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Deer Hunting Scent Free

By Todd Janssen

I know a lot has been written about eliminating human scent while deer hunting. It still amazes me that so many hunters neglect this aspect of hunting big game. Although human odor cannot be 100% eliminated, it can be minimized or reduced to the point that deer will not notice it or even react to it. The reason that the human odors can never be completely eliminated is because we are naturally producing human odor molecules 24 hours a day.

I think we can all safely say that the # 1 defense mechanism for deer is their nose. Deer not only use their nose to avoid danger, they use it during mating season and also when foraging for food. They are constantly checking and testing their surroundings with their sense of smell. It has been said that deer may avoid an area for up to a month after being spooked by human odor.

When hunting whitetails, the most important thing that you can do is minimize your odor and other odors that you may pick up along the way. How many times have you witnessed hunters filling up with gas with their hunting clothes on or perhaps sitting in the restaurant right before the hunt? Now get this, it has been documented that deer have winded hunters from ¾ of a mile away! That is a very good reason for not only bow hunters to eliminate their scent, but gun hunters as well.

Every big animal has a sense of smell that is hundreds, if not thousands times superior to humans. Hunting whitetail deer, mule deer, elk, and other big game animals will require the hunter to recognize this fact and take steps to ensure that they be as odor free as possible.

For the sake of comparison, one could use this analogy: A fire sprinkler system consists of sprinkler heads that are designed to trigger when the heat level reaches a certain temperature. If the temperature does not reach a certain point, the sprinklers are not activated. In similar ways, deer have a certain threshold of human and foreign odors. When the threshold reaches a limit, the deer will avoid the area altogether or go on high alert and bolt. On the other hand, if steps are taken to minimize these odors, deer will not react to them or notice them at all.

Depending on if you are actually hunting or not, scent control should be considered when setting up stands or just scouting your hunting area. The closer you are to the actual hunt, the more concerned you need to be with scent control.

In future articles I will get into the actual products that are on the market today for scent control that you can use to fool that big buck. The most respected whitetail hunters in the world use these products all the time and you should be too. You will not only begin to see more deer, but have them close enough to shoot with a bow.

Todd J.

Thanks for listening and stop by to see us at http://www.deerhuntingmasters.com

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October Deer Hunting Tips

By Dale Bender

Bow hunting seasons are now open in most states. Here in Wisconsin we have been hunting for a few weeks now. We have passed up shots at some smaller bucks. The bigger deer have failed to show themselves yet.

Now is the time to hunt close to the bedding areas. The deer have sensed the change in the seasons and have noticed the increased human activity in the woods. The mature bucks will most likely stay bedded until just before dark, so set as close to the bedding area as you can without spooking the deer. I watched a doe come out of the swamp ½ hour before dark, but no bucks came out.

This weekend us here at AWH will be heading to Iowa for our first hunt down there this year. Our goal is to bring back three big does. The farm we hunt has a lot of does and we need to our part in trimming the herd. By shooting a few does, we will help keep the buck /doe ratio more balanced. This will cause more competition for the breeding bucks, come November. This will make the bucks to respond better to calling, rattling, and decoying. The second thing that shooting does will do is that there will be less deer eating the farmers crops, and it’s good to keep the farmers happy. He will be more apt to let you hunt if your do him a favor by shooting more deer. So if you have a doe tag, now is the time to fill it. You can then be very selective with your buck tag.

October is also a good time to hunt different stands then you normally hunt. I have a tendency to hunt a certain stand that has always produced good bucks in the past. But it is set close to the bedding area and I believe that the bucks will sit tight till dark and then they here you get down from your stand and walk out of the woods. When this starts happening it’s time to let that stand rest for a while. I will then hunt other stands that I don’t hunt too much. You might catch deer leaving the bedding area from a different direction and get a shot at them by hunting the other stand.

We have scouted out some new hunting areas the last time we were in Iowa, so this weekend we will hang a stand or two in the new spots and hunt them a few times. You must always be looking for new spots to hunt, unless you buy the land yourself, you will eventually lose it. We always are looking at new places to hunt. On this hunt we will hunt the mornings and evenings, and then scout during the middle of the day. Hopefully we will come across and great, new honey hole.

