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15 Ideas on How to Make Deer Attractants At Home!

how to make deer attractant
Written by Marc Niad
Last Update: August 11, 2023

Are you sick and tired of buying expensive attractants that yield minimal results?

Maybe you are trying to attract a big buck that has visited your neighboring stand for a while now.

It is every hunter’s desire to have and maintain a deer herd economically and healthily.

Just like everyone else desires these features, I firmly believe you won’t be an exception. And if this is true then be sure you’re not alone.

In this piece, we have shared 15 homemade deer attractant recipes that you can make at your home.

So, without further ado, let’s jump into learning how to make deer attractants that are low-cost, easy to make, and effective.

how to make deer attractant

How to Make Deer Attractants: Step-By-Step Tutorial

1. Homemade Apple Scented Deer Lure/Attractant

Apple are naturally attractive; this makes them one of the best attractants you can fall back on when it comes to deer hunting.

You can easily buy apples in the market, and make the deer scented within a couple of minutes. Below are the steps on how to go about it.

Materials Needed:

  • Natural Water.
  • Work gloves.
  • Pine Needles and dead leaves.
  • Clothespin.
  • Plastic tub.
  • A blender.

Procedures:

  1. Seal the bottom of the small tub or plastic container you intend to use; you can do this using a pine needle with different dead leaves.
  2. Place the pitcher away from the blender, plastic bag, apples, work gloves, and clothespin located in the container/ tub.
  3. Seal up the container/ tub and allow it to overnight in a refrigerator.
  4. Now ensure the apples you intend to use are properly sliced, afterward; blend them properly using a blender, until it becomes an apple sauce.
  5. Empty the natural water you once collected from the pond or creek, and mix it with the sealed apple. Put a fabric into the blender and allow it for an hour or two; this will cause the fabric to absorb some of the apple juice.
  6. Now insert the rag into a zipped bag and then use the clothespin and make sure it is properly sealed. Once it is complete and ready to use, remove it, and drag the fabric on the ground, ensure it is behind you while walking.

2. Peanut Butter Deer Attractant

If you’re used to hunting deer, then it’s normal to know they have a great love for peanut butter; as a result, this makes it an excellent attractant.

The butter can be used alone to get remarkable results, or you can blend it with other mixtures to increase its attractiveness.

This serves as a perfect substitute whenever you are out of cash since peanut butter is quite cheap; it makes the entire process pretty easy and affordable too.

Procedure

  1. Hang or screw a huge Jar of peanut butter on a tree. Ensure it is sustained within five feet above the ground.
  2. Make sure you create an opening where the deer can easily have access to the butter. Once all of this is rightly done, you now have an effective and cheap deer attractant.

3. A Mix of Foods Attractant

This involves creating an attractant with a variety of attractants and feeds to help create one ultimate deer attractant. Long story short; let’s see how this is done.

Materials Needed:

  • Bucket/Bowl
  • Water
  • Syrup or Molasses
  • Rotten Fruit and Corn
  • Peanut Butter

Procedure:

  1. You will need to blend the dry ingredients using a bucket; this should consist of peanut butter, corn, and fruit.
  2. Now you can add the syrup or molasses directly to the dry ingredient you’ve placed within the bucket.
  3. Add up 1/3 bucket of water and ensure all the ingredients you intend to mix blend properly. Doing this will help increase the appearance of the attractant. You only need 1/3 bucket of liquid texture.
  4. It is essential to add the final deer attractant to a stump or directly to the ground for ultimate results.

4. Acorn Scent Attractant

This is yet another homemade attractant that you can use to drive deer crazy.

Acorn Scent goes beyond attracting deer to a tree stand; this time, the attractant helps to cover up the scent that was left behind.

This essentially helps to keep the deer calm and increase their level of comfort within the spot they are located. Here’s how to make homemade deer attractant using acorns.

Materials needed:

  • Stove and Pot
  • Water
  • The muddling stick or Potato Masher
  • Spray Bottle
  • A Container
  • Acorns
  • Mesh Strainer

Procedure:

  1. You will need 3 to 5 lbs of Acorns; you can do this after a hunt or try it when scouting.
  2. Add the Acorns you intend to use in a pot; afterward –cover it up with enough water. Allow the Acorns in the pot to get boiled for at least 40 to 45 minutes; this will make the acorn a bit soft.
  3. Now the acorns should be mashed using a potato masher. After that, you need to boil the acorns again for the last time; do this until the color turns dark brown.
  4. Strain up all the acorns directly in a strainer separating them from the water used.
  5. Now empty the acorn water directly into a spray bottle. You will use the container to spray within your surroundings.  The odor generated by the acorn can last for 30 or more days. This makes it perfect when used in place of a cover scent.

