Beating a Whitetails Biggest Sense!!
06-10-2007, 01:23 PM
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2007
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Beating a Whitetails Biggest Sense!!
I think one of the absolute biggest factors in killing mature bucks on a regular basis is beating his nose. There's different ways you can do it..you can get high in a tree, use cover scent and take every precaution you possibly can, and then, even then, he may beat you at your own game.
One thing I think we tend to forget as hunters is that were're in their domain. Were're in his neck of the woods. Sometimes we as hunters, don't take all of the necessary precautions when even scouting. Many great bowhunters has said, it take 90% scouting and 10% hunting, and how true that is..If you don't know how the deer are moving, you can't kill'em..but even scouting, we need to make sure were're trying to beat his nose..
I've read many times that a whitetails nose is a hundred times stronger than that of our own. That means that deer are able to pick smells up at even several hundred yards away if the wind is right.. Knowing that, it's easy to understand how the smallest amount of human odor could totally decide whether that buck is going home in the bed of your truck or not... We as hunters have to definitely have to develop a overall game plan as to how were're going to control our scent. Then, we have to stick with it hardcore. Totally getting rid of your scent will probably never be possible, but reducing it is certainly the first step in the right direction. Scent reduction programs begin with making sure you don't stink, including showering before every hunt with an unscented soap, and there's plenty of different products to use. I like to use dead-down wind or Ex-treme deer scents... The same goes for clothing. You'll want to keep your clothing scentless, and wash them in unscented detergents as well. You can even use arm n hammer..
The greatest source of ground scent usually comes from wearing boots that will suck up scent..boots made out of cloth will have this affect..Now, I've been guilty of it, and I've also had plenty of deer walk across where I had just stepped with cloth type boots, but wearing rubber boots will defintiely aid in keeping your scent down. Make sure, though, that if you buy rubber boots, they have some insulation in them. Mine don't and there's alot of times wish they had. If you get insulated ones it will definitely weight your boots down though...
Now that you're dressed to kill, you might consider spraying down all equipment and outerwear with a scent killer. If you really want to do it right, make sure you spray your bow as well..it can hold it's fair share of scent...
Taking some of these tips to heart and putting them into practice will definitely aid you in taking a big buck this season...
One thing I think we tend to forget as hunters is that were're in their domain. Were're in his neck of the woods. Sometimes we as hunters, don't take all of the necessary precautions when even scouting. Many great bowhunters has said, it take 90% scouting and 10% hunting, and how true that is..If you don't know how the deer are moving, you can't kill'em..but even scouting, we need to make sure were're trying to beat his nose..
I've read many times that a whitetails nose is a hundred times stronger than that of our own. That means that deer are able to pick smells up at even several hundred yards away if the wind is right.. Knowing that, it's easy to understand how the smallest amount of human odor could totally decide whether that buck is going home in the bed of your truck or not... We as hunters have to definitely have to develop a overall game plan as to how were're going to control our scent. Then, we have to stick with it hardcore. Totally getting rid of your scent will probably never be possible, but reducing it is certainly the first step in the right direction. Scent reduction programs begin with making sure you don't stink, including showering before every hunt with an unscented soap, and there's plenty of different products to use. I like to use dead-down wind or Ex-treme deer scents... The same goes for clothing. You'll want to keep your clothing scentless, and wash them in unscented detergents as well. You can even use arm n hammer..
The greatest source of ground scent usually comes from wearing boots that will suck up scent..boots made out of cloth will have this affect..Now, I've been guilty of it, and I've also had plenty of deer walk across where I had just stepped with cloth type boots, but wearing rubber boots will defintiely aid in keeping your scent down. Make sure, though, that if you buy rubber boots, they have some insulation in them. Mine don't and there's alot of times wish they had. If you get insulated ones it will definitely weight your boots down though...
Now that you're dressed to kill, you might consider spraying down all equipment and outerwear with a scent killer. If you really want to do it right, make sure you spray your bow as well..it can hold it's fair share of scent...
Taking some of these tips to heart and putting them into practice will definitely aid you in taking a big buck this season...
06-10-2007, 01:52 PM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Chatham, Ohio
Posts: 8,834
RE: Beating a Whitetails Biggest Sense!!
The way i look at it, theres no way i can reduce all my human scent, especially if mr. big can smell 100x better than i can. All i do is make sure the wind isnt blowing right in his direction and wear rubber boots. Sometimesi spray a little scent killer on but its never going to eliminate all my scent so its kind of pointless.
