What’s new in this constantly evolving market?
January 22, 2019
By M.D. Johnson
If memory serves me correct, I killed my first whitetail in Ohio in 1979, long before – and I’m assuming here – many of you reading this had celebrated your first birthday. Or your folks had celebrated their 15th birthday. But I digress.
Back then, deer hunters recognized the importance of keeping human scent to a minimum if one wanted to be successful from a harvest standpoint. To do that, hunters played the wind, long before it became popular to use cover scents or odor-destroying sprays, lotions, powders and potions.
Today, deer hunting – big-game hunting in general – is a much different world in terms of scent-control products, strategies and techniques. Lures and attractants, too, have come a long, long way. The market, it seems, is constantly evolving. Changing. Improving. So, what’s new in scent-control products, lures and attractants for 2019?
SCENTS & LURES Code Blue Code Blue’s Grave Digger with TRS Scrapes are one of the greatest ways to ensure bucks revisit a spot day after day, but the challenge is keeping the scrape fresh. Code Blue’s Grave Digger with TRS (Time Released Scent) is a patented process that uses high-quality soil impregnated with buck urine collected from an individual buck. Simply pour it into a scrape or mock scrape, and cover it up. Grave Digger blends with the soil attracting bucks and allowing them to work the dirt freely and naturally. Moisture forces the scent to the surface keeping the scrape active for 30 days; rain actually makes it stronger.
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ConQuest ScentFIRE Electronic Scent Vaporizer Undeniably unique and unquestionably effective, the ScentFIRE Electronic Scent Vaporizer Kit from ConQuest takes in-the-field scent application to a whole new and perhaps futuristic level. The ScentFIRE works by turning liquid scent into vapor, which then dispenses periodically into the air. Powered by three AA batteries (not included), the ScentFIRE features a wireless remote effective from up to 40 yards. Simply insert the scent cartridge and turn it on. Three auto-dispersal modes are available in addition to the remote (manual) function.
Hunter’s Specialties Scent-A-Way Bio-Strike Independent laboratory studies prove that Scent-A-Way Bio-Strike scent elimination products from Hunter’s Specialties are twice as effective as the leading competitor’s premium sprays at controlling real – not replicated – human odor. Bio-Strike’s revolutionary formula, featuring NanoShield Technology with oxidizing silver nanoparticles, eliminates odors and inhibits odor development for up to 30 days.
Tink’s Tink’s E-Scent Get America’s No. 1 scent lure downwind fast with advanced vape technology! The E-Scent dispenser emits up to 400 puffs of enticing Tink’s scent per cartridge. An included USB charger keeps the battery topped off, while a lanyard makes sure it’s always at the ready. Tink’s E-Scent comes with a synthetic #69 Doe-In-Rut scent cartridge. Additional cartridges in synthetic #1 Doe-P, synthetic Trophy Buck, and synthetic #60 Doe-In-Rut scents are available in two-packs with a handy carry case.
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ATTRACTANTS & MINERALS Antler King Mega Food Plot Starter The Mega Food Plot Starter Kit from Antler King includes everything hunters need to dramatically improve the “draw power” of their property. Each kit contains the following – A seed sample pack (500 square feet coverage) of Slam Dunk, No Sweat, Lights Out, Trophy Clover Mix, Honey Hole, Game Changer Clover, and Red Zone; sample pack of Plot Max; seven Instant PH Soil Test Kits; a sample of the new Jolt Foliar Fertilizer (3,500 square feet coverage); and Antler King’s 67-minute instructional DVD, “How to plant food plots from A to Z.”
BioLogic BioLogic Hot Spot Remote stands often provide the best opportunity for spotting mature bucks, but can be the worst location for a food plot. Without the ability to utilize machinery, establishing a planting off the beaten path can be challenging at best. The solution is BioLogic Hot Spot, a scientifically selected blend of buckwheat, two varieties of rape, daikon radish, and rye grass designed to be fast-germinating, extremely attractive to deer, and incredibly easy to plant. No soil-tilling is required; simply clear the ground and apply the seed over a 11,000 square foot area. Ideal for planting near treestands and in woodland clearings, and for luring pressured bucks that shun high traffic locations.
Whitetail Institute Whitetail Institute Hunters new to the food plot game may find getting started somewhat intimidating. Fortunately, the folks at the Whitetail Institute have taken much of the guesswork out of the process, thanks to their Double Up Sample Pack. Each package includes two each sample seed packs of Imperial Whitetail Clover, Tall Tine Tuber, Winter Greens, No-Plow, Fusion, and Chic Magnet; two 5-pound bags of 30-06 Mineral; two 5-pound bags of 30-06 Mineral, plus protein; informational packet; and the DVD “Producing Trophy Whitetails.” Also included is one year’s subscription to Whitetail News.
Wildgame Innovations Apple CRUSH Brick It’s no secret. Whitetails and apples go together like hot dogs and Wrigley Field; however, apples can be a challenge to get onto the stand location in enough quantity to last. Now, Wildgame Innovations packs an entire orchard into one easy-to-use four-pound block in the form of their wildly popular Apple CRUSH Brick. The natural scentgrabs whitetails by the nose, while the block’s time-release formula keeps ‘em coming back time after time.
Big & J Big & J In this age of food plots and property management, whitetails will choose to go to the setup that’s best. BB2 by Big & J answers the call here. BB2’s powerful aroma draws deer from a distance; however, it’s not merely an attractant. BB2 has a Total Digestible Nutrition (TDN) level higher than that of most premium feed. Pre-season, BB2 helps establish travel patterns; mid- to late season, it’s a great tool for putting bucks in front of the cameras. BB2 by Big & J is available in 6-, 20-, and 40-pound bags.