Twenty ago one of the top scent strategies was to lay a hot-doe trail to your stand on the walk in every morning or afternoon. You heard many testimonials of bucks smelling those scent trails and following them straight to a hunter’s stand.
You don’t hear much about scent trails anymore, but I still make them and you should to.
Park your truck and sneak off down through the woods. When you’re 150 yards or so from where you plan to hunt, tie a drag rag to your boot, soak a wick with hot-doe lure and walk the rest of the way in.
Make a couple of big sweeps around your stand. A buck that comes from any direction might cut the scent and circle in to see what’s up.
Slipping on boot pads or pulling a drag rag can be a hassle, and I think that’s one reason many hunters don’t lay scent trails anymore. Okay, but now it’s a lot easier.
Get a can of the new Golden Doe Spray from Wildlife Research Center. On the sneak into a stand or blind, carry the can low in your hand and spray here and there as you walk to create a doe scent trail into your spot. No fuss, no muss, no need to hassle with a rope or scent drag.
While a hot-doe trail can work anytime during the rut, it can oftentimes work better during the first 10 days of the post-rut in late November or early December. There are fewer hot does left to breed, but the bucks are still on the prowl for some action. One of those randy boys might cut your trail and sniff his way right to your stand.
Note: Some states now require you to use only synthetic deer scents, so check your hunting regulations.
Funny I don’t seem to hear much of it anymore now that you say that. I still do it every year as well. Usually wait till last week of October and do it into mid / late November. Usually not much later than that as we typically have some snow by then. I’ve had it work well a number of times. Not always on a shooter , lots of small bucks but proves it can be affective.