I always use a bottle but only last week I had forgotten to put it back after washing it and didn' t realize till it was too late[:@]. Well I didn' t want to but I didn' t plan on using this spot for a few weeks again so I went off the stand. Within a half hour a spike come walking by within 5 yds of my tree, although he was up wind and sniffing he wasn' t alarmed. He must have got a wif. Still I won' t do it again but it didn' t seem to bother him.