other is a territorial intrusion scent. Trying to creating the illusion my fake buck is moving into his breeding territory. Think about "how" and "why" a buck might interact with your set-up. Try and make it seem as natural as possible. Give them a reason to close the distance.
When dispersing the scent, I prefer to put the scent on a Pro-Wick or a Key-Wick near the decoy rather than putting the smell right on the decoy. Simply because a week later it smells like last week’s pee. This way I don’t have to constantly scrub down my decoy. Keep the decoy clean.
Calling can be the third weapon in your arsenal. Once again, situations differ. It might be adding some soft social grunts during early season while using a buck decoy, or maybe adding an estrus bleat in combination with some estrus lure during the rut. One of my favorite tactics just before and after the peak of the rut, is to set-up a small buck decoy standing over a bedded doe decoy. Then I'll do my best imitation of an intense buck fight. In between rattling sequences I might imitate an estrus bleat. I try and create the illusion that two bucks are fighting over my fake doe in estrus. The smell of some Special Golden Estrus should also aid in pulling off the gag. This worked to bring in two mature bucks for me last season.
Even if you subtract the decoy, the combination of calling or rattling and the use of scent can work great. They hear “deer sounds”, and then circle downwind and smell “deer smells,” it gives them a reason to close the distance.
Some hunters might say "by trying to appeal to more senses you’re leaving yourself open to making more mistakes". Details are important whenever you hunt whitetails. Use common sense; keep human scent out of the picture, and present things as natural as possible. Answer the question of “why" would that specific deer want to interact with your set up? And if he does “how” he might interact with the scenario you've presented? Maybe to be social or maybe it's for competition. The more realistic you can make it seem the better it will work for you!
By Mike Frisch
Most of my stories involve fishing. However, I have hunted my entire life, mostly for pheasants and deer utilizing firearms. Several years ago, however, I took up bowhunting and have become passionate about pursuing whitetail deer using tree stands. I have been fortunate enough to harvest several deer over the years with my bow. Here are some things I have learned during my bowhunting education.
Lesson #1
Hunting deer with a bow is a challenge.
I always believed it was difficult to hunt with bow. Once I actually started the sport, I realized just how difficult it can be. First, the deer must be close to you. When I first started hunting, my effective shooting range was 20-yards. Practice has expanded that range to 35-yards. Nevertheless, having a deer come that close is still a challenge.
Plus, when a deer is that close any little movement or sound you make will often be detected. That means positioning your body for a shot, drawing your bow, and releasing an arrow are all difficult. The biggest buck of my hunting career escaped without a shot when he heard me draw my bow while standing on a trail just 7-yards away! Now I pay careful attention to positioning my body and having my bow readily available before a deer appears so that when one does show, I can minimize my movements.
Lesson #2
Hunting the same spot too often limits success.
When I first started hunting I had limited areas to hunt and often overhunted them. Every time you enter the woods, you leave human scent and make unnatural noises. This “invasion” alerts deer and, when it occurs too much, can cause them to vacate an area or limit their movements.
Recently, I have tried to limit my visits to each stand I hunt to no more than once a week. This appears to have really increased my chances for success. In fact, last season I spotted more deer than ever from my stand and had an all time high in “buck encounters”.
Lesson #3
Controlling your scent maximizes your chances.
A deer’s best defense is his or her nose. Deer can smell incredibly well and use that to their full advantage. Early on, I did not pay enough attention to wind direction and controlling my scent through the use of scent reducing products and clothing. This led to deer “busting” me using their nose and spooking. Not only did they spook, but they alerted other deer to the presence of danger as well.
Now, I pay careful attention to wind directions and only hunt a stand when the wind is favorable for that stand. Nevertheless, sometimes a deer will get downwind. For that reason, I also wear Scent-A-Way Tek 4 clothing and liberally spray myself and all my gear with Scent-A-Way odor control spray. This system has worked well as already this season I have had adult does or small bucks walk past my stand and end up downwind without detecting me.
Lesson #4
Year round practice makes you a more accurate shot.
