Smoking while hunting???
 

Ive bein hesitant to ask this one , but I need to.
How many of you all skoke before or durring hunting , ciggarets anyways;)?? I have shot goats and pigs in the mountains befor with smoke on my breath and clothes . Maybe Ive just bein lucky. Now My friend and I are doing no scent clothes and home brews , not smoking , andhavent really bein stumbling onto game[:o]So I'd thought Id throw this topic out and see what you all think and do. Im pretty sure of the responses this may generate but lets see.
Happy Holidays

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

Paka,

I don't smoke but my brother-in-law does, while in his stand no less and he kills deer every year so go figure. Now I can't tell you how many deer he hasalerted over the years because of it, I'm sure it's alot, but like I said he sees and kills enough to not want to stop.

He obviouslypays very close attention to wind and he tries to limit how much he smokes.....but he smokes!

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

I know quite a few guys who smoke and most shoot deer regularly every year.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

To say you cant kill a deer while smoking would be just silly, I dont smoke but its a wind game if they can smell the smoke then they can smell you. You will most likely kill deer every year while smoking but you will never know what big one might have smelled the smoke that wouldnt have smelled you and just walked away!! Walt

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

That is an interesting question. We all want to think the obvious, that the deer will sent the smoke smell and not come even close. But people do smoke before going out, hell some smoke on stand and they still take deer.

If I had to guess, I guess it wouldn't be a good thing and only see disappointment in it.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

My friend smokes in stands and kills deer. He uses a climber and usually gets around 30' up, so the smoke is usually going straight up anyway. I'm so damn paranoid about scent, I would NEVER do it, even from an airplane!

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

I am a reformed smoker. I used to smoke in stand and I've actually had to put butts out that I was smoking to draw on a deer. In all my years smoking in stand I only had three instances where I saw myselfget busted because of my 'smoke trail' (who knows how many other times I got busted that I was unaware of).

This was my first season in stand smoke free. I had more deer around me this year than any other. Does it help, the jury is still out...but I do feel a hell of alot better.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

I hear ya, last year my buddy shot a HUGE 10 pointer with a smoke hanging out of his face! [8D] I guess the wind was right!

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

I smoke while hunting, stalking or on a stand. I see and kill just as much deer as my buds that don't smoke. I do limit my smokings and pay close attention to the wind.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

If the deer will smell you they will smell your smoke.A big deer isnt falling for that trash.4-5 yr olds are a differant game than a yearling or 2.5 yr old.They didnt get old by being stupid.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

i always smoke before i hunt but i do't smoke on stand anymore (why risk it?). in the past i've put a cigarette out and shot a deer less than a minute later. my dad has killed more than one deer while smoking, one of them a massive eight point that weighed 220 lbs. it's all about the wind! the deer will probably spook faster from human scent than from cigarette smoke.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

I smoke on stand all the time. Not as much as if im not hunting but i smoke.Just last week i had 4 yearling bucks come straightdown wind of me while i was smoking . None of them seem to get nervous about it.I understand they smell an unfamiliar smell but how can a deer associate cigarette smoke to a human?

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

My cousin smokes while hunting. It seems like it would ruin your chances but he shoots like 5 deer every year. I sure wouldn't though. Any smart deer is going to pick you off in a second once he smells that without a doubt. However, I have heard theories that deer don't get alerted by smoke, but I don't think it means cigarette smoke.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

This question comes up fairly often and I reply each time. I smoke while on stand, like someone said earlier, not like I would if I weren't hunting though. I take deer every year. Three, so far this year. A 6pt non-typical in Pa, an8pt from Albertawith my compound, and a doe with my CB also in Pa.I had a MONSTER 10pt B&C buck inside of 20yrds in Alberta but no shot opp. That's for the folks that say you'll never have a MATURE buck come in close if you smoke while on stand! Not bragging, just the facts.;)
Anyway, I don't condone smoking on stand [:@]but I must say I believe it's the movements associated with smoking rather than the smoke itself that gets hunters busted. Also, as I've said in the past, I don't believe deer know the diff between cigg smoke and that of someones fireplace. I don't think they (deer)associate it with humans either, unless they actually see it coming from one.
These are strictly my thoughts,experiances andobservations. Obviously open for debate, it always is. :D:D:D:D

