Twenty years ago, I shattered the morning silence on a fairly remote bog in northern Wisconsin with some estrus bleats, grunts and a snort-wheeze. Next, I hit the rattle bag. I stuffed the calls away, grabbed my bow, then scanned and listened. Silence.
Later, I repeated those steps. Strike two. By late morning, I was sure that my whitetail calling or the scent trail I’d laid down on the way to my stand would elicit a response from a November buck — the conditions were too perfect. Determined to extend my reach and get something’s attention, I began my third calling sequence with greater intensity than my previous two attempts.
Only minutes had passed when a good-sized buck materialized across the bog. Calling actually does work! He came my way with a purpose, destined to find the bucks who were battling it out in his area. Soon, he connected with my fake deer scent trail, which put him quartering away at 30 yards. Before I knew it, I found my buck at the end of the blood trail, and I recall feeling immense satisfaction with using calls and scents to be successful.
Obviously, calling isn’t always as effective as it was on that cold November morning in Wisconsin that I just recounted. I’ve hit the antlers together and grunted countless times with zero results, but it’s those magical encounters in which a grunting, lures or rattling — or all of those things — help us seal the deal that make it worth adding some of the following tools to your bag of whitetail tricks.
Calls
Why pack a handful of deer calls when you can carry one that does it all? Meet the Extractor from Flextone. Not only does it flaunt a cool deer-antler design, but it also features the X-Glide sound selector so you can choose between buck, doe and fawn vocalizations at the push of a finger. A secondary chamber is designed for snort-wheezes when you need to challenge a buck that isn’t quite convinced by grunting alone. The Extractor is freeze-proof and features a soft body designed to simulate the soft tissue of a deer’s vocal box, producing outstanding realism that deer will find enticing. MSRP: $22.99; flextonegamecalls.com
Attract deer for a closer look with the Dominant Doe Bleat Deer Call from Hunters Specialties. It comes preset to a dominant doe bleat vocal, but simply slide the O-ring to subsequent notches to emit other doe and fawn vocals. The rubbery barrel construction on the call’s posterior can be manipulated to tweak delivery and help you cover the gamut of doe music. Whether you’re trying to attract does any time of the season or bucks looking for a receptive mate, the Dominant Doe Bleat Deer Call has you covered. Also from Hunters Specialties is the Rack Jack Rattle Device, which is a two-piece design constructed of different resins designed to simulate a friendly sparing match or even an all-out battle of the bucks. Forcibly plunge the ram in and out of the housing to clash the rings together. The ram snaps into the tubular housing for silent and convenient carrying. Whether you’re rattling blindly or trying to coax a buck 20 yards closer, the Rack Jack delivers authentic rattling in a handy alternative to real antlers. MSRP: $19.99 (Dominant Doe); $29.99 (Rack Jack); hunterspec.com
While you can’t beat a good set of real rattling antlers, it’s not easy to stow them in a treestand when not in use or transport them quietly, especially when you have a long hike or a hang-and-hunt outing with a lot of gear to carry. Knight & Hale’s Pack Rack takes up little room in your pack or pocket, giving you the option to rattle without the hassle of real antlers. Constructed from high-density plastic, this two-piece design attaches together for silent transportation, and it features a dull-green finish, which is less distinguishable as you rattle compared to real white antlers. Create realistic-sounding buck fights with substantial volume that carries even in windy conditions. The Pack Rack is convenient and portable. MSRP: $19.99; knightandhale.com
The deadly duo from Illusion Hunting Systems is the Black Rack & Extinguisher Combo. Black Rack is an alternative to real rattling antlers and is easy to carry but sounds like the real thing. The realism of Bone-Core Technology and two full racks will floor you, and because they’re black, the movement from rattling will blend in so much more than when using real deer antlers. The Extinguisher is one of the most realistic and user-friendly grunt calls available. You don’t need to be an expert caller to produce authentic buck, doe and fawn sounds with the patented ModiSlide System, which adjusts the call instantly. The FreezeFree Design ensures dependability no matter the weather, and the dual-layered Throat-Tube Technology revs up realism while allowing for directional calling. Made in the USA, this is an excellent combo to bring rutting bucks charging in. MSRP: $47; illusionsystems.com
