Has anyone tried any of the candles or incense sticks for deer hunting? Looking for input from someone who isn't selling them.
I saw a candle advertised on my FB feed a couple weeks ago, but can't find it now. I don't remember the name of it, but some of the comments were how one hunter smelled a rutting buck and followed the scent 200 yards to find another hunter using a candle, another claimed he had a small buck walk right up to the candle and burn his nose on it.
I used scents for 20 years thinking i was gonna kill a booner. It's all hogwash, that and cover scents...Deer can smell human right through all that hocus pocus. If you are looking to kill any buck, then buy away. If you are looking to kill something mature, you are best just hunting food in the evening, bedding in the morning....basically hunt the live bait piles (doe) and you will eventually have success.
I do remember Pete Rickards stuff, I probably put his kids through college myself, lol, I was young and dumb. Learning by failure is the best medicine. Think about it...only way for a deer to smell you Pete Rickards "indian buck lure" of "super doe in heat" is to be downwind of you. Well...I set my stands in hopes deer aren't getting downwind of me. Interesting how we all were brainwashed at some point.
Now when I go to Fleet Farm and see someone with "Still steaming" in both hands i just chuckle.
I sure do remember it, and even used it. I would venture to guess any bowhunter from the 60's and 70' used it at one time or another. Looks like pete rickards is still in business.
Many, many years ago tried Tinks without any success, except one time. Got permission to hunt a new property one week before gun season. Tied a cotton ball with tinks to my boot lace and walked in the woods. Lo and behold, nice trail in the new snow from the night before. Only had 2 hours before dark, so sat off the trail about 25 yards. Barely finished shuffling leaves away on the ground, and here come an nice 8 point coming down the trail! It hit the tinks drag trail and came within 5 yards of me before looking up. I had my bow back already, and it starts pawing and snorting at me. I thought for sure it was going to charge. I started shaking a bit, and the buck bounded off back to the trail it was on and stopped. Arrow flew true and had my first trophy! No longer use scent, and only hunt late October through gun. I focus on runways I know deer habitually use.
The concept in the fine print is they are used both as attractant and a cover scent.
Thanks, the Hot Trails product was the one I was trying to remember.
Doubt I'll actually buy any - the candles are cheap enough but the protective lantern puts the cost too high for me, and I'm not going to risk lighting the property on fire.
I think Welderguy summed it up.
I can't believe some body would use a open flame in the woods!!!!!
Here you go and only $24.00 with shipping for four small candles. https://www.hottrails.com/cart/
Lets talk about a bridge I have for sale, "CHEAP" only driven over on Sundays. "Trust Me".
Years ago I tried the “Deer Sense” incense sticks. Seemed like a good theory and I feel like that scent would spread out in the woods more than squirting some pee on the ground. They came 2 in a pack and I didn’t see any results from the 2 I burned but I suppose that’s not much to determine whether they work or not. I gave up using any scents years ago after never seeing any results from using it. The way I look at it you want to hunt down wind of deer so the only way I feel scent would work is if u are upwind of the deer. Being upwind, if the deer smell the scent they can also smell you right? Most scent is synthetic anyway and deer can probably tell the difference. When I was young I thought u could sprinkle some Tinks down and bucks would be coming in from everywhere, not the case in my experience. I remember once I had a scent wick out with doe in heat and had a 4ptr walk right past it and never paid any attention to it. In my opinion I’m not convinced so I don’t use it. I feel your better off hunting where does are during the rut, u can’t beat the real thing.