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

My dad smokes all the time while he hunts. I have been able to smell it when we were posting somewhat close. Deer still came right by us. I don't smoke at all

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

what do u all think about dipping or chewing in or out of a stand

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

paka, i quit 16 years ago but when i smoked i did not do it while hunting. I compare it to carrying a fresh oiled gun while hunting, there is going to be times you get busted from it. Tell ya what, im going to double dawg dare you to quit, i did it cold turkey after smoking for 9 years and by god you can to;)you will pat yourself on the back and make others around you appreciate it. now have a happy new year and good luck on that new years resolution[8D]
Dan

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

I smoke as well. I always pay attention to the wind and try to limit it as much as possible. Heck on year while I was smoking in my stand a doe came up to check me out. I actually stood up in the stand and took a few pictures. She actually seemed interested with this bafoon smoking in his stand....haha till I shot her.

Some deer just arent that smart..some deer like the good bucks we dream about "got the smarts real good"

I smoke and I dont plan to quit anytime soon

Best of luck to you

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

I would just quit smoking, and then you wouldn't even need to worry about it.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

I think you hit the nail on the head with that one, a lot of arm movement to smoke. I also think it depends on where your hunting, if your deep in the mountains where deer don't smell everyday "people smells" it will alarm them more. If your hunting urban areas where the deer are used to "people smells" they may not be as alarmed.

I'm a smoker but neversmoke on my way to bowhunt or while in the stand. Gun season is a different story, the few days I gun hunt each year are usually so chaoticthe deer don't have time to worry about cig smoke. With that said, this year on the day before the gun opener my buddy and I went out to do some scouting and leave our climber on the trees we were going to hunt the next day. We took our bows in the event we got done early we could climb up and get a few hours in. I found my spot and climbed up into my tree with my bow, I had my smokes with me and I wasn't on a serious bowhunting trip. So once I got settled in I lit one up, 2 secs later my cell rings, wife is calling telling me to get milk on the way home. So I'm puffing away talking on my phone when I look to my left and there is a buck standing 30 yards away. I tell wifey bye bye and put out my cig. I stood up and noticed 3 doe were coming in to the right of me tree. Long story short an hour later I was dragging out a doe and a 6pt. Crazy evening in the woods and I did everything that I would normally never do while bowhunting.

I think you can smoke in stand and be successful, but I also agree with some of the other guys who said a mature buck isn't going to put up with it. Thats why I try to stay as scent free as possible when i bowhunt.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

It's not the smoke that ruins the hunt. I hunt using the wind. If they can smell my smoke... they got downwind, wind swirls and theyare smelling me. Game is over whether you smoke or not especially hunting on the ground.

I pass on 20 - 40 bucks a year waiting for a mature buck. I wish I could blame the smokes for eating tags over the years but that doesn't seem to be the problem. The mature bucks are just tougher to hunt.

Every once and a while I do have to put a smoke out to shoot one though. :D

Tim

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

I smoke a cigar after i hunt. I won't take a chance, but here is what I've been told. The smell of smoke is not really alarming to deer, it may even provoke some curiosity,however the smell of a human is an entirely diferent thing . The pheromones produced by your body scream PREDATOR, and that is what alarms them. Like I said I don't smoke on stand but do know people who consistantly kill deer and do smoke on stand.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

I take a pack and a can with me and regularly take game. The area's I hunt have been burned before and that must linger for years.
However as a courtesy to my non smoking parters will just dip when they are in the field with me
Hiking up and down mountain sides does take it's toll and cut way back as I am usually out of breath.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

try weed lol i know they will like it

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

I have known guys who smoked on the stand and they usually killed deer - but they were never the ones who came into camp having taken a good deer. You have to think that the big ones don't need much excuse to slip off (especially the smell of smoke)!

