Looking to attract that trophy buck this hunting season? With so many options available, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when choosing the right deer lure. Using the right lure can make a huge difference in your success, but the key is knowing which lure to use and when. In this article, we’ll break down some of the best types of whitetail deer lures to help you up your game. From scents to mock scrapes and natural attractants, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive into what works and how to use it.
Scents
Scents are a classic and effective way to lure deer, especially during the rut when bucks are seeking out does and asserting their dominance. Different scents work at various times throughout the hunting season, so it’s crucial to know what to use and when.
Doe Estrous
One of the most popular and effective lures during the rut is doe estrous scent. It mimics the pheromones released by a female deer in heat, signaling to bucks that a mate is nearby. This can be a powerful attractant, especially when applied on scent wicks or drag rags. Use this lure during the peak of the rut when bucks are most active.
Buck Urine
Early in the season, when bucks are establishing dominance, buck urine can trigger aggressive behavior, enticing dominant bucks to check out who’s encroaching on their territory. This scent is great to use in pre-rut phases to encourage territorial bucks to investigate.
Scent Control
While we’re talking about scents, remember that controlling your own scent is just as important as using attractants. Deer have an exceptional sense of smell, so using scent eliminators or cover scents (like earth or pine) can prevent spooking deer before they even get close. Deer can smell up to 7-8 different scents all at the same time so using diverse blends with more scents blended but still natural products in their environment can make a substantial difference in covering human odor.
Mock Scrapes
Mock scrapes are one of the most effective visual and scent-based attractants for bucks. In nature, bucks use scrapes as a way to communicate with other deer, leaving their scent in the form of urine, saliva, and glandular secretions. By creating a mock scrape, you can attract bucks looking to establish or maintain their dominance.
To create a mock scrape, clear a patch of earth about the size of a dinner plate under an overhanging branch (which bucks will often rub with their forehead glands). Apply buck urine or a pre-orbital gland scent on the ground or on the licking branch to mimic a real scrape. Bucks will often return to these scrapes repeatedly, making them ideal locations for setting up your stand or trail camera. Don’t overlook doe preorbital head scents as doe always work the licking branch at buck scrapes even though they don’t always pee in the scrape.
To enhance your mock scrape even more, attach a hemp rope about 45 inches off the ground on your overhanging branch. Spray the hemp rope with a multi-buck preorbital glandular scent which replicates the scent that would be left from a buck scraping your branch. It’s always wise to hang saturated scent wicks around your stand with buck tarsal or dominant buck with tarsal. This authenticates the natural buck scent that he would be responding to for the sounds of grunting or rattling.
Mock scrapes are particularly effective during the pre-rut and rut phases when bucks are marking their territory and searching for does.
Grunt Tubes
If you’re looking to draw a buck in from a distance, grunt tubes can be a game changer. Bucks use grunts to communicate with each other, and by mimicking these sounds, you can get a buck to investigate.
Buck Grunts
Deep, short grunts can mimic a buck in search of a doe or challenging another buck. Use these calls during the pre-rut to entice bucks who are looking to establish dominance.
Doe Bleats
Doe bleats are great for bringing in both bucks and does, as they mimic the sound of a doe calling for a mate or her young. Bleats can be used early in the season to attract does, and during the rut, bucks may respond aggressively.
The key to success with grunt tubes is timing and moderation. Overcalling can spook deer, so use them sparingly and strategically when you know a buck is nearby.
Food Plots
Another highly effective way to lure whitetail deer is by utilizing natural attractants like food plots. Creating a hunting plot that offers a steady food supply throughout the season can make your hunting grounds a magnet for deer.
Building the perfect food plot takes some time and planning, but it will yield you a year-round, all-natural deer attractant.
If you already have a food plot or are looking to start one before Fall/Winter hunting season comes full swing, consider planting corn, soybeans, cereal grains, brassicas, winter peas, turnips, radishes, and clover. Deer love a variety, so consider a seed blend to start growing your plot.
Where to Buy Your Hunting Lures
Thunder Ridge Outdoors is your leader in all things hunting plots and deer lures. Our goal is to help you bring down a trophy buck this season, and it starts with the right preparation. Whether it’s building a food plot or setting up your mock scrapes, we are here to help. Locate one of our dealers to help get you set up for this coming season.