There is no question, my favorite time of the year directly coincides with the peak of the whitetail rut. As a deer hunter, this is by far the most exciting time: bucks chasing, non-stop activity all day long, big bucks that have never been seen before cruising by your stand — count me in!
With the amazing rut activity also comes its fair share of challenges. Bucks may be locked down with does, they may be chasing so hard it’s difficult to get a shot, and of course if there are no hot does in your area, the bucks may be elsewhere. So what can you do to improve your odds? Rut scents. This is the time of year where bucks literally throw their common sense out the window and have one thing on their mind: finding and breeding does. You can increase your odds by using premium rut scents that will peak their instincts and stop them in their tracks, right in front of your stand.
The first question is what to use and when. As soon as I start seeing rutting activity, I will get the rut scents out. In the Midwest, this usually begins about the last week in October and I’ve seen rutting activity go all the way through December. My go-to scent is from Wildlife Research Center, Special Golden Estrus. This scent is made from fresh and super premium doe urine with estrous secretions. I like to place these on key wicks around my stand, spray branches leading up to my stand and even use around my decoy set as well. What I’ve found is this will not only bring bucks into your set, but it also helps keep them there.
I also like to pick out my ideal location to shoot a buck and place some scent there. Create a window on that same trail before hand so you can see them coming, but place scent in the ideal shot location to grab their attention and make them stop. They may be cursing through or downright running by, but the moment they smell that fresh estrous scent they stop, giving you the perfect shot opportunity.
Wildlife Research Center also makes Golden Estrus Scent Reflex which is a super charged premium synthetic doe estrous scent. It comes in a 3FL OZ pressurized can for convenient dispersal.
Ideally being an effective hunter is all about being in the right place at the right time and using a bucks natural senses in your favor. If you’re hunting the rut and does are whats on their mind, have Wildlife Research Center’s Special Golden Estrus out near your stand you’ll reap the rewards of the rut.
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