Human scent masking

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luffy100 said:
your real life experience
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I gave up on the products years ago. I use the wind.

And even when the wind isn't doing me right, I've seen elk and deer just hang around in confusion / curiosity when they catch the scent. Some of these animals are odd critters and I can't explain it. I had a small bull graze his way into my scent stream from where I was set up, he startled, jumped and ran in a circle, then calmed down and went back to grazing. And yep, he grazed his way right back into the same scent stream and flipped out all over again before slowly moving off to another place to eat.

Same goes with sight too; I've seen both elk and deer stand and stare at me after catching my movement. I've had a herd of mule deer follow me around while I'm elk hunting, and I've called in a bull that saw me but forgot about it due to the cow calls he was salivating over.

Sometimes they bolt right out of there, sometimes they don't know what to do and end up hanging around to get killed.
 
CoRoMo said:
I gave up on the products years ago. I use the wind.

And even when the wind isn't doing me right, I've seen elk and deer just hang around in confusion / curiosity when they catch the scent. Some of these animals are odd critters and I can't explain it. I had a small bull graze his way into my scent stream from where I was set up, he startled, jumped and ran in a circle, then calmed down and went back to grazing. And yep, he grazed his way right back into the same scent stream and flipped out all over again before slowly moving off to another place to eat.

Same goes with sight too; I've seen both elk and deer stand and stare at me after catching my movement. I've had a herd of mule deer follow me around while I'm elk hunting, and I've called in a bull that saw me but forgot about it due to the cow calls he was salivating over.

Sometimes they bolt right out of there, sometimes they don't know what to do and end up hanging around to get killed.
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wow what an experience
 
Omaney said:
In Texas, I'd need either deer corn or acorn scent for my prey.

:neener:
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I don`t use any scent masking agent. I just smell like me and I kill deer every year.
Sometimes you feel like aut some times you don`t.
 
I have always figured an animal can smell a persons breath..I brush my teeth with baking soda,and I have took a spray bottle with baking soda,and water,and just sprayed a fine mist on my cloths,and shoes.It dries almost immediately.If it helps,or not ,I don't know,but I guess it don't hurt.
 
I will loan you my ozonics for an afternoon here in AL & you will buy one . it works I promise look up an ad or forum on ozonics
 
Many animals have a very good sense of smell, better than that of humans. Whether or not they act on what they scent is a whole other matter and if they do act, hunters are keen to blame it on scent versus other sorts of field craft issues, I have noticed. It seems that almost invariably, when people tell hunting stories about getting busted, "He scented me" seems to be the excuse given. Maybe it happened. Maybe he just plain saw you or you were making too much noise. Maybe he sensed the reactions of other animals you had passed (birds going quiet, for example) and took off without ever knowing you were the cause. Maybe he never scented you or sensed you at all and was spooked by some predator you never even saw.

Scent is important, but there seems to be a lot of unsubstantiated voodoo beliefs that go along with what it is that animals are actually sensing.

Playing the wind has to be #1. It will prevent scent from reaching the animal and help lower your noise signature to the animal as well.

I have a buddy that goes out a week or so before hunting season with a few pieces of dirty laundry that he is ready to give up. He leaves the soiled clothing at his hunting stands and such so that the deer get used to his smell and his smell being in the local environment. His belief is that allows him to be in the area, even scented by the deer, but it is a smell that they except and so are not spooked by it. So, no special soaps, masks, gadgets, or magic, just dirty laundry.
 
Baking soda might help a bit but human odor doesn't just come from the mouth. Recently some dogs have been trained with 90% accuracy to detect lung cancer in a human just by smelling their breath. A deer's sense of smell is about 30% better than a dog.
 
