Is Hunting Really That Easy?

[lungbuster]

I have to say this whole scent control issue is getting way too repetitive.........I smoke cigarettes on stand (I don't promote this and don't suggest anyone take up smoking)and so long as no deer get downwind of me I don't get busted......I used to take all the scent free precautions I could and even quit smoking for a time not only for my health, but for deer hunting....I got busted just as often when deer got downwind then as I do now....I doesn't matter, if that mature buck or doe gets downwind of you, you are going to get busted clean clothes or dirty, smoking or not.

[dan]

my confidence would plummet even more without being as scent free as possible -

Your falling into an advertising trap... Sounds to me like youi lack confidance in your set ups and your just hoping to kill a deer that happens by. You know what gives me confidance? Scouting, and then hunting based on that scouting. When I am hunting a fresh spot 70 yards from a bucks bed in the direction he is going, with the wind in my face.
There are reasons people like me and Andrae are successful and its not because we are scent free and wear great camo...

[dan]

I have been around the block a few times... One of the things that has really built me as a hunter is not releying on others to tell me what works and what don't. Sure, I always listen to advice with an open mind, but I base my decisions on my experiances. Basically, I fix whats broke, and leave alone whats not. If your getting poor results, or you want better results, changing things can be what makes the differance.
The definition of insanity is : Doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.
I don't see different results by trying to be scent free. If I try and fool a bucks nose I lose. Been there, done that.
Hunting with ones brain, rather than purchasing a shopping cart full of hype and gimicks is what pays off.
Keeping yourself clean and less smelly is a good thing. But my experiance tells me that its not going to help you in anyway 99.9% of the time. My experiances with mature bucks have taught me that they can tell about where you are located with the 1st good whiff of your scent and amount of scent has little bearing on how far away he thinks you are.
The problem with buying into the scent free marketing is not that it will hurt your hunting in itself. Its the attitude that you start to think you can beat a mature bucks nose. If you start playing that game you will lose more often than succeed. Hanging your clothes outside and useing scent free soap and trying not to get your scent on brush walking to your stand is not a bad idea. I do that a little myself, however, I realize that it makes almost no differance at all.

[cwoods]

I have learned the hardway that you cant fool a deers nose and falling into the trap of having to be scent free. Every scent free product has a foreign smell any way. Sure I wear rubber boots and store my close in a container and wash them in unsented laundry. This year I even purchased some dead down wind to spray my the bottom of my boots. Even w/ all that precaution I had a spike cross my entry trail (not downwind) and he stopped and started smelling where I had stepped out of a ditch that I use for entry. Did the dead down wind and rubber boots stop him? Not in the least bit.I could just see the little buck burning that smell into his brain, storing that human sent into his memory bank. It was a testiment to a deer nose, even a yearling buck.
If we think of how strong the stinch of a dead animal or trash can smells(even in the midest of honey suckles) when we are down wind of it and ascoiate that w/ when a deer smells us, it would improve our hunting.

Another example was during my first pre season glassing trip 2 years ago. I had just got done mowing the grass one saturady and it was 3 weeks before the season opener. So I decided to head out and sit at a pond that splits two big bean feilds. I get there wind was in my favor and within 30minutes every batchlor group was out in the soy beans. I hadnt taken a shower or nothing. I had two really nice border line P&Y bucks drinking water 12 yds away while I stunk of gas,sweat and yardwork. These two examples taught me alot about the wind and entry/exits.

Plus when hunting afternoons after work I dont have time to go home and shower. It'd be dark by then.

[Spysar]

One thing to consider. People think they know when they've been busted by what they see or hear. There's no telling how many times you get busted and never know.

There are other factors in scent control besides what happens in the tree stand. What about scent in and out of a stand? We all know that deer cross human paths. They have to. And they do it all the time. I believe your scent stream could be strong,(BO, smoke, diner, etc) or weak. If a deer smells a strong odor it might be enough to repel it. A weak smell might = an old scent trail, and the deer continues......just some thoughts.

It's not like I do anything that's that hard to do anyway. I clean my body with scent free soap. Then I clean my clothes in scent free soap(tide free) I store my hunting clothes in a tote. It's really not even that hard to do.

[Arrowbender]

54494 said

ended up learning that putting myself in places that big bucks hang out and playing the wind was the answer for me.

As it was for me.
I just find that I can still find them where I left them if I keep the area that I was in as clean as possible.
I'm not trying to fool the deers nose while I'm on stand so much as that I don't want him to know that I was there. This isn't to say that they don't have a clue, but I've watched A LOT of them first hand that tolerate it.

