# Vanilla Extract, anyone tried it!



## codykrr (Feb 6, 2011)

havent tried it yet, but there was recently a thread on here with some talk about it. 

Someone said to mix vanilla extract(10 fluid oz- cheap stuff from wal mart) to 2 fluid oz of corn oil. The idea is that since vanilla extract is mainly water and alcohol it evaporates quickly and mixing it with some corn oil will make it stay around longer.

I bought some stuff to do it, and plan on trying it out this upcoming thursday.


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## ChrisK. (Oct 23, 2009)

we use it at work to keep the gnats off, works really good.


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## scottk517 (Sep 22, 2008)

I mix it with apple juice and it works great. Had does coming right along the trail and bucks nosin right behind her. I would recommend it for a cover scent and a minor attractant.


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## mathewsdxtzack (Feb 5, 2009)

I use it all the time and deer love it.


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## double o (Jul 12, 2008)

If you have bears in the area i wouldnt use it. Bears love sweet stuff. Just a FYI.


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## Timmy Big Time (Aug 8, 2010)

I soak some 1/2" wood dowels in vanilla the good stuff from mexico and put them out in the shooting lanes at 30 yards, it doesn't scare them away but I have never watched a deer even stop to smell them.


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## 12bhunting (Sep 9, 2009)

I have used vanilla for over 10 years during the early season when its hot. I can sit there pouring sweat with the wind blowing the wrong way and they still come right on in. Never pulls any big bucks but them ole does love it. I won't use anything in a stand or area that I hunt bucks from except **** pee.


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## powerguy (Jul 9, 2010)

Thanks for for the input, I have to wait until Oct.1 to see if it works for me!!!


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## 1badwood (May 31, 2009)

I tried the imitation stuff last year in scent wick bottles beside the deer trail in an attempt to stop the deer as they walked by. I saw does walk right past it and never even act like they knew it was there!


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## Ken.C (May 13, 2007)

I was curious about vanilla as an attractant last week after reading this. I had a feed block from Bass Pro in front of a camera for 2 weekss not being touched. The day after I pouured vanilla extract on top of it I had a picture of a mule deer buck and a quarter of the block was gone.


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## buckhead (Apr 7, 2006)

I always see threads on here about how great vanilla is for bringing in the deer. But i would assume that any smart deer (buck, mature buck) would realize that it is a foreign smell to their world. I can see curious yearlings and young does coming in, but i just can't see a mature buck falling for that.


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## codykrr (Feb 6, 2011)

^ not all of us are after bucks.:wink:

I like the slick heads, and hope I can pull one or two in with some vanilla.


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## 138104 (May 14, 2009)

double o said:


> If you have bears in the area i wouldnt use it. Bears love sweet stuff. Just a FYI.


X2. A friend used it on her boots and the bear started up her ladder stand to get to the smell. Bears love it!


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## xswanted (Feb 1, 2008)

The product Nose Jammer is actually most vanillan??? I'm not sure how to smell it but its smells like vanilla and its supposed to cover your scent by "jamming" the nose of a whitetail. Apparently vanilla is actually a very prominent scent in nature, but is so minute we can't smell it, deer can however.

I've tried it twice now, and haven't a deer come in!

Hopefully it actually works!


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## whack&stack (Oct 15, 2007)

i have used it mixed with almond extract early season to attract the does. works pretty good.


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## Carolina_Outlaw (Sep 6, 2010)

I use it in deer candy. 4oz bottle of imitation vanilla extract to a 5 gal. bucket of shelled corn. The deer LOVE it.


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## hoytman09 (Oct 5, 2009)

i never used it for deer hunting but i know for a fact if you soak shrimp in it that the catfish love it. thats all i use for bait when catfishing


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## Elky_Man (Sep 12, 2010)

ChrisK. said:


> we use it at work to keep the gnats off, works really good.


How are you using it? In cotton balls or directly on your clothing?


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## Fldeerslayer (Jan 14, 2009)

Hogs love it also.


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## turkey-killer (Jul 12, 2011)

buckhead said:


> I always see threads on here about how great vanilla is for bringing in the deer. But i would assume that any smart deer (buck, mature buck) would realize that it is a foreign smell to their world. I can see curious yearlings and young does coming in, but i just can't see a mature buck falling for that.


I see an awful lot of mature bucks on AT standing in a "foreign" pile of corn. They don't seem to mind


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## biscuit0628 (Oct 31, 2015)

What does **** pee do


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## K&K (Aug 10, 2010)

biscuit0628 said:


> What does **** pee do


Cover scent


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## Chris1ny (Oct 23, 2006)

I got to give it a try. Thanks.


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## SFCSNOW (Mar 10, 2011)

I use it a lot during early bow season. Can honestly says many does have met their maker because they had to check out the vanilla.


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## Arrowflinger19 (Oct 18, 2015)

I have used it twice to no avail, but that all said I am sure they come to it because it's very potent.


