Over doing it!

[DeanoZ]

This is probably a classic case of a novice (Me) hunter, eager to bring a buck in (me again), using calls and scent attractants (you guessed it, yours truly again) and over doing it. 
 
So this past saturday I did an all day hunt near a scrape line I found a few days earlier.  Wasn't sure what to expect, there were four scrapes all within 50 yrds of each other, roughly 2x3 ft, and recent.  So the evening before my hunt I squirted some Code Blue Doe Estrous in one of them, pee'd in another and left the other two alone, just to see what would happen.  I get to my stand early that morning...too early to see if there was any activity over the scrape, but I sprayed some more (about 3-4 pumps) of Estorus in one of them.  got up on the stand and at first light I broke out the rattle bag.  Did 30 seconds of ratteling 3 times, every 15 min...nothing.  Then broke out the Buck roar, did a roar, followed by 4-5 tending grunts 3 times every 30 minutes...nothing.  Finally broke out the can and did 2-3 bleats every 10-15 mins, and you guessed it...nothing.  Saw nothing all day until the last half hour of day light when a button buck came straight to my stand...didn't go near the scrapes at all, he was busy eating.  Then about 75 yrds behind me a half dozen loud snorts..then about 75 yrds over a ride to my front another couple snorts...busted and that was the end of my days hunt.
 
Going through the days events in my head I came to the conclusion, that 1)  Over did it on the calling and it was probably too early for that.  2) Too early to be using Doe Estrous...thats probably what the deer snorted at...just wondering why it never affected the button buck?  Anyway, lesson learned there..just because ya see scrapes, doesn't mean its the rut and ya break out all the stops.  I'm learning :-/ 
 
Oh incidently after the hunt I had time to check out the scrapes, the only one that looked like it got worked over recently was the one I pee'd in...go figure!

[paulie]

I think its safe to say, ya over did it on the callin. As far as being to early for estrus scents, I'm not sure where you are(hunt), but here in lower Michigan, their startin to do a little chasin. so I would say estrus scent is a safe bet(here anyway). Like anything else in life, you learn as you go. The important thing is, that you learn from your mistakes, and when possible, learn from the mistakes of others. Dont worry, your day will come, just keep at it. Good luck to ya brother, keep us posted on how you do.

[69Viking]

I would say for calling and rattling try to stay in the 20-30 minute intervals.  As far as the estrus urine if you're up north it's probably time to start using it, down south where I hunt I'd stick with regular doe urine for a few more weeks. 
 
Keep in mind deer don't take the same travels every day.  Over the years I've learned to stay put versus moving around if I knew there was good deer sign around.  I can remember getting tired with not seeing deer in a stand so I moved and one of my hunting partners taking my stand the next day and missing a big buck that could have been mine had I just stayed put.
 
As far as your own pee I'm started to think it's a curiosity scent to the deer, I've even read in magazines this to be true.  When I first started hunting I would always pee away from where I'm hunting but now I pee where I know I'll have a shot.  Since changing it seems my deer sightings have increased.  It definitely hasn't scared them away.  Good luck out there!  

[dmcianfa]

May have been calling a tad too much and at too short of intervels.  Also, I've actually scared deer away from calling too much, personally.  But, every deer is different I guess.  We you scent free in your approach to your hunt, such as clothes, spray, and your scrape additions such as latex gloves when applying the items to the scrapes?  Was the wind in your favor overlooking the trail or scrapes you hunted over?  Was the thermals in your favor?  Was the wind swirling all day on your hunt?  These are all questions I would ask first and foremost!

[ranwin33]

I'm one of those that believe you should call frequently.  Afterall, a deer won't hear you unless you're calling, and chances are there isn't a deer close by most of the time, so they're not hearing you all that often anyway.  To a deer your frequent calling probably doesn't seem frequent since he/she only hears you when its in the immediate vicinity.

It may be a little early in the season to call, but don't give up on it.  It will eventually pay off.

You may spook some, but you will also see some you never would have if you weren't calling. 

[DeanoZ]

Thanks all for the feedback, I'm in and hunt NJ and although I've not seen any chasing going on another hunter reported a couple spikes fighting and of course several hunters in the area of seen scrapes.  so i took this as a sign that things were starting to pick up.  I won't give up on the calling or scent use...just temper it back some.  The wind was in my favor for the most part, but at times it did swirl as this stand is on a hilltop funnel with some open pines.  i was scent free in my approach but did cross the deer trail to get into my stand..i really have no choice in this partcular stand.  But I used a scent eleiminator and of course went through my whole scent elimination routine prior to even getting in the woods.  I did not use latex gloves when applying the estrus, and I guess my question would be ...why?  its a pump applicator so the only thing I'm touching is the pump.  I'll cut back the intervals and perhaps for now stick with the grunt tube until we get into the rut.  I have to admit, what Ranwin33 kinda makes sense, sort of like if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?  Thanks again all for your feedback.

[buckhunter21]

I would go by the 'less is more' attitude personally.  Deer really aren't that vocal of animals and really the only time they get going vocally is during the rut but that is still not a ton.  I would say a few grunts every 30-40 min and doing the rattling sequence about the same.

[JOEL]

maybe the deer werent home that day[:)]

[8uck5nort]

I'm in Northern Indiana and we are starting to see some daylight movement of bucks. It has been warm for early November and I think that has more to do with not seeing more activity than anything else. (If you had a mink fur on and had to run miles to get a girlfriend you'd wait until dark and hence cooler times). Estrus scenets are probably good now as rubs and scrapes really started appearing a couple of weeks ago around where I hunt. Just my opinion.

[DeanoZ]

maybe the deer werent home that day

 
Yeap....thought of that too!  Shame, I had quite a welcoming planned for them !