Shelf Life of Deer Lure
- Thread starter Sea Buck
- Start date
Crankylove
New member
No personal experience ( I smoke a pack a day while out for deer/elk/antelope, I don’t bother trying to cover my scent), but my father in law buys new sprays and wafers every year, regardless of how much is left at the end of the season.
Says he’s reused the previous seasons before, and while it didn’t have an irregular odor (if deer and elk urine has a regular odor to start with) he didn’t feel it worked as well as fresh stuff did.
Says he’s reused the previous seasons before, and while it didn’t have an irregular odor (if deer and elk urine has a regular odor to start with) he didn’t feel it worked as well as fresh stuff did.
I kept my lures in the refridge until my wife found them, several years ago. Any thing older than three years I toss. I keep them in a closed box out of sunlight. I have had some success with using the old dregs of estrus doe and hot buck lures in false scrapes and sprinkled near my stands. One year I mixed them all together in a witches brew and sprayed it around a large false scrape. Must have produced a curiosity scent as I had plenty of visitors to the scrape for several days. Does and young bucks, the big guys stayed away.
disseminator
New member
I've used Buck's Deer Scent for 30+ years and I have used bottles that were 5-7 years old at times and they were fine. I am sure shelf life will vary with the different brands and formulas.
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
I no longer use the stuff. But when I did I always thought the fresher made the better.
Deer scent either draws animals or it doesn't. But one reason why it may not. Its user's ignorance of > how & when to use.
Deer scent either draws animals or it doesn't. But one reason why it may not. Its user's ignorance of > how & when to use.
disseminator
New member
Your probably right. I'm no expert on scents, I just follow the directions: "Apply to boot if still hunting or a tree downwind of you to mask your scent."
Does it work? I don't know. It's more tradition than anything.
bamaranger
New member
quit
I gave up on the stuff, lures and cover scents, with about 2 seasons of fooling with them. No matter what I tried, pads, bottles, sprays, zip bags, ...... the stuff eventually ended up on everything. My truck reeked.
For a long time now, I just pay attention to the wind. As long as there is consistent wind, there is not a deer alive that can smell you if you set up down wind. I watch the weather reports and wind calls, and pick my stands accordingly. Hang my hunting clothes on the back porch...no pumping gas, restaurants, etc while wearing hunting clothes/boots. If wind is "light and variable"....that's a good day to scout or rest.
I gave up on the stuff, lures and cover scents, with about 2 seasons of fooling with them. No matter what I tried, pads, bottles, sprays, zip bags, ...... the stuff eventually ended up on everything. My truck reeked.
For a long time now, I just pay attention to the wind. As long as there is consistent wind, there is not a deer alive that can smell you if you set up down wind. I watch the weather reports and wind calls, and pick my stands accordingly. Hang my hunting clothes on the back porch...no pumping gas, restaurants, etc while wearing hunting clothes/boots. If wind is "light and variable"....that's a good day to scout or rest.
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
There is a old timer that often shows up after dark in a tavern I sometimes stop by to socialize with neighbors for a hour or so during deer season.
That old timer mentioned above will quietly slip up thru the crowd to the bar where there is a stool opening and order his supper nearly every evening during deer season typically dressed in casual clothing.
{As told his wife will not supper with him nor live with him during Season}
Although the old gent has a reputation of shooting some of the biggest deer in the area every year. I know him very well and talk to him often during the summer months as I buy fresh Eggs from his wife when staying at my cabin. But?
During deer season in a closed tavern building he's just a tad short of being repulsive. Not his manor. His odor. He reeks awful of calf holding pen smell. As told "that's his preferred deer cover scent" _I'm welcome to stop by anytime for a free sample. "Nope I'd rather pass on that if you don't mind" is/was my reply.
I asked the gent how long does it take to clear that smell from his body pours. "2 trips to his sunna he gets to smelling like a daisy." Again I asked how his wife manages during this time of year? As told " bunk house living for him" with the amenities folks had 125 years ago keeps the peace on his homestead during deer season.
Oh so fun to talk too. Quips and the old fellows dry humor and hunting stories galore keeps many laughing and frowning at the same time.
That old timer mentioned above will quietly slip up thru the crowd to the bar where there is a stool opening and order his supper nearly every evening during deer season typically dressed in casual clothing.
{As told his wife will not supper with him nor live with him during Season}
Although the old gent has a reputation of shooting some of the biggest deer in the area every year. I know him very well and talk to him often during the summer months as I buy fresh Eggs from his wife when staying at my cabin. But?
During deer season in a closed tavern building he's just a tad short of being repulsive. Not his manor. His odor. He reeks awful of calf holding pen smell. As told "that's his preferred deer cover scent" _I'm welcome to stop by anytime for a free sample. "Nope I'd rather pass on that if you don't mind" is/was my reply.
I asked the gent how long does it take to clear that smell from his body pours. "2 trips to his sunna he gets to smelling like a daisy." Again I asked how his wife manages during this time of year? As told " bunk house living for him" with the amenities folks had 125 years ago keeps the peace on his homestead during deer season.
Oh so fun to talk too. Quips and the old fellows dry humor and hunting stories galore keeps many laughing and frowning at the same time.
disseminator
New member
^^^^^ I think I'll stick to the bottled stuff.........
