I have read where Indians were the first hunters to use scents in hopes of attracting game.  Hundreds of years have passed and with today's modern hunter nothing has changed.  Go into any archery shop and you are guaranteed to find dozens of different scents.  They range from pre-rut to post-rut and come in a variety of forms from powders to liquids to gels.  The first question is, "Which is/are best?"  Many companies rely on well-know hunters to market their products.  This in turn adds to the cost of the product.  I would suggest a lure manufactured by someone with a wealth of knowledge in the field.  That is why I was pleased to know that I would be evaluating Kishel's Buck Thrasher II.  Kevin has not only hunted most of his life but trapped as well.  If you think whitetail hunting is hard just try your luck at trapping.  Kevin has combined his knowledge of whitetail hunting and trapping to produce a very effective line of lures.  Now Kevin will be the first to tell you that his products do not procure anything special or magic.  It is just a backwoodsman's knowledge of a product tested over years with experience.

Buck Thrasher II is a blend of musk that is extremely effective during the pre-rut and rut phase.  It can be used to make a scent trail or as a cover up when placed strategically around your treestand.  I chose to use it as an attractant as I applied it to a Kishel's scent cup and hung it about four feet off the ground downwind of my stand.  After climbing into my stand it didn't take long for the action to start.  Not more than twenty minutes had passed when a doe and her two yearlings appeared.  They unfortunately came in cross wind and never had a chance to detect the Buck Thrasher II.  Minutes later a spike approached from the same direction and caught a whiff of the scent.  He immediately started raking his small rack in wild grape vines.  While watching his antics I caught strange movement from behind him.  I noticed the top of a small maple just over the ridge being pillaged.   Back and forth the tree ravaged causing yellow and red leaves to take flight. 

A couple soft grunts coupled with the Buck Thrasher II brought the perpetrator in closer.  It turned out to be a nice 10-point with a very symmetrical rack.  I immediately knew he was a shooter and hoped the lure would bring him on in as I readied for a shot.  His further investigation caused him to make the mistake of entering my shooting lane.  A fourteen-yard shot coupled with a well-placed broadhead brought him down within sight of my stand. 

Did the Buck Thrasher II work?  I believe it worked as it was intended to do.   It brought the buck closer to investigate while at the same time not alarming him.  I also believe it had an effect on two does who circled my stand, not ten minutes after watching my buck go down.  Turning my attention back to my buck I was surprised after 20 minutes by the same does.  One was at the base of my tree as I started the descent to retrieve my buck

I also was pleased that no special care is needed to preserve Buck Thrasher II.  All I had to do was cap the remaining lure and save it for future hunts or for next season.  Just like Buck Thrasher II, Kishel's makes several non-urine lures packed in glass bottles to ensure performance, unlike urine-based scents that break down into ammonia, lasting at most one season.

To help disperse scent lures, Kevin is marketing a unique product -  JOHNNY'S POWER SCENT DISPENSER.  The dispenser draws a constant flow of air over a scent cup saturated with your favorite lure.  This allows more scent to be dispersed into the air than a regular film container filled with cotton.  The cotton within the scent cup is tightly formed and can be washed and reused.  The dispenser is very light and operates up to 30 days on one "D" cell battery.  The sturdy plastic construction will take the pounding of the elements, even rain since the scent cup is secure inside.  The motor is "whisper" quiet and the only way to detect it is by feeling the constant airflow through the side vents.  I was hoping to use the dispenser but Ohio game laws prevent the use of any electronic or motorized device. 
Scent lures are only one part of being preparing for a Whitetail deer hunt.  Scouting and, as Kevin puts it, "using common sense" are very important ingredients. Combining these with your honed outdoorsman's skills should put you well on your way to a successful deer season.

Effectiveness - 5 of 5 
The lure brought the mature buck in to investigate.  It also didn't alarm him but kept his attention focused on the scent and away from me.  The spike seemed immediately excited due to the fact that he began raking the overhanging vines.  This was only my second time in the stand and the first utilizing Buck Thrasher II.

Ease of use - 4 of 5
Nothing more than unscrewing the cap and pouring it into my scent cup.  The remainder was capped for future hunts.

Would I recommend to other hunters - 5 of 5
The results made me a believer of Buck Thrasher II.  I would have considered the hunt a success even if I had not seen a "shooter" buck.  The reaction from the spike was adequate enough to classify the product as successful.

See Buck Thrasher II and other Kischel Scent and Hunting products at their web site at: www.kishelonline.com