As October progresses, It will be the time that I start hunting mornings, I don’t hunt mornings too often during the early part of the season. I have found that the mature bucks have usually gone back to the bedding area by first light. But as we get to the later part of the month you will start to see some scrapes and rubs made by the younger bucks as they start sensing that some does are coming into heat. This is the time to start doing some calling and rattling. This technique has worked for me in the past. I hunted a Saturday morning in late October, I was sitting in my funnel stand and I decided to do some rattling. A half hour after I rattled I looked to the north towards the funnel and a deer with nice polished antlers was looking my way. I got ready and as if on cue, it moved in front of me and I drew when it went behind a tree. It stepped out into one of my shooting lanes that we had cut way back in August, and I put the pin on it and I watched my arrow disappear into its chest. It was a great feeling when all are hard work paid off and everything went to plan.

Are you still shooting your bow? It is always a good idea to keep shooting during the season to keep sharp. I keep a target in my truck and before I go into the woods I shoot a few practice arrows to make sure that I am still on. You don’t need to shoot 100 arrows every day; you just need a few here and there to keep yourself sharp.

If you are experiencing the dreaded “October Lull” have faith the deer will be on the move again. Hunt some less disturbed stands, hunt at different times, keep shooting and remember that the rut is only a few weeks away.

Good Luck and shoot straight,

dale@advanced-whitetail-hunting.com

Dale Bender is a engineer for a major plumbing manufacturer in Wisconsin. In his spare time he enjoys bow hunting for trophy whitetails and writing about it.

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Deer Hunting Tips

By Anne Clarke

The best deer hunting tips are the ones that you figure out for yourself and can offer to others. After all, few things feel better than finding the way that works for you. Of course, until you reach that point, here are some deer hunting tips to help you get there.

Deer Hunting Tips:

· Deer are generally crepuscular: they are often active at dawn and dusk and sleep during the middle of the day and night.

· This does not, however, mean that you will not see them feeding during the middle of the day.

· Bucks are more often during hunting seas

· Go scouting. Do this during early to late summer. When you scout, be as careful as if you are actually hunting. Stay quite and do not leave much scent.

· Find the food source that the deer will be eating during the hunting season.

· Look for trees that will have the most acorns.

· Look for areas with greens like clover or rye covering the ground.

· Look for deer trail routes. The ones with the freshest tracks are the best.

· If you are going to set up any sort of hunting stand, be sure to set it up pre-season, before the deer start feeding in that area. Otherwise, you can scare them off.

· Mark your “hot spots” on a GPS.

· Also be sure to take lots of notes. Do not expect to simply remember everything. You want to write down everything that you find.

· You can find where the bucks are if you scout during the pre-season, right after the bucks have rubbed the velvet from their antlers. During this time, the rut (mating season) a buck is going to leave more markings on trees than he will afterward.

· Look for areas with thick and dense brush. It is in areas like this that deer like to sleep. You can set up on the outskirts of such an area… somewhere where you will be able to see better.

· Remain still! Do not move unless absolutely necessary!

· Do not fall asleep! This can be tricky when you remain so still, but falling asleep not only will lose you your deer, but it can also be quite dangerous if you are up in a tree stand.

· Use special products to mask your scent. Deer have an excellent sense of smell.

· Keep the wind direction in mind. Stay downwind of whatever feeding or sleeping spot, etc. you are “staking out.” Constantly check for changes in the wind.

· Wear a harness if using a tree stand.

· Move the site of your tree stand around. You do not want your deer to start associating deer stands with humans!

· Try to avoid walking a long a deer trail or even walk parallel to one. Take the back route… walk up streams, etc.

· Be sure to always be ready. Make sure that you have checked your equipment right when you get to the stand, not once a deer is already out!

· The majority of deer are shot downwind from a food source.

These are only a few deer hunting tips. There are actually many deer hunting tips available on many different websites from many different, experienced hunters. Before hunting in a certain spot, is a good idea to ask locals hunters for their own, personal tips. Different areas can vary, and everyone has his or her own tricks of the trade.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, the environment, recreation, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on hunting, please visit Deer Blinds.

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