5. Apple Deer Block

The apple deer block serves as a perfect substitute for most salt blocks. The block attracts deer whenever they intend to have quick nutrition.

Here’s how to make deer attractant with apple deer blocks:

Materials Needed:

  • A 25-50-lb bag containing trace minerals
  • A 25-50-lb bag containing salt, most preferably stock salt
  • 50-lb bag made of Di-calcium Phosphate
  • 10-20 gallon-sized bucket
  • 10 lbs of a variety of Apples
  • Empty 3-lb container
  • 18-oz molasses container

Procedures:

  1. Make sure the apple is sliced into chunks, don’t through the cores out.
  2. Empty the gallon of water in a pot, apply heat to it and allow it to boil, now add some of the apple chunks and stir the whole mixture.
  3. Boil the mixture until the apple becomes soft entirely.
  4. Add 6 Ibs of Di-calcium phosphate to a big container, and then use the 3-Ib that are empty. Add 6 lbs of the salt you intend using, and 9 lbs of some trace mineral. Now stir the whole mixture together.
  5. Mix the pot that contains the soft apples, add it to the mixture of minerals, and then stir the mix altogether.
  6. Add up some molasses, alongside two extra gallons of water (warm). Stir it up again. Now the attractant is ready for use.
  7. Empty the mixture (i.e., the attractant directly into a small spaced hole, and allow it to get mixed up with dirt in the hole. Once this is done, it will create a perfect flavored block that occurs on the ground naturally, and most times, this can last for more than months.

6. Deer Scent Stick

The deer scent stick act informs of incense that is capable of luring a buck straight to a tree stand, and this makes shots pretty easy for hunters.

So without much, let’s take a look at how this is done:

Materials needed:

  • Doe Urine
  • A Glass Bowl
  • Coconut oil
  • Incense Sticks that are Unscented
  • Polysorbate 20
  • Plastic Baggy- Long-sized (About a foot)
  • Disposable Stirring Stick

Procedures:

  1. Now the first thing to do at this point is to add about 2 –oz of Estrus (or Doe urine) and some amount of coconut oil directly into the glass bowl.
  2. Add up two tablespoons of polysorbate. Next is to mix the coconut oil and the Doe urine. This ingredient is common and can easily be found in craft stores or hobbies. If you can’t find any close to you, then can check online.
  3. Stir up the entire mixture of ingredients and make sure the mixture blends perfectly together. Once the mixture is ready, it produces a strong smell.
  4. Empty the Doe mixture into a plastic bag. Try to dip 15 of the unscented incense sticks in a bag with the end of the back facing downwards.
  5. Seal up the bag tightly. And allow it to rest upright for about 2 to 3 weeks. Doing this will allow the scent to absorb in the mixture of Doe’s Urine.
  6. Once the waiting period is over, try to hang it directly on the branches which surround your stands, allowing the wind to blow the scent for a while. Exposing it will help attract the bucks within the area.

7. Vanilla Extract

Most hunters have adopted the use of this type of attractant for a long time.

With a simple step of spraying, the mixture on the trees and stumps will help call the attention of deer within your range.

Vanilla is available in most local stores, and most time, it is cheap. A blend of this is a perfect way to attract a deer within your range.

How to make deer attractants that are cheap and irresistible? Simple, mix the vanilla extract with peanut butter, and boom, you’ve got some of the most powerful and affordable deer attractants in your hands.

8. Peanut Butter & Apple Mixture Attractant

A blend of an apple with butter will yield a perfect result when it comes to deer attraction. This attraction technique will produce dramatic results within a short frame of time.

Here’s how to make deer attractant with a combination of peanut butter and apple:

Procedure:

  1. Dice all the apples and put them in a container.
  2. Use pea butter in equal amounts, put it in the container where the bowl is located, and then stir the entire mixture together until the mixture becomes completely sticky.
  3. Empty the mixture on the spot meant for feed, watch and see remarkable results. If you scrape the mixture on a tree within the stand space, this will help increase the attractive odor within the area.

