Camp fire and scent?
 

If I sit around a camp fire and then go to my stand could this deter deer? I had never really given it much thought until this year. If so, does anyone have a solution for this?

I already wash my clothes in scent free detergent, spray scent killerspray on and spray coon pee on the bottoms of my boots.

RE: Camp fire and scent?
 

You could actually be better off. There is a smoker being marketed, similar to a bee smoker for calming a hive down, to make all your clothes smell like smoke as a cover scent.

I've heard the indians used to stand around the campfire before hunts as a cover scent.

RE: Camp fire and scent?
 

I don't think it does. Smoke is not an unatural smell to them.

RE: Camp fire and scent?
 

The smell of campfire smoke is one of the strongest smells you can get on your hunting clothes next to maybe gasoline. I wouldn't want that smell on mine. My dad and uncles used to sit around the campfire with their hunting clothes on. They didn't kill many deer and I think I know why.

Campfire smoke may be a "natural" smell but I'd rather not have ANY smell. In fact, I'd shower before heading into the woods if I'd been sitting around a campfire.

RE: Camp fire and scent?
 

That is not an option for me, I get to hunt for four days in the middle of nowhere i.e. no facilities. It will be cold, so sitting by the fire would be nice, but I won't do so if it might ruin my chances.

RE: Camp fire and scent?
 

I'm not sure, i have no utilites at my place either. I never wear any of my hunting clothes around the fire. I get back, toss them in the bin, then change in to regular clothes. I still sit around a campfire every night though, not sure how much it hurts...

RE: Camp fire and scent?
 

a few years back (about four, when I was fourteen), I did not pay much attention to scent or anything. I was real green when it came to bowhunting in general. With that said, I used to sit around a campfire on our annual trip to the milk river with all my clothes on. To the best of my knoledge, it did not detour deer, and I saw plenty. I do not know if that is because they were so plentiful, or because the smoke smell did not bother them. I do not do it anymore, but I had luck and saw great bucks, with smoke as an "unknown" cover scent.

RE: Camp fire and scent?
 

ive always figured it would alarm the deer. for 2 reasons, one - humans make campfires, so if you smell like one theyd associate you with it. and two if a deer smells smoke they may think the woods are on fire, and vamoose (unless your in california - sorry to hear about that, that sucks)

ive also been told it works really good for the states that have controled burns

RE: Camp fire and scent?
 

If smoke is a natural scent in that area, I dont see where it will harm. I honestly dont know. Most animals will avoid fire, for obvious reasons, so I could also see where it might harm.

RE: Camp fire and scent?
 

Better safe than sorry I say. I always put my clothes in a sealed bit with baking soda so nothing gets on them.