#2083309 - 09/23/10 12:15 PM
Re: Scent Control Theories
[Re: Winchester]
|
turkeyhunter
6 Point
Registered: 08/23/04
Posts: 829
Loc: collinwood tn
|
Offline
|
|
the only reason I call my self a reducer is because I know scent cant be eliminated. But I believe a deer s level of alert goes by how strong or how much scent is present. I have seen video experiments that make me believe this way. I have saw video of deer behavior right after someone in regular clothes leave an area. Deer are on high alert and leave. Human scent can stay in the woods for days, but strength of the scent is what deer go by. One video that stands out was a guy sitting on a food plot ,the wind was not in his favor. But he had eliminated all his scent the best he could. Deer where on alert but did not run away. He has a plastic container with regular clothes with him. He pops the lid off the container letting the scent out. In minutes the food plot was empty. Deer went from being on alert, to get the heck out of here. So i believe if I control my scent the best I can, maybe I can trick a deer into thinking I had been there two hours ago. Or maybe a deer just goes on alert and leaves instead of pin pointing me and letting the whole woods know something is wrong by blowing for 10 min.I do know for a fact that scent control has increased my buck sightings.
Edited by turkeyhunter (09/23/10 02:48 PM)
_________________________
it's faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, and more money.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2083328 - 09/23/10 12:25 PM
Re: Scent Control Theories
[Re: turkeyhunter]
|
Bottom Hunter
16 Point
Registered: 12/29/06
Posts: 15490
Loc: Hatchie Bottoms
|
|
Offline
|
|
regardless of what you do, under the right conditions a deer can pick you up , period. How that particular deer reacts will somewhat depend on it's past life experiences.....
I've had deer wind me enough to alomost BLOW their head off, turn and jump a few yards, blow some more, then (when out of my wind) calm down and walk slowly away......at any time after that first BLOW, i could have killed the deer.
I've also turned just in time to see a single deer sneak away without blowing at all. It came in downwind,picked me up and left. I was lucky to even see the deer......
Stay downwind of deer and you can do what you like, even smoke if that's your thing....maybe even get by with a crosswind, but get directly upwind and nothing will save you...some deer will react differently, though.
JMO
of course.....
_________________________
There are some people who always seem angry and continuously look for conflict.
Walk away; the battle they are fighting is not with you, but with themselves.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2083331 - 09/23/10 12:26 PM
Re: Scent Control Theories
[Re: Bone Collector]
|
Goshen Valley Boy
4 Point
Registered: 09/08/09
Posts: 494
Loc: Indiana
|
|
Offline
|
|
I don't have hard data to support my theories, but I do believe in doing all I can to reduce scent.
In my opinion, if a deer is down wind of me and I have done all I can to reduce my scent, when it gets a whiff of me, it will have more trouble pin pointing me. Perhaps I can fool a deer into thinking I had been through a while a go, or perhaps that I am further away than I actually am.
I think reducing scent can buy you precious seconds to close the deal when otherwise a deer would bolt immedietely.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2083346 - 09/23/10 12:34 PM
Re: Scent Control Theories
[Re: Goshen Valley Boy]
|
stik
TnDeer Old Timer
16 Point
Registered: 03/12/99
Posts: 18427
Loc: lenoir city,tn
|
|
Offline
|
|
i do absolutely nothing for scent control and my freezer is always full at the end of the season.
_________________________
experienced hunters know its not just a bushy white tail, its a big middle finger.
nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2083418 - 09/23/10 01:08 PM
Re: Scent Control Theories
[Re: BowGuy84]
|
BSK
Jerkasourous of the non-typical kind
Non-Typical
Registered: 03/11/99
Posts: 59548
Loc: Nashville, TN
|
|
Offline
|
|
I believe in reducing becuse I think it keeps my hunting areas less disturbed after I leave. I also think by being scent conscious it aids me in killing deer that might cross my path where I have walked or brushed into something.
As far as deer having a threshold, I believe they do. THat being said, the threshold is different by each deer. I just prefer to be catious and dot my t's and cross my i's to try and up my odds as best I can. I dont wear carbon and I think this new scent elimination machine the lakowskis are taking to the woods is a little absurd.
Since wearing rubber boots and spraying down and washing clothes in a scent consious manner I havent had nearly the deer spook when crossing my trail as I use to...
Very well said.