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

WOW , I was really surprised to see all these replys:D.
. Dan , thanks for the idea and support , it would be realy nice to quit . But , theres always a but, Its in me to smoke something and atleast ciggarettes are legal . Lots of other worst things out there to smoke[&:].
One day goat hunting up in the mountains I sat down , ate a cupple hard boiled eggs , banana , and smoked a ciggarette. What do you know , here comes a billy , downwind , coming right to me from about 120 yards out . I dont know why he did it , but he came right to me 30 yards and just stared. And that was it;). He got curious I think . You all heard that one right" curriousity killed the goat:)" .
Well not to smoke cant hurt, Would be great for your health , but what if it covered up alarming human scent ? HMMMMMM

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

Native Americans used to stand next to a smoky fire and cover themselves with mud, This ritual was probably to cover the human scent.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

don't worry how it will affect your hunting - worry more about how you're going to battle cancer or how you're going to cope with knowing you contributed to one of your loved ones getting cancer

smoking is one of the STUIPIDEST things a person can do - period

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

Good post! You will probably get blasted for it. Because the smokers don't want to hear the truth.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

Hey if you don't smoke, your not entitle to an opinion in this thread.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

While I agree with your last sentence... I don't smoke around my Loved ones. I go outside. My dad just had surgery to remove a lump from his neck which was cancer. He has 7 weeks of radiation coming up. His sister died of cancer a little over a year ago. His brother has had cancer andwent through treatments. None of them smoked or were around it.

I work on a farm and have been exposed to all kinds of chemicals and fumes from exhaust. Constantly workingwith oil, desiel and grease. Something tells me I am a prime canidate for cancer with my background even if I didn't smoke. I wouldn't bet it will be thecigs that do me in thoughnor will I worry about it.

It is a very stupid expensivehabit though!!

Tim

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

i likes to smoke why i hunt, expecially grass, butmostlyluckystrikes
Deers just like the smell of grass i recon. i know they like eatin it for sure!

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

Get a grip Buster! We can make our own decisions. Poeple buy the farm on roads everyday also! What TJF said if they can smell the smoke they can smell you also.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

I smoke Menthol Lights. Before, during, and after my hunt. I don't pay particular attention to the wind, since 99% of the places I hunt have swirling winds that constantly change direction. There's NO way to set-up for something like that. You never know where the wind will be coming from, so why bother with it. I smoke less while hunting....maybe 1 cig per hour. I have had plenty of deer within 30 yards while I was smoking. I've had bucks come from down wind just minutes after putting one out. I do stand and ground hunting. I don't know if I'll ever quit, but if I do, it won't be because of hunting.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

I'm pretty anal when it comes to scent, so, if I did smoke, I wouldn't smoke in the woods. Besides, we wouldn't want to start a forest fire!;)

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

When I posted this I dont remember saying" for smokers only" :D. I can handle other peoples opinions pretty well . And for the record I do not smoke around my family or anyone else who doesnt smoke in respect for there health.
I too know 2 people who were outrageous health freeks and unfortunetly they had cancer. One , is with our maker know . This is America , were we are free to make most decisionson how we want to live .
Whisker Bisquit to Drop aways , carbon to aluminum , smokeing or not , thats bowhunting , so many tunning possibilities.

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

ok i didnt smoke in the woods until this year after a not so productive afternoon i said screw it andgot mycigs out not two min lateri had a 140 class 8 point come in down wind with his head up i watced as my smoke went right to him but he kept comeing in but i blew a 23 yrd shoot and went low but on slowe days i have started smookeing and with in min deer are comeing in to see what it is but this may not workevery where

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

I have personally been on both sides of the issue.I can say that without a doubt,I see more and better deer at closer distances from my stand than I did when I used to smoke.


I personally witnessed a young buck walk up to trail that I saw a person standing on and smoking a cigarette.(I was in a stand 20 yards away)The deer walked up to the spot,smelled the area and turned and returned in the direction he came from.Was it the smoke or the human smell.I don't know but it confirmed that scent is very important.



On another side of the issue.My wife is a surgical technician and is in surgery every day.She told me that she can tell who smokes when they cut them open.She says the smell is immediate.If the smell is in your skin to that degree,what is it doing to the rest of your body/organs and it would make sense that a deer can smell it and eventually if you hunt an area enough,associate it to danger.



On a side note.

I am not in the belief that second hand smoke is nearly as dangerous as the agenda driven surgeon general says.[8D]

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

Igoing too start carrying cigareette butts around with me!

RE: Smoking while hunting???
 

I have a deer picture too put on this site, but it says file to large i guess as for as pixels . Didyou have that problem and if so what did you do, as for as scent, I try my best also to stay scent free!