Last minute territory changes in deer hunting
If you change your hunting area at the very last minute, here are some tips for success in this 2021 deer hunting season.
Prospect at noon
First, know that it's too late to start feeding. Use attractants such as BuckNdoe, Provokateur or a coulis (get it from one of our deer saline kits) if you have only a few days left to hunt. Using our scent eliminator products, we recommend that you prospect at noon while walking like a hiker to avoid looking like a predator. Walk at a slow pace to go unnoticed by the game. Visit the edges of transitions or fields, around a swamp, bordering a coniferous forest and look for trails or rubs on the trees. The direction of the rubbing will tell you if the trail is used in the morning or evening.
Check the direction of the rubbing.
The direction of the rubbing will tell you the direction the deer has gone. If you have a feeder site behind you when facing the rub, it is a morning lane and if the rub is towards the feeder site, it is a late-day trail. Deer, at dusk, will be attracted to the feeder site such as an apple orchard, corn field, alfalfa field, etc.
The direction of the rub tells you where you should be to catch the buck. You need to act within just a few days, and be ready to move quickly. If the rubbings lead you to the feeder site, back off to find more rubbings to set up about 200 to 300 feet away in the woods. This way, you will spot your deer during hunting hours. Remember, if you find a rub, you need to check the direction of the rub. To do this, put one knee on the ground in front of the rub and look further, you will find another one, move to the next one and so on. It will show you the path the deer has taken.
Provoke by creating mock scrapes
Once you find the trail, that's when you'll start provoking with an expert buck product like pre-orbital glands, buck mixture, young buck purine or young buck sex lure, creating mock scrapes. When prospecting, you can use the BuckNdoe or Provokateur to make scent lines that will get the buck moving to visit the scents you spread that smell like apples and feed. A weekend goes by quickly so use every tool available to attract game to your mock scrapes. By creating this, you will be able to bring in a female that may be ready for ovulation and will leave an irresistible scent to other bucks in the area, increasing your chances of success as other bucks may chase her.
If no scrape tracks exist.
If you can' t find rubbing or scraping evidence, make mock scrapes with pre-orbital glands or with our new 4Play or XSite sexual lure products near deer trails and make scent lines with the BuckNdoe or Provokateur to create food scent lures. These scents will create activity in the deer's territory, which may attract females, who are known to be chased by bucks at this time of year. Keep your eyes open until the very last minute and you may get lucky. We sincerely wish you a last-minute buck for 2020. Happy hunting!