Vanilla for scent block? - Page 2

Uncle Buck · November 23, 2010, 10:21 AM

I haven't used vanilla extract in years. Maybe because I forgot about it when I took my break in hunting (Dang military decided it needed me to head east, really really far east, for a couple of years).

I would put it into a film canister and use and unscented tampon as the cotton and hang it by the string in a tree near the stand. The deer would come up and sniff it.

Where I hunt now, I do not worry about cover scents or attractants. We are in and out of the woods during the entire year and the deer are use to the human scent.

Brian Pfleuger · November 23, 2010, 12:42 PM

I tried vanilla a number of times two years ago. I had a number of deer go through downwind, and several walk literally right through the center of the area where I had the vanilla. Not one single deer ever appeared to notice. The last time, I used an entire (I think 12oz) bottle on the ground, on some golden rod and on branches. A doe and her fawn walked right through the area, on a trail they would have been on anyway, right through the middle of the stuff and never so much stopped to sniff the air. They acted like they smelled NOTHING.

I'm convinced that most attractants that are thought to work are largely the combined effect of the hunters hope, active imagination and coincidence.

Sometimes, yes, they work. Mostly, it's almost impossible to tell.

I did once use some Tinks 69 that looked like a deoderant stick and rubbed it on a tree. I had a buck walk past the tree until he was slightly down wind, stop in his tracks, sniff the air, turn around back to the tree and stand there licking the tree. There's no doubt that stuff worked THAT time, but I've virtually never seen a response to Tinks, or any other attractant, ever.

HighExpert · November 26, 2010, 10:52 PM

I don't know about the deer, but it sure smells good. Makes my stomach growl. BTW Buck Bomb has vanilla in it's spray cans now.

shortwave · November 27, 2010, 07:54 AM

Wildlife Research makes a scent called Trails Blend.
It smells like a mixture of anise and vanilla,along with other scents.

I've used it on drag rags and have watched deer(does and small bucks) follow the scent trail right under my stand.

Never had a solo big buck follow trail in but did shoot a mid 140 class during pre-rut when doe followed scent trail and buck followed doe.

There's also a long story which I posted here along time ago of getting halfway to my stand, setting my gear down and putting Trail Blend on like cologne and having a nice buck charge me, stopping some 20-30yds out. With his nose in the air and lips curling,this stuff clearly had him fired up. He then ran over the hill and made a scrape next to my hunting partner.

From that day on I followed the obvious warnings on the bottle not to put it on your person

.

Honda4me · November 27, 2010, 10:59 PM

I had success with the Trails Blend before and then continued to use it for several more seasons (new stuff not the old) and nothing showed so like anything it could be hit or miss. I also used vanilla extract in the past without success.

publius · December 1, 2010, 12:22 AM

Back in the early 80's before artificial scent really became the cool thing to do there was a product called Cover Up that smelled exactly like Vanilla extract. It probably was. i don't know if it works or not but I soak a small rag with vanilla and put it in the dryer with my clothes.

camper4lyfe · December 1, 2010, 09:04 PM

I think there are two things to look at here:

1) Does it attract deer?

2) Does it scare the deer?

If it does attract deer, great. If it doesn't attract them, does it scare them away? If it doesn't, I don't see a reason to NOT use it. It's like me using my rattle bag this year. Did it call in the 7 point that I saw after using it? I don't know, but it also didn't scare him away.

November 23, 2010, 10:21 AM	#26
Uncle Buck Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 2,592	I haven't used vanilla extract in years. Maybe because I forgot about it when I took my break in hunting (Dang military decided it needed me to head east, really really far east, for a couple of years). I would put it into a film canister and use and unscented tampon as the cotton and hang it by the string in a tree near the stand. The deer would come up and sniff it. Where I hunt now, I do not worry about cover scents or attractants. We are in and out of the woods during the entire year and the deer are use to the human scent. __________________ Inside Every Bright Idea Is The 50% Probability Of A Disaster Waiting To Happen.

November 23, 2010, 12:42 PM	#27
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	I tried vanilla a number of times two years ago. I had a number of deer go through downwind, and several walk literally right through the center of the area where I had the vanilla. Not one single deer ever appeared to notice. The last time, I used an entire (I think 12oz) bottle on the ground, on some golden rod and on branches. A doe and her fawn walked right through the area, on a trail they would have been on anyway, right through the middle of the stuff and never so much stopped to sniff the air. They acted like they smelled NOTHING. I'm convinced that most attractants that are thought to work are largely the combined effect of the hunters hope, active imagination and coincidence. Sometimes, yes, they work. Mostly, it's almost impossible to tell. I did once use some Tinks 69 that looked like a deoderant stick and rubbed it on a tree. I had a buck walk past the tree until he was slightly down wind, stop in his tracks, sniff the air, turn around back to the tree and stand there licking the tree. There's no doubt that stuff worked THAT time, but I've virtually never seen a response to Tinks, or any other attractant, ever. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

December 1, 2010, 12:22 AM	#31
publius Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2005 Location: Mississippi/Texas Posts: 2,505	Back in the early 80's before artificial scent really became the cool thing to do there was a product called Cover Up that smelled exactly like Vanilla extract. It probably was. i don't know if it works or not but I soak a small rag with vanilla and put it in the dryer with my clothes. __________________ "Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress, but I repeat myself." Mark Twain

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November 26, 2010, 10:52 PM	#28
HighExpert Member Join Date: May 30, 2010 Posts: 37	I don't know about the deer, but it sure smells good. Makes my stomach growl. BTW Buck Bomb has vanilla in it's spray cans now.

November 27, 2010, 07:54 AM	#29
shortwave Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2007 Location: SOUTHEAST, OHIO Posts: 5,970	Wildlife Research makes a scent called Trails Blend. It smells like a mixture of anise and vanilla,along with other scents. I've used it on drag rags and have watched deer(does and small bucks) follow the scent trail right under my stand. Never had a solo big buck follow trail in but did shoot a mid 140 class during pre-rut when doe followed scent trail and buck followed doe. There's also a long story which I posted here along time ago of getting halfway to my stand, setting my gear down and putting Trail Blend on like cologne and having a nice buck charge me, stopping some 20-30yds out. With his nose in the air and lips curling,this stuff clearly had him fired up. He then ran over the hill and made a scrape next to my hunting partner. From that day on I followed the obvious warnings on the bottle not to put it on your person .

November 27, 2010, 10:59 PM	#30
Honda4me Member Join Date: May 16, 2010 Location: Tulsa, OK. Posts: 41	I had success with the Trails Blend before and then continued to use it for several more seasons (new stuff not the old) and nothing showed so like anything it could be hit or miss. I also used vanilla extract in the past without success.

December 1, 2010, 09:04 PM	#32
camper4lyfe Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2008 Location: Fairport, NY Posts: 165	I think there are two things to look at here: 1) Does it attract deer? 2) Does it scare the deer? If it does attract deer, great. If it doesn't attract them, does it scare them away? If it doesn't, I don't see a reason to NOT use it. It's like me using my rattle bag this year. Did it call in the 7 point that I saw after using it? I don't know, but it also didn't scare him away.