diet and scent control
 

I've got a friend who has harvested several P&Y deer and moose and swears by a meatless diet while he hunts. About a week before the season he cuts all red meat out of his diet and says this changes his scent and breath to his advantage. Claims its an old indian trick. Has anyone else heard of evidence to support this or is it all just voodoo? How important is your breath when trying to go "scent-free"?

RE: diet and scent control
 

There is some merit to your freind's "secret". Meat eater's definitley exude predatory scent, its been very well documented. However, I've yet to see a deer run from a fox, mink, raccoon, or other small predatory mammal. I'd suspect that while "meat eating" some scents are important, its not the limiting factor in hunting situations. A deer may spook just as quickly if you place gasoline in a food plot. There are other scents that we produce that are decidingly HUMAN, and deer cannot differentiate "good" (read: vegetarian) human scent from bad (read: meat eating) human scent. In other words, scent control is still paramount, as is hunting the wind. Some foods, "enhance" our scent like garlic, or meat. If you play the wind correctly, you could probably harvest a deer, while barbecuing a side of deer.

My point is, there are very few cure-alls in scent elimination - its still important to hunt the wind correctly. I for one wouldn't give up my backstraps fried in butter for any deer!

RE: diet and scent control
 

Voodoo, it is like a playoff beard. Why change your lucky underwear. ETC. Wind is the key to scent control, scent lok may work but the slogan "forget the wind, just hunt" is marketing. Seen it! Heck I have had deer come downwind side without scentlok...not many but has happened.

I would hazard to say your buddies diet has less to do with it, than knowing the area and the animals he his hunting!

As far as breath, if he is that close, your busted or an arrow is in the bread basket. In otherwards, they smell all of you not your breath.

But if it makes you feel more confident...then go for it. All up top!