9. Tarsal Glad Spray Attractant

This attractant is yet another piece that works wonders; the smell generated from a deer will yield attract other deer within your area, specifically the Big Bucks within the area.

This can also be used as a scent while walking from one tree stand to another.

So the question is, how can you actualize this from home? Here are steps on how to go about it.

Materials Needed:

  • You will need to use a deer’s Tarsal Gland.  This is obtainable from one side of the road or a gland you harvested
  • Bag
  • Bowl

Procedures:

  1. Take off the tarsal glands and make sure it is out to go the bag while the hair is cut off. Now place the hair in the container with add some quantity of water then stirs.
  2. Add the water you got from the mixture of the tarsal gland. Add the water to a spray bottle; once all is set and done, you’re good to go!

10. Feeding Site

If you intend to attract lots of deer, then creating a special feed site will be an ideal option to consider.

This is one of the favorite tricks used by most hunters since it doesn’t require a whole bunch of work. All that is needed when it comes to this; is site refreshment.

Although in some cases, this can take about 3 to 4 weeks for the feed to finish.

deer Feeding Site

One of the most significant aspects of a feed site is its location.

It is important to spot it in a location where you carry out your hunting activities, but it is also vital that the spots are an area that forester a feeling of safety among deer.

So, how can you create an irresistible feed site? Here is a step on how to go about it.

Materials Needed:

  • Deer Feed
  • 5 to 10-Lbs Acorns
  • 1 to 2-Dozens of fresh Apples
  • 2-Lb of Table Salt
  • Buck scent and Some Doe

Procedures:

  1. You will need to spot a suitable location for your feed site. It is important to spot this out in a place you plan to hunt. Ensure you have enough hunting techniques; this will help increase your degree of success. You can adopt a perfect exit or entry technique in such a way that it won’t distract the deer’s attention; this will increase your level of success too. You can scout around the area with Trail Camera; this will help you spot the level of traffic you have in the area.
  2. Clear off about ten by 10 -ft. area. Ensure leaves, twigs, and forage are all removed from the space you intend to use. If you want the dirt around the area to be exposed, we suggest you use a rack; since it offers one of the easiest options to carry this out.
  3. Spread the deer attractant and ensure it covers the entire ten by 10 ft. area.
  4. Spread off the plain salt all over the site. Using 2 lbs will be perfect if you intend to cover the entire area. The salt used will get dissolved directly into the soil once it rains, and the dissolved salt will get the deer hook to the spot for a protracted time.
  5. At this phase, you need to dump the acorns and apples within the feed area. The smell that comes from the apple will be an attractant to other deer within the environment.

11. Persimmon Scented Deer Attractant

The technique used in this process is pretty similar to the steps employed when making a scented deer from apple fruit.

This is yet another tactic you can use to cover your scent whenever you intend to exit or enter a spot within your tree stand.

The scent helps to keep you undetected by the deer. Below is the step to adhere to when it comes to making this attractant.

Materials Needed:

  • Cup of Diced persimmons
  • 2-Cups Vodka Scentless alcohol
  • 1/2- Cup of water

Procedures:

  1. You need to mix the entire ingredient and ensure it is stored within an airtight container/ bag or any spray bottle that will work perfectly. Leave the spray bottle/container for 12 to 16 weeks; this will help increase the odor of the mixture, as a result, will help to yield more results.
  2. Make sure the container/ spray bottle is properly shaken before using it. Doing this will help keep everything solid and helps to ensure it produces the best results.

12. Plant Scented Deer Lure/Attractant

This attractant is pretty similar to that of Vanilla, and Acorns.

Although there is slit difference in the steps involved in making this attractant, the lure can be used similarly.

The entire process is pretty simple, and most time can be carried out freely if you have all the needed materials. Here are the steps that you need to get a head start.

Materials Needed:

  • First of all, you will need to gather plants and some leaves like Pine needles, spruce, and Aloe Vera.  It is also preferable to get a wooded space around an area with some leaf smell
  • A pot where water will be boiled
  • A fine fabric to filter off the water

Now that all you need is readily available, go with this step-by-step process

Procedures:

  1. Add up all the leaves and plants you needed in boiling water and allow it to last for about 10 to 30 minutes. Make sure the water is not extremely boiled; to avoid losing some plant odor. It is important to use 1/3 to about ½ of the quantity of water collected compared to the number of ingredients collected.

