Thoughts on some attractants

[Fever]

I hunt in big woods near Leech lake. No crops, a lot of big thick woods... no crops near by. I think main sources of food are accorns, new shoots, short brouse, sapplings, and basically any fresh greens from the logging that is done. Anyway, I've hunted in that area now for 3 years but I come from the farming / aggricultural areas of the south near Mn River bottom. I saw a lot more #'s down south but on trail cam's I've seen a lot bigger deer up near Leech. Ok, so the question: I bought a bag of Rut-n-Apples, and a bottle of Deer-cain mineral / suppliment and a friend of mine is going up to our spots to hang some cameras, make some mock scrapes, hang drippers, and to do some general scouting tomorrow and saturday the 29th. We'll be hunting Nov 6-13th. Does anybody think the rut-n-apples and Deer cain will do more harm than good if put out about 70-100 yds from stand? Stand is in a transition area of conifers to hardwoods on a saddle, about 150 yds from a thick swamp/bedding area and has a narrow old logging road running through area dividing bedding from feeding. Road usually has several scrapes and a handfull of rubs on sides of it. I was thinking these attractants might help to get some does to move in and therefore maybe some worked up bucks... Anythoughts? Just trying to up my odds is all.

[bigbucks]

Hard to say if they'll do much this late in the year, but I don't think they'll hurt anything. If nothing else it might help get you get an open, standing shot at one that would have come anyway.

[NoWiser]

If its the Rut-N-Apples I looked up online, I think it will be an excellent way to get your gun confiscated.....

[brrrr]

agree, the rut-n-apples, I have seen would be illegal because it would be considered bait. lots of dehydrated apples in the bag as I recall. beware.

[mrklean]

the mineral stuff is better early season and preseason, as it gets later in the year the deer are concerned as much with minerals more about food and mating. The mineral wont do harm but i dont see it really helping you. The rut-n-apples i dont know if its in pellet form i think that is kinda a gray area not sure what the DNR would say personally i would ask them before putting it out just because the last thing you want is to lose your gun over something like that. I would look for a nice draw or look for swamps, the deer love the swamps in the heavy woods. Buy some doe pee i would use that before minerals this time of year

[student]

I would spend the money on some doe scents. Find a key funnel and use the wind to disperse the scent. You don't necessarily need to set up a stand directly on the funnel but try to use the wind to blow the scent over/through the funnel. Keep your scent out of the path of the scent wicks path into the funnel and you should have something come in to investigate.

The rut n apples sound like bait to me. I've even heard that the c'mere deer is a mixture of crushed rice bran and some minerals. If in powder form, that would be bait as well.

[Red Miller]

I have been told that as a rule of thumb, if the product is food based or a food (organic) derivative, then its considered bait.

That leaves animal and synthetic scents and minerals, salt, etc. as legal in this state anyway. Its been said here before that just because you can buy if off the shelf does not mean its legal.

Anyway, good luck to all. Im getting pretty pumped!

[Musky Buck]

Let's see, 28 years of deer hunting, lets say 20 dollars a year on scent. My math says $560.00. Just figured out I owe myself a new hunting rifle as I'm not buying scent or whatever, 1 hot doe is what a guy needs. Checking my records, 25 bucks and 3 does is my tally. No scents, no rattling, no grunting (did try 2 years of grunting), no nothing, just patience, reading sign, mid-winter shooting lane cutting,deer stand fixing, preparation, shed hunting, etc. trying to increase my odds in different ways that cost me little to nothing, now this recent weather may have trumped my preparation, will find out Sunday. A friend called, his 5 stands are down and heavily damaged.

[NoWiser]

If its made with real apples, as advertised, there is no gray area. Its illegal.

[student]

I've never bought a bottle for $20. I get the special golden for $6 or $7. I have had good luck with it and on several occasions brought bucks out of heavy cover to investigate.

[Musky Buck]

So if I buy a 6 dollar bottle of golden I'm golden, 28 wasted years, man. But, I agree, 1 uncle has had good luck with the stuff, the other 24 of us have had little to no luck with that being the reason the buck showed up. Why it works for him and not for many of us is a strange thing that we can't seem to figure out. I need one large fresh groundscrape found prior to opener or made during season and I'm golden. Shows you how much I know about scent costs, I don't buy any, is the deal the buck would need to be lookin for it to work ? If they are with a hot doe that must override a scent wick or not ?

[Fever]

Ok... so, no Rut-n-apples. Good to know. I think I'll still put the deer cain out as it's in liquid / gel form out of a bottle (about a liter's worth). I do use scents and I definately think it helps. How can't it? In a place as densly wooded as the place I hunt I'm looking for any slight trick to give me upper hand. I think last year the deer were in full rut and many were on lock down (buck on a single doe / not moving) as I hunted second weekend and moon was full or close to it. This year I'll be up a week earlier and moon is in new phase. I'm hoping with some Tink's 69, a few scrapes, a dripper, scent killer, and some Fitzgerald's Deer Dander I'll be in better shape. Plus I bet there will be more hunter pressure which should move deer more. Good for me as I sit all day 45min before sun up till sun down. The ruttin apples though are in small pellet form... bums me out that its illegal... I wouldn't have bought em then. Wasted $$$$ S%#t!

