The Role of Scents in Whitetail Deer Hunting

Whitetail deer hunting in reality is more of aHere, I'm Here". Back in the early 80's when I
science than it is a sport. We aren't throwing orwas a teenager I was told I just needed skunk
hitting a ball around or displaying ourscent to keep the deer from smelling me. Expert
marksmanship at paper targets, we are dealingdeer hunters do much more than use skunk
with living animals who want to stay alive. Andscent nowadays. They understand the role of
they're equipped with well-tuned senses and skillsscents in whitetail deer hunting and will go to great
to help them avoid predators, natural or human.length to control these scents. Everything from
The whitetail deer's sense of smell is one of theirbathing to washing and storing hunting clothes to
greatest assets to enable them to detect thekeeping scent free while headed to the deer
presence of potential predators. Hunters shouldstand is critical. Once on the deer stand other
understand the whitetail deer's sense of smell wellscent control measures are necessary to combat
before its time to enter the woods. Hunters,the whitetail deer's sense of smell.
therefore, need a thorough understanding ofAs one can see, its a major challenge to take on
scents in whitetail deer hunting.the whitetail deer's sense of smell. Its probably
Whitetail deer can smell hunters a mile away.the most important factor in whitetail deer
That's because we enter their world (the woods)hunting. Lower on the totem pole are things like
from our human world with all its various natural,the hunter's type of gun or bow, his camouflaging,
unnatural and artificial/chemical scents. Thesehis marksmanship. The hunter who seriously
scents are all on us and on our clothes. If youworks at controlling his scents as well as
just walk into the woods smelling like that, theemploying other expert whitetail deer hunting
whitetail deer will be as aware of your entry as iftactics will have a better chance of success.
you had blown your truck horn and yelled "I'm