A classic never dies, and that’s why it makes sense to put a Primos The Original Can Doe Bleat in your pack or pocket on every deer hunt. Many bucks looking to breed can’t resist the realistic estrus bleats that The Can creates. The cylindrical design takes up virtually no space and is easy to use — just tip it over while covering the hole on the bottom with your thumb to create a quivering estrus bleat designed to draw whitetails, blacktails and mule deer into archery range. This is one of the most effective deer calls of all time, especially when paired with a Primos grunt call, such as the Buck Roar II. It’s 10 bucks well spent. MSRP: $9.99; primos.com
While writing this, the Rocky Mountain Hunting Calls website showed the 2024 Deer Dialect 2.0 as “out of stock.” If that is any indication as to how popular it is, you’d best get your hands on one as soon as you can. It has all of the proven features of the original version, but it is now rigged with a snort-wheeze chamber and a new-and-improved voice box for unmatched realism. The Deer Dialect 2.0 gives you a wide range of calls ranging from fawn bleats to dominant buck grunts using the tone selector. Whether you’re calling blindly or trying to get the attention of a buck cruising through, the Deer Dialect 2.0 is the call for every deer woods scenario. MSRP: $32.99; buglingbull.com
The Intimidator is a grunt and snort-wheeze combo call from Woodhaven Custom Calls that is anything but intimidating to use. In fact, it is unbelievably user-friendly and requires minimal air to operate so that you can make subtle tending grunts. Want to challenge a hair-raised buck and bring him in? Blow the call with some gusto to issue a dominant buck challenge. Simply adjust how hard you blow into the call to change the tone of your grunts and manipulate the Inflexor Tube for directional calling coverage. The Intimidator is a no-nonsense call with tremendous realism that works well for any deer hunter, novice or expert. MSRP: $23.99; woodhavencustomcalls.com
Scents
When a buck works a licking branch above a scrape, he’s putting his ID all over the branch with his forehead gland and pre-orbital gland. Black Widow’s Branch Butter is a gel formula that combines both of those glandular scents so you can impose the presence of an imposter in the area that will keep dominant bucks coming back. It can work well to bring bucks in front of your trail cameras during the early season, but it can also stir up rutting behavior during the pre-rut, peak rut, and even into the post-rut. The gel is long-lasting so you don’t have to doctor up the licking branch very often to keep getting results. MSRP: $14.49; blackwidowdeerlures.com
Scent Web by Buck Bomb is an innovative way to disperse scent around your stand or blind. It’s a foam-based lure that sticks to everything it contacts. By shooting it up into the air and onto trees, branches, and all over the place, you’ll have a scent that carries great distances and lasts longer because it isn’t being soaked up by the ground as with liquid-based scents and lures. Scent Web is available in attractant scents such as corn, apple and vanilla acorn, as well as in three different deer lures so that you have options for the entire deer season regardless of your hunting style. Not only is it fun to create a scent web, but it’s also a great way to apply scent without getting your hands dirty. MSRP: $15.99-18.99; buckbomb.com
Whether you want to attract bucks to your trail camera or deer stand, hit the licking branch over a real scrape or a mock scrape with the Forehead Gland Synthetic Scrape Branch Deer Scent from Buck Fever Synthetics, which will drive them wild and keep them coming back. Not only is this synthetic formula like a deer magnet, it will also stay fresh with no spoilage like real deer urine. Forehead Gland is compatible with scent drippers, plus it gets a boost of freshness with the presence of moisture. Made in the USA, this is the ticket to fire up scraping and forehead gland activity. MSRP: $12.99-99.99 (varies by size); shop.buckfever.com
From Code Blue comes perhaps the most convenient and effective way to deploy highly attractive deer scent. PST! Pure-S-Trous Aerosol Spray consists of 12 ounces of estrous scent that will have rutting bucks coming in for a look. It offers mess-free application and storage. Simply spray it on the ground or foliage on the way to your stand or blind to create an enticing scent trail without the mess and hassle of a drag rag. When the wind swirls, spray it from your hunting location to cover your own scent and lure in bucks. Code Blue guarantees that PST! contains urine from only one deer for the most authentic attraction. MSRP: $14.99; codebluescents.com
