Do deer mind the smell of smoke?
06-16-2006, 08:23 AM
#11
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Nekoosa Wi USA
Posts: 6,066
RE: Do deer mind the smell of smoke?
I smoke on stand, and yes, its the movement that will get you busted more than the smell. what i do is smoke in the woods everytime im in the woods through out the year. The deer get used to it.
06-16-2006, 08:54 AM
#12
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location:
Posts: 252
RE: Do deer mind the smell of smoke?
i have smoked on stand before but i try not to make a habbit of it. If the winds are right i might have a smoke but otherwise i wont. As far as sent, i have come to believe that if all you want to do is kill a deer and the size of it doesnt matter then i wouldnt even spend the extra money for scent cover.As most of the younger deer are curious and will give you a shot. especially if you are gun hunting and are capable to take a longer shot. On the other hand if you want to better your chances of harvesting a more mature deer you need to pay attention to your scent. Chances are if your smelling like campfire out in the middle of the woods your not going to see the better deer in the area. You may see deer, and alot of them at that but you will most likely not see the trophy you want. And if you do happen to see that monster, i would rather be scent free to better my chances of him coming into range. Remember the better part of hunting is being in the right place at the right time. I dont want to be in the right place at the right time and not get a shot because im wearing the same coveralls that i wore around the camp fire the night before.
06-16-2006, 10:04 AM
#13
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: WC FL
Posts: 26,323
RE: Do deer mind the smell of smoke?
ORIGINAL: kevin1
Exactly how do you determine what smells an individual deer has learned to associate with danger ? How "scentless" are you to an animal that can smell nearly anything from up to a mile , and can analyze up to six different odors simultaneously ? What if a smell triggers their curiosity response instead ?
I used to smoke on stand , hunt with beer breath , dip , and a lot of other bad habits . I saw deer most of those times , frequently at close range with the wind in their favor . Some spooked , some didn't . There's no way to predict how a deer will react to an odor , or any realistic and consistant way to defend against odor spooking them other than having the wind in your face . Trying to be "scent free" is a turd hunt at best and completely unrealistic when you're hunting an animal that can smell you farting from over a mile , and probably hear it too .
Every shot opportunity that I've ever lost was due to:
A) Movement
B) Noise
In that order . I've probably missed some deer due to odor , but since I never saw them they weren't losses . Losses occur when the deer is close and detected but you don't get to shoot , in those cases the deer was better at the game we love than you were . Take your lumps and smile , I do .
Exactly how do you determine what smells an individual deer has learned to associate with danger ? How "scentless" are you to an animal that can smell nearly anything from up to a mile , and can analyze up to six different odors simultaneously ? What if a smell triggers their curiosity response instead ?
I used to smoke on stand , hunt with beer breath , dip , and a lot of other bad habits . I saw deer most of those times , frequently at close range with the wind in their favor . Some spooked , some didn't . There's no way to predict how a deer will react to an odor , or any realistic and consistant way to defend against odor spooking them other than having the wind in your face . Trying to be "scent free" is a turd hunt at best and completely unrealistic when you're hunting an animal that can smell you farting from over a mile , and probably hear it too .
Every shot opportunity that I've ever lost was due to:
A) Movement
B) Noise
In that order . I've probably missed some deer due to odor , but since I never saw them they weren't losses . Losses occur when the deer is close and detected but you don't get to shoot , in those cases the deer was better at the game we love than you were . Take your lumps and smile , I do .
06-16-2006, 11:55 AM
#14
Typical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Fremont, NE
Posts: 552
RE: Do deer mind the smell of smoke?
I have never noticed any kind of effect from smoking while hunting.A few years ago, I had 2 yearlings walk within 3 feet of me right after I put out my smoke and it didn't seem to bother them at all. I would say that movement os what gets them. I sat perfectly still and could have touch either one of them very easily.
06-16-2006, 12:38 PM
#15
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location:
Posts: 252
RE: Do deer mind the smell of smoke?
2 yearlings walk within 3 feet of me right after I put out my smoke
I think some people make deer hunting out to be harder than it is. Someone that doesnt know anything about hunting or scents or deer at all can go sit in a stand and kill deer.Its killing the mature deer that are a challenge. does and bucks alike, the older they get the harder your going to have to work to get them in range. Movement and noise might scare the deer away that you see but i think it would be a very lucky day to even see P&Y buck smelling like a camp let alone be able to take a shot.
06-17-2006, 07:51 AM
#16
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NW Montana / SW Alberta Rockies
Posts: 3,258
RE: Do deer mind the smell of smoke?
Smoke is a good cover up in camoflaging your own scent. I hunt on the fringes of many burns and I'm usually covered in soot by the time I get out. Camp fires are a good way to take advantage of the smoke which will not spook game animals but when you start cooking bacon and eggs, ect. over a camp fire, you defeat the purpose.
Bobby
Bobby
06-18-2006, 03:50 PM
#17
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Northeast PA
Posts: 633
RE: Do deer mind the smell of smoke?
In scent, it's all about where you are.
The smell of smoke in an area where they usually is none or in an area near campfires and woodstoves. It all depends.
"Scent free" products are a joke. You are NOT invisible to that deer scentwise. Want to test it. Havesomeone with a good tracking dog "hunt" you while you are wearing your products. You WILL be found.
It's more about not using un-natural scents while in the woods. No "moden" products.But unless you "scent free" everything,your cam-oil/gun-oil, the plastic, all the other equipment, keep the bacteria from growing on and inyour body, don't produce any sweat or oils in your skin, don't breath, and so on, you will make scent that something like a deer will detect. The only difference might be that the deer will smell you when it's150 yards away instead of 1000.
My brother is about as scent free as a biker bar at 1am on free-chili day, and he has not just seen the 2nd year bucks, but had more than his share of "old-man monster bucks" cross his sights and even stroll right past him while on stand. It's just that he moves about as much as if her were made of stone. NO movement, no sound, no problem.
And for that matter, I've had more than a few times where I've had older (seeexperienced)bucks withing yards (3,4,5) of me while I was wearing bluejeans and "fartin' Yanky Doddle" while sitting on the gound. It'sjust that I hid my face, or more exactly my eyes, and kept still.
The smell of smoke in an area where they usually is none or in an area near campfires and woodstoves. It all depends.
"Scent free" products are a joke. You are NOT invisible to that deer scentwise. Want to test it. Havesomeone with a good tracking dog "hunt" you while you are wearing your products. You WILL be found.
It's more about not using un-natural scents while in the woods. No "moden" products.But unless you "scent free" everything,your cam-oil/gun-oil, the plastic, all the other equipment, keep the bacteria from growing on and inyour body, don't produce any sweat or oils in your skin, don't breath, and so on, you will make scent that something like a deer will detect. The only difference might be that the deer will smell you when it's150 yards away instead of 1000.
My brother is about as scent free as a biker bar at 1am on free-chili day, and he has not just seen the 2nd year bucks, but had more than his share of "old-man monster bucks" cross his sights and even stroll right past him while on stand. It's just that he moves about as much as if her were made of stone. NO movement, no sound, no problem.
And for that matter, I've had more than a few times where I've had older (seeexperienced)bucks withing yards (3,4,5) of me while I was wearing bluejeans and "fartin' Yanky Doddle" while sitting on the gound. It'sjust that I hid my face, or more exactly my eyes, and kept still.