06-11-2007, 01:12 AM
#3
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 20
RE: Beating a Whitetails Biggest Sense!!
You are obviously a very wise hunter.I've never seen an article like that in Outdoor Life,Field and Stream,Deer and Deer Hunting,NA Whitetail,Ohio Game and Fish,Buckmasters,Rack,The Northwoods Sporting Journal,Fur Fish and Game,or any of the other 117 outdoor mags.
06-11-2007, 01:21 PM
#5
Join Date: Sep 2006
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Posts: 4,553
RE: Beating a Whitetails Biggest Sense!!
ORIGINAL: CamoCop
he forgot to mention utilizing "gas x" or "beano" because flatuance is a dead give away in a tree.
he forgot to mention utilizing "gas x" or "beano" because flatuance is a dead give away in a tree.
06-11-2007, 02:57 PM
#6
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Join Date: Apr 2007
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Posts: 96
RE: Beating a Whitetails Biggest Sense!!
Hey guys,
Sorry ifthis some of you think this threadseemsa little 101...but there's always an educational curve involved when it comes to forums, or anything for that matter...some who read this material may find it helpful and some may find it a little sub-par to their level of deer hunting education....and yes, the 117 mag's out there may cover this material on a regular basis, but there are some out there who may be brand new to the sportand may have never read those articles, and may have questions...and thisthread is for those...
as far as scent contol goes, I think you have to do a little more than just play the wind and wear rubbler boots, as that definitely helps...I think there's some good spray on products out there that help control scent, and as I don't think you should over do it, I think you should use it on a regular basis...a good scent program is the best solution...I've done it for years now and had great success and I'm sure if you talk to any of the other successful hunters who tag a big mature buck, year after year, they'll tell you the same...you have to have a good program..
Sorry ifthis some of you think this threadseemsa little 101...but there's always an educational curve involved when it comes to forums, or anything for that matter...some who read this material may find it helpful and some may find it a little sub-par to their level of deer hunting education....and yes, the 117 mag's out there may cover this material on a regular basis, but there are some out there who may be brand new to the sportand may have never read those articles, and may have questions...and thisthread is for those...
as far as scent contol goes, I think you have to do a little more than just play the wind and wear rubbler boots, as that definitely helps...I think there's some good spray on products out there that help control scent, and as I don't think you should over do it, I think you should use it on a regular basis...a good scent program is the best solution...I've done it for years now and had great success and I'm sure if you talk to any of the other successful hunters who tag a big mature buck, year after year, they'll tell you the same...you have to have a good program..
06-11-2007, 08:13 PM
#7
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location:
Posts: 32
RE: Beating a Whitetails Biggest Sense!!
ORIGINAL: So. Ohio Outfitters
Hey guys,
Sorry ifthis some of you think this threadseemsa little 101...but there's always an educational curve involved when it comes to forums, or anything for that matter...some who read this material may find it helpful and some may find it a little sub-par to their level of deer hunting education....and yes, the 117 mag's out there may cover this material on a regular basis, but there are some out there who may be brand new to the sportand may have never read those articles, and may have questions...and thisthread is for those...
as far as scent contol goes, I think you have to do a little more than just play the wind and wear rubbler boots, as that definitely helps...I think there's some good spray on products out there that help control scent, and as I don't think you should over do it, I think you should use it on a regular basis...a good scent program is the best solution...I've done it for years now and had great success and I'm sure if you talk to any of the other successful hunters who tag a big mature buck, year after year, they'll tell you the same...you have to have a good program..
Hey guys,
Sorry ifthis some of you think this threadseemsa little 101...but there's always an educational curve involved when it comes to forums, or anything for that matter...some who read this material may find it helpful and some may find it a little sub-par to their level of deer hunting education....and yes, the 117 mag's out there may cover this material on a regular basis, but there are some out there who may be brand new to the sportand may have never read those articles, and may have questions...and thisthread is for those...
as far as scent contol goes, I think you have to do a little more than just play the wind and wear rubbler boots, as that definitely helps...I think there's some good spray on products out there that help control scent, and as I don't think you should over do it, I think you should use it on a regular basis...a good scent program is the best solution...I've done it for years now and had great success and I'm sure if you talk to any of the other successful hunters who tag a big mature buck, year after year, they'll tell you the same...you have to have a good program..