Where do deer feel the most relaxed? In bedding areas, of course! That’s why ConQuest Scents offers the EverCalm Deer Herd Scent Stick made from real deer bedding areas. This isn’t just for the rut; use it all season long to keep deer relaxed around your hunting areas. The Deer Herd Scent Stick dispenses from a container just like your underarm deodorant, which will keep your scent strategy free from spills and messes. Simply wipe the scent stick on anything you want to apply scent to such as rocks, trees and logs. When not in use, stow the stick in the included zip-top storage bag to maximize freshness. The scent is a wax formula that is weather-resistant for a long-lasting aroma that calms and attracts deer. MSRP: $22.99; conquestscents.com
The secret behind Raised Scents’ Scrape Addict and why it is so effective for establishing or freshening mock scrapes is it combines five different glandular scents from bucks and does with a little bit of deer urine. It is available in both spray and paste forms. The spray option is ideal for misting the licking branch and dirt and is easiest for deer to detect, while the paste form is designed to last longer due to higher concentration. Bucks and does find Scrape Addict attractive, making it the perfect way to trigger more deer activity at your mock scrape, whether it is beneath your stand or in front of your trail camera. MSRP: $24.99; raisedhunting.com
If you’ve used PEAK30 products from Tink’s with great results, then you’ll be happy to know that it’s now available in four new forms. Additions to the PEAK30 Premium Doe Estrus line include Gel, Mist, Fogger, and Stick forms to offer every hunter an application medium that works for their hunting style. When a buck is cruising downwind, the Mist option can cover your scent and put him in the right mood, and the pressurizing agent is separate from the scent so as not to contaminate it. The Gel option is great for rainy conditions, as it won’t wash away. The Fogger is great for making short scent bursts, or you can deploy all 5 ounces continuously to fog the area for the highest level of attraction. The Stick is ideal for those who want to eliminate the possibility of spills and messes. Whichever application style you select, you can be sure that PEAK30 is premium doe estrus that is collected during the 24-hour period when the doe is at peak estrus. MSRP: $14.99-24.99; tinks.com
A great way to spice up buck activity near your stand or trail cam is to create a mock scrape. While any mock scrape has the potential to attract deer, why not incite a lot more deer interaction by hanging the Wildlife Research Center (WRC) Golden Rope — made from proprietary natural fiber — above the scrape with the end about 4 feet off the ground? The Golden Rope kit includes three ropes and three cable ties for securing the ropes to overhead branches or limbs. It also comes with 4 fluid ounces of Golden Rope Scent Concentrate, which makes 20 ounces of liquid scent that you can use to doctor up the frayed rope ends throughout the season and elicit repeated deer interaction. The entire kit comes in a resealable wide-mouth container so that you can conveniently and cleanly dip the ropes into the scent. Bucks roaming your hunting area won’t be able to resist interacting with the rope using their forehead and pre-orbital glands, and WRC guarantees results or your money back. Also try out WRC’s new Attractant Spray available in Caramel Apple, Sweet Corn, and Acorn Supreme. Decades of research led to the development of these irresistible, long-range scents that are designed to stimulate hunger and bring deer within shooting range. Whether you’re hunting over bait, a food plot, or sitting in the timber, invite deer to your setup with these powerful attractants, which are easy to carry and dispense. MSRP: $47.99 (Golden Rope Kit); $14.99 (Attractant Spray); wildlife.com
Sidebar: Odor Control
For deer hunters who want to stay undetected through every stage of the hunt — from truck to treestand — Scent Thief has introduced the Trophy Pack to its scent elimination product lineup. Featuring Scent Thief’s No Smell technology, which the company says relaxes an animal’s olfactory epithelium so it can no longer detect odors of any kind, including human odor, the kit contains Scent Thief’s Body Wash and Shampoo (16 ounces), Field Spray (24 ounces), Laundry Detergent (32 ounces), and a Scent Thief Wafer. The addition of the wafer allows hunters to create a “No Smell Area” by placing a wafer upwind of their stand location. The wafer comes in a resealable package and lasts up to two full days. MSRP: $39.99. Contact: www.scentthief.com
