When one thinks of deer gear, rifles, bows, treestands, and blinds automatically come to mind. However, those are high-dollar and high-overhead items that will probably take up shelf space most of the year until right before the season begins or shortly thereafter. The following are smaller and relatively inexpensive items that deer hunters are more likely to pick up during the off-season, meaning steady sales throughout the year.

 

Calls

Deer are more vocal than most hunters realize. Over the years, I’ve had consistent success calling in deer. Some of my favorite deer calls are made by Quaker Boy, such as the Bleat-in-Heat can-style call. It makes a perfect doe bleat every time by placing your thumb over a hole in the bottom of the call and simply flipping it upside down. There’s also the higher-pitched Bleat-in-Heat II. MSRP for either is $14.99. Quaker Boy makes some great grunt tubes, too, like the Brawler (MSRP $29.99) with its large, rubber bellows that makes deep, realistic buck grunts. The compact, hex-shaped Ridge Runner ($19.99) grunt call is perpetually around my neck during deer season in case I need to issue a quick grunt to stop a moving buck. www.quakerboy.com 

Likewise, Hunters Specialties makes some effective deer calls, such as the Young Doe (MSRP $9.99), Adult Doe ($11.99), and Mega ($14.99) Estrus Bleat can calls. The Young Doe makes higher-pitched sounds, and I certainly like the tone and volume of the extra-large Mega, yet I often find myself carrying the medium-sized Adult Doe since it fits nicely in a vest pocket. Hunters Specialties also offers an assortment of grunt tubes and buck calls, including the unique Buck Bark ($24.99), which imitates the confrontational snort-wheeze sound that will stop dominant bucks in their tracks, hopefully long enough for a shot. www.hunterspec.com

From Primos is the Deer Essential Bundle (MSRP $52.92). This convenient combo contains the Hardwood Grunter grunt tube, Lil’ Can Estrus Bleat call, Big Bucks Rattling Bag, and Wind Checker unscented powder for determining wind direction — everything needed to call in deer successfully. Another prime Primos offering is Fightin’ Horns ($29.99), a pair of imitation deer antlers that can be banged against each other to simulate the sound of two bucks duking it out in the woods. www.primos.com

 

Decoys

Decoys can help lure in any animal, including deer. Montana Decoy Co. makes several lightweight, foldable and compact silhouette deer decoys, including the Dreamy Doe (MSRP $79.99) and Freshman Buck ($99.99). The Dreamy Doe mimics a relaxed doe that cruising bucks will find impossible to not stop and check out. It can also be placed in a lowered, bedded position to give the illusion of an estrus doe ready to be bred. This tactic is particularly effective when paired with the Freshman Buck, a young, fork-horn with an arrogant posture that’s sure to enrage dominant bucks. Montana Decoy’s deer silhouettes are more portable (and affordable) than heavier full-body fakes, making them a really good choice for mobile hunters. www.montanadecoy.com

 

Scents and Scent Control

It’s even more important to fool a deer’s nose than its eyes. That’s where scents come in, and there are none more popular than Tink’s #69 Doe-In-Rut. Formulated from 100% doe urine collected from actual whitetail does during their estrus cycle, #69 is highly effective at luring in big bucks. It can be squirted on the ground to create a mock scrape, or put on wicks and hung from trees at nose level to let the wind carry the scent further. That’s exactly what I did last season, and the buck currently residing in my freezer was the result. Tink’s #69 Doe-In-Rut is available in a 1-ounce plastic bottle (MSRP $9.99) or a 1-ounce classic glass bottle ($10.99), as well as 2-ounce. ($16.99) and 4-ounce ($29.99) bottles. #69 Doe-In-Rut is also available in gel form and other variations, but the liquid form in bottles is always a top seller. www.tinks.com.

Hunters Specialties Doe Estrus Scent Wafers are also good at attracting deer, and less messy. MSRP for a three-pack of wafers is $12.99, and they can be pinned to clothing or hung from a nearby tree to both attract deer and mask human scent. In fact, masking scent is probably more crucial than using attractants, and Hunters Specialties makes some great scent-control products, too. I like to hang a Fresh Earth Cover Scent Wafer ($9.99 per three-pack) inside my ground blind to hide my scent. Hunters Specialties also offers a host of Scent-A-Way products, but the Scent-A-Way Max Liquid Body Soap & Shampoo is a must-stock item. Simply shower with it prior to hunting to neutralize human stench. MSRP is $7.99 for a 12-ounce bottle, $14.99 for a 32-ounce bottle. www.hunterspec.com

 

Supplements/Mineral

Selling deer supplements and minerals can be a real money-maker for outdoor retailers. Many deer hunters like to put out minerals in the off-season to create a healthier local herd and supplement its diet. There’s also the hope that deer will continue hanging out on their property longer, ideally throughout most of the season. It’s up to hunters to check their state’s regulations and guidelines regarding the proper use of minerals and supplements. However, that is not the responsibility of the retailer. They only sell it.

