Scents, Calls and rattling devices: Beware
Where Mr. Eatman hunts, there are beau coup deer. If you are in an area where the deer population is not as abundant, scents, calls and rattling horns can actually work against you serving as warning signals.
If you don't know how to call, you will probably end up spooking a buck. What you think is a good grunt may be a distress grunt to the deer.
I advise to find sign and hunt it. I also advise to get in a tree stand for safety from other hunters and to allow movement and to mask your scent.
What is sign? Signs include: rubs on the bases of small to medium diameter trees, scrapes on the ground usually under a tree limb accompanied by the branches above being rubbed or knawed off. Deer manure is also an indicator of activity as well as tracks.
Once you find one rub or scrape, go in all directions and chances are you will find a line of rubs and scrapes 30 to 100 yards long. Many of these will run parallel or perpedicular to an old logging road or trail.
If you find a well-traveled deer trail, DO NOT SET YOUR STAND NEAR IT!!!!! Instead walk 20 or so yards above and below the trail. 9 times out of ten, the large Bucks will travel a less-follwed trail parallel to the "deer freeway". Why do you think the does always come up to a stand nest to a heavily traveled trail and snort or flag? They are warning the old buck who either in front or behind you. An old buck is smart as a whip and in the timber of South Arkansas where I hunt, I am convinced that the number one killer of large male deer is disease, predators and old age-------------------not hunters.