Ask The Biologist

Say Cheese!

Say Cheese!

By Bob Humphrey

Outside of bait, what’s the best way to get deer to stop in front of a trail camera?

QUESTION: I hunt state forest lands in Pennsylvania. We are not allowed to bait. What kind of scent products do you recommend to attract deer to my trail cameras to give me an idea of what kind of deer I might expect to see. — Joe R

ANSWER: Almost any scent attractant should work. Food-based aromas (corn, persimmon, acorn, apple, etc.) sprayed on vegetation near your camera are one option.

Another is urine-based scents. Assuming you’re going to set your cameras before the rut, I suggest not using rut or estrous scents. Non-estrous buck or doe urine are options, but you’ll need a scent dripper that you’ll have to check and refill on a regular basis.

Gel, powder or solid scent dispersal systems might last a tad longer as an alternate or a supplement. If you’re going to that much effort, you might as well set up a mock scrape that will continue to attract deer into the hunting season.

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Copyright 2024 by Buckmasters, Ltd.

Copyright 2020 by Buckmasters, Ltd