dohcrxl

A buck had a close call with me a few weeks ago but stopped short of my shot. I believe that he just picked up my scent because I was upwind. Actually, I'm 99.999% sure of this because he was looking dead at me for a whole 10 seconds before he decided to turn back the way he came. However, I still wonder if it's possible that he picked up my scent on the ground from me walking in the same area the previous day.

Ever since then, I've been going out of my way to fight my way through the brush simply so I can stay off well beaten trails. I even take big huge steps when crossing a deer trail as to step as far away from the center of the trail as I can. Is all this neccessary?

Blodg

I think you are now doing the right thing by trying to stay off the deer trails on the way to your stand. It just makes sense to do everything thing you can to keep the deer from noticing you. I also use rubber boots and do not wear then anywhere except for when hunting. I do have many deer cross my trail I took to get to the stand and many of them do not spook. I still try to be as careful as I can and I am looking for a mature deer and they are the ones most likely to bust you.

Jack Ryan

Sometimes. Sometimes not.

It's going to be hard to lay down a scent trail with out walking on the ground and if they won't cross your path you could just walk about a mile circle and keep making it smaller and smaller.

Somethings just can't be helped. All ya do is try to minimize the impact and prevent them from piling on top of each other. If that same deer hadn't seen a movement or something it recognised or didn't like it would have eventually disregarded the scent indication and gone on about it's plans for the day.

RTA47

dohcrx. I agree stay off the trails if possible. Also if you can pick up a good cover sent to spay it on the bottom of your boots that might also help? I use racoon sent and have been using it no for many yrs. So far i have not had one deer even look up after crossing my trail? it does not seem to spook deer at all! they are not threaten by racoons. I would stay away from fox scent. I have tryed it and i have also had deer blow or come to full aleart after crossing my trail. But there are others on the market that may do just as good a job. But avoid the trails when ever possible that is your best defense.

Proff

I am one of those scent control fanatic guys. I try to stay off the trails as much as possible, and try to only cross a trail at an area that I would want a shot at the deer and where I would already be at full draw, so that if it did pick up my scent I would hopefully have an arrow through it before it fugured anything out. I have always used cover scents. I do the whole non scent routine and only put on my hunting clothes ( scentblocker products) and rubber boots after I am out of the truck and getting ready. I started using Scent Shield Fall Blend when they first came out with it and have used it ever since. Actually Robinson Labs should be using me to endorse it as much as I go through in a year. Ever sinceI started using it I don't worry about the trails as much as I used to. I have found it to not only be a cover scent but actually an attractant. You wouldn't believe the amount of deer that I have had follow it or actually lick it off of or eat vegetation that I have rubbed up against, and I have had 5 or 6 deer that have actally stood right under my stand and smell and lick my treesteps. I am not just talking little inquisitive fawns either, I have had the same results with mature does and bucks. I have nothing but the utmost confidence when I use it and hope that they never stop making it. I would recomend it to everyone. Anyone that I have ever told about it that tried it have had great sucess with it.

Double Creek

Exactly!!

I've had deer lock up after hitting my trail where the only thing touching the ground was my rubber boots. Then again I've had deer mosey right on through thick grass that I basically had to wade through to get into the stand.

Bird Hunt Dog

I think it depends on where you are and how much they smell humans. Since I've been using drastic scent control measures. I have not had a deer react to where I walked at all. I use clothes wash, scent free soap, shampoo, and a ton of scent killer spray. The buck you see below came in my exact foot steps to 13yds. That is the only way to get to that stand. He walked exactly where I walked for at least 90yds, and wasn't spooked at all!

dohcrxl

Thanks guys.

Well, this leads me to belive that the 120ish class that stopped short did infact just pick up my scent in the wind. I was wearing brand new boots that had not been anywhere but that same patch of forest a few times prior. The reason why I suspected that maybe he picked up my scent off the ground was because: He came walking at a steady pace then all of a sudden stopped dead in his tracks. First he sorta put his nose in the air then sniffed. Next his nose went straight to the ground and took a couple sniffs there. Finally he put his head back up and looked dead at me as I was at full draw waiting for him to come just that few extra steps into the clearing. Needless to say he didn't.