Hunting Forum

Have you also noticed that they sometimes still get busted when a deer gets downwind?

I was my hunting clothes with scent killer soap and keep them in a plastic tub in my truck. Those scent free detergents also don't have any uv brightners in them. I only use the spray occasionally during the season, since I smoke I figure I am wasting my time in doing so.

I do believe in the doe in estrous pee. I watched a 6 pt. buck cross a river and make a bee line straight to where I had a scent strip hanging. I also had one out hanging the morning I got my 19 pt 10/13/10. It won't bring one in everytime you use it. I think it would also depend on having the right wind conditions. My own theory is on bright sunny mornings the sun is warming the ground and causing rising wind currents and the scents should do the same. On thse occasions what scent you put out won't have a very effective range. I try to use the wind to my advantage and do most of my bow hunting from elevated stands 12'-15'.

I never leave home without my Scent Killer-----name Brand particularily------I am also a firm believer that your breath is the worst cuplrit, So I will spray mouth---Do not swallow----and also chew on pine twigs-----This works,,,

Yep, I shower with scent free shampoo and soap, use scent free deodorant, wash my cloths and dry them with scent free detergent and dryer sheets, spray myself down with scent killer, and also spray my clothes and boots before going to my stands even when dog hunting. I also store all of my hunting clothes in a plastic tub that has been sprayed and even put a dryer sheet and scent wafers in it along with the clothes. With all of that being done, I will also choose stand locations based on the prevailing wind.

As for attractant scents, I believe that a good cover scent is effective. One of the best I've ever used is "Deer Herd In A Stick" which is available from Boss Buck. The only attractants that I've seen that I positively know worked was also one of their scents called "VS-1". I know it works because I killed a nice 8-point buck one afternoon that stopped at the edge of the food plot and actually put his nose up in the air and sniffed as he curled his lip and stuck out his tongue before stepping out and giving me a broad side shot at less than 40 yards.........and this deer was directly down wind of my tree stand.

As general rule I don't go deep into scent products.  I will wash my deer hunting clothes in washing soda.  After opening day they are just hanging in the house.   I may make a witches brew of cedar and spruce tea to spay with.  I have not seen cover scents work as effectively just paying attention to wind direction.  Most deer I shoot I am sitting on the ground against a tree.  The deer are less than 40 paces away. 

The best attractant I have found is tarsal glands off your buddy's deer.

-MD

I'm a scent free nut. I have a scent lok hood as well as clothing. Two years ago I had a red fox come from downwind and curl up and nap in a sunny spot downwind for over an hour. If you can fool the best nose in the woods...........................

gut, you didn't give him a dirt nap???????

BTW, guys, if it's legal where you hunt, it never hurts to put out some deer candy (corn).  That's the biggest and best attractant known to man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I plant food plots, but also put out corn piles in front of all of my stands and also have my trail cams hung where I can see what's coming in.  Then I make my hit list of does and bucks that I plan to kill based on the pics.

During the rut, I wear scent control clothes.  I spray down with scent killer and hang out some "golden estrus" and/or "tinks."  I can't say that any of these activities have made a lot of difference, but I do 'em-- just in case.

My opinion is that if you pay for scent killer, you are throwing your money away, pretty simple.
I wash my clothes with it because of the "No UV Brightners" and that's about the extent of that. I make my own cover scent like Mark mentioned, but here in Texas, I use cedar, mesquite and several different oaks, boil it for 30 minutes and spray on as desired. I hunt on a cattle ranch, so I couple my cover scent on my clothes with some coon pee on the top of my boots and I step in cow scat several time on my walk in and my scent and back trail are well covered. Deer will cross 10 to 20 feet down wind of me and not even flinch. As to attractant, Buck Stop serves me well each and every year.

Posted By gutpile on 17 Jul 2012 08:28 AM
I'm a scent free nut. I have a scent lok hood as well as clothing. Two years ago I had a red fox come from downwind and curl up and nap in a sunny spot downwind for over an hour. If you can fool the best nose in the woods...........................

I'll do one better.  This happened while deer hunting.  I was laying against an oak tree and watched a fox come across the field at a steady trot passed within 30 feet of me and did not change his speed.  I was wearing no cover sent.

-MD

Mark, the wind was definitely in your favor, and he had an appointment.

