Photo by R.E. Ilg

An hour before daybreak, I detoured an extra half mile in order to approach my deer stand from the downwind direction.

Before ascending into my hedgerow tree, I went 25 yards from the stand and poured an ounce of fresh estrous urine on some picked cornstalks. If the nice 10-pointer I was targeting should happen down the weedy fence line that intersected the hedgerow, I wanted him to smell the estrous scent and walk to it instead of having him approach my position from the downwind direction.

Several times during the previous week, a farmer had spotted the handsome deer traveling past my stand. While scouting the area, I set up several mock scrapes to stimulate the buck's interest. My plan was to draw him into a convenient clearing that offered an open shot.

As the first light of day filtered through the trees, a mature doe worked her way down the weedy fence line and halted when she smelled the estrous scent that was 30 yards upwind. Nervously, she looked past me and gazed up the hedgerow. I soon realized that company was headed in my direction.

The massive, dominant buck sauntered along the edge of the field and stopped within 20 yards of my stand. I drew my bow and took what I thought was an easy chip shot.

Unfortunately, I had overlooked a small twig and the arrow was deflected into the ground. As the buck bolted and ran past the estrous scent post, he jerked his head around several times. After traveling 50 yards, he halted and made a scrape in the open field. Moments later, the 150-class buck made the mistake of returning to smell the estrous scent.

MAKING DEER MOVE
In three consecutive years I have taken trophy-class whitetails using this style of hunting. One massive 9-pointer was so attracted to the estrous scent that he jumped back 10 yards and kept sniffing after the arrow had passed through his chest cavity! He then ran a short distance after a second arrow penetrated him! Talk about intensity!

Through the proper use of scents, a hunter can attract deer to a stand location and even position the deer for the shot.

There are hundreds of different scent brands on the market, and the choice and use of these products can seem overwhelming. Some products imitate food sources (apples, acorns, etc.), while others are primarily cover scents (anise oil, skunk or vanilla). Certainly these odors are worthwhile and have their time and place to be applied. However, I prefer to use the odors that deer naturally employ as a form of communication: tarsal glands, pre-orbital glands, forehead glands and different types of urine.

An excellent source of deer scent is the tarsal gland. After harvesting a deer, hunters should remove these glands and save them for future hunts. They can be sealed in a plastic bag and stored in the freezer for over a year. Rub your boots and pants with the tarsal gland and deer will feel comfortable crossing your path because the area smells as though another deer has traveled there.

SCRAPE LINE TACTICS
Placing scents along a scrape line is an excellent method for encouraging bucks to walk a desired trail. I have often created a mock scrape line several weeks before season, but keep in mind that bucks use scrapes throughout the year as a form of communication. Scrapes are not only employed as a way to attract does, they are used to mark territories and keep track of other bucks in the area. By creating a mock scrape line well in advance of hunting season, the deer have time to become accustomed to visiting that site.

A scrape should be made under overhanging branches that are chest-high. Using a hoe, clear away all vegetation under the limbs and loosen the dirt. If it is difficult to find chest-high branches in the right location, tie a piece of rope or cord to a higher limb and attach the other end to the trunk of the tree. By adjusting the length of the cord, the branches can be bent down to the proper height.

Next, apply forehead or pre-orbital gland scent to the limbs and pour buck urine into the scrape. Periodically reapply scents to these scrapes to keep deer active in the area. As the onset of the rut approaches, place doe estrous scent in the scrape.