Last spring I test shot and purchased a Prime Shift bow. This innovative new bow is fast, quiet, and very accurate. Since acquiring it, I try to target shoot on a daily basis. As the number of practice arrows I shoot increases, so does my accuracy and shooting range. Year round practice increases my odds for shooting success when the moment of truth arrives.
As with fishing, bowhunting is a challenging sport with a definite learning curve. I continue to learn every time I enter the woods. Some of the lessons I have learned as explained above may be beneficial to others as they experience their personal hunting education. Good luck on the water and in the woods!
The author is a member of the TEAM Rack Attack. Check out their website www.rackattack.webs.com
Whoever Smelt it... Better Beware
By Todd Amenrud
Despite the warmer temperatures still harboring misquotes, I enjoy early season bowhunting. The biggest reason is because mature bucks are undisturbed and active during legal hunting hours so the chances for a “shooter-buck encounter” are great. It’s a terrific time to catch a buck in his fairly predictable summer pattern and the use of scent can be the best tool to seal the deal. Bucks are curious and very social during this time - two attributes you can exploit by “dealing” out some scent.
If you understand the social structure of the herd during the time you intend to hunt it makes using scent so much more effective. In the “whitetail world” the time during early season (typically late August through September) is all about being social with other deer. However, they may not be social with the specific deer that you might think.
Many feel they shouldn’t use scent until just before the rut. Actually, early season can be the easiest time to draw a response, you just need to know which smells they favor and how to dispense them so the encounter ends up in your favor. During late summer and early fall whitetails are normally social only within their own sex groups. You may see bucks near does, but for the most part, during this time bucks hang around other bucks and the doe/fawn family groups have their own thing going on. Testosterone will change things very fast, but for a short while during early season this is the case.
So if bucks are social with other bucks it makes the best sense to use “buck smells” to attract bucks and “doe smells” to attract does or fawns. This obviously is applicable only to “deer smells” (scents that actually come from deer, like urine, glandular lures or musk type smells). This is not the case for curiosity smells or food lures.
When it comes to older bucks they may, or may not, be social with the other bucks. Sometimes older bucks just want to be alone. They really don’t need this communal contact like younger bucks do. On the other hand, sometimes they will be very communal. Putting hours in observing and scouring trail camera photos/video will teach you much. Take notes so you can remember which bucks hang around with your “shooter bucks.”
Starting during September dramatically increased amounts of testosterone start flowing through the buck’s body, and from this point on he is ready to breed. The further south you go the later this seems to happen and the further it will be spread out over a longer period.
Contrary to what some may say, it’s the does that dictate when breeding will actually take place and the bucks will typically remain social with the other bucks until the does exhibit the first signs of coming into estrus.
While glassing larger feeding areas we will often test different scents to see how specific deer react to them. Since I’m away from my hunting site if the encounter ends in a negative reaction I haven’t blown the whole deal, so it’s a great time to experiment. On the other hand, if I happen to see that a specific buck likes a certain smell I’ve got extra “ammo” to use when I try for the kill. It’s amazing what you can learn and I suggest everyone try this. You’ll learn that particular smells really give you an advantage during this early season period. You’ll also learn that scents don’t make mistakes – one deer may come along and jolt back from a specific smell while the next deer may stay and savor the smell for five minutes. So keep experimenting.
Although, I’ve had a positive reaction to an estrus lure during early season, it’s probably not a good idea to go out opening day and feature Special Golden Estrus. Typically when it comes to “deer smells” you want to use the smells when they would naturally occur in the wild anyhow. As I said, I’ve had estrus lures work on mature bucks early in the season, remember, they are ready to breed after that huge influx of testosterone. And, if you are specifically after a mature buck it may be a tactic you wish to try, but for most “early season” scenarios you are probably better off with plain urine or a curiosity scent like Trail’s End #307.
Trail’s End #307 deserves a special mention. Most deer lures fall into one of three categories – food lures like acorn scent or apple lure, curiosity smells like anise or vanilla, or deer smells like plain or estrus urine or musk and glandular type scents. Trail’s End #307 actually has over 20 different ingredients and falls under all three categories. It works all year long and on both bucks and does, but I’ve had especially great results with it on mature bucks during September through December.
