January 14, 2021
By Mark Taylor
Ozone with a Twist – Scentlok OZ NFuse Scentlok OZ NFuse Traditional ozone treatment of clothing and gear involves putting everything in an air-tight bag or tote and then running an ozone generator within the compartment. But Scentlok’s OZ NFuse Ozone Sprayer puts a new twist on ozone application by injecting ozone molecules directly into ordinary water. The battery-powered NFuse Sprayer creates a fine mist of ozonated water that kills odor-producing bacteria and other microorganisms on contact. When you need more, simply refill from the tap and press the spray trigger. Independent testing found the sprayer reduces odor-causing bacteria by a whopping 99.9 percent.
MSRP: $129.99 | scentlok.com
Roaring Into the Rut – Primos Buck Roar 2 Primos Buck Roar 2 Plenty of hunters have notched their buck tags thanks to the Primos Buck Roar call. That trend will continue with the introduction of an update to the iconic call. The Buck Roar 2 improves on the original with an updated barrel and reed and enhanced fit to make it easier than ever to create sharp, responsive grunts. A baffle and trumpeted exit on the wheeze allow for perfect wheeze sounds with minimal effort. A rotating wrist strap is designed so hunters can use the call even at full draw.
MSRP: $21.95 | primos.com
Added Realism – Montana Decoy Xd Turkey Decoys Montana Decoy Xd Turkey Decoys Montana Decoy’s photorealistic decoys have long been an industry standard for their lifelike appearance. The company’s new line of XD turkey decoys takes that realism to another level. XD stands for Extra Detail, with enhanced color and detail to model a wild turkey’s natural iridescence. Additionally, the new decoys use Perfect Pose Technology that allows for additional adjustment. The Jake Purrfect XD, for example, can be set in a feeder, looker or brawler pose. The Hen can be set in a standing, feeding or breeding pose. The decoys remain incredibly packable, with the Jake decoy compressing from 34-inches long unfolded to just 9 inches by 3 inches when folded.
MSRP: Price Unavailable | montanadecoy.com
Lock up Odors – Ozonics O.N.E Gear Locker Ozonics O.N.E Gear Locker Hunters know storing their gear and clothing away from external scents is a key to hunting success. The O.N.E. Gear Locker from Ozonics takes hunting gear storage to the next level. O.N.E. stands for Ozone Neutral Environment. Like other products Ozonics has produced since 2007, the O.N.E. uses natural ozone to sanitize and deodorize hunting clothes, gear and equipment. The ruggedly built unit is nearly 6 feet tall, 46 1⁄2 inches wide and 29 inches deep, so it’s got plenty of room. An Ozonics Orion, HR300 or HR 230 can be used with the O.N.E. unit. Used in DriWash mode and placed in the bottom of the O.N.E. locker, they create the ozone that neutralizes odors of the items in the locker.
MSRP: $399.99 | ozonicshunting.com
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Give Your Plots a Kick – Whitetail Institute Impact Whitetail Institute Impact Treating soil with pelletized or bulk lime is a common tactic for increasing pH levels favorable for plant growth in food plots. But what can a hunter do when such treatment is not possible? IMPACT from Whitetail Institute is the answer. IMPACT provides 68 percent calcium carbonite equivalent in an easy-to-mix spray. It also adds nitrogen to further boost nutrient uptake and to dramatically increase early-season food plot growth. A gallon will treat a quarter of an acre. IMPACT is activated by the first rainfall and its effects typically last 3-5 months.
MSRP: $19.99/gallon | whitetailinstitute.com
Branching Out for Bucks – Buckstik Ripstik Buckstik Ripstik Mock scrapes are well known for fooling even the wariest trophy buck. The new RipStik from BuckStik is a great tool for hunters looking to establish an attractive mock scrape. The RipStik measures more than 7 feet long, allowing for setup versatility but also to accommodate all three buck gland scents — preorbital, forehead and interdigital. Installation to a fence post, tree trunk or the optional BuckStik Pole Mount is quick and simple. The gland scents have an unlimited shelf life, so there’s no need to add additional scents throughout the season. While the RipStick will attract bucks (and does) year-round, it’s especially effective from the time bucks start developing antlers through the late season.
MSRP: $79.99 | buckstick.com
Stealing Scent – Scent Thief Combo Pack Scent Thief Combo Pack As much as hunters do their best to play the wind, it’s inevitable that game will occasionally approach from downwind. Those are the times when it pays to not only have done as much as possible to reduce human scent, but also to employ tactics to confuse the animal’s nose. Scent Thief’s scent blocker is formulated to eliminate an animal’s ability to sense threatening odors. Scent Thief’s patented No Smell Technology relaxes the olfactory epithelium, eliminating the animal’s sense of smell. The formula is organic and safe for skin, clothing and the environment. The combo pack includes a 12-ounce spray bottle and a 32-ounce refill bottle.
