Sense of smell?
01-12-2007, 09:13 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: New Hampshire, USA
Posts: 257
Sense of smell?
Hey guys, I'm gonna start turkey hunting this year and I was just confirming that turkeys have a terrible sense of smell, correct?
So I don't have to take any scent precatutions what so ever? And would it be ok to spray myself down with bugspray?
So I don't have to take any scent precatutions what so ever? And would it be ok to spray myself down with bugspray?
01-13-2007, 08:17 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location:
Posts: 3,465
RE: Sense of smell?
you can be sprayed by a skunk and the turkeys wouldnt smell ya. bug spray is a great idea so you wont be caught swatting at mosquitos by the turkeys. also look into a thermacell, i know they are hyped up on tv as the best thing ever but they really are, turn it on and in 20 minutes.....NO MOSQUITOS!
01-13-2007, 09:56 AM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,085
RE: Sense of smell?
I agree that turkey hunting would be MUCH tougher if they could smell you...
I concur that the thermacell works GREAT...Most years the bugs aren't too bad here in southwestern NY, but last spring I hunted in Maine the first week of June, and the skeeters and blackflies were horrendous... I turned on the thermacell and in a brief few minutes they were gone....
I concur that the thermacell works GREAT...Most years the bugs aren't too bad here in southwestern NY, but last spring I hunted in Maine the first week of June, and the skeeters and blackflies were horrendous... I turned on the thermacell and in a brief few minutes they were gone....
01-13-2007, 12:27 PM
#8
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location:
Posts: 153
RE: Sense of smell?
They cannot smell, but the other critters can....
Last season I was calling to two toms.We were in a wooded lot with massive pines and hardwoods mixed. My brother and I were sitting at the base of a huge oak tree. It was right after fly down time. I had heard a couple or three gobblers in the area. I eased onto this knob to begin calling. As we sat down I saw some birds out in front of me. We were sitting on a hillside. We also saw a small herd of deer feeding along the mixed woods.
The turkeys were paralell to us about 100 yds away. I had them both excited. I watched them strut back and forth at about 80-90 yds away. I got quiet to entice them to come in closer. They started my way slowly, fanning out every 10 steps or so. This was my brothers first attempt to see wild turkeys and the hunt. He was enthralled to watch them as much as I was.
We felt the wind shift to our backs. In a few seconds we both began hearing the all to familary sound of deer snorts. We could see them as they began running away from us White tails waving running right into the toms. They took flight. I immediately began a lone hen. Trying to either stop them or impress to them that things were ok over here. They flew by us about 20 feet up and about 15 yards away. Two nice toms. I continued to call and had a hen come within 10 feet of both of us. The way she was looking for that hen was almost the same look the the velociraptor in Jurrasic park had when he was looking for the kids. She would turn her head and peer her eyes right into the very depths of my soul. I wouldn't let her bluff me though. I knew one blink of an eye and it would have been over. She hopped up onto a fallen log looking around only to finally disappear in to the pines. We never did see the two toms again not that day anyway.
So... While the turkey can;t smell, outside influences can have adverse affects on your hunt.
Last season I was calling to two toms.We were in a wooded lot with massive pines and hardwoods mixed. My brother and I were sitting at the base of a huge oak tree. It was right after fly down time. I had heard a couple or three gobblers in the area. I eased onto this knob to begin calling. As we sat down I saw some birds out in front of me. We were sitting on a hillside. We also saw a small herd of deer feeding along the mixed woods.
The turkeys were paralell to us about 100 yds away. I had them both excited. I watched them strut back and forth at about 80-90 yds away. I got quiet to entice them to come in closer. They started my way slowly, fanning out every 10 steps or so. This was my brothers first attempt to see wild turkeys and the hunt. He was enthralled to watch them as much as I was.
We felt the wind shift to our backs. In a few seconds we both began hearing the all to familary sound of deer snorts. We could see them as they began running away from us White tails waving running right into the toms. They took flight. I immediately began a lone hen. Trying to either stop them or impress to them that things were ok over here. They flew by us about 20 feet up and about 15 yards away. Two nice toms. I continued to call and had a hen come within 10 feet of both of us. The way she was looking for that hen was almost the same look the the velociraptor in Jurrasic park had when he was looking for the kids. She would turn her head and peer her eyes right into the very depths of my soul. I wouldn't let her bluff me though. I knew one blink of an eye and it would have been over. She hopped up onto a fallen log looking around only to finally disappear in to the pines. We never did see the two toms again not that day anyway.
So... While the turkey can;t smell, outside influences can have adverse affects on your hunt.
01-15-2007, 06:45 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Lake County, Il
Posts: 2,205
RE: Sense of smell?
There are just some things you can't control! Last bow season i had a doe lined up at 15yds and as I began to draw it woke up the bird/squirrel or who knows what 3 feet above my head. BUSTED! I'm not going to wake up early and shower before going turkey hunting. I'd rather drink my coffee have a cigar and head for the woods. I find it refreshing not to have to worry about scent control.