This year I’m anxious to try the new Sweat Mash Attractor sprays from Wildlife Research Center. They come in Apple, Corn, Acorn and Sweet Buck Mash. The Sweet Buck Mash is a penetrating sweet smell enhanced with special musk and other ingredients that deer just seem to love. It works all season long and especially during the rut. They’re also very easy to use in a 24 oz spray bottle.
There are many ways that you can dispense scent during this period, but two of my favorite tools are; a Pro-Drag and an Ultimate Scrape Dripper. The Pro-Drag is the best tool that I have found to create a scent trail. It holds a lot of scent and it’s easy to control. You can use any type of liquid scent when making a trail, it doesn’t have to be a “deer smell,” you are alright to use food lures or curiosity scents too.
During early season, I’ve had very good luck with scents like; Trail’s End #307, Select Doe Urine and Buck-Nip. There’s no doubt that if I had to only pick one it would be Trail’s End #307; however, I’ve had many positive early season encounters with the others.
Simply placing out a Pro-Wick soaked in scent crosswind from your position can work to draw deer from downwind, or it can be a great tool for positioning a buck for a shot. It doesn’t get any easier than soaking a bag of Pro-Wicks with your favorite scent and placing them crosswind from your set-up. It’s a fast, simple way to create a very effective ambush.
When testosterone enters the picture mock scrapes can be a very effective tactic. Typically mature bucks will feel an urge to claim, mark and defend breeding territory earlier in the season than the younger bucks.
The Ultimate Scrape Drippers that are associated with making mock scrapes are great tools for dispensing any type of liquid scent, not just those associated with mock scrapes. This device is heat activated and will drip only during daytime hours, conditioning deer to showing up during legal hunting hours. It doesn’t have to be used just at mock scrapes; it works great at dispensing all kinds of scent like food lures or curiosity scent too.
We now also have the Magnum Scrape-Dripper. With the smaller dripper one ounce of scent will last five to as many as eight or nine days, but now with the Magnum Dripper you can operate for two to three weeks on one fill-up. Actually you don’t want to fill it up. It works because of the air pocket that you leave inside. But now with the Magnum Dripper you can use a full 4 ounces of scent! This unit freshens your scent set-up during legal shooting hours so you don’t have to. When you’re ready to hunt, the site is pristine and void of human scent.
Around opener, and for the following couple weeks, a scent trail of Trail’s End #307 can be “killer.” One reason why this lure is so effective is because it appeals not only to a whitetail’s curiosity but also to their sense hunger and desire to repopulate - you really can’t go wrong. If you do catch them in their dependable summer patterns, move fast however, because with testosterone entering the picture and the does soon to show signs of coming into estrus things will change very fast.
Keep Out! Trespasser-Proof Your Property
By Todd Amenrud
The author has had limited success with a “decoy camera” catching trespassers. In fact, in one case it lead to the more serious charges of theft and vandalism. If the person has the gall to trespass they likely won’t bat an eye at stealing or vandalizing your camera. The “real” camera trained on the decoy camera needs to be fairly close and hidden very well.
When you catch someone on your property during hunting season who isn’t supposed to be there, what do they always tell you? “I’m tracking a wounded deer.” They say this because in most states it is legal to follow a wounded animal across a property border to try and recover it. The problem is that habitual trespassers have learned this defense and use it for an excuse to go wherever they please. The first step is to debunk the claim. But once they’re exposed what should you do? Besides land-mines, booby-traps or mortars (which I must admit, sound appealing at times) what can we do that won’t also land us in prison? Protect yourself from this and prevent trespassing from ever happening in the first place.
If I catch someone I’m usually so angry that the “intelligence center” in my brain just shuts off - I want to tell the trespassers what I think of their unethical actions and get them off the property as fast as possible! I get more caught up in verbally lambasting the perpetrators than thinking ahead about what should be done to prosecute. Use phone cameras or write things down and get vehicle descriptions and license plate numbers. Calling the DNR or police is also an option if you have a signal and aren’t miles away from a station. Rather than thinking about evacuation you need to think about prosecution.