_________________________
"Know where you stand, and stand there" --Jesuit Father Daniel Berrigan
"There is no reasoning someone out of a position he has not reasoned himself into." --Clive James
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2083423 - 09/23/10 01:12 PM
Re: Scent Control Theories
[Re: Pursuit Hunter]
|
BSK
Jerkasourous of the non-typical kind
Non-Typical
Registered: 03/11/99
Posts: 59548
Loc: Nashville, TN
|
|
Offline
|
|
It's the reducers' argument that I really have trouble understanding. Is there some threshold for the amount of human scent that will alert a deer? Stay below that threshold and a deer will smell you, but not react? Cross it and he senses danger? That's what the reducers' argument seems to come down to.
For me the biggest "threshold" is the "bolt or don't bolt" response. If the human scent is strong, suggesting the human is very close, you will see the snort and bolt response. If the scent is very weak, you either see the nose-in-the-air sniffing behavior followed by a slow retreat, or the nose-in-the-air sniffing behavior followed by the deer continuing on it's path in a hightened state of alert response.
If I can reduce the number of snort and bolt responses, I'm increasing my odds that hunt and in future hunts.
_________________________
"Know where you stand, and stand there" --Jesuit Father Daniel Berrigan
"There is no reasoning someone out of a position he has not reasoned himself into." --Clive James
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2083567 - 09/23/10 02:29 PM
Re: Scent Control Theories
[Re: BSK]
|
bvoss
6 Point
Registered: 01/11/10
Posts: 940
Loc: Maury County, TN
|
|
Offline
|
|
All I know is , I want to increase my chances of killing a mature buck. If it means me being meticulous about scent, then that is what I will do. I want the area in which I hunt to be as human scent free as possible. I feel like I see more deer and have spooked less deer since I started wearing my rubber boots, using the scent free soap, and spraying down. Im not so dumb to think that this eleminates my scent, but I think it helps. I also leave my stands and boots outside in addition to all of these things and I dont hunt an area unless the wind is right. Like I said, I do everything I can to up my odds.
_________________________
"...Christ in you, the hope of glory"
Colossians 1:27
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2083681 - 09/23/10 03:58 PM
Re: Scent Control Theories
[Re: Pursuit Hunter]
|
Meateater
10 Point
Registered: 08/23/01
Posts: 2987
Loc: Winchester, TN / God's Country
|
|
Offline
|
|
I guess I fall under the reducer catagory.
Obviously scent control is important. For every hunter there is a different method which works for them. And it usually takes years of trial and error to find what makes you happy. Then again there are a few who seem to have great success without trying at all... go figure.
Listening to others advise is helpful, but trying different things for yourself over time is what will tell you what works best for you.
I finally got my routine the way I like it. I haven't had a deer spook or get nervous crossing my trail in several years now (can't remember the last time one even noticed). I don't have deer snort down wind of me anymore (haven't heard that sound in a few years). Once in a great while I will see one get a little nervous and walk away, but they are never in a hurry and don't leave looking tense (usually slow with a little tail-wag); they just seem to wish to be somewhere else. And thankfully, I get to kill at least one mature and usually two mature deer a year along with several does. And I hunt mountainous terrain so wind shift is constant.
When you figure out what works best for you, these are the type of results you can expect. But never forget you can not totally defeat every deer's nose. You just have to work toward increasing the odds in your favor.
_________________________
Μολὼν λάβε
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2083699 - 09/23/10 04:15 PM
Re: Scent Control Theories
[Re: Bone Collector]
|
Twitch
8 Point
Registered: 11/27/08
Posts: 2232
Loc: Knox
|
|
Offline
|
|
I just like the dirt smell. I don't know about the Deer's nose, but it has mine convinced. I just try and keep odors reduced as much as possible.
_________________________
AIM SMALL (( + )) MISS SMALL
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2083714 - 09/23/10 04:21 PM
Re: Scent Control Theories
[Re: Twitch]
|
Bottom Hunter
16 Point
Registered: 12/29/06
Posts: 15490
Loc: Hatchie Bottoms
|
|
Offline
|
|
if it gives you confidence....do it.
confidence kills many more deer than doubt.
_________________________
There are some people who always seem angry and continuously look for conflict.
Walk away; the battle they are fighting is not with you, but with themselves.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
Moderator: RUGER, Tennessee Todd, Unicam, Cuttin Caller, CBU93, stretch, Bobby G, Outdoor Lady, TurkeyBurd
|
12107 Members
38 Forums
115879 Topics
1411351 Posts
Max Online: 756 @ 11/20/12 09:10 AM
|
|
|
The TnDeer.Com Deer Talk Forum is for Tennessee Deer Hunters by Tennessee Deer Hunters. If you enjoy using our Talk Forum and would like to contribute to help in it's up-keep. Just submit your contribution by clicking on the DONATE button below and paying with PayPal or a major credit card. Any amount is much appreciated. Thanks for your support!
|
|
|
