using scents

[mathewsman]

Just wanted some opinions and insight on the whens, where's, & how effectives using lure scents are for elk during the rut. Do you think it works? From how far away do you think they can smell that stuff? For example, say I was to saturate 6 scent wicks with cow in heat pee, and hang them around a clearing or water hole, how far down wind could a bull smell that "tang"?

 

[Gator]

Down in NM we was hunting elk and EVERYWHERE we would go was old Beer bottles laying in the woods from the wood cutters,
It rain hard for 2 days everywhere it was muddy and clear of tracks, we started to put cow in heat lure(rut was winding down) in the beer bottles just a couple of drops in each one on a piece of cotton ball, what was funny over the next few days we would stop and check for tracks arounds those bottles and EACH one had tracks all around them in the mud, some was cow and calves maybe small bulls tracks other times they was huge tracks by theirself which made us think those bulls was looking for that cow in heat still.
So I'm saying they not only work but I think they can smell it from along ways. With the smell in the bottle it stays active long IMO.
I believe as long those bulls think a cow is in heat they will look for her.


"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".

 

[Bruinbrewin]

I know that a lot of states list the use of attractant scents as illegal so you may want to check the laws before you use it. I could be wrong and you need to double check but I think it is illegal in NM
BB

 

[mathewsman]

Is it illegal in Utah? If so that's messed up! You can buy the stuff at walmart for heck-sakes!

 

[Bruinbrewin]

I quickly read through the regulations and saw a brief mention of the use of scents and cover scents in the ethics brochure for bow hunting and could not see anything that specifically stated if it was legal or illegal. I would call G&F for concurrence before i used it. It does state that you can bait bears so scents may be acceptable in Utah.
Arizona does not allow baiting for bear
New Mexico does not allot the use of attractant scents but you can use cover scents that are not attractant scents.
BB

 

[Gator]

It Reads: Illegal To take or attempt to take game species over ground baited with materials or scents distributed there to entice the animals,except quail and turkeys on private lands.

So does that mean public land is ok, because that how I read it.


"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".

 

[SPIRITELK]

HELL YES THEY WORK... I HAD A 5 X5 BULL LICK ELK WIZZ COW IN HEAT OFF THE QUAKIE TREE I SPRAYED IT ON A FEW YRS BACK. AND I WAS 6 YRDS FROM THE TREE WITH MY WIND GOING RIGHT TO THE TREE. HE WENT 80 YRDS AFTER I PUNCHED HIM AND FELL OVER DEAD!

 

[Bruinbrewin]

It Reads: Illegal To take or attempt to take game species over ground baited with materials or scents distributed there to entice the animals,except quail and turkeys on private lands.

Gator,
I think the way it is worded may cause some confusion but they way I read it with the comma placement, you cannot use any attractants anywhere in the state except people on private land can bait quail and Turkey. I will try to get an interpretation from G&F this week and let you know.
BB

 

[Gator]

Thanks
I would hate to be doing it if it not legal.


"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".

 

[Bruinbrewin]

Gator,
I talked with NM Game and Fish and it is illegal to distribute any attractant scents (cow in heat, cow urine, doe in rut, buck lure)on the ground, in trees or bushes, cannot hang wafers or scent wicks on trees or fences etc. But You can apply those scents to your body or clothing as a cover scent though. Be careful applying to your clothes, if the bull winks at you coming in I might get up the nearest tree
BB

 

[mozey]

I had one of those cow-elk urine wafers attached to my hat a couple years ago and could hardly stand to be down wind of myself. No way that thing was going in the tent with me, so I hung my hat in a tree just outside of our tent. Sure enough, had a small 4-point bull come right up to our tent around 2:00 a.m. and hang around for several minutes. This continued several nights in a row until the second to the last morning of our muzzleloader hunt, when my buddy decided to track him down and put a permanent stop to it... ;-)

I've stopped using them, even though they're effective, because the constant smell literally makes me ill.

 

[stanley]

>I had one of those cow-elk
>urine wafers attached to my
>hat a couple years ago
>and could hardly stand to
>be down wind of myself.
> No way that thing
>was going in the tent
>with me, so I hung
>my hat in a tree
>just outside of our tent.
> Sure enough, had a
>small 4-point bull come right
>up to our tent around
>2:00 a.m. and hang around
>for several minutes. This
>continued several nights in a
>row until the second to
>the last morning of our
>muzzleloader hunt, when my buddy
>decided to track him down
>and put a permanent stop
>to it... ;-)
>
>I've stopped using them, even though
>they're effective, because the constant
>smell literally makes me ill.
>
+1!!!!!!

Was helping a friend on an archery hunt a couple of years ago, and we decided to use those things. It was enough to gag a maggot!!!!! Could NOT be down-wind.

S.