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From: rigg@osnome.che.wisc.edu (Tim Rigg)
Newsgroups: rec.hunting
Subject: Re: Scents
Message-ID: <1991May7.064908.25011@doug.cae.wisc.edu>
Date: 7 May 91 11:49:08 GMT
Lines: 37
Approved: hunting@osnome.che.wisc.edu
Originator: rigg@osnome.che.wisc.edu

Last year was my first season deer hunting, but I collected one scent
story...

I set up a ground blind along a well used trail and sprinkled a little
"Indian Buck Lure" at the point in the trail corresponding to my
shooting lane.  I chose this scent for very scientific reasons - it
was the cheapest and I liked the slogan on the bottle ("Indian Buck
Lure - The oldest and the best: Dead Bucks don't lie").

back to the story...  A nice buck came walking rather quickly down the
trail.  When he reached the scent.  He stopped dead in his tracks
(perfect broadside angle to me), put his head down, and checked out
the scent.  Any hunter could have easily shot the buck.  Without the
scent, the buck would have kept walking and only presented a moving
shot.

However, I was NOT any hunter.  It was my first season and buck fever
made me drastically rush the shot, and miss.  I plan on using the same
scent on the same trail during bow season this fall.  Hopefully I will
get another chance at that buck that has been laughing at me all
winter.  Missing a broadside buck from 23 yards with a rifle is a VERY
humbling experience.


Which brings up another point...  Last fall I read everything I could
find and learned all about scat, scrapes, rubs, food, and the rest.
However, NOTHING mentioned the panic of seeing your first deer within
shooting range.  I have since learned a few techniques to reduce this
factor.  Most center around ALWAYS using a set routine.  I have
started using the following routine during all my bow practice, "full
draw, aim, release, follow through".  I try to mentally check off the
steps on each shot.  Hopefully, when I see a deer this fall, I will
concentrate on the steps and not panic so much.  I am curious to see
if more experienced hunters use similar techniques.


tim