Double Naught Spy said:
Many animals have a very good sense of smell, better than that of humans. Whether or not they act on what they scent is a whole other matter and if they do act, hunters are keen to blame it on scent versus other sorts of field craft issues, I have noticed. It seems that almost invariably, when people tell hunting stories about getting busted, "He scented me" seems to be the excuse given. Maybe it happened. Maybe he just plain saw you or you were making too much noise. Maybe he sensed the reactions of other animals you had passed (birds going quiet, for example) and took off without ever knowing you were the cause. Maybe he never scented you or sensed you at all and was spooked by some predator you never even saw.

Scent is important, but there seems to be a lot of unsubstantiated voodoo beliefs that go along with what it is that animals are actually sensing.

Playing the wind has to be #1. It will prevent scent from reaching the animal and help lower your noise signature to the animal as well.

I have a buddy that goes out a week or so before hunting season with a few pieces of dirty laundry that he is ready to give up. He leaves the soiled clothing at his hunting stands and such so that the deer get used to his smell and his smell being in the local environment. His belief is that allows him to be in the area, even scented by the deer, but it is a smell that they except and so are not spooked by it. So, no special soaps, masks, gadgets, or magic, just dirty laundry.
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thanks a lot, your friend's method seems really practical. it is something i have got to try for sure.
 
Double Naught Spy said:
I can't vouch for it, exactly, but do know animals get used to what is in their environment.
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I've never tried it, so I can't say one way or the other, but it certainly sounds counter-intuitive to me. Novel...but it 'assumes' a lot.

Yes, some animals can/will 'acclimate' to conditions they encounter, but there is a high end to that.

One of the things the method assumes/requires is that the animal repeatedly encounter the (strong) scent. Lets suppose for arguments sake we are talking about Deer or Feral Hogs.

In order for either animal to 'accept' the (strong) scent as non-threatening:

1. It must NOT have first had an associative experience (that was bad) or not possess an innate 'instinct' to flee because of it. In other words...it just doesn't know. Juvenile Deer or Hogs 'might' fall into that category.
OR
2. It must (over time) develop a 'trust' of the scent....borne directly from NOT experiencing a threat (even IF it has previously.... or has 'instinct' telling it so). That would be 'acclimation' and would normally occur only after repeated circumstances wherein nothing 'bad' happened to the animal.

For this to work at a particular spot... would require repeated visits by the same animal (under those conditions). Not a entirely unreasonable expectation. I have a resident Deer Herd on my property and sometimes Hogs revisit a site, so they might be there long enough to become conditioned.

But I cant imagine any non-resident Bucks (especially mature ones) or traveling Boar Hogs to stick around long enough for this to work.

Its just so much easier to minimize your scent to begin with.

Except in really remote areas....most of the animals we pursue are exposed to human scent, sounds or sight and come to learn and accept certain human activities. And within certain 'bounds' these things do not disturb or concern the animals. But if you 'push' things (get too close, make too much noise, etc)...it all falls apart.

Yes, if we are careful....over time you can condition certain animals to accept certain levels of certain things (hogs under hog lights, deer accepting certain sounds) but there is always a high end. So why bother trying to do something that is more difficult to achieve than just taking precautions.

IMO....learning your prey and becoming a more skilled hunter will pay more dividends than trying to change the natural habits of the animal.
 
LOL, I really think you are over thinking the issue. It really isn't about changing the natural habits of the animal, but about exploiting them, just taking something strange and making it common. As you note, most of the animals we pursue (except in remote areas) are exposed to human scent and within bounds are not disturbed by it. This method just keeps human scent present in an area where the animal would not normally expect it, thereby helping to establish a new norm. That's the theory. Heck, if he is going out to fill feeders and such anyway, why not try it?

No reason it can't be used hand-in-hand with other methods as well.

Everybody has their own voodoo they think works and own dark magic on which they blame problems, LOL.
 
Double Naught Spy said:
LOL, I really think you are over thinking the issue. It really isn't about changing the natural habits of the animal, but about exploiting them, just taking something strange and making it common. As you note, most of the animals we pursue (except in remote areas) are exposed to human scent and within bounds are not disturbed by it. This method just keeps human scent present in an area where the animal would not normally expect it, thereby helping to establish a new norm. That's the theory. Heck, if he is going out to fill feeders and such anyway, why not try it?

