What's the best deer attractant?

[WestTNHunter22]

What's the best one for attracting bucks?

[VolHunter]

Tough question man, it depends on what the deer in the area need. They can be much like humans and want differing food.

1. Establishing a salt lick during the summer months can be beneficial to the deer and give them a place to come to all yr long.

2. Winter wheat is a cheap and easy thing to establish. You can basically clear out some land with normal tools and sow out wheat and it will come up. This is the best thing for hunters on a money and time budget.

3. Clover, chicory, and corn are some of the best, highest nutrient (different in each item...protein, fat, etc) foods, but it takes a decent bit of time and money to establish these. Considering you said in another post you are 14 and this is your first year hunting, i believe these to be out of your range.

You could easily put out some attractant feed throughout the spring and summer months and see what is in the area, but the key is to make sure it isn't there when season rolls around.

[tator]

IF you're looking for something cheap,,, check into your local farm coop and purchase some corn. I typically do this in late winter (after i'm all done hunting) and into the spring and summer. Like VoL said above, try the mineral lick too. Those are good to start in early spring. Find a good old, rotting tree stump and put some mineral salt, and regular salt on it. They will go crazy over it. PLUS... make sure you refresh the mineral lick area every 2-3 months.

[WestTNHunter22]

Originally Posted by tator

IF you're looking for something cheap,,, check into your local farm coop and purchase some corn. I typically do this in late winter (after i'm all done hunting) and into the spring and summer. Like VoL said above, try the mineral lick too. Those are good to start in early spring. Find a good old, rotting tree stump and put some mineral salt, and regular salt on it. They will go crazy over it. PLUS... make sure you refresh the mineral lick area every 2-3 months.

Hey guys, thanks for the tips. I was thinking about going to my local Wal-Mart and getting some Buck Jam and mineral block? Ya'll think thats a good idea?

[tator]

yeah but you can save alot of money and it will last longer if you buy from a farm and home store and farm coop. Get your salt in a 50lb bag and your salt lick from the farm and home store and get your corn from farm coop. Don't be tempted to buy the apple flavored corn or all that other crap that comes in 40lb bags... it's cheaper to buy regular corn by the bushel at your farm coop (MFA). I have tried the deer attractants before like the buck jam you're talking about, and have not had much luck with them. I do recommend getting a mineral lick area started and once they have dug down (started eating the dirt) then put some of that buck jam or deer cane out and that will attract them more frequently. If you just go put buck jam down on the ground or stump it's going to wash away in first rain you get and it's not going to be visited heavily for awhile. Establish a spot where they can come eat first, then worry about the attractants if you want to use those too.

[WestTNHunter22]

Originally Posted by tator

yeah but you can save alot of money and it will last longer if you buy from a farm and home store and farm coop. Get your salt in a 50lb bag and your salt lick from the farm and home store and get your corn from farm coop. Don't be tempted to buy the apple flavored corn or all that other crap that comes in 40lb bags... it's cheaper to buy regular corn by the bushel at your farm coop (MFA). I have tried the deer attractants before like the buck jam you're talking about, and have not had much luck with them. I do recommend getting a mineral lick area started and once they have dug down (started eating the dirt) then put some of that buck jam or deer cane out and that will attract them more frequently. If you just go put buck jam down on the ground or stump it's going to wash away in first rain you get and it's not going to be visited heavily for awhile. Establish a spot where they can come eat first, then worry about the attractants if you want to use those too.

I would put some corn out but the field I'm hunting has a county road running beside it. I don't wanna take a chance of getting fined by the game wardens.

[milesd]

VolHunter, you are 100% right that learning the land, how the deer move , where they go, and the part of the season for bucks etc ( which is basically just studying the craft of hunting – which all hunters should be doing ) is just as important as what lure you use. But some lures are good, and some are not.

The question was, what is the best deer attractant, not is baiting a good idea. If you know the lay of the land and your deer, Kishels Scents makes a pretty high end line of lures and attractants for deer: http://store.kishelscents.com/products/lures