Whats the deal with the Vanilla?

[lpcjon2]

I have read many times on here about Vanilla used to attract deer and as cover scent.So who uses it and whats your success with it? and what part of the country did you use it in and when.  

[ishiwannabe]

Killed my first archery buck as he was licking vanillakilla off the branch. Used it for years with alot of success. Still would except that I prefer to go scent free until the rut, then use a appropriate scent for that time.

[Zradix]

Tried it in West Michigan from Oct to Jan.
Took little cotton balls soaked in vanilla extract and wedged them up in tree limbs.

Saw deer walk right by them without paying any attention to them at all. Never had one fall out or come up missing as if it was disturbed by a deer or anything else.

Seems to me they'd try to eat it if they liked the smell.

[Dave Bulla]

Used it back in about 1980 in Pennsylvania before scent use was common.  I put some on my hat, collar, clothes etc.  Just a tiny dab here and there.  Walked up onto a doe by accident and she stood there and stomped, snorted and all the usual stuff but I didn't move a bit.  Then she started to circle until she got my wind.  She stood there and lip curled (sort of, that's what it looked like anyway) head bobbed and even walked a little closer to about 20 yards when she just sort of relaxed and walked away.  I was so busy imitating a tree that I never even tried to shoot.  Heck, I was only 15 and didn't really have a clue about bowhunting.

So, the one time I was using it and had an encounter fairly close, I'd say it worked.  Don't know about nowadays with deer able to tell the difference between Tinks 69 and Mrs Doe Pee and probably tell ya which one was fresher....

[Cottonwood]

I used it without deer paying it any mind at all this year.

[bornagainbowhunter]

I used it once and got busted.  I was on the ground and a doe followed the scent around a thicket.  When she rounded the corner she was about 8 feet from me.  GAME OVER!!  the scent did not alarm her, in fact, she followed it.  It was not the vanilla's fault, but i have not used it again.  

God Bless,
Nathan

[pete p]

Remember the scent Russel Hull use to sell called "cover up"?  i think that was vanilla based.

[Ragnarok Forge]

While not natural in the US woods it is a natural scent which probably triggers the curiousity of a deer.  Bears like it enough to come in and investigate it.

[katie]

I use it on my boots.  Have had young bucks follow my scent trail in.  Took a doe last year while she was licking it off a branch I sprayed the day before.
Have not noticed anything this season.  It does not spook them.  I have deer move under me and not notice.

[joe skipp]

Since 1986 I have used the Original Cover Up from Russ Hull. Talked with him quite a few times on how to use it effectively. It was a Vanilla/Chloropyll base liquid.

Now...Travis Wakefield added an oil base to all Cover Up products. Lasts longer and is just as effective. The 4 Day is slightly sweeter smelling but the deer still are unaffected and ease in unalarmed. Curiosity is a big factor but its a great masking scent.

I still use the stuff on my boots...except in Jersey. I use the 4 Day Earth because too many bears seem to like the stuff....   :eek:        

[Balding Kansan]

I used to use it all the time because I didn't like the smell of coon pee. Be prepared to fend off squirrels and coons, they seemed to LOVE the smell of it. Oh, works nice for deer too.

[yekrut]

I used it on my boots as a cover this year the deer had no clue were I had wlaked, I will be useing it from now on!!!

[olddogrib]

I've used somebody's concoction of 2 parts pure vanilla extract, 1 part anise oil diluted woth water with some success.  Never turned 'em off anyway.

[highnoonhunter]

I've tried it with excellent results, and no results.
But I used it a little differently. I would buy a bottle of cheap pancake syrup, and pour enough out to pour in a bottle of vanilla. And then shake it real good and squirt it out in several places around my stand.
It seemed to work really well in areas with a lot of deer where you would see two or more traveling together, but I had single deer to spook from it.

Could just be a single deer thing, that by their self they were afraid, or tow or more relaxed the other enough to investigate.

But I haven't used it in several years. Last time I did bears and coons messed up the whole place around my stand overnight.

[drewsbow]

I use docs deer scent sweet demise #7 and have had great results with it .