No reason it can't be used hand-in-hand with other methods as well.

Everybody has their own voodoo they think works and own dark magic on which they blame problems, LOL.
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Disagree, that it is that simple. Especially at a terminal site like a feeding area, watering site or other area where the animal is already inclined to be 'wary'. Not to mention, the 'smarter' animals (those having survived bad experiences already) simply don't continue to 'survive' by letting down their guard.

If it were that simple (read effective) then logically we could easily condition them (wild animals) to ignore gunshots, unfamilar sounds or objects, predators, movement , etc. We could erect stinky scarecrow figures, that would move every few minutes, make odd sounds and set off a gunshot whenever the motion detector indicated. That way we'd have all the bases covered. OK sarcasm off.

I am willing to be persuaded. Next time you guys go hog hunting....approach them from upwind. Eventually...they will stop running away. ;) Maybe not in my lifetime, or yours....but eventually.

I dunno, seems like folly to me. But try it and let us know. I'm going to stick with what has worked for thousands of years. Break up or hide the human outline, use the wind, get clean, be quiet, get close, stay calm, don't miss.

And Brian I mean no offense, I know you are an experienced hunter and have a bent for trying new things, I respect that. But I honestly think you'd be hurting your chances for success by employing such a tactic.

It would make a good scientific study (if done correctly), but is that what you are looking for?
 
IMHO, there are a lot of things wild game associates with humans.
That said, the human sent consists of plaque on your teeth, bacteria on our skin (read dust in your home) and athletes foot.
scrub down with a loofah and anti bacterial soap, brush teeth well, and use anti plaque mouth wash such as Dr. Tishners or Listerene.
Then make sure as much of your body is covered with clothing as possible to keep your dead skin from wafting in the breeze. Try to breathe thru your nose not your mouth.
And hope they don't hear your nose hairs vibrating. LMAO!
Even having done all that I still try to use the wind and thermals to my advantage.

It has also been touched on that deer ect. may be spooked by something else which we as hunters may not realize. An old indian once told me this;
Put your hands out to the side and back as far you can... now look straight ahead wiggle your fingers and move your hands forward til your you can see them. this is called peripheral vision.
Even though your attention was in front of you, you can still see to the side, same with game animals.
Now when you walk through the woods what happens?
birds fly up, squirrels go up trees, deer jump up, right?
So, up is a sign of alarm, down is a sign of calm.
A deers peripheral vision can see you even if not focused on you.
lift your gun or bow up they can spook.
so hold your gun or bow pointed up and come down with it to shoot.
STW
 
I agree masking scents have never worked for me. Skunk, fox, etc.

I hunt in the woods and deer need to generaly ne within 100 yards to be seen. The morning of the opener, deer are pushed from one area down through a swamp edge. I can not control the wind or stand location. I am hunting public land. For this reason, I try to keep my scent signature to a minimum. It seems to help. Of course small deer and some does wander right in to my stand. But the older deer, they are wary.

This may sound crazy, but I actually practice being still and quiet going into deer season. It is possible to turn off your phone, skip the football score and sit still.
 
Does no one here use a "deer patch"?

I agree that being aware of the wind is important, but sometimes...

Anyway I'm an old timer taught years ago by old timers to use a small slice of deer liver or some such, maybe even a patch of hide to attach to your boot lace and mask your scent. Easily procured from road kills or camp deer.

Haven't you ever been field dressing a recent kill and had other deer curiously watching?
 
It's always been curious to me that deer seem to pay no attention to the crime scene of a previous kill. Even when it was only a few hours old
 
Hunt in the cow pasture and use your chore clothes as your hunting clothes. The dirtier, the better. However, I know most don't have this option.
 
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