If you use NO scent control at all, raise your hand please.

[Unlicensed Dremel]

See poll.

If you use NO scent control at all for hunting large game (that's the 2nd to last option in the poll), or know someone like this who uses the wind solely but may otherwise stink to high heaven, please chime in.

And how do you describe your harvest rate or game-encounter rate?**

Also describe what percentage of the time you use archery gear for going after said large game, versus more modern weapons (rifles/ handguns/ muskets).

**[Note: I hate using the word "success" for a hunt that includes a harvest, as a hunt is successful solely if you enjoyed yourself.]

 

[buck460XVR]

While I use a passive type of scent control for bowhunting, and still hunting, generally for gun hunting from a stand, I find it's not that necessary. Passive control to me is avoiding scents that alarm, hanging hunting clothes outdoors, bathing with non-perfumed soaps and using the wind.

 

[Unlicensed Dremel]

Oops, no point to this 3rd post anymore.

 

[FrankenMauser]

I change my socks and underwear... sometimes my pants or shirt.
If it's a 9-day hunt, it'll be up to 11 days between showers. (Arrive more than one full day before opening day, to set up camp and make our presence known to the wildlife.)
I wear my typical "Ocean Surf" scented deodorant, and even cologne if I'm hoping to attract some randy does/cows.
Most of my hunting part has nasty breath, smokes, or is constantly breaking wind with gaseous releases that could melt paint.


Most of the time, it doesn't make a bit of difference what we smell like. I have nearly tripped over doe deer that were well hidden, but downwind and WATCHED me walk up on them.
I have jumped elk out of their beds, less than 10 feet away, because they didn't want to get back out in the rain, unless I got too close (which I did).

Generally....
They might as well not be able to smell. They don't seem to care when they do get a whiff of us.

Most years, at least twice, we wake up to evidence of elk sniffing one of my brothers' dirty socks or rubbing his nasty boots on their face.

 

[Toney]

For bow season I try to control it, for rifle season I don't worry.

 

[TXAZ]

I don't worry about it, and don't believe it has been a problem. . I don't expect to get reeeel close, there are many humans in the area. Reaching out touching a buck at 100-300 yards is likely easier than a buck smelling a finger on the trigger at the same range.

 

[Vt.birdhunter]

I smoke in my tree stand

 

[reynolds357]

The deer on my hunting land pay me no attention. A buck last week did not want to get out of the way of my tractor. He literally let the tractor, pulling a plow, get witin 10 feet of him before he moved. He looked like he was ticked off that I was plowing under his clover.

 

[lockedcj7]

I don't climb trees much anymore. I see (and kill) plenty of nice bucks from the window in my workshop. They can appear anywhere from 50 to 400 yards out and I normally drink coffee while "hunting".

 

[big al hunter]

I never use the scent elimination crap. I hunt with the wind in my favor and it works well for me. I still hunt or spot and stalk. I hate sitting in a stand, drives me nuts. I have walked to within feet of deer and elk many times, and one bear at about 3 feet. The wind is fairly good at keeping my odor away from the animals. Most of the animals I have taken either saw me or heard me before I saw them. Curiosity kills more than cats.

If I hunted from a tree with a bow, then I would be more careful about scent. Several of the animals i have taken with modern weapons where close enough for archery gear. When I start bow hunting again I will probably not change my current methods, cause I hate standing still. (Think I already said that, but thats how much I dislike it)

 

[Brotherbadger]

When bow hunting, yes i use scent control. During gun season? I don't bother. I've known too many guys who drink soda/coffee and smoke in their stands, and still see deer. At over 100 yards i don't think scent is that big a deal(assuming there is no major wind)

 

[Crankylove]

My father in law, and brother in laws on that side go to the extreme. Special camo clothing that only gets worn for archery, muzzleloader, and rifle seasons. Special "unscented/odor absorbing laundry detergent, then the clothes get stored in special bags. Special unscented soap/shampoo/antiperspirant for a week before they hunt. When they cone back from a hike, clothes, boots, and packs come off outside the trailer and get hung in a tree until the next hike.
After dressing in hung up clothes, they spray each other down with deer/elk urine.