[Dewey]

I completely agree with everything you said Spysar. The last few years I do exactly as you do as far as showering, washing clothes and storing clothes in a tote but that's it.
Past years I used to be a fanatic about scent control and wore Scent Lok, used every scent killer spray on the market, washed clothes and put in separate scent free bags, washed all of my equipment in peroxide but I still hunted only in favorable winds.
I was spending way too much time trying to be scent free so this season I simplified the way I do things. I have to say my buck sightings were the best ever this year and the only reason is because I am even more aware of hunting the proper wind and a lot of that has to do with what I learned here. Watching those little milkweed floaters really helps me understand the wind better and really explains why some people are tricked into believing that Scent Lok works. I now understand how a deer can be downwind of you but the thermals will not carry your scent directly to them like you would think.
As far as being scent free I still am careful about staying clean and never wear my hunting clothes or boots anywhere but where I am hunting but that is pretty much it. Not sure if it really matters but it just makes me feel better and does not take much extra time at all.

[Spysar]

Dewey said

Not sure if it really matters but it just makes me feel better and does not take much extra time at all.

Feeling better about what your doing is a big factor in hunting success.....do what gives YOU the most confidence.

[Schultzy]

Is Hunting Really That Easy?

Depends what your hunting for. Some areas your chances of getting a nice buck are much better then other areas. Not really easy but more so easier.

[Sam Ubl]

I have to say this whole scent control issue is getting way too repetitive.........

I don't think the learning ends when you or Dan comment, so there appears to be... 3 pages of additional thoughts and opinions

Anyways, Dan, I like what you have to share on the topic, it puts a lot into perspective. I am by no means stuck in my ways, definitely polar opposite of the "definition of insanity". Sure you've said the same thing multiple times, but you tell it differently each time and while it may click to one, it may not to the other until they hear it another way.

I agree, one good whiff of you and the deer are on to you, that's why I take precautions to decrease the odds of them getting a good whiff... I know you're saying no matter the cover up, no matter the cleanliness, etc.. Their gonna smell you anyways. That's a frame of mind I admittedly haven't fully acknowledged, but a definite battle in my mind.

Smoking, now that's an interesting one. I guess I can understand why that wouldn't really affect you negatively. Smoke is smoke, not a signal to the deer that a human is smoking in a tree, especially since the smoke disperses in so many directions.

[magicman54494]

54494 said

ended up learning that putting myself in places that big bucks hang out and playing the wind was the answer for me.

As it was for me.
I just find that I can still find them where I left them if I keep the area that I was in as clean as possible.
I'm not trying to fool the deers nose while I'm on stand so much as that I don't want him to know that I was there. This isn't to say that they don't have a clue, but I've watched A LOT of them first hand that tolerate it.

First let me say again - if you think it makes a difference then you should go thru your scent control routine.
Second - you can only assume that your scent control made a difference. There is no way to be sure.
I hunt without a lot of concern as to scent control because experiences have shown me that it didn't make a difference for me.
That being said, I don't totally ignore scent control. I avoid going to a gas station and getting gas all over my hunting boots. I won't purposely put my stuff where they can pick up a lot of odor. But given the choice of limiting my hunting time by going thru a lot of scent control vs. just going as is I will opt for the hunting time. In the end this is a topic that really can't be proved eithor way so each has to decide how much scent control they believe is necessary to be successful.

[adrenalin]

I have had deer wind me with scentblocker on and without. I got a scentblocker jacket and pants from cabelas for 30 bucks and only bought it because of the "bowhunter" design and it was fleece. If I had to spend any more than that I wouldn't have bought it. The only way I believe you could help yourself is by leaving less ground scent if you plan to hunt a spot again soon. As far as being in the tree I think you smell the same either way. One thing to keep in mind about this is peoples opinons are different because of different results. If you hunt in an open oak woods where you don't come in contact with anything walking in except the bottoms of your boots will leave a whole lot less scent than if you have to push your way through the cattails and are dripping sweat and can't help touching everthing on your way in. Also this is just my opinon base on my hunting expierences, but a hardwoods farm deer acts a whole lot different that a pressured swamp deer. I have hunted both and I think any deer living in a swamp is way more cautious for some reason.

[DropTyne]

but a hardwoods farm deer acts a whole lot different that a pressured swamp deer. I have hunted both and I think any deer living in a swamp is way more cautious for some reason.

I liked the whole post, but I totally disagree with this statement.