| I know a lot has been written about eliminating | | | | hundreds, if not thousands times superior to |
| human scent while deer hunting. It still amazes me | | | | humans. Hunting whitetail deer, mule deer, elk, and |
| that so many hunters neglect this aspect of | | | | other big game animals will require the hunter to |
| hunting big game. Although human odor cannot be | | | | recognize this fact and take steps to ensure that |
| 100% eliminated, it can be minimized or reduced | | | | they be as odor free as possible. |
| to the point that deer will not notice it or even | | | | For the sake of comparison, one could use this |
| react to it. The reason that the human odors can | | | | analogy: A fire sprinkler system consists of |
| never be completely eliminated is because we are | | | | sprinkler heads that are designed to trigger when |
| naturally producing human odor molecules 24 | | | | the heat level reaches a certain temperature. If |
| hours a day. | | | | the temperature does not reach a certain point, |
| I think we can all safely say that the # 1 defense | | | | the sprinklers are not activated. In similar ways, |
| mechanism for deer is their nose. Deer not only | | | | deer have a certain threshold of human and |
| use their nose to avoid danger, they use it during | | | | foreign odors. When the threshold reaches a limit, |
| mating season and also when foraging for food. | | | | the deer will avoid the area altogether or go on |
| They are constantly checking and testing their | | | | high alert and bolt. On the other hand, if steps are |
| surroundings with their sense of smell. It has been | | | | taken to minimize these odors, deer will not react |
| said that deer may avoid an area for up to a | | | | to them or notice them at all. |
| month after being spooked by human odor. | | | | Depending on if you are actually hunting or not, |
| When hunting whitetails, the most important thing | | | | scent control should be considered when setting |
| that you can do is minimize your odor and other | | | | up stands or just scouting your hunting area. The |
| odors that you may pick up along the way. How | | | | closer you are to the actual hunt, the more |
| many times have you witnessed hunters filling up | | | | concerned you need to be with scent control. |
| with gas with their hunting clothes on or perhaps | | | | In future articles I will get into the actual products |
| sitting in the restaurant right before the hunt? | | | | that are on the market today for scent control |
| Now get this, it has been documented that deer | | | | that you can use to fool that big buck. The most |
| have winded hunters from ¾ of a mile | | | | respected whitetail hunters in the world use these |
| away! That is a very good reason for not only | | | | products all the time and you should be too. You |
| bow hunters to eliminate their scent, but gun | | | | will not only begin to see more deer, but have |
| hunters as well. | | | | them close enough to shoot with a bow. |
| Every big animal has a sense of smell that is | | | | |