What is the best doe in heat scent in your opinion? I have a doe decoy also. Is that a good strategy? Do they work better in the woods or on the edge of a field? I really would like to take this buck. What do you think of those "The Can" doe bleats? I appreciate any and all advice.
The bleat cans work but they are kinda quiet IMO and require little ambient noise like wind and critters clattering etc if deer are at any distance. IMO they don't carry the sound very well. The 3 pack cans I have are the early season bleat, regular estrus bleat and the long distance bleat which is not really any louder IMO but rather just last longer. All 3 have worked for me and also not worked. On top of that it seems everyone has one and they all (depending on brand) sound the same to me. lol...
I have used both kinds of calls and found more success with a regular reed style bleat call if the deer is at a distance but IMO you need to know how to use them. I have on several occasions seen a buck at a distance and hit the can with zero effect thinking it should be hearing it but just figured it didn't or wasn't interested and then picked up my other regular call and set it to bleat and hit it once and they heard it and came to check it out so if I were you I would carry both types.
I think the benefit of having both cans and regular calls goes the other way as well. IMO those cans are great for closer range quiet calling which IMO is what they are for. After 25 years of hunting I still have a hard time working the reed calls quietly and having it sound right so that's why I have the cans. lol...
If you have him patterned you might not need anything other than to see him during legal hours. I do not believe in the commercial hunter in a can stuff like scents to much. I like the dirt scent wafers only and store my cloths with those in the off season and after each use. My wife hates it because I forget to take off my hat and she always says "you smell like dirt." lol.... Sometimes commercial scents work but IMO many times it is a waste of money. If you can get your hands on some fresh scent from a very recent doe/buck harvest or road kill it is wayyyyyy better than the crap they sell in stores IMO but it doesn't last long before going bad and you must refrigerate it.. I have always felt playing the wind and staying as scent free as possible is the most important. I wash my cloths with scent free soaps and same goes for showers before I hunt. I only buy a few things every few years. Scent free laundry soap, scent free body soap (liquid) and scent free deodorant. My hunter in a can is the dirt scent wafer and I draw the line there and play the wind.
This is the 8 point my daughter is after. I really hope you and her find success and I wish you the best of luck. If you bag em please let us know.
One valuable piece of equipment if they're legal where you hunt, is a remote call. I like these because the call is at ground level and you can position it away from your stand. There are few of these on the market, but my favorite is one made by Mojo. The remote is long, flat and narrow, with a section of cord attached to the button. It comes with velcro and you can attach it easily to the back of your riser, then wrap the cord once around your cable guard and secure the button down by your shelf. The call has multiple sounds and a volume knob, but unfortunately you have to set it for the sound you want when you place it. I typically leave it on the deeper grunt sound. Being able to adjust the volume is nice for windy days. It's also a nice call to have, should you get into decoying, because you can place the call at the decoys feet.
I got a tip from a guy at a pro-shop recently. He said to get Bluetooth speaker, that way you can utilize one of the many game call apps for your smartphone. I have apps for deer, turkey and elk on my phone already. I'm in the process of trying to locate one that I would consider portable, weahter friendly and one that has a good range. 100 feet is ideal, which gives you a 30 yard range.