MSRP: $26.99 | scentthief.com
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A Call for Any Occasion – Flextone Buck Collector Plus Flextone Buck Collector Plus Every serious whitetail hunter not only knows how important calling is, but also that being able to make an array of different deer vocalizations is critical. Sometimes, a simple grunt call is all that’s needed to close the deal on a trophy buck. Often, an array of calls is required. The Flextone Buck Collector Plus is an extremely versatile call that covers all the bases, allowing a hunter to easily switch tones, volume and inflection to fit the situation. With Tru-Touch buttons, a hunter can easily transition from buck growls to fawn and doe bleats to traditional grunts at any volume.
MSRP: $18.99 | flextonegamecalls.com
No Gambling Needed – Evolved 5 Card Draw Evolved 5 Card Draw By combining five different seeds, Evolved’s new 5 Card Draw food plot mix just what hunters need to increase the drawing power of their plots. 5 Card Draw features a combination of oats, wheat, white clover, turnip and chicory. The diverse mix is both palatable and nutritious and sure to increase hoof traffic. Forage oats and forage wheat each account for 42 percent of the mix. The balance is 4 percent perennial white clover, 2 percent Barkant turnip and 2 percent chicory. A 10-pound bag will plant a quarter of an acre and is best used in tilled soils with a pH range of 6-8.
MSRP: $19.99 (10-pound bag) | evolved.com
No Sweat Scrape Setup – Buck Bomb Scrape Kit Plus Buck Bomb Scrape Kit Plus The folks at Buck Bomb have made generating a scrape set simple and effective with their new Buck Bomb Scrape Kit Plus that includes everything needed to sweeten a natural scrape or to set up a mock scrape. The kit includes one bottle of Buck Bomb Synthetic Scrape Generator liquid scent, a bottle of Buck Bomb Synthetic Forehead Gland scent, two Scent Wicks and a Scent Hammock. Use the forehead scent on the tree limb above the scrape while at the same time setting up the scrape scent to drip into the scrape.
MSRP: $19.99 | buckbomb.com
Leaving No Trace – Wildgame Innovations PureION ZeroTrace Wildgame Innovations PureION ZeroTrace Hunters often use heavy-duty bins for storing and transporting gear. Combining the Wildgame Innovations ZeroTrace Field Generator with a ZeroTrace trunk creates a tote that also neutralizes odors. The ZeroTrace field unit uses PureION technology to neutralize odors on clothing and gear by emitting positive and negative ions that bind to odors, neutralizing them at a molecular level. The resulting compound is not recognizable to wildlife, allowing hunters to essentially disappear in the woods.
MSRP: $199 (PureION ZeroTrace Field Unit) | wildgameinnovations.com
Craft “Brew” for Bucks – Wildlife Research Center Micro Brew Craft Scents Wildlife Research Center Micro Brew Craft Scents Everyone knows about the craft beer craze. Now, the microbrew concept is coming to deer scents. Wildlife Research Center has started a Micro Brew Craft Scents line that pays tribute to the company’s founders and family story. Trapper John’s Ultimate Buck Lure and Chainsaw Brian’s Premium Doe Estrus both use blends of high-quality ingredients to create unique, highly effective attractants. Trapper John’s Ultimate Buck Lure is named after the company’s late founder and uses a secret recipe that has been hidden in a vault for 30 years. Chainsaw Brian’s Premium Doe Estrus is a combination of the highest-quality doe urine and secretions and a “Territorial Musk” secret ingredient.
MSRP: $29.99 per 4-ounce bottle | wildlife.com
Bigger Is Better – Moultrie Deer Feeder 325 Elite Tripod Moultrie Deer Feeder 325 Elite Tripod Frequent visits for refills are one of the realities of using game feeders. The new Moultrie Deer Feeder 325 Elite Tripod feeder reduces the need for those fill-up trips with its massive, 325-pound capacity. In order to handle the extra capacity, the hexagonal-shaped hopper is stronger than previous models and the tripod legs are thicker and stronger than ever. The feeder runs on the Moultrie Pro Hunter II feeder kit. A 6-volt rechargeable battery allows for months of maintenance-free operation.
MSRP: $219.99 | moultriefeeders.com
Keep ‘Em Coming Back – BioLogic Final Forage BioLogic Final Forage While many food-plot seed mixes are designed to flourish in certain seasons, Final Forage from BioLogic is a long-term producer featuring a mix of radish, rape and turnip varies. It combines proven varieties of BioLogic brassicas that deer love in the early autumn with cold-tolerant radish tubers and turnip bulbs that will still be available during the late season. With its unique blend and heavy production, Final Forage is ideal for smaller plots tucked away in the timber or for inside corners or agricultural fields. A 3-pound bag plants a third of an acre.
MSRP: $21.99 | plantbiologic.com