Gadgets/products that work/don't work

Here is my list of hunting products or gadgets based on my experience that have either worked or been a total waste of money. What are yours? No obvious tools like guns, binos, bows, ammo, etc... just gadgets or products advertised as essential in harvesting that buck of a lifetime.

WORK (No particular order)
1)Grunt tube
2)Rattle bag or Pack Rack
3)Range finders

DON'T WORK (No particular order)
1)Scent elimination of any type
2)Doe urine, buck urine, etc...
3)Estrous calls ("The Can") BTW, I still use this, but have not had any discernible response to it after many years of usage.

The "WORKS" list to me is a tough one to come up with, but I could go on and on with the "DON'T WORK" list and wish I had all that money back I had spent on those products.

Things that have worked for me are the moon phases, peak hunting period charts, range finder, grunt tube, doe urine, and can call. The grunt tube I have used alone to call in bucks or in combination with rattling and/or the can call and/or doe in heat urine. I used doe urine in combination with a grunt call and while ratting to stop a buck from getting my wind. If set out a scent canister at a 45 deg angle from me about 20-25 yards in both directions downwind it will stop a buck most of the time. It will give me a chance to look at him hopefully if he is in view. With any of it timing is the most critical when trying to call in a buck(s). I have not used a rattle bag or pack rack since I always have used real rattling antlers. I never had any luck with scent elimination products.

I used some earth scent wafers this weekend, they smell just like fresh topsoil or wet mulch...I can't say for certain they work due to being used for just one weekend, but I did have a buck circle around for some time and he didn't get spooky at all. I was sitting in a 10 ft tripod with my son as the light silhouetted us Sunday am. He hung around long enough my son could have taken a shot.

I have had no luck with attractants. My son always wants me to buy them, but never any luck. We did put out some strawberry jello mix with some corn in an area beside the feeder, and the deer sucked that down pretty quickly (after shooting time of course) so I may try that in the future again, and at 68 cents a box it isn't going to break the bank.

My son pointed out the solar time tables were pretty close to being correct this weekend for the doe at least. Will probably pay more attention to those for now hunting and during the rut to watch the doe movement. Can't say for sure if the bucks followed it as well...

I'm 100% sure I'm not alone in saying that at the top of my works list is the Thermacell.

^^^ yep you are right. I was hoping to use it this weekend while in the stand to see if the earth scent wafers made any difference, but the skeeters were not out in any force, Friday too much of a breeze and then too cool for any significant skeeters sat and Sunday. Not that I minded not using it. Will always have it just in case!

Game calls for turkey or yotes. Thermacell,

Gadgets that work - Trail cams

Gadgets that don't work - Trail cams

I know a good iphone app (heehee)!

Never more true (at some point or another)

Won't hunt without:

1. a good turkey call(s)
2. Game cameras
3. Grunt tube

Worthless:

1. The doe bleat can thing from primos
2. Any of those snort wheeze gimmicks
3. The hunt app that you upload your game can pics to

Ozone generators work to some level. Don't think it is 100% effective but I've seen enough to believe in it. I still try to hunt the wind properly anyway.

Yeah, I didn't believe in these till I tried them. They indeed work as advertised.

Work:
Grunt Tube
Rattle Bag/horns
Can Call (actually kill many deer with)
Doe Urine (sometimes)

Don't work:
toasty toes
game finders (electric thingys that detect heat)
rice bran attractant/feed

Work:
Grunt tube – Premos Buck Roar w/snort wheeze
Rattle horns – Real antlers
Can call – Premos “The Can”
Quality game cameras
Deer feeders
Range finder

Don't work:
Anything Wild Game
Most deer scent attractants