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Old 09-11-2016 | 08:20 PM
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MudderChuck
Nontypical Buck
 
Joined: Apr 2015
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From: Germany/Calif.
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Mostly opinion but with some experience mixed in. Deer make associations and some Deer are better at it than others. Some associations are genetic, some learned from their mothers and other Deer. The young ones tend to screw it up more than the older Deer ( the survivors).

Deer seem to associate human sent with danger in a general sort of way, but IMO much of it can be associating any new scent with caution or danger. Just opinion but your deodorant is almost as likely to spook them as your body odor.

If they are used to human scent they are much less likely to spook. But may be more cautious by nature. I sometimes hunt areas with a good bit of human foot traffic, the Deer are more likely to ignore it or to hide, than panic and flee. In areas with no humans around they tend to pick up my scent at around forty yards, some panic and flee some just get more careful.

Fooling them completely is like fooling a blood hound. They can smell really well. A quarter of a mile isn't unusual in a light breeze.

Hunting into the wind is always a good idea.

If you want an idea of what your scent does, set off a small smoke bomb. It goes up and then spreads out, in still air. A lot depends on the weather and temperature. The cold tends to cool your scent and lets it fall to the ground quicker, it may not spread as far or as thick.

A combination of unsettling scent and a sound is likely to spook them. A unsettling scent, a sound and seeing motion is almost certain to spook them. Not necessarily in that order.

I usually wash my clothes in unscented non UV soap and hang them outside. They pretty much stay outside. I wash me in unscented soap.

I've watched Deer come up to the path through the grass I used to get to my high seat and stop like they'd hit a wall. Likely they smelled it before they got that close, but it got so strong they couldn't force themselves to cross it.

Just some generalities and tendencies I've noticed.

I have had some luck with covering scents, stuff the Deer are used to like Sage or wild Oregano, anything that has a strong smell. I rub it on my clothes and boots. I keep a plot of Lovage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovage just for that purpose.

Lovage is good stuff, the Hogs actually love the stuff and may come to you.

Another tactic you might to try is cutting a shooting lane through the brush. In effect making a straight trail. works two ways, gives you a straight shot and yummy stuff tends to grow there.

Good luck, a lot of it is luck.

Last edited by MudderChuck; 09-11-2016 at 08:26 PM.
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