TEmbry

I was thinking today....alot of people are super anal about their scent control. Avoiding areas all together as if they are marred for the entire year if you enter the area even once before season. I dont make unnecesary trips by any means, but are we over doing it in a way?

My question is this....How long does human scent remain before it is diminished into untraceable amounts? You walk through your woods, spreading your scent along the way....how long before your scent is gone to where the deer cant detect it? Minutes, Hours, Days? I am curious....Ive always been told a few hours to "let your scent die down"....but thats archery shop talk, alot of bs is traded there.

Scent control soldiers, give me an answer here...

GMMAT

Today I walked all through my new land.

'Course....I needed rain gear

I'm guessing it's GONE in the rain...in a couple hours.....maybe less. Dry land? No idea. Wouldn't it depend on how much you left?

TEmbry

Yea there are infinite variables...lets say it is a dry day, your not making leaf angels or anything, just walking normally through the woods in non rubber boots. no wearing scentlok and no spraying down....blue jeans and a tshirt while on a stroll through the woods....I honestly have no idea how long it'd take figured some on here may.

Rob/PA Bowyer

Don't be fooled as rain can enhance the scent as well. Sure it will disperse but remember, my Axel tracked a blood line that was 14 hours old and it rained all 14 hours. It only took him 1 hour to travel the 400 yard, 10 oz. of blood trail. He was only a pup when he did this, now imagine the nose of a wary whitetail!

I've learned for tracking purposes that rain or moist air is the best time to track as the scent is laid down heavy on the ground and enhanced. Our dogs have been known to find deer 48 hours old.

I've understood that human scent can stay on the ground, under a stand for days on end.

The worst tracking is dry cold air and scent is dead in it.

I've always known this rabbit hunting/beagling. A moist morning, the beagles would be 10 fold better than cold crisp dry mornings.

rybohunter

The biggest issue I have with hunting in the rain is being busted from being smelled. I hate it.

I'd guess that a bone dry windy day makes your scent dissapate the quickest of any.
Would be neat to see a scientific study.

GMMAT

HOW does the rain "enhance" scent? It's rained 5-7 inches here in the last 24hrs. We also don't leave blood (hopefully). Human scent.....a little rain?? Gone in hours...and a very few if I were a betting person.

How much rain we talking about on that blood track, Rob? Interesting.