COVER SCENTS OPINION

[Paula]

If anyone wants to volunteer to test out fox urine mouthwash, let me know!

We are all over that for you lol

Edited September 10, 2012 by paula

[nyslowhand]

All very interesting techniques, to say the least!

Not so sure about the cow patty thing.....?

I don't believe I'd want that odor around my stand for a long sit!

But - to each, his own!

Edited September 10, 2012 by nyslowhand

[BizCT]

I use unsceneted toothpaste, it definitely works.

[pryz366]

lol i keeping reading play the wind but this was about cover scents and scents u use

[nyantler]

Younger deer are easier to fool with cover scents.. older deer not so easy. there is much to be said for experience.

Edited September 10, 2012 by nyantler

[First-light]

all depends on wind direction............Primos Silver xp to spray down my clothes seems to work great.

[beachpeaz]

Does anyone watch Mythbusters? For those of you who do, you may remember an episode where they tested about every scent elimination technique known to man. They then went and hid about 500 yards away and had a dog see if they could find them. The dog followed their exact trail without hesitation right to their exact location every time. Was rather interesting. I know, I know, dog vs. deer argument.....but I would bet a deer has as good of a nose as a dog if not better. I do the whole scent elimination thing (laundry, shower, spray down, etc). It can't hurt. The bottom line...if a deer Is down wind of you regardless of your precautions, your gonna get busted. Maybe not every time, but a majority. My 2 cents.

[tommyc50]

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=185111baking soda scent wafers ,i dont know about the trail thing i walked to a stand and climb the tree 5 min later a doe came out cross my path and sniffed a bush walked closer i let the arrow go @37yds BIG mistake set the 20 yd pin on her back 30 yd onher chest hit a log rite under her still didt run gave me the tex heart shot for 2min then walked off iwash cloths in hunting deturg. and dont wear until i am hunting i have smoked in the woods and had deer 40' from me[ i dont smoke anymore thank god] safe than sorry i cya when it comes to my scent 2 yrs ago i got an 8pt w/ the rifle

[Doc]

Yes, scent elimination is not the same as the original question about cover scents, but it all is related. I have mixed thoughts on cover scents as I said before, but one more thing occurred to me that I read about that varmint hunters are now working with. They have developed a spray bomb that sends out a whole cocktail of scents mixed together that simply confuses the critters into ignoring what they are smelling. Apparently it works pretty good which does kind of lend some credibility to the cover scent theory.

As far as scent elimination, I agree that it is impossible to a certain extent. But I do believe that totally ignoring that effort has to make your scent hold together for longer distances. In other words if you have limited the amount of scent that you are putting into the air, it logically should disperse quicker and not travel as far along air currents.

As far as simply relying on playing the wind, I think that my experiences hunting the hill country has shown that that is important, but nearly impossible in some of the better deer hang-outs. I have seen wind directions change 180 degrees about every 10 to 15 minutes depending on natural land features that can baffle wind around and turn it into a very unpredictable set of directions. I have a huge ravine area that is an absolute magnet for big bucks, but wind directions are never predictable there (maybe that's why they like it). Also, I am never surprised to find the wind directions on top of the hill exactly opposite that of the valley bottom with both being different than what he weatherman is saying. Also, there comes that time in the last hour or so when the sun gets behind the hill and the prevailing winds die off and the thermals start reversing scent direction. I have ended many a hunt with disgust and frustration as the wind direction suddenly is aimed right at the trail I was watching. Yes "mind the wind direction" is a great idea in theory, but can be very difficult in practice.

[cwhite]

Some things to think about concerning cover scents and odor elimination.

If you wash your boots and clothes religiously, how do you put them on? Soon as you touch them they are contaminated with human odor. Wear gloves? How do you put them on?

As you walk to your stand what keeps you from disturbing the ground? Ground disturbance is what most tracking animals actually pick up on first.

Then what do you guys do to keep those epitheleal cells, the ones that are constantly falling off of you, from falling off? That, amongst other things, is what animals associate with human odor.

I have 5 years of canine handling experience. Long story short, cover scents are a scam. Scent elimination is impossible. Perhaps products like Scent-Away will allow you to have slightly less scent out there allowing a deer to come in closer, but it isn't fool proof. The only way to beat a deer's nose is to keep up wind from them and be lucky.

[BizCT]

Ive had deer eating the bush I was sitting against on the ground. I could have reached out and touched them. Scent elimination had to have played a role.

[Doc]

Scent elimination is impossible. Scent reduction has value. How much do you want to spend on scent reduction? How much effect on scenting distance do you feel that purchases of those products will supply (in yards)? Is it worth the cost? Pretty tough questions. The manufacturers are of no help because they are constantly over-claiming the benefits and exaggerating the effects. Anecdotal evidence is worthless. I myself have shot a deer that was on the opposite side of the tree that I was standing behind ...... about 4 yards. I was a heavy smoker at that time and had just put one out. If I had just got done hosing down with Scent-Away, I probably would be singing the praises of the product .... lol. But, I didn't .... and I'm not.

So you're kind of on your own on this one. Your guess is as good as mine .... and that's all it really is, is a "guess".

[nyantler]

Reducing or masking your scent works on the basis that you can reduce your scent to a point where it is not alarming to a whitetail.. depending on the amount of human scent that animal is use to... scent reduction in areas with a higher population of humans is much more effective than an isolated area where it is not normal for a whitetail to smell human scent... even the slightest human scent will raise the alarm for a deer that knows there is not suppose to be human scent in that area.

Edited September 11, 2012 by nyantler

[landtracdeerhunter]

Smell like a deer., one of your best cover scents. And use the scent from deer from different areas if possible. They don't all smell the same to a deers nose.We don't rely on the wind . Can't trust fall, early winter wind directions. To active weather patterns usually.

Edited September 11, 2012 by landtracdeerhunter

[nybuckboy]

I have used Deer Dander a few times and it does seem to have a calming affect on deer. Had a doe follow me right to my stand and stood sniffing the bottom 2 rungs on the ladder. I had sprayed the boots on the walk in. Here is a link below on reviews. Pretty impressive.

http://reviews.cabelas.com/8815/414716/team-fitzgerald-deer-dander-attractant-reviews/reviews.htm?page=2&sort=rating

[cwhite]

"There was that one time..." stories happen all the time. Sometimes we over think things, especially deer noses. Like most people have mentioned, reduce your scent, accept that you can't become scent free and that there is no magic potion to cover your scent, and play the wind to the best of your ability.

[nyantler]

Regardless of how you go about trying to be scent free... all hunters should know that fooling a deer's nose is one of the most important part of being consistently successful.. you can never be totally scent free... having the wind in your favor is the best way to keep your scent from a deer, but masking your scent somehow is probably way better than doing nothing. Especially if you are a stationary hunter.