06-12-2007, 12:19 PM
#8
Typical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 590
RE: Beating a Whitetails Biggest Sense!!
Just because I feel like arguing, I don't think a whitetail's sense of smell is its number one defense. I think it's vision is numero uno.
We can neutralize their sense of smell by the very simple measure (although granted this doesn't sell product for the hunting gear manufacturers) of staying downwind of the deer. Doing so converts the deer's sense of smell into a zero. Their hearing is great, granted, but truthfully all a sound typically does is raise their alert level - put them to sniffing and looking. Only after their nose or eyes confirm what their ears tell them do they run, usually.
Their eyesight is the rub. They are absolutely keyed in to movement, and we can't shoot without movement, right?
Again, I'm just being argumentative, but all this is triply true when you do a lot of still hunting. In still hunting, it's their eyesight that busts me the vast majority of the time.
We can neutralize their sense of smell by the very simple measure (although granted this doesn't sell product for the hunting gear manufacturers) of staying downwind of the deer. Doing so converts the deer's sense of smell into a zero. Their hearing is great, granted, but truthfully all a sound typically does is raise their alert level - put them to sniffing and looking. Only after their nose or eyes confirm what their ears tell them do they run, usually.
Their eyesight is the rub. They are absolutely keyed in to movement, and we can't shoot without movement, right?
Again, I'm just being argumentative, but all this is triply true when you do a lot of still hunting. In still hunting, it's their eyesight that busts me the vast majority of the time.
06-12-2007, 02:22 PM
#9
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Join Date: Apr 2007
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Posts: 96
RE: Beating a Whitetails Biggest Sense!!
ORIGINAL: Dirt2
Just because I feel like arguing, I don't think a whitetail's sense of smell is its number one defense. I think it's vision is numero uno.
We can neutralize their sense of smell by the very simple measure (although granted this doesn't sell product for the hunting gear manufacturers) of staying downwind of the deer. Doing so converts the deer's sense of smell into a zero. Their hearing is great, granted, but truthfully all a sound typically does is raise their alert level - put them to sniffing and looking. Only after their nose or eyes confirm what their ears tell them do they run, usually.
Their eyesight is the rub. They are absolutely keyed in to movement, and we can't shoot without movement, right?
Again, I'm just being argumentative, but all this is triply true when you do a lot of still hunting. In still hunting, it's their eyesight that busts me the vast majority of the time.
Just because I feel like arguing, I don't think a whitetail's sense of smell is its number one defense. I think it's vision is numero uno.
We can neutralize their sense of smell by the very simple measure (although granted this doesn't sell product for the hunting gear manufacturers) of staying downwind of the deer. Doing so converts the deer's sense of smell into a zero. Their hearing is great, granted, but truthfully all a sound typically does is raise their alert level - put them to sniffing and looking. Only after their nose or eyes confirm what their ears tell them do they run, usually.
Their eyesight is the rub. They are absolutely keyed in to movement, and we can't shoot without movement, right?
Again, I'm just being argumentative, but all this is triply true when you do a lot of still hunting. In still hunting, it's their eyesight that busts me the vast majority of the time.
It all depends on what type of hunting your doing, and if your still hunting then yes, you do have a much greater chance of being seen before they smell you...your down on their level...however, I hunt from a stand, and I have literally not been spotted out of my stand for at least 3 yrs....but have I been busted through their nose, definitely......Chuck Adams use to hunt with check-ed flanel shirts on, deer are color blind for Pete's sake, and they never seen him...all you have to do is break up your outline. He didn't start hunting with camo until he got sponsor's...money talks, and the rest walks....however, there's tons and tons of products out there trying to reduce scent....that's how deer communicate with each other through rubs, scapes, licking branches, etc....there noses pick all that up....So to say that a deer's eye sight is a bigger threat to a hunter than his nose, I don't buy it.....
06-12-2007, 07:10 PM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: RI
Posts: 3,073
RE: Beating a Whitetails Biggest Sense!!
I know I've been winded and spooked deer that way, but if you freeeeze, they may know something is up if they see you but won't spook if you don't move (if the wind is right). I've had many encounters where the deer and I entered into a staring contest, and if I hold my ground and dont move, they usually get back to feeding. They look every now and again, but if they dont catch you move, they eventually forget you're there or at least give you the opportunity to draw when they move behind a tree, look the other way for a few seconds, etc. It is unbelievable though how they can wind you when you know they didn't catch you visually.