[Musky Buck]

I don't think more hunter pressure will help you in the scent arena, in my area it turns them nearly nocturnal after opening weekend. I agree areas vary so much, it depends on where you are at some, big difference between St. Louis county, Houston county, Marshall area etc. We need a report back on success with it and was it really the reason for success or not. I'm assuming scent or not the rubs and scrapes I'm seeing I should possibly see a buck or two, hopefully a mature one, the others are seed for the future. I have to assume with a Nov.6th start date that they'll likely be with a doe already, so bring on a hot doe and however many bucks wish to follow her, here's to hoping for a 3.5 year old or older ! Cheers.

[Chuckster]

Fever, what general area by Leech do you hunt? Reading your original post, its almost exactly the situation I was in when I first moved up here 4 years ago. I grew up in West Central MN hunting corn, beans, etc. Its a total different ballgame up here. I remember walking into the Chippewa and thinking "Where the heck to I start and what am I looking for?"

Over the last few years it has felt like I have totally had to re-learn everything I thought I knew about hunting whitetails. What I have found up here is concentrating on a couple different things such as old cuttings and low pressured areas. Old cuttings that are around 3-5 yrs old have TONS of cover, in fact so much that it is almost impossible to hunt. What I have found is to concentrate on the edges, corners or transitions into areas where they turn into bigger woods. This seems to be where the majority of our camp's deer have been taken over the last 4-5 years. I would be willing to bet if you had any of these areas where you hunt, they would be loaded with sign right now. I was just out last weekend to hang a couple stands and in one of these areas I counted 6 rubs and 5 scrapes in less than a 30 yd radius.

Low pressured areas also seem to be somewhat of an advantage. I have seen grouse hunters, 4 wheelers, trucks out to cut up wood....you name it. If you are in a higher concentrated area (maybe not sure if you do not live here) your chances of being disturbed or interrupted during your hunt seem to increase. Check trails, easement roads, etc that you may use for tire tracks, foot traffic, and all other kinds of things to get a gauge on how often the area is being used which may in return affect deer movement during season. I like to find areas that do not look like they have been distrubed too much, as I know the deer patterns will hopefully be somewhat the same during season as what they were a week or two before while scouting.

New cuttings are also a hot spot for above mentioned reasons. New growth and cover, and also a larger scale in which to shoot across or through. We have a new cutting in our area this year, and we have positioned half our stands to concentrate on movement in and around this are as well. Again, there is tons of sign in these areas that we have found this year.

Now, to put my input on your actual question I will say that I have found scents, grunting, rattling and all other terms of calling up here to be basically futile when used. It could be chalked up to just pure coincidence, weather, or non-activity in the area, but I somewhat feel like I am wasting my time while doing it, and have not done so in the last year or two. At least where we currently hunt anyway. Others may not share the same views on this but thats just my personal opinion.

[leechlake]

on the legality issue: I was with a game warden when he was looking into someone baiting (he called me and asked for specific location of some stands so I went out to help him) with corn. Besides the corn he found an empty jug of something and he looked at the ingrediants. Salt and mineral okay, any food item including corn syrup, sugar, etc is not legal.

Regarding the Leech area: I've hunted West of Leech for over 30 years in similar territory as you. The #1 best way to get a deer is by spending the most time in the woods. Even if it means sitting in a stand and then moving to another location if you get antsy or feel like everyone is shooting except you. I've shot most of my deer between 11-2pm when others are moving around (we usually have about 7 guys in a 350 acre area). I've also shot quite a few when I wasn't in my stand. Hard to walk around quietly either because of leaves or brush but do your best and be ready, keep your ears open. The second weekend I'll walk around slowly listening for bucks chasing does and then trying to intercept them. The doe and buck generally will run around in a smaller area back and forth, try to get in on them and wait.

Half the deer shot are being pushed by someone else, don't plan on any hunting show broadside shots while you count points and ask the camera man "are you on him?"

Don't see a ton of deer, usually the difference between getting a deer or not is executing in that five second window when a deer appears.

[gurkster]

I'm with Musky Buck. Good scouting and being as stealthy and unintrusive as possible. A lot of scents and attractants are gimicks in my opinion. However, I agree some form of doe pee would be my choice this time of year. I have used it before, but only once have I known for a fact that it helped me out. That once my be all it takes though.

[Bear55]

I also agree with Musky Buck, deer scent is like some of the camo out there, made more for the hunters then the deer. If you just want any deer by all means cover yourself in doe pee, you will probably pull in a young buck. However if you are after a mature deer, they are rarely fooled by any bottled scent. They have smelled the real thing and know their is a difference.

[MrCrappie]

I think most stuff is not real urine from a single doe. If you can kill a doe in estrus or a buck, take the real urine & glands, and use it as an attractant, it would increase your success. Shhhh, it's an old hunting trick the Native American's have used for centuries so don't tell anyone. Try this and give me credit after the season when you shoot a big one!

[walleye365]

agree 100%