I used to be a scent nut and used it for 2 years without seeing, but one deer (not saying it was it's fault). I've seen deer using it and not using it. Killed big bucks using it and not using it, but it also depends on where you hunt. If the area is heavily populated they are used to human smells. If nothing else it gives you an advantage and I believe it makes deer more at ease, therefore giving you a closer shot. However I don't spend money on it either unless my bottles are broke. Just take some dirt put it in water shake it up and wahla, EARTH SCENT!

I kind of feel all the scent stuff is overrated. While I do use scent killer and keep my clothes in a air tight bag, I don't wash them in scent free detergent and I don't wash myself in scent free soap/shampoo. I kind of believe that that UV killer (since deer supposedly see you as blue or something if you don't use it) is a hoax. Honestly, do we really know what deer, or any other animal for that matter, actually sees? For all we know, they could have complete color vision. Well, maybe not quite since I guess we do know they have a lot more rods than cones in their eyes. But anyway, IMO, it simply comes down to wind direction and your movement on stand. If you don't make sudden movement and move when they aren't looking at you, you won't be seen (most of the time). If the wind is in your favor, you won't be smelled. I do hang my clothing outside too, but I just don't believe in all that stuff. I've killed enough deer without it to know that it really isn't that big of an advantage, if any at all. I do believe in Doe in Estrus though. Even that doesn't necessarily work, either, however. Just my 2 cents.

Playing the wind is the best way to hunt, but how often have you gotten into a stand with the wind in one direction, only to have it change!?!?!?!? Since most laundry and bath soaps have some type of perfume added to them, I believe that using scent control detergent and soap can help if the wind double crosses me. If nothing else, washing with plain baking soda will at least eliminate the artificial perfume smells.  BTW, The University of Georgia has been studying deer reactions to colors and smells for years, as well as in depth studies into the color spectrum of a deer's vision.  They have proven than blue alerts deer more quickly than any other color, and the UV additive in the clothes dying process does make even camo look blue.  Since most laundry detergents have UV brighteners in them to make clothes look cleaner and retain their color, it makes sense to use the detergents that do not enhance or even diminish the UV properties of hunting clothes.

I just use scent free and pure Ivory soap ,and rehydrate a tarsal gland to pin at the knee when I leave the truck . The only stink I give off is deer . So far up to 3 ft. away works .

Duckbuster How do we know what an animal sees? Research that's how. Done on live animals and also through disection of the eye of dead animals. The number of rods vs cones in the retina and their distribution tell a lot about an animals vision. Next time you're at your veterinarian ask him/her if they'd let you look in a cats eye with an otoscope. Colorful.

My take on it is this.  The sprays, soaps, and detergents are all over rated.  I have had people watch me push deer across hillsides just out of my sight using the stuff.  With the wind in my face. I could hear them.  But, could get an eyeball on them.  whole herds.  Without it. I see and shoot more animals than with it.  The same goes with camo.  I've been thinking seriously about going back to my old traditional hunting clothes.  I just don't seem to see or shoot as much as I did with the camo on than I did with jeans and plaid shirt.  It may my imagination about that. But, that's my take on the subject.

Posted By bigrig on 12 Aug 2012 12:02 PM
  I just don't seem to see or shoot as much as I did with the camo on than I did with jeans and plaid shirt.  It may my imagination about that. But, that's my take on the subject.

-bigrig
 
If you are in an area that people use on a regular basis, deer get used to seeing humans in a certain way.  If you break that pattern the deer will take notice and disappear.  So if the deer are used to seeing a farmer in jeans and a plaid shirt, they won't spook just from the looks of you.

-MD

I use dead down wind laundry detergant and no scent scent killer spray (i've used earth scent before and have been winded up wind of me,yah up wind, using no scent i've never been winded up wind of me before,i think it was the overpowering unatural smell of dirt). That is all, I feel if you use attractants, it makes bucks wary and more alert than if you catch them in their natural habitat. I used to be a big caller and scent guy with doe p and rattling and grunting. Till last year, i decided to try something different and just set up and wait. I saw more deer than ever before, doing so I tagged out 22 days into bow season. Earliest for me, usually its during gun (43 days in) when rut kicks in. Last year, I caught a nice 8 point one morning just coming out of corn to go bed down in our swamp and he never knew i was there. Now its different for everybody, depending on pressure, aggressivness of deer, quality of deer etc.. everything plays a factor. Whatever works best for YOU, do it. Its not always about what the other guy does. Good luck to all this year.