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Drip bags and do they
really work?
 Wildlife
Research Ultimate Scrape Dripper
There are
a number of different styles on the market today, but they all work
basically the same in that when the
temperature rises even if it
is caused by direct sunlight on the bag, the bag begins to drip. As a
hunter, you are looking at these products to simulate a deer coming and
going in an area and to bring in and hold one that is already present.
You can
pick-up the Wildlife Research Ultimate Scrape Dripper from a number of
sporting goods stores for around 11.00 to 21.00 if you go with the kit. I
use three of these for my set-ups.
Dominate Buck
Lure
SO I will
start off with the buck scrapes and how we use this products in unison with
them. A buck will make a scrape (a spot on the ground that is usually down
to bare dirt where he will urinate) to let that doe in the area know he is
there and for them to urinate in this scrape when they want him.
From my own
experience, I have seen more than one buck visit that scrape and work it
back up urinating before leaving. That's where our drip bags can come into
play. We will buy early on dominate buck lure from Tinks and Code Blue and
either use one of these scraps or make our own.
We take and
fill the bag to the full mark and place it directly above the scrape so that
it will drip directly into the scrape. Be sure it's high enough that the
buck can't reach it. I have had bucks come in aggressive and take their
antlers to flip the drip bag in mid air if they can reach it.
So how does
this help us? Well that drip bag will only start to drip out that dominate
buck lure in the morning during legal shooting hours with it needing the sun
or a rise in
temperatures
to do what
it's suppose to do. This will start to get the buck to try and visit the
area when the other buck (our dominate scent) is there to ward him off.
I tend to
stay away from using any of the doe in heat lures in the early part of the
season and in our area that means until around the early part of November.
You know your area better than most and if you do some research, you can
pinpoint when the rut has started in your area.
Doe In Heat or Estrous
Same set-up
using the same scrapes. By changing over to doe in heat products, you now
will increase your chances of bringing in and keeping that buck in the area.
Remember that there is usually more than one buck using these scrapes and if
your after the older dominate buck in the area, you are going to have to
develop patients and pass on those younger ones.
This is
also the chase period and if a buck is already with a hot doe, he will not
use those scrapes again until he has finished with her. I also like to use
these bags during these times along the edge of meadows and wooded sections
that I know for a fact that the doe's are using these areas.
The buck if
not already with a doe, will continue to check his scraps downwind and be
constantly checking areas that contain the local doe population. More than
once have I seen a buck stick his head out just far enough to scan the
fields and then dart back into cover to go to the next location.
I always
tell other hunters that during these times...hunt over the doe's. If you
stick with see doe's on a daily bases, you have increased your odds that the
buck in your area will eventually venture out to check these doe's to see if
any are coming around.
Conclusion:
I have had great luck using the Wildlife Research Ultimate Scrape Dripper
with the right lure and the right time and even harvested a buck scoring 143
Boone & Crocket using the doe in heat set-up. I found the buck bedded down
right next to the drip bag.
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The New York Hunter