I was reading old threads and came upon this one ..... would like to note that on more than 1 occasion, I've had young bucks come in on my back trail, nose to the ground, in search mode ...... I had sprayed my boots with "doe in estrous" urine .... sometimes, it was several years old ..... and stored in my truck's door pockets ...... if it was going to go "bad" or "sour", I'm sure years of baking and freezing in a vehichle parked outside in Nebraska year round would certainly do it. Thoughts?
2wheelwander
New member
Like you jimbob, I've used deer piss years old and the deer that followed my trial to my stand didn't seem to care it was a few years old.
I'm of the camp that doesn't buy into the charcoal lined, newest doo dad edge, gimmic, or invention of the year to harvest bigger and better deer in record time. Indians didn't use soap, our forefathers didn't use the latest scent free soaps and clothing and name your poison gimmic to fill a tag.
I've only seen deer get crazy one time. After sitting in my stand for several hours I couldn't get a handful of deer called to a clean shot despite my best efforts. I'd drank too much coffee and my bladder was straining against my will to fill a tag. Having enough I stood up and pissed off my stand to see what the deer would do. After catching the scent of coffee infused human urine they bucked around a bit and seemed to loose their minds, then just kind of trotted off, but didn't spook and run. It was interesting to watch.
Bagged a deer from that stand a few days later.
I'm of the camp that doesn't buy into the charcoal lined, newest doo dad edge, gimmic, or invention of the year to harvest bigger and better deer in record time. Indians didn't use soap, our forefathers didn't use the latest scent free soaps and clothing and name your poison gimmic to fill a tag.
I've only seen deer get crazy one time. After sitting in my stand for several hours I couldn't get a handful of deer called to a clean shot despite my best efforts. I'd drank too much coffee and my bladder was straining against my will to fill a tag. Having enough I stood up and pissed off my stand to see what the deer would do. After catching the scent of coffee infused human urine they bucked around a bit and seemed to loose their minds, then just kind of trotted off, but didn't spook and run. It was interesting to watch.
Bagged a deer from that stand a few days later.
I know that I see more deer, and get closer before they spook, if I use some sort of cover scent and don't wash my clothes in scented detergent ..... before we used hub blinds, we sat on the ground ..... always bagged our outer layers in large trash bags with an armfull of mouldering cottonwood leaves, which have a pretty strong scent ..... never take our outer gear into the house ..... we have had deer come from down wind and walk withing feet of us ..... usually try to hunt into the wind, but this is Nebraska- it can and will change direction quickly .... One thing that has worked really well for me in the past is taking a turkey feather and spritzing it with doe pee, and sticking in the top of a round bale or fence post ...... a rutting buck will come to an abrupt halt from a dead run when he gets downwind of that ........
buck460XVR
New member
A deer's sense of smell is very keen. How can a buck trail a hot doe if it doesn't know which direction she is going? Ain't no arrows on the ground. He does it by following the oldest scent to the freshest. That same buck will know if the scent is a week old too. Kinda why they don't fear the spot you peed on a day or two later. So, keep the lid on and in the fridge between hunts. If I have much left over at the end of the season, I will actually put it in the freezer. Heat, and sunlight will breakdown scent too. There are preservatives put in most deer scents, but the best are still those the freshest. I wonder some times how many years some scents have been sitting in the back room of the sporting goods store. Why I tend to either buy what's been dated, what's new on the market this year, or go without.
I doubt that they are that rational about it ..... FWIW, every time (IIRC) I've had a buck come in my trail like this, it's been a young one at the peak of the rut .... young bucks in rut do crazy stuff- I had one come out and wanted to fight me over a doe I had just killed.
The one time I bagged a mature buck that I am sure doe urine was involved, it was straight down wind of both me (~90 yards away in a ground blind, used as much scent control measures as i could) and a turkey feather doused in doe urine ( stuck in the top of a round bale, about ~40 yards from the blind... don't know how old it was, could have been new) .... the buck was trotting along right at sundown and hit the brakes hard when he got downwind, lifted his head up high and curled his lip back ..... and I hammered him.
Geezerbiker
New member
I keep a few rotting apples around and toss them around the area where I plan to hunt. It's almost bating but not quite since I only toss out a couple. I don't think it does much but other deer lures haven't worked for me either...
Tony
Tony
reynolds357
New member
If its real and not synthetic, not very long. 1 season at most.
buck460XVR
New member
I too doubt if it has anything to do with being rational. I believe it is just instinct. How does a bird dog or a coon hound know which way their prey is going? They don't sit down, scratch their head and ponder, they just follow their nose. My dog points alive bird, but while she finds a dead bird, won't point it, even if was shot just moments before. It will point a wounded bird tho. Like a dog, deer can smell even the smallest of differences. Like a dog, deer follow their nose and this is what gets bucks in trouble come rut. Why is it scrapes needs to be refreshed daily...to keep the smell fresh. Like with anything in a bottle, the emptier the bottle is, the more air that is in the bottle to deteriorate it. Food based scents may not break down as fast, especially those like acorn or corn. Cover scents like dirt and earth, probably not cause they smell like rot already. But anything with a real body secretions, will definitely deteriorate without preservatives or being refrigerated. With all we spend on everything else we use use to hunt, why bother trying to save $3 and use two year old scent? The gas used for a wasted hunt cost more than that.
Maybe those young bucks were so desperate that even though their nose told them that doe urine was old and nasty, their sex drive told them they did not care how old and nasty she might be, they still wanted some ..... I've seen that behavior in human males in bars around the world ......