Some of my favorite mineral supplements are made by Evolved, including Deer Cane. This habit-forming yet nutritionally beneficial attractant creates a mineral lick deer will use all summer, which is particularly good for raising healthy fawns and growing big antlers on big bucks. Deer Cane Black Magic has a similar formulation with molasses added into the mix for even greater drawing power. Both regular Deer Cane and Black Magic come in powder, block or liquid forms, and MSRP for each is around $9.99 per bag, block, or bottle.  

Evolved also offers Buck Lickers calcium and phosphorus enriched mineral blocks in Sweet Acorn, Apple, Persimmon, and Sweet Corn flavors. MSRP is an affordable $5.99 each. Simply stock the flavors based on regional flora. The Evolved Dirtbag features molasses flavored pellets that are protein rich and attract deer like crazy with their aroma and taste ($11.99 per 5-pound bag). Dirtbag may taste like molasses, but it looks like dirt, making it the perfect choice when stealth is required to keep a stand site secret from other hunters. www.evolved.com   

Wildgame Innovations offers some incredibly effective and affordable attractants as well. The Acorn Rage mineral block has an acorn scent deer will find irresistible. It’s a good bet in areas with lots of oak trees. A personal favorite is the Apple Crushed block, which has an alluring ripe apple aroma. MSRP for either is $6.99. Powder and liquid forms of both are also available, but the inexpensive and long lasting blocks will consistently be top sellers. www.wildgameinnovations.com

The Redmond Trophy Rock is an all-natural mineral supplement mined from salt deposits right here in the USA. Simply throw one out in the woods to automatically create a salt lick deer will return to for months. If the Trophy Rock has one downfall for retailers it’s that it lasts a long time, much longer than blocks, so customers won’t have to buy it as often. However, it’s highly popular with hunters for that same reason. Retail price averages around $12.99 per rock, which averages around 10 pounds.  www.redmondhunt.com

Jurassic Rock’s Crushed Mineral Supplement is crafted to entice and nourish wildlife year-round and keep them coming back for more. It’s packed with 17 prehistoric minerals, including aluminum, boron, and calcium, alongside a comprehensive array of vital minerals such as chromium, cobalt, copper, iodine, iron, lithium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, sodium, sulfur, and zinc. This naturally curated blend provides wildlife with the crucial nutrients necessary for their health and vitality, promoting overall well-being and robust growth. It’s sold in bags (MSRP $14.99 for a 30-pound bag), but Jurassic Rock also has an array of popular rocks, buckets and other mineral supplements to meet hunters’ needs, and they even sell in bulk. www.jurassicrock.com

 

Must-Have Accessories

HotHands Hand Warmers should be considered a must-stock item by hunting retailers. These air-activated hand warmers provide up to 10 hours of heat, allowing hunters to stay on stand longer. HotHands Toe and Body Warmers are also available, but the standard Hand Warmers are the best sellers. I always have some in my backpack for when temperatures get unbearably frigid. Keep a bin full of them by the checkout counter next to the jerky, candy bars, and soda for those last minute impulse shoppers. Retail price gets as low as an irresistible $1 per two-pack. www.hothands.com

 

Ammo

Finally, don’t forget to carry a selection of the latest deer loads for hunters wanting to upgrade their ammo. Nosler Whitetail Country is a new line of ammunition introduced in 2025 designed specifically for bagging deer. There are two bullet options: Solid Base and Straight-Wall. Aerodynamic Solid Base bullets are available in 6.5 Creedmore, .270 Winchester, 7mm-08 Remington, .30-30 Winchester, .308 Winchester, and .30-06 Springfield. Straight-Wall bullets are tailored for the lower velocities of straight-wall cartridges and offered in .350 Legend and .45-70 Government. These latter two cartridges will be of particular interest to retailers in states where straight-wall rifles are the only type of centerfire rifle allowed for deer. MSRP is $34.95 per box of 20 ($39.95 for .45-70) www.nosler.com

Also introduced this year is Federal 7mm Backcountry, an entirely new all-range cartridge developed for high performance in compact, short-barreled, and/or suppressed rifles. The state-of-the-art one-piece Peak Alloy case is smaller yet stronger than comparable brass-case counterparts, allowing room for an extra round in the magazine of many rifle platforms. 7mm Backcountry, which has been approved by SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute), is the first caliber in what looks to be a new era of ammunition from Federal. Initial offerings are loaded with Terminal Ascent, Berger, Barnes, or Fusion bullets. MSRP ranges from $62.99 to $81.99 per box of 20 depending on bullet option. www.federalpremium.com