Scent control (or lack there of)

[bfriendly]

Most of my trail cam pics come from deer smelling deer scents I put out. Evercalm smells like deer to me and I like it at the base of a tree I’m hunting. I put it on my shoes typically before walking in too, if I remember.
I’m hardly the deer killer but have had several opportunities and have watched deer sniff things that I put there. Not food, scents. A drag rag is one of my favorites and I’ll kind of sling it against different trees etc on my way in.

Do I think you can fool a deers nose? Yes, yes I do. I’ve done it many times. Maybe Not so much fooling as in being able to keep them from smelling you, but more along the lines of distracting or confusing them. Perhaps making them curious so they don’t just bolt. I do pay attention to wind, and will choose spots accordingly, but just go when I can. Even if I ain’t fooling them, I’m having fun and seeing result ever once in a while.

You can play the wind all you want, but here in Ga, it does like to change direction.

BTW- my cousin sat in a chair wearing his HECS suit in an open field. The turkeys still showed up and fed within feet of him. I don’t know that he tried it without the suit.

I get busted(a lot)because I move a lot……period.

 

[bfriendly]

A deer that is down wind of you will pick up your scent no matter what you do to block or conceal it. Sometimes they react and sometimes they dont. Sometimes they come unglued and sometimes they stick around to see if they can figure out what they are smelling and sometimes they pay zero attention. There's no rhyme or reason either.

When an old buck picks you up and cares about what he is smelling he will usually quickly and quietly back up and out and sometimes turn tail and haul tail with a quick blow.

When a doe picks you up and cares about what she smells she will stand around stomping and head bobbing usually long enough for you to wanna jump out of the tree on her back and cut her throat.

A young buck and fawns will usually play ring around the rosy with each other cause they bucks are the dumbest animals in the woods and fawns dont know any better yet.

I do what I can to try and not introduce more scent than I need to with scent scent free soap and clothes wash and deodorant but have zero illusions that a deer that gets a whiff of me will not know I am there.

Course I also carry my coffee and food to stand. If they smell that they are smelling me too

Jim you really nailed it with this and I agree 100%! But I also believe you just made the same case for fooling a deers nose! No rhyme or reason, and maybe it depends on your definition of fooling. Seems I have to put my smoke out every time I see a deer!

 

[Jim Thompson]

Jim you really nailed it with this and I agree 100%! But I also believe you just made the same case for fooling a deers nose! No rhyme or reason, and maybe it depends on your definition of fooling. Seems I have to put my smoke out every time I see a deer!

Ha I see what you did there

Problem is you cannot fool a deer's nose. They make the decision (using whatever they have to determine their decisions) whether to react or not.

BTW, I also have zero issue with folks doing whatever makes them comfy and gives them faith. Doesnt bother me in the least if folks wanna smoke their clothes or cover themselves in skunk pee ( I used to do this when I 1st started out) or washing in scent-free deterg (which I still do), but none of it really does anything to deter the deer from making whatever decision it is gonna make after it gets a whiff.

 

[bnew17]

I used to worry about scent spray, scent wafers, etc. Now I just hunt the wind and wash my hunting clothes probably twice a season in non scent detergent. Seems to work for me.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I usually smell like bug spray.

Deer seem attracted to it.

 

[Gadestroyer74]

A deer that is down wind of you will pick up your scent no matter what you do to block or conceal it. Sometimes they react and sometimes they dont. Sometimes they come unglued and sometimes they stick around to see if they can figure out what they are smelling and sometimes they pay zero attention. There's no rhyme or reason either.

When an old buck picks you up and cares about what he is smelling he will usually quickly and quietly back up and out and sometimes turn tail and haul tail with a quick blow.

When a doe picks you up and cares about what she smells she will stand around stomping and head bobbing usually long enough for you to wanna jump out of the tree on her back and cut her throat.

A young buck and fawns will usually play ring around the rosy with each other cause they bucks are the dumbest animals in the woods and fawns dont know any better yet.

I do what I can to try and not introduce more scent than I need to with scent scent free soap and clothes wash and deodorant but have zero illusions that a deer that gets a whiff of me will not know I am there.

Course I also carry my coffee and food to stand. If they smell that they are smelling me too

this right here is spot on and what I do myself I have the same results as you. Do what I can with in a reasonable measure and if it’s meant to be and it’s my time I will get that shot if not enjoyed the woods and living another day being alive and well..