Sign, signs, everywhere a sign
Our properties are clearly, legally posted with signs every 50 yards along our borders, which are also fenced. Make sure there is no excuse. Every once in a while you’ll get obtuse offenders that are bold enough to violate your markers regardless, but that’s why it’s important to prosecute when you catch someone.
Out of sight, out of mind
Plant borders so people cannot see into your property. This all depends upon your time horizon and budget, but I like to use a combination of trees, shrubs, and warm season perennial grasses. It’s important to put some thought behind this because certain plants lose their foliage during various times of the year and as trees grow they may elevate tall enough so they are no longer a barrier after a few years. So make sure that you consider both seasonally and for the long term. Mossy Oak’s Nativ Nursery can be helpful in designing a visual screen to meet your needs.
Native warm season grasses are one of my favorite fixes. Different varieties like Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem and Indian grass can grow 6 to 10 feet tall and stand up well to the elements. I like to plant these grasses in addition to various trees and bushes. Stimulating the native seed-bank by mowing, fire or turning the soil can also create a regenerating native barrier.
Trees are a must for permanent barriers. Conifers are my favorite for several reasons. Obviously they are thick and green all of the time, hence the reason they are often referred to as “evergreens.” I also like them because only a few varieties are attractive to whitetails so if you choose the proper varieties they really don’t provide much for food value. The last thing that I want to do is plant a variety that is attractive to whitetail on my property border.
Plant a combination of evergreens and deciduous trees. Configure your barrier keeping in mind both, horizontal and vertical growth properties. Remember a few years from now your barrier may be ten feet above the ground and no longer serving as a visual screen. Stagger your plantings so people traveling along your border can’t see into your property from any angle. I suggest traveling your borders yourself with a friend and flag the vulnerable areas.
Keep your mouth shut!
Everyone likes to brag about harvesting a nice buck or all the deer feeding in one of their food plots. Be careful who you boast in front of. Word of a huge buck travels fast. For some reason “antlers” can make normally principled people do stupid things. The enticement to harvest a big, mature whitetail buck can trigger certain people to break the law, so the less people who know, the better.
Smile – you’re on my camera!
To prosecute a trespasser all you need is a clear, identifiable photo of the trespasser in the act. The problem is coming up with an “identifiable” photo. Most trail cameras will take a clear photo during daylight hours if a person will stand still and pose for it. To take a clear photo of a person that means you need to mount the camera in a spot to see their face. That usually means if the camera can easily see them, they can clearly see the camera. Who wants to lose their $400 trail camera to a trespasser who just got their photo taken?
A tactic that I have had limited success with is using an old “decoy” camera as the bait and then set the true “trap” with another working camera trained on the decoy camera. I make sure the working camera is camouflaged very well. If they mess with your decoy camera you now have them for vandalism or theft which typically carries a much harsher penalty than trespassing. When they find your decoy camera it usually satisfies them and they think they’ve won this battle – but on the contrary. The toughest detail is getting a positive ID on the person/people in the photos. If it’s not a local person it may be difficult to identify them.
For that reason I have started using more cameras on the trails and access points. Concentrate on the obvious parking spots, creek crossings, pinch-points along trails or gates that people use with vehicles. A license plate is easy to see and trace as opposed to trying to make out a face in a blurry low-res photo. Make sure to set your camera on its highest resolution so when you zoom in on the license plate you can easily read the numbers.
Hi, how’s it going?
Carry a disposable camera in your pack. Your trail cameras are stationary monitors, but what happens when you run into someone in person? Walk straight up to them and say “hello” and snap their photo. Now you have proof! This and name or license plate is all you need to prosecute. If they won’t give up a name follow them to their vehicle to get the license plate. Find their vehicles and take photos of them also. Gather and document as much information as feasible. Then prosecute them! No excuses, no exceptions. What’s right is right and what’s wrong should be stopped.
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