We have many clients that use them. I personally have 2 of them. They do repel the skeeters. Do the deer smell them, Probably! And they smell my Bow or Gun, my pack, my lunch, my clothes, my breath, farts, etc. I still see plenty of deer. When I go out to the woods to hunt, I want to enjoy my time and the sights to be seen. If I am fighting skeeters away from my face, it is more likely deer are going to see movement from me swatting, than if I didn't have something to repel them. And it wouldn't be an enjoyable time, unless you get a thrill out of being bitten. I have seen clients that wear headnets come back with skeeter bites all in the opening of their headnet. I primarily got my Thermacell for spring turkey hunting, but use it in the fall bow season if I get a chance to go hunt as well. To each his own, some folks use sprays, and there are scented and unscented. Some folks prefer mosquito wear, that they can't bite through. And then you have some young folks who maybe can't afford anything and have been hunting a few years compared to some of the older folks. They may put down anything they don't use, maybe because they can't afford it in the 1st place, and maybe because their daddy or granpa didn't use it. Well we live in a world of technology. That's not to say that there aren't gimmicks out there just to get your $$ away from you. There are plenty of them. But if there is something on the market that gives me a little creature comfort, and still allows me to accomplish my goal of enjoyment in the woods, I am going to use it as long as I can afford it. Of course there are also herbs and vitamins that can be consumed to repel the critters as well.