They cannot smell, but the other critters can....

Last season I was calling to two toms.We were in a wooded lot with massive pines and hardwoods mixed. My brother and I were sitting at the base of a huge oak tree. It was right after fly down time. I had heard a couple or three gobblers in the area. I eased onto this knob to begin calling. As we sat down I saw some birds out in front of me. We were sitting on a hillside. We also saw a small herd of deer feeding along the mixed woods.

The turkeys were paralell to us about 100 yds away. I had them both excited. I watched them strut back and forth at about 80-90 yds away. I got quiet to entice them to come in closer. They started my way slowly, fanning out every 10 steps or so. This was my brothers first attempt to see wild turkeys and the hunt. He was enthralled to watch them as much as I was.

We felt the wind shift to our backs. In a few seconds we both began hearing the all to familary sound of deer snorts. We could see them as they began running away from us White tails waving running right into the toms. They took flight. I immediately began a lone hen. Trying to either stop them or impress to them that things were ok over here. They flew by us about 20 feet up and about 15 yards away. Two nice toms. I continued to call and had a hen come within 10 feet of both of us. The way she was looking for that hen was almost the same look the the velociraptor in Jurrasic park had when he was looking for the kids. She would turn her head and peer her eyes right into the very depths of my soul. I wouldn't let her bluff me though. I knew one blink of an eye and it would have been over. She hopped up onto a fallen log looking around only to finally disappear in to the pines. We never did see the two toms again not that day anyway.

So... While the turkey can;t smell, outside influences can have adverse affects on your hunt.