While I'm out hiking around, or sitting watching a meadow or trail, I smoke (2packs a day while hunting), talk to my hunting buddy(s), shoot coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, and grouse, wear jeans and t-shirt/hoody, and in general don't put a whole lot of effort into being "sneaky".

I still fill my tags, and I have fun doing it. My father/brothers in law, seem to get too wrapped up in, too stressed out about, the camo clothes, scent blockers, and newest gadgets and gizmos for putting the sneak on an animal...............a lot of the time they really don't seem to be having fun.

 

[eastbank]

i used to take a wiz on a guys corn pile every morning while going to my stand and he killed one of the biggest bucks he ever did off of that corn pile(its againist the law to hunt on a feed pile here). eastbank.

 

[AllenJ]

When I archery hunted in the 80's and 90's I used a masking scent but while rifle hunting I only pay attention to wind direction. I hunt deer in California and elk in Colorado. Success for deer is not great, but it is not much better for anyone else here. Elk hunting I've been very successful and actually used my scent on two different hunts to get elk out of thick timber and scored both times. Sometimes a good breeze and your scent can come in handy

 

[buck460XVR]

For those that hunt feeder/baitpiles, the smell of a human may tell the deer that the feeder/pile has just been refilled and more'n likely draw in animals. In this case, human scent itself is an attractant. Just like the smell of chainsaw gas and oil will. I had a friend that fed deer in his backyard and he would call them in by banging the bucket with his hand. The deer would come running outta the woods totally ignoring his presence, if and only if he or someone else was smoking a cigarette. Since my friend always smoked cigarettes, those deer somehow identified that smell with food and safety.


While deer rely heavily on their sense of smell, sometimes they don't believe it or trust it. Especially if they are not already alert to danger. This spring I was Turkey hunting a ridgetop right after sunrise and had a Tom responding from an adjacent ridgetop. Since there was snow on the ground and I found figure 8 drag marks the day before on the lane where I set up, I figured I was on his strut zone and aggressive calling would bring him in sooner than later. Wasn't long before I saw movement and after watching it for a while I determined it was a group of 4 deer. Over the years I have had deer come in to turkey calls many times. I always figured it was because they both ate the same foods and a feeding/calling turkey meant food to a deer. So, deer continue to come, Tom continues to reply, both getting closer all the time. Deer are now within thirty yards, and knowing the Tom is still outta sight, I wave my arms, hoping to spook the deer before the tom comes in and they spook to me moving on him. They spook and run off. I call to make sure they didn't spook the Tom and he replies. They come back. I wave my arms again and they continue to come. They are now at 5 yards and looking me in the face. I am talking to them and moving as much as I feel I can without spooking the approaching Tom and any hens coming in. They don't seem to care. I then figure they feel comfortable enough that they won't spook when the Tom comes in. Till the lead doe starts to circle downwind. I lose sight of her in my peripheral vision as I am looking in the direction the Tom is coming from. I know at any minute she will get my scent and spook and snort, wrecking any chance I have. Soon I feel a warm breath on my neck and can hear the doe, now only inches from me smelling me. I took no scent precautions since it is only turkey season and I sprayed myself heavily for ticks. I also had sweated heavily carrying myself, my gun and my Turkey pack up the steep hillside. I could hear her sniffing me, but still she did not spook. I continue to call to the Tom and he continues to respond, but soon I hear hens behind me. Don't know if the hens had been there the whole time and saw my interaction with the deer or maybe I had spooked them on the roost when I came in. But they would not come up the hill to me and eventually led the Tom off to the field below. I was able to get up, turn around, get my binoculars from my pack and view the hens and Tom below me in the field, all the time with deer just yards from me. I believe that since they did not hear any alarm sounds from the turkeys and the calls I was making were those of relaxed birds, they believed their ears more than their nose and their eyes. I finnaly was able to spook the deer into the field below and scattered the turkeys, but while I was able to bring the hens back later, the Tom never came back that day. Killed a nice Tom two ridges away the next morning.

 

[Unlicensed Dremel]

That's a great story - were you in a ghillie suit or what? Can't believe they didn't spook.

