BigDaddy12t

I have a question that might get a little long and confusing, but stick with me. This is my 3rd year bow hunting this certain chunk of land, it is about 11 acres. The first 2 years I had deer all over the place, including right under my stand, and I am only up about 10 feet on all of my ladder stands. I know I should be higher, but I dont like heights at all. Anyways, I have never really been a stickler on scent control until this year. At the end of last year, I went out and got a bunch of plastic totes. I washed them out with the no scent soap that I washed my clothes in, and then I picked up some of those earth scented wafers and thru one of those in each tote with all of my camo. I also got some new rubber boots, and keep those in a tote too. Now this year, I have been hunting for almost a month now, and I have only had 2 does even close to me. It seems to me that all of my stuff really smells like those little earth wafers really bad, and I was wondering if that smell was scaring them all away????? I know there are lots of deer on my hunting land, becouse I have 2 cameras out there, and I have lots of pictures of many different deer. Sorry this got so long, I am just getting frustrated.

HaGar43

I don't have a good answer for you. However, I use the fresh earth disks too with very good success.

kodiak41226

I'm in the exact same place man. I actually just started a similar thread. Honestly I'm starting to find my self saying I'd rather stay home and watch football rather than hunt. The frustration from not seeing anything is about to crack me.

deertale

Make sure you take a shower dude, or it just might be the way it is, keep it up maybe your luck will change.

TimberCreek

I never wash my clothes with that stuff, and do not use all those different cover scents, never have. I get deer every year. I go down alot all year long, I pee all over the area around my cabin, stands and feeders. The does are so used to me and not afraid that they come up and watch me and the bucks are so used to my scent they are not so spooked. I have a fawn without a mother that will not leave me alone, see her almost every day I'm there, comes within 20 ft of wherever I am. Sunday she came up and layed down behind my shed and watched me. She makes a great live decoy. Kind of cool.
My point is, deer are alert to smells that are out of the ordinary. If they smell something they are used to as not a threat, they are fine but put an unusual smell out there and they will be alert. Leave your scent in the area more than a couple of weeks a year!

XzyluM

I'm not sure what to say, but I highly doubt the wafers are scaring the deer away. I have used them for several years with great success.

StickslingnTom

bigdaddy, i'm going to agree with deertale, i think you need to shower, i know how you can get, j/k. i don't know what to say either, maybe they all drowned in the flood. When are you going to post some of those pics ? good luck.

Tom

CBM SC

Just my$.02 ........."again" !! But I got really frustrated over scent control and not killing deer ! [>:]

I'm not going to bore you with all of the details of my unsuccessful hunts !

But I will say this........for this year ! I'm having the time of my life..........I have killed several animals already this year.........but I have worn my clothes to the stand, my stand is sitting in the garage with all the lawnmowers etc. (has my Catquiver attatched and my jacket), I have bathed in Irish Spring or unscented Oil of Olay, washed my clothes in regular detergent or unscented Purex(don't remember which batch I had on.....on the kills), my rubber boots sit in the garage also !

I get down to my club and see what the wind is doing. I have a good idea where most of the deer movement will come from for the stand I pick and I approach that stand with the wind in my favor, I climb up 15-20 ft and hunt with the wind in my favor, the deer walk out and present a shot and I have killed them with no trouble..................even the last one I killed 10/8/04 I road with my hunting clothes on to the club with my dad and cousin eating pizza & fried chicken all the way there !!

I'm enjoying my hunting much more now a days.........because I have given up on those intense scent control programs..........I have learned how to hunt better and set my stands and make my approach according to the wind (to the best of my abilities).

And before I get hammered with all the usual " not on a mature buck" b.s...............I have a few of those too !

I don't know if that will help or not...............but I have been there and that frustration almost made me quit bowhunting !! You can tone down your scent but you'll never be able to beat a deer's nose..........it can't be done !!

Double Creek

You MUST hunt with the correct wind, period. The purpose of a strict scent control program is to 1) cover you entry and exit, and 2) Protect you downwind side just in case a deer happens to come from the direction you didn't expect.

You can forget all the scent stuff if you are hunting with the wrong winds. The deer WILL pick you off. I've been there.

mjqood0

I think it's the out of the ordinary scents that cause the problem...

Perhaps put a scent wafer out next to your cameras and see if you get as many pictures??? Leave a few around the woods and let the deer get used to them.

I use natural barn smell on my clothes and it seems to work well. Of course, I hunt on land that cows graze on, so cow manure doesn't bother deer any at all. I've also heard of people who leave their clothes over a tree branch in nice weather right near where they are going to hunt. THey claim the deer get used to them. They seem to get their deer!

Relax, enjoy your hunt and use the wind as much as possible to your advantage.

Hope your luck changes! This hunting stuff can get really discouraging quickly!!![]