Address various odors including human odor at the molecular level with Scent Killer Super Charged in the new Forest Edge scent, which combines subtle and fresh forest scents to calm and even attract game. Formulated with Hunt Dry Technology, you can apply Scent Killer Super Charged in advance of your hunt to ensure that you’ll be hunting in dry gear even in a drizzle. Wildlife Research Center has been in the business for 40 years, so rest assured Forest Edge has passed the research, development, and testing with flying colors. Give it a go on your next deer hunt and get results or your money back. MSRP: $15.54; wildlife.com
Deer season often coincides with insects and ticks, and protecting yourself against these pests — and the diseases they can carry and transmit — is a high priority. How do you do that without stinking up your skin and clothing with game-spooking odors of generic sprays found in the camping aisle? You use the Realtree Complete Insect Control Pack from Zone Protects, which protects you for 12 hours from everything from gnats to chiggers to ticks via unscented, odor-free insect repellent and insecticide. The personal repellent is picaridin-based, which is an alternative to deet. The insecticide is a permethrin product for your apparel and gear to kill on contact. This combo will keep the mosquitoes and ticks at bay while you focus on your deer hunt. The non-oily, non-greasy, non-sticky formula won’t harm your gear, and the bottles are non-aerosol. The 8-ounce bottles are refillable to save you money, and these products are made in the USA specifically for hunters. MSRP: $29.95; zoneprotects.com
New to Code Blue’s D/CODE line is Unscented Hair and Body Foam. This is the crucial final piece of your scent-elimination program because you can apply it on the go to your hands, neck, face and beard, which is especially important whenever you work up a sweat while hiking to your stand. Keep it in your vehicle and use it on your hands after you fill your vehicle with fuel or after you finish eating some fast food before heading to your stand. This foam is tough on odors and gentle on skin, which makes it ideal for those instances when you don’t have enough time to shower before hitting the woods, and it’s also an ideal product to have when you’re camping during a destination bowhunt without access to a shower. MSRP: $9.99; codebluescents.com
Dead Down Wind has been a trusted name in scent elimination since 2006, and its constant development led to the ultra-premium Black line, which has been expanded this year to include Soft Solid Antiperspirant, Solid Antiperspirant, Laundry Bombs, 40-ounce Laundry Detergent, Wash Cloths, and Dryer Sheets. Black is Dead Down Wind’s most advanced formula, using critical components to get to the odor source faster and destroy it. These new offerings complete the Black system and address every angle of scent elimination so you can be as detailed as possible and stay undetected during your hunt. Black products are easy on sensitive skin, and the laundry products are gentle on your apparel to promote longevity without sacrificing a deep clean. From your hair to your socks, Dead Down Wind Black is a proven scent-eliminating system. MSRP: $8.99-29.99; deaddownwind.com
The HR600 is the new leader of the pack in Ozonics’ lineup of in-the-field ozone generators. More powerful than its predecessors, this model unleashes 20 percent more ozone to effectively obliterate odor molecules before they reach your quarry’s nose. Although previous models weren’t loud enough to spook game, some made it difficult to hear game approaching. The HR600 is rigged with an overhead air intake and a new fan to deliver whisper-quiet operation. Optimizations have been made to yield an unbelievable 13-hour battery life so you can keep the machine running during all-day hunts without swapping batteries. The bottom of the unit also features red LED lights so that hunters can get settled in and situate their gear without alerting game. The HR600 can be controlled with a remote (sold separately) or in the Ozonics app to minimize movement while hunting. In the past, customers had to send their Ozonics units back to the company in the event of infrequent coil issues, but with the new removable coil, users can replace the coil themselves. Never has ozone been more effective and user-friendly than with the HR600. MSRP: $699.99; ozonicshunting.com
The Scent-A-Way MAX Field Kit offers grab-and-go convenience at an incredible value, providing everything needed for your in-the-field scent-elimination needs. It includes five products: 32-ounce Field Spray, 12-ounce Field Spray, Field Wipes, Lip Balm, and the Windicator. MAX is designed to attract and attack odors at the molecular level so you can hunt more effectively by disguising your human footprint in the deer woods. From checking the wind to moisturizing chapped lips, the MAX Field Kit will help you dial in your scent-elimination program and experience peak results. MSRP: $24.99; hunterspec.com