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## Fish4par (Aug 27, 2015)

Interesting..


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## trz (Oct 9, 2011)

I tried it many years ago and had about the same success as I've had eith any attractant scent , which is none! So I don't use scents of any kind any more , attractant or cover!


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## hoytxcutter (Sep 1, 2003)

Not legal in Pennsylvania.


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## IndianaPSE (Nov 11, 2009)

Every year in September I spray a mist in the air with water & vanilla. Doe comes in. Doe goes home in truck. It rarely works later though.


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## rkwilson (May 24, 2009)

I dilute it in a spray bottle and spray the bottom of my bots with it. I've had deer follow my trail to the stand before. It seems to work fairly well at times.


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## thirdhandman (Nov 2, 2009)

Power guy: Used it 30 years ago. Lyons Magnus in florence Kentucky made syrups for pancake houses. Could get a 1 gallon jug for $5. The syrup smells good as well as taste good. Vanilla extract on the other hand is expensive and very bitter. We used to mix a cup of syrup to 5 gallon of corn. Seems like deer would find it where ever we put it.


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## Arrowflinger19 (Oct 18, 2015)

I can see that because the corn is automatic and if the deer use that smell with corn they would find it much faster


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## moonshiner (Feb 28, 2010)

codykrr said:


> ^ not all of us are after bucks.:wink:
> 
> I like the slick heads, and hope i can pull one or two in with some vanilla.


yup


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## thirdhandman (Nov 2, 2009)

Arrowflinger19 said:


> I can see that because the corn is automatic and if the deer use that smell with corn they would find it much faster


Just for chitz and giggles I took a 5 gallon bucket of corn, poured a cup of vanilla in it and mixed it up. I put it in the middle of the corn field. Next day it had been hit and fresh tracks all around. Deer do love corn, but I guess they like vanilla more.


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## Kratos (Mar 27, 2020)

*That shrimp...*



hoytman09 said:


> i never used it for deer hunting but i know for a fact if you soak shrimp in it that the catfish love it. thats all i use for bait when catfishing


That sounded so good that I did it...and then ate it all myself! Screw the catfish.


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## Kratos (Mar 27, 2020)

thirdhandman said:


> Just for chitz and giggles I took a 5 gallon bucket of corn, poured a cup of vanilla in it and mixed it up. I put it in the middle of the corn field. Next day it had been hit and fresh tracks all around. Deer do love corn, but I guess they like vanilla more.


I use that similar recipe for my bourbon still here in WV, and it's worked for 40 years. People like it a lot, and I think the vanilla adds that little flare to the batch.


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## TAArrowood (Jul 9, 2013)

Had a friend once who worked at a factory that processed apples into applesauce... He had unlimited access to the leftovers from the apples... His secret recipe was 3-5 large sugar beets, 3 gal of shelled corn and 1 gallon of apple leftovers (Crushed apples, juice,peels, etc).. in a 5 gallon plastic bucket.. Every time he walked into his stand he would take a bucket full.. The apples would draw them in, the corn would hold them for a day or two and the sugar beets would keep them coming in for a few more days.. They couldn't easily bite off chunks of the beets so they had to eat them more slowly.. Tiny bites at a time, but they loved them.. He only hunted a stand once or twice per week so the timing worked well.. If you hunted his stands, there was not doubt you'd see lots of deer..


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## lowg08 (Jan 15, 2016)

It works for sure my dad taught me to use it years ago


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## LJOHNS (Dec 14, 2004)

Anyone remember Vanilla Killa? I think Dan Fitzgerald sold that stuff 20 years ago! I never had any luck with it.


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## bootstrap (Feb 27, 2020)

20 years ago the women that wore the vanilla perfume where the ones you wanted to ask out. i think they called the scent sugar cookie. i remember it very well.


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## BCH1313 (Jan 30, 2020)

I've been making my own scent absorbing spray for years using baking soda and vanilla extract.

Sent from my moto z4 using http://bit.ly/Archery_Talk_app


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## KS Bow Hunter (Nov 22, 2013)




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## ParkerBow (Dec 4, 2006)

Not sure why I stopped using it but it worked great. Took a few deer using vanilla. I even used it as a cover scent on my boots


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## Wenty (Jan 6, 2012)

Others deer must really have a sweet tooth! Mine dont seem to.

I've used about every talked about concoction for my cams. From vanilla to grape koolaid mixes, peanutbutter slop, to salt to Mock scrapes I piss in. To the store bought stuff like deer cane, mineral rock. 

Can't say iv ever looked at my cams pics and thought...wow! Look at em come. Thay vanilla didn't even work as good as my own piss to be honest. A regular salt lick mixed in the mud might even work better than the other stuff.

I certainly wouldn't put ANYTHING "scent" near me when I'm hunting anymore. Been there, done that. But that's me. Seems to work pretty good to simply set up along a used field edge, trail, transition. No scents or attractant needed.
They walk right by naturally.