 

[buck460XVR]

No ghillie suit, just the standard Mossy Oak Greenleaf camo I always use. It usually works well that time of year. Remember tho, there was 6'' of snow on the ground and I stuck out like a sore thumb against it. One reason I sat in front of a large White Oak. By noon the snow was gone from the pouring rain. I assume the Tom I shot the next day was the same one that responded to me the day before. I just moved closer to his roost. The day before the deer episode, I had three hens and two jakes 5 yards in front of me on another ridge, that never spooked to the big black object in the snow. The Tom that was with them gave me a good shot @ 30 yards, but I thought he was gonna get closer. Instead he turned and put trees and brush between me and him as he headed off to a spot he had already predetermined. Having hunted that farm for 20 years, I know birds on that side of the farm generally go to the neighbors fields right away in the morning and one needs to draw them quite a ways to get them to come to where I have permission to hunt. Later in the day they are easier to draw away from there.


Thank God, Turkeys don't have a keen sense of smell.......

 

[bird_dog]

I voted average / moderately.

I use "Scent Away" spray when deer & bear hunting. It's just one tool in the arsenal of hunting tactics. I still pay attention to the wind.

I've had deer downwind of me that did smell me with Scent Away, and I've had deer downwind of me that didn't smell me without it. I think it's just one more small advantage and, when archery hunting, I believe in using everything at your disposal to remain invisible. Like camo clothing, it isn't 100% effective.

Good woodcraft and paying attention to the wind, whether your still hunting or stand hunting, is far more important.

I've killed lots of deer with the bow. Lots with the gun too. It's a learning process that never ends, if you're doing it right.

 

[jeager106]

1994, Early bow season in N.E. Ohio. Normal for temps to rise into the low
70's.
Took off my camo suit down to blue jeans, white T shirt, no scent.
Took a 167 5/8 wall hanger at 20 yards from a tree stand 20 ft. hi..
Go figure.
My 1st bow kill. Was walking to a tree stand when a button buck was walking out of the woods. It stopped as it saw me. 40+ yards. Too far but had to draw and look at it thru the 40 yard pin sight. Perfect. Let loose.
Dead deer.
Working the wind if far more important that scent lure stuff.

 

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

No scent control here. Haven't had a need for it nor do I believe in bottled, spray-on, or waxy push-up scents for human or as outdoors cover scent.

My deer stand is totally enclosed 10 ft above ground. It's leaking of my scent >I doubt it as I'm its builder and I know how tight its construction is. Tip: My stand was deliberately positioned on a field to where its facing into the prevailing winds that time of year. (just another of this old timers deer trickery some other may consider in the placement of theirs.)

When I decide to Still Hunt. I plan my hunt the day prior. I know the winds direction & speed of coarse but I also pay attention to my chimneys smoke early in the AM the morning of. Which tells me what the winds behavior will be that morning and perhaps take place throughout the day. Straight up, sideways, or down ward & swirling. (The later of the 3 will indeed change my plans altogether. i.e. >yup!! Time for a road trip.)

If one keeps themselves fairly freshened.
Hunting clothes hung in the fresh air overnight every night. Having no spilled petrol, house smells, stale beer or excessive cigarette & cigar smoke is preferred. I've even heard of one fellow hanging his hunting clothes, boots, rifle, in a cow barn prior to season opening Yup!! on purpose.{not something I prefer to do too my hunting clothes & 270. But to each their own I guess.}

One sure human scent that alerts a deer many over look.
"Halitosis!! the arch enemy of a hunter plain & simple."_ A cover scent is surely needed for that mouth situation. But not one that comes bottled. Butter scotch or anise hard candy will help too resolve one's bad breath better than anything else available. {especially for those who are non-smokers & non-drinkers that is.} For those who indulge in those smokes litt'l whiskey shooters & Silver Bullet silo's the night before while wearing the same clothes they hunt in.
Hey, there's always that chance of something coming their way. When, what year, who knows, their guess is as good as mine.

BTW: I've used these (above) tactics all of my hunting years whether it be rifle, bow or B/Powder.