In addition to using scent to hide yourself while you’re hunting, you can use scent as a tool to attract the sort of prey you’re stalking. There are a number of products on the market to help you cover your tracks – and just as many to help you gain a few extra seconds to line up that perfect shot.

Consider using scents to lure animals such as deer. You’ll have to carefully consider the wind when choosing where to place a scented lure, as you want the animals to smell the lure well before they could possibly catch a whiff of you. Ideally, apply the lure upwind of a trail you’ve noticed the animals using during a scouting jaunt. Locate your stand downwind of the trail and simply wait.

Scents are available in considerable variety – some designed to attract male and others to attract female animals. Consider which is most appropriate with care, for example, using skunk musk to cover your tracks might warn a deer off if you’ve used too much and the deer thinks a skunk is frightened or alarmed nearby. Using a “doe in heat” scent, on the other hand, can attract both males looking to increase their harem and females looking for company.

Bear in mind that you’ll need to watch any scented lures closely – letting the curious animal get too close will give the game away and cost you that perfect shot.