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## V-TRAIN (Feb 27, 2009)

I love it, smells a lot better than **** urine also, lol


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## D.preller (Feb 12, 2012)

I use it in early season, sometimes mix with anise oil. idk if it attracts deer but if theyre close and they smell it they will usually check it out. while their doing that I can get into position draw and make my shot.


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## Bowman1956 (Mar 10, 2019)

Used it a couple of times last year but didn't see a deer when I had it out so I didn't get to see if they would react to it.


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## Monarchcx (Apr 2, 2008)

I tried this a few year ago with no luck. There's so much pressure where I hunt not a whole lot works.


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## LZimm (Mar 27, 2020)

Has anyone used vanilla in front of trail cameras? I'm excited to see it work.


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## Wenty (Jan 6, 2012)

LZimm said:


> Has anyone used vanilla in front of trail cameras? I'm excited to see it work.


Yes, as posted above. Cant say it's better than anything else. But they will come check it out. That said, we put a camera over our carcass a few years ago....got lots of deer pics. Pretty funny. One looked like it was eating. Lol. And that's the day I learned that deer are omnivores! Not herbivores. Maybe try some venni! Lol.


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## Dafis (Jul 12, 2009)

Bake in the 1980's Russel Hull of Kansas fame came up with a vanillia and anise oil concoction that worked great, he pattened it and called it Cover Up

As he got u in age he sold it to a company and they did no marketing and they still make it and mainly mail order, they came up with a synthetic version also, but it does not smell like the real thing.

Russell had other stuff in it and it would not freeze until it got down below 20 degrees, worked great for Bears also


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## davydtune (Apr 27, 2007)

Yes, love it in my pancakes


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## anthonyinva (Apr 13, 2020)

Everything likes vanilla, put it out and get pics of deer, bear, and racoons


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## Cousin Brown (Feb 24, 2014)

Works great!


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## blacktailslayer (Feb 21, 2007)

Seems like most people use Jello, Kool-Aid, or Pudding powder with salt and sugar?

Most popular flavors of Jello and Kool-Aid seem to be Grape & Cherry.

Most popular flavor of Pudding seem to be Butterscotch and Vanilla.

Then people use all different kinds of Salt (Table, Stock, Mineral) and Sugar (Granulated, Powder, Brown).


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## blacktailslayer (Feb 21, 2007)

•	Kool-Aid powder (Cherry or Grape)
Jello mix powder (Cherry)
Salt
Sugar
Apple Juice Concentrate in can (Maybe)
Mix all in 1-gallon bag dry and pack into woods.

•	Pudding- butterscotch or vanilla

•	1 gal zip lock bag
4lbs granulated sugar
2 large boxes cherry gelatin mix
2 regular boxes vanilla pudding mix
2 boxes jolly rancher green apple gelatin mix
1/2 box regular Morton salt

•	Arm and Hammer Washing/Baking Soda

•	Mix Salt & Brown Sugar together.

•	Plain stock salt, topped with some grape kool aid presweetened mix, baking soda, and powdered sugar

•	WHITETAIL DEER HOMEMADE MINERAL MIX RECIPE
Ingredients: Makes 200 lbs. for about $30

1 part Di-calcium phosphate, this is a dairy feed additive bought at feed stores.
Comes in 50lb Bags, you need one bag.

2 parts Trace mineral salt, the red and loose kind without the medications.
Comes in 50lb Bags, you need two bags.

1 part Stock salt, ice cream salt.
Comes in 50lb Bags, you need one bag.

•	Rice Bran feed (Like Buck Grub)
For the ones finding Rice bran for $20-23 a 50#, they are quoting you stabilized rice bran. The stabilized bran will basically last longer in a "proper storage situation", and you do pay dearly for the stabilization. I know this because we use rice bran when formulating horse feed rations, as do most feeds that incoporate rice bran. I do tend to use the stabalized version due to having to store the feed ration for months when I have it mixed. If you will check withy some of your local feed stores they should be able to get in the plan rice bran. I will tell you this you might have to do some explaining to the feed stores as to what you are looking for, basically that you don't want to stabalized bran. I know that sounds bad to say, but it has been my experience when dealing with feed stores, grain mills, and feed distributors that they tend to "just sell the products". I really hope that last comment doen't offend anyone cause I didn't mean for it to. I have just spent a lot of time on the phone with these different places throughout college as well as now, doing feed ration formulations and ordering bulk feed stuffs.

•	2# powdered sugar
2# baking soda
2# mineral or table salt
6 packs of grape koolaid

•	50# Rice Bran or Wheat Bran
Large bag of Brown Sugar
3 packages of Strawberry Jello
Pour half of Bran onto large bucket. Mix in brown sugar and jello.
Pour portions into 1 gallon zip lock bags.


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