I leave this weekend for opening gun season and wanted some advice and insight about attracting deer early in season? I usually just hunt with a feeder and wait but I wanted to try any new methods anyone may have that might be effective. Any advice would be much appreciated!
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Opening season attraction
- Thread starter shooter43
- Start date
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
My Florida hunting was only in the bottomland along the Appalachicola, below Blountstown. Sneaky-snake still hunting, just ambling slowly along with a lot of leaning against a tree and watching.
Were I going to try any bait in such an area, I'd likely try a mix of thinned molasses stirred in with oatmeal or cornmeal. Enough to partially fill a couple of quart-size freezer bags, maybe. And take a couple of apples to cut up on-scene. I dunno; just something to try, I guess. Set it out in a clear spot and back off cross wind forty or fifty yards.
Were I going to try any bait in such an area, I'd likely try a mix of thinned molasses stirred in with oatmeal or cornmeal. Enough to partially fill a couple of quart-size freezer bags, maybe. And take a couple of apples to cut up on-scene. I dunno; just something to try, I guess. Set it out in a clear spot and back off cross wind forty or fifty yards.
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
Turnip, & Rutabaga peelings is old school scenting/ treat. Those two veggies will swing their heads once they get a whiff. Trouble with corn is they come in at night for that most of the time if hand thrown. Corn: On a timer. Perhaps just after a spin cycle would be the best time to be present. Not really sure as I don't own a spin feeder nor ever hunted by either.
For a store bought scent, I have had good luck for many years with Trails End made by Wildlife Research. Smells similar to sweet anise. And deer are attracted to it throughout the season.
I wash an old rag in no-scent detergent, tie the rag to a piece of twine and put the Trails End on rag. Making a drag rag and tie'ing other end of twine to my belt loop, I drag rag to stand. Make sure to stop about every 40-50yds to freshen rag with scent. When you get close to your stand, freshen rag again and hang rag nose level away from your stand.
Through pre-rut/rut have watched does follow my scent trail in with their nose on the ground like a dog and coming right up to the hanging rag with a buck not far behind.
Have had success placing peanut butter, out from stand as well.
You probably don't have time for this one but one of my favs. is to take apples and pears from here in the yard, mash them into a sauce, add some molasses thinned with the juice, pour in a gallon milk jug, add some shelled corn and shake up. Freeze the concoction and then carry a jug and bust it open by your stand that you plan on hunting for a couple days.
Have had deer eat the block and then the dirt that the juice has melted into.
I wash an old rag in no-scent detergent, tie the rag to a piece of twine and put the Trails End on rag. Making a drag rag and tie'ing other end of twine to my belt loop, I drag rag to stand. Make sure to stop about every 40-50yds to freshen rag with scent. When you get close to your stand, freshen rag again and hang rag nose level away from your stand.
Through pre-rut/rut have watched does follow my scent trail in with their nose on the ground like a dog and coming right up to the hanging rag with a buck not far behind.
Have had success placing peanut butter, out from stand as well.
You probably don't have time for this one but one of my favs. is to take apples and pears from here in the yard, mash them into a sauce, add some molasses thinned with the juice, pour in a gallon milk jug, add some shelled corn and shake up. Freeze the concoction and then carry a jug and bust it open by your stand that you plan on hunting for a couple days.
Have had deer eat the block and then the dirt that the juice has melted into.