Filter off the entire mixture using fabric and any fine filter to help take off the plants and leaves; doing this will leave only the smelling water, which is the most important aspect of this attractant.

13. Saltwater Deer Attractant

This mixture of attractants is surprising, but shouldn’t be a surprise, why?

You may ask. This is because table salt is one of the most used ingredients in most deer reactants.

The saltwater deer attractant is one of the most common, cheapest, and easy-to-make attractants.

All that is needed here is a bucket of water and the right quantity of salt, and I bet this is pretty accessible in most homes.

Procedures:

  1. Make sure the bucket is filled up with enough water. Once the bucket is filled up, add enough salt until you can’t fill the bucket.
  2. Empty the attractant on the feeding sites, ensure this is not done on or within a tree stump if you intend to get the best result. Once this is done properly, I bet you can never get back to those Store Brand Salt you once spend your cash, on since you will be 100% satisfied with the dramatic outcome.

14. Deer Minerals Attractant

This deer attractant can be a perfect alternative whenever you intend to store mineral attractants. It is quite easy to get all the ingredients needed to make this attractant in any local store and at an affordable price.

Materials Needed:

  • 25 0r 50-lb of di-calcium phosphate
  • 2 by 25 or 50-lb bags of mineral salt without treatment or medication
  • 25 or 50-lb salt

Procedure:

  1. Use a barrel and empty the bags in it, then mix the entire ingredient.
  2. Once you have all your ingredients mixed properly, then it is ready for use.  Now you can feed it to the deer… Yes! It’s that simple.

If you use 20 lbs every two weeks, the feed is likely to last for six to seven months, and these months if rightly scheduled, can cover your entire hunting period.

15. Homemade Deer Cane!

This attractant is a perfect match whenever you intend to get deer to a stand.

All of the mentioned attractants are suitable when it comes to hunting, but this specifically works perfectly.

Which of the above-listed attractant do you have the resource for?

If you intend to concentrate on deer movement, then the use of attractants can be a great way to carry this out!

Although an attractant might not attract the attention of dear from a distance, most times, it serves as the best way to get the attention of a big buck that’s out there on a neighbor’s property.

Conclusion

There you have it! Though there always is debate about whether you should or shouldn’t feed deer, if you decide to do so, you will surely find these ideas quite beneficial. And if you think making deer attractants is not your cup of tea, then you can always buy them. There are some great deer attractants on the market that you can try.

With that being said,

FAQs

Q. 1: How far can a deer smell?

A. On average conditions, a deer can smell a human that is ¼ miles away from its position. But if the atmospheric condition is perfect, i.e., with the presence of humidity and breeze, the animal can scent even further.

Q. 2: How do you attract deer quickly?

A. Plants that can be used to call deer attention are chicory, red clover, and orchard grass. Crops like soybean, peas, alfalfa turnips, sorghum, corn, and kale can also be used as attractants since the animal loves to feed on them. The nuts that are found in acorns or chestnuts are very nutritious to the animals.

Q. 3: Does human urine spook deer?

A. Recent research has shown that smell from human urine will not create a notable effect on a deer’s behavior.

Q. 4: Will a deer come back after being spooked?

A. Most spooked deer often get back to bedding areas, but their return depends on the level of interruption they encounter.

Most times, if you can’t point out the threat then it’s possible that they will get back pretty soon considering they didn’t smell or see you.

Your aim at this point is to ensure you capture the deer on its return an hour or two later.

Q. 5: Does peanut butter attract deer?

A. Using peanut butter is yet another alternative way to comfortably hunt down deer.

Most professional hunters are known to use butter made from peanuts whenever they intend to attract a deer; this process makes hunting pretty easy and simple too.

About the author

Marc Niad

It’s been several years that Marc, a retired teacher and a proud dad, has silently been piling up mature bucks down the South. This humble hunter began his hunting journey at quite an early age and since then, he spent countless hours in the woods and learned good lessons in terms of woodsmanship. Along the way, he also made money sharing his skill with his followers and well-wishers.

The Ranger Expert is the brainchild of this veteran hunter who loves hunting the swamps and the hills around the Mississippi and Homochitto rivers. His most favorite hunting technique is taking his climbing gear and going to the top of pines with a 25.06 – the old-fashioned way!

He gets most of his games during late December through mid-January – his favorite hunting time. Marc strongly believes that hard work, passion, and a bit of luck can bring you success in the wild.

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