pwt3time

I am new to bow hunting and just wonder how far does your scent actually carry downwind?

JoeRE

It depends on many things such as air temp, strength of wind, and humindity. as a general rule though, on flat ground I would not want any deer within 300 yard downwind. I have had deer smell me at 200 yards a few times.

Dr Andy

And then there are those that walk by at 20-30yds completely unaware,and they say scent-lok doesn't work. Hmmmmm.....

RHanbaum

There are a ton of variables with regards to scent and wind drift. Basically your scent travels in a cone shape from the ground and when elevated will cone down from your stand. The more humidity and moisture the heavier your scent will be. When laying a scnt trail, I know this violates the rules, but... lay a trail with the wind, that forces a deer to keep their nose to the ground versus wind checking or throwing their head up when against the wind. If you go in early enough, you can do this without getting busted. Light arid days your scent will travel further and on strong windy days your scent cone will be much narrower but will travel a great distance. As mentioned earlier, getting busted at 200 to 300 yards is not uncommon. Use anti bacterial soap, and be very scent conscience with your clothing. It's all part of the game and that is what makes it fun and challenging. LOL

dragonslayer1

Great advice RH, you are right on target. Several years ago in Alabama I watched some deer on a food plot over a quarter miledownwindcatch my scent and blow out. I was at nearly the same elevation as the deer with nothing but air between us. If it had been in a wooded area, I believemy scent would have been dispersedby the trees and not been concentrated enough tospook them.

cptleo1

I have been busted over 100yds away many times.

nchawkeye

About 4 years ago I was hunting over a soybean field, wind was blowing straight into the field, I was about 15 feet up in a tree...After about 15 minutes, I had 5 does stand up about 300 yards away and leave the field and go into the woods...So I know they can smell you from 300 yards...When they stood up, their noses were straight up in the air, stood there for about 5 minutes before they left...

RHanbaum

Thanks Dragon, been in the wind business for over thirty years/ Law Enforcement K-9. Watch an animals mouth, they will close it when they are really trying to get a scent. A buck will lick their NOSTRILS to help gather more scent molecules, the moisture helps the scent molecules to gather around their olifactory glands better. A deers' nose is like a turkeys' eyes. Tuff to beat.

mathews outback

id say a few hundred yards or farther in some circumstances