robbcayman

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.

sloth

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.

mez

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

gzg38b

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.

robbcayman

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.

mcagney014

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...

MN/Kyle

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.

outdooraholic

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

burniegoeasily

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.

RugerM77.270

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