Human scent

[Arrow Flinger]

We have been discussing it and the only problem is, we can't figure out if it is a dirty word or not. We are on it though.

 

[sr.corndog]

hunting scent

Indians never had repellents of stink. My hunting buddy works in a machine shop he never changes clothes after work and he kills more bucks and nice ones! What up with this picture. I read so much poison from hunting magazines I carry my clothes in a bag full of pine limbs and I kill small bucks?

 

[broadhead]

Which do you think deer react more negatively to, body odor or artificial odors such as scented deoderants and/or laundry detergents?

It seems to me that the human body odor would spook them less than an artificial scent...even one marketed to mask human odor for hunting. The earth and pine scents are unnaturally strong to me. I don't like to use them. but, that is just based on opinion and preference.

 

[JerryC]

I remember talking to a Vietnam vet one time and he was explaining how his guys only ate fish leading up to a time when they expected to encounter some bad guys because they would be able to smell meat eaters a mile away. I do think diet contributes to it; I just wish I had a log book of what I ate when I did spook deer versus when I did not. I had an egg and sausage biscuit the other day before taking a scent-free shower and using cover spray, and got busted by a doe within bow range.
Other times I have had deer (does) come up close enough that I could have strangled them (not legal, I think) but I didn't take as much precautions then. If you figure it out, let me know! -JerryC

 

[HuntinMan]

I have been busted a few times not many an take limited precautions. I have been in the woods in July sweating an have deer within 25 to 30 yards. I could smell myself so how could a deer not smell me, who knows.....

 

[leadoff]

I still believe diesel fuel is the best cover scent if you are hunting near farmland!

 

[bloodiarrow68]

I use corn meal for deodorant before my hunts.

 

[oldfella1962]

In all my years of hunting there have only been two times that deer I could see have busted me due to scent. Both times a brisk wind was hitting me right in the back and blowing straight to the deer. I did pay attention to the wind but these deer came from a direction I didn't expect. There have been no other times that deer I could see have scented me and ran away. I know that it is possible that deer I didn't see may have winded me when they were out of sight and headed for the hills.

during this most recent bow season hunting from the ground I had a young doe well within ten feet (feet, not yards) and the only reason she spooked was when I turned my head to scan the area to my right I saw she was walking up the hill right towards me and almost ran into me. I guess staring right into my eyes as my head was turning startled her - she only jumped back behind some thin cover and stood still for about five minutes - maybe trying to figure out why that tree stump was moving! Then she resumed her walk to the top of the ridge through thin cover and walked right behind me. I couldn't pivot my body far enough from how I was situated on the ridge (another lesson learned on my part) so all I could do was watch her walk away. Later in the season I was surrounded on all sides for about 30 minutes by about seven or eight does & bucks feeding on water oak acorns, but I couldn't move with that many sets of eyes on me - they never winded me either. It might go against deer hunting theory but I don't consider wind direction anymore. Movement is the only way I get busted, and it better be major movement. That said I camo my face completely and carry Altoids breath mints and store my hunting clothes in vanilla scented bags. I guess this combination works so far. Skeeters do occasionally bother me but they don't tear me up like they do some people. I would love to see more controlled, unbiased scientific studies on scent control that's for sure.

 

[kmckinnie]

I found deer droppings and rub down with it. Put some under my hat also. If I see otter scat by the creek I roll in it.

 

[kmckinnie]

Nice thread

 

[bloodiarrow68]

I thought it was kind of old but informative.

 

[j_seph]

Well if you are going to be baiting.............................I read an article one time where a guy would put on old spice cologne then go fill up his feeders. Deer began to associate that smell with food, come deer season he couldn't bait so he got up, put on his old spice and went hunting. Deer came looking for food.

 

[Mark K]

Do you hunt an area that rarely gets human scent or an area like I do where they smell it every day?

 

[sghoghunter]

In my opinion deer aren't near as spooky with human scent as they are with all them scents that people just bought the night before opening morning down to the local Wally World.

 

[MFOSTER]

I try not to walk thru hunting area,I think that helps tremendously.

 

[red neck richie]

You must have some sweet smelling pheromones.
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="

" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Spotlite]

Do you hunt an area that rarely gets human scent or an area like I do where they smell it every day?

The “natural” for the area is what my Dad used and taught me. If it’s in pines, tub down with some pine limbs. If in hardwood, tub down with some leaves and a little dirt on you.

 

[red neck richie]

The “natural” for the area is what my Dad used and taught me. If it’s in pines, tub down with some pine limbs. If in hardwood, tub down with some leaves and a little dirt on you.

I use pine needles and limbs as a free cover scent all the time. I find it to be very effective and outperforms those store bought cover scents. Never tried the dirt bath though.

 

[baddave]

i am opposite of arrow flinger .. a deer can smell me from a mile away .. BUT. 2 years ago i started smoking myself everytime i go out , build a little pine straw fire and get all in it .. my success and sightings have at least tripled ..and i don't hunt just every now and then , i hunt almost every day of the season, . living on hunting land and being retired i can do it .. cool thread - thanx

 

[JackSprat]

It depends on the specific habitat. Lots of human activity (farmers, timber, dope growing, people spreading corn every week) and deer get used to it.

We hunted next to a cow pasture where the farmer drove in the field every morning at daylight, blowing his truck horn, and the calling the cows. Deer 100 feet away paid him no mind. He bother us a lot more than the deer.

I have several pictures of deer feeding in the yard of the house across the cul de sac -straight down wind - and I'm sitting in a lawn chair, soaked in sweat from working in the yard.