Best Products to Fool a Buck into Bow Range

My general rule for all whitetail hunting is to scout hard enough to know where the deer want to be. I don’t think there is a better way to be a good hunter than to simply figure out where deer like to walk and then slip in and shoot them there.

The catch is, of course, that they can walk where they want and even if you’re working off of super fresh sign and sightings, things can change. At this point, your high-odds bow stand might suddenly be 100 yards off the mark, and therefore a great spot to watch deer that are out of range. The good news is that if you do get that close and are around deer that are very comfortable in the area, they might be easily fooled into coming just a little bit closer.

Here are several products that will help you accomplish just that.

Code Blue Synthetic Pre-Orbital Gland

A few years ago, I ran a camera on a community scrape through all of October. The videos showed two things: most bucks didn’t paw up or pee in the scrape, and every buck used the licking branch – every one of them. This is why the Pre-Orbital Gland synthetic scent from Code Blue is so interesting. It’s formulated to be used on a natural licking branch or over one you create on a mock scrape. The idea is to stimulate -nearby bucks’ instincts to visit and mark the branch with their own scent.

Flextone Extractor

The Extractor from Flextone is designed with the X-Glide feature. This allows for seamless transition from buck to doe to fawn sounds. In other words, if you want to bleat in a timid buck, you can. Or if you want to sound like an estrus doe with a rutty buck on her tail you can. You can also toss out snort-wheezes, growls, bawls, and any other devil-may-care buck sound that might draw in passing bruisers.

Montana Decoy Deer Rump

Life as a public land bowhunter means I’m constantly carrying in my whole setup and then carrying it out. That doesn’t leave me with the willingness to haul a full-bodied decoy in, ever. Instead, I use Montana Decoys like their Deer Rump. This decoy weighs 2 pounds total, folds down to a size that fits easily into a daypack, and comes with two Teaser Tails to sell the ruse. For only $70 it’s yours, and there are so many situations where this decoy will seal the deal, especially if you pair it with some calling or scents - or both.

Moultrie Deer Magnet Green Apple Liquid Attractant

Maybe you don’t want to challenge deer to a fight or convince them they are on the cusp of amorous activity and instead want to play off of their hunger. To accomplish this, a good option is the Deer Magnet lineup from Moultrie. With the liquid attractants, you simply pour them over the ground and let the aroma - and eventually the flavor - do the trick. Deer Magnet comes in several flavors that deer love, allowing you to condition them to keep coming back to specific spot and eventually, into bow range.

Raw Frozen Scents 30+ Peak Estrus

Raw Frozen Scents smell WAY different than many of the commercially available urines and synthetics on the market. If you don’t believe that, order up a bottle. It’ll arrive packed in ice, and when you uncap it and take a whiff you’ll probably gag a little if you’re a normal human. The stuff is potent, because it is crazy fresh. With their new 30+ Peak Estrus, you get that potent freshness in a four ounce bottle that is full of doe urine that was collected just prior to the season. Each batch is tested and certified to be loaded with peak estrogen, which is exactly what a buck wants to smell when a doe squats in his neighborhood. 30+ Peak is formulated without any preservatives or added water, to ensure a high-quality product.

Primos Buck Roar II

No bowhunter should enter the whitetail woods in October without a good grunt tube like the new Buck Roar II from Primos. The design of this call allows for sharp grunts that are very easy to produce and perfect snort-wheezes. To keep the call in position and ready to be used - without getting in the way when you’re maneuvering into shooting position - the Buck Roar II is designed with a rotating wrist strap.

Wildgame Innovations Young Buck Burst

You can use Young Buck Burst with scent wicks or just anywhere you have the desire to spray it in the woods. Wildgame Innovations formulated this buck attractant to trigger a response from mature bucks by tricking them into thinking a stranger has been whizzing all over their turf. Each can is good for 100 bursts of spray, contains 100-percent pure buck urine, and is pressurized at the peak of freshness.

Wildlife Research Center Select Doe Urine

Deer are social critters by nature, and when they feel their lives aren’t in danger, are also very curious. This is the secret to Select Doe Urine from Wildlife Research Center. Effective throughout the entire season - not just the rut - Select Doe Urine is a curiosity lure meant to signal to passing bucks that a new doe is in the neighborhood and they should give the spot she took a leak a little extra attention in case she might be girlfriend material.

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