Using Lures During the Rut

Written by: Will Bowen

 

Basic whitetail biology is what makes whitetails huntable. They have a predictable pattern and desire depending on the time of year. In September and October, their stomachs are growling and the need to put on pre-rut and pre-winter bulk is vital to their survival. But come November, attitudes start to change. Species survival becomes the focus now and breeding is on the mind of every buck in the woods. Welcome to the whitetail rut, the most unpredictable, chaotic event a hunter can experience. 

 

As stated earlier the rut is built purely through whitetail biology. As the days get shorter, the does begin to go into estrus as buck testosterone is peaking. Bucks become more aggressive and challenge other bucks while also chasing available estrous does. For the rut to be effective, bucks have to be able to detect which does are ready to breed. There are subtle physical signs that does give off like tail flicks, but the biggest indicator of readiness is a powerful estrous scent. 

 

 

This scent is responsible for making bucks go crazy in the woods. One whitetail doe coming into estrus is all it takes to have the best hunt of your life. Estrous scent is a powerful force of biology. It almost single-handedly keeps a species going. It’s also a powerful tool that every whitetail hunter should keep in their pockets during the unpredictable rut.

 

How to Use Lures 

 

There are a ton of products out there that prove to be useful during the rut, whether they are basic cover scents or estrus lures. They all serve a purpose. The main thing is that you reproduce a natural scent while you are on the stand. There are several ways you can do this: put your selected lure in a dispensing bottle, use a dippable scent wick, or just apply directly to your boot or tree. Like I stated before, the most important thing is that you just get the scent into the air somehow. A buck can’t smell it in the bottle.

 

Now is the time to capitalize on luring scent products. The rut is heating up by the day and bucks are just looking for a reason to slip up. Luckily for us, Tink’s has a multitude of options. They offer natural or synthetic liquid for dripper application, foggers for emitting a scent cloud, or gel stream for long distance, high accuracy application. 

 

So, what scents should you be using during the rut for maximum efficiency? When it comes down to the most basic tactic, you are trying to mimic a doe, the one thing that will make that big buck go crazy. The following are some of Tink’s best scents to use during this year’s rut:

 

Tink’s Power Scrape Pre-Rut Finisher: scrapes are popping up and this powerful scent from Tink’s is designed to bring out the intensity of all the bucks in your area. Challenge their dominance and peak their curiosity with the Power Scrape Pre-Rut Finisher.

Tink’s #1 Doe-P: this scent was made to simulate the scent of a new doe in the area and is sure to entice all deer in the area to come check out the newbie. While Tink’s #1 Doe-P has all season application, it might just be most effective during the rut.

Tink’s #69 Doe-in-Rut: finally, we get to the flagship scent that Tink’s offers, the legendary #69 Doe-in-Rut Buck Lure. Formulated from 100% doe urine collected from live estrous does, this scent is the exact biological agent that drives bucks wild! The #1 selling scent product multiple times over, Tink’s #69 Doe-in-Rut is your ticket to punching that tag during the rut.

The rut is upon us and the bucks are driven wild by various scents floating through the woods. Are you going to take advantage of this phenomenon this season?