I was talking to a fellow bowhunter that mentioned smoking your hunting clothes. I guess the smoke smell is not really foreign to the deer and the smoke helps absorb, or cover up, your human odor. I had never heard of this and could find very limited information on the internet, regarding this subject.

I was wondering if anyone here has tried smoking their clothing and if it actually works. I know some old timers that used to build a fire while deer hunting, to stay warm, and they got deer. Of course we dont know if they ever came in from the downwind direction.

Thanks.

I remember reading that native americans used this to cover their scent.

I will also say that in my recent mule deer hunt I stayed in a tent camp with wood burning stove and STUNK like smoke. I got within 10-20 yards of numerous deer.

I've tried it a lot of ways. It will work to a degree, by that I mean that deer will smell the smoke, and it usually doesn't concern them. I think the exception is probably that really big buck that we seldom see anyway, which is why he gets that big. I feel that anything that isn't completely standard in his normal operating area will put that big buck into a defensive/retreating position as soon as he detects the unusual, and therfore we would never know he was around at all...and that might just apply to smoke aroma.

Having said that, I think the second most wary nose in the deer woods is the nose of a big patriarch doe, and I have had some of these big gals just all over me when wearing smoke laden clothing.

Smoke can certainly cover up a lot of human scent, I think it is classified as a solid, which adheres to your clothing and you-- but I do pay attention to my scent as well, bathe frequently during the hunts, with scent free soaps, and deodorants, as well as scent eliminator/cover sprayed into my hair and on my boots, on top of clothes exposed to smoke.

I'll be interested to see others thoughts and experiences on this as well......

A doe would be the "Matriarch". Sorry it's the teacher in me. I just had to correct. Full credit given on subject matter content. Old Mossy Horns is going to shy from any foreign scent. There is one scent however that will make him stupid as a stump. Catch him then and you can smell like a Christmas candle and it won't bother him.

Alan

I tried the smoke sent on opening weekend. My wife had set my hunting clothes in the main laundry room and I did not have time to re-wash and let dry outside. I built a fire the mourning I went out and stood in the smoke for a while. It definitely covered my sent, I had deer all over me as I set with my back to a tree, because the guy dropping me off at a new stand could not find it in the dark. I finally got him to stop driving around in the dark and just slipped into the tree line and picked out a comfortable tree to lean against. After day light I was only 30 yards from the stand but realized I was in just as good a spot so stayed put.

I think the oder of smoke is natural to them and as long as its not to strong or is associated with flames and immediate danger they will not be as affected as they would to human oder.

we actually have oil wells on the land that i hunt in AR.
the deer there know the smell of oil and it doesnt seem to bother them much.
i think that mature deer are pretty bright and dont expose themselves to areas that hold forign smells or smells that are natural but too strong.

I have known many men who smoked while they deer hunted and they actually harvested deer. I don't believe it has to do with smoke or any other scents. It has to do with hunting with the wind to your face.

This reminds me of that commercial where the guy blows the fog horn when the big buck steps out because he heard deer love loud noises.

quote:

I think the exception is probably that really big buck that we seldom see anyway, which is why he gets that big. I feel that anything that isn't completely standard in his normal operating area will put that big buck into a defensive/retreating position as soon as he detects the unusual, and therfore we would never know he was around at all...and that might just apply to smoke aroma.

Ditto, You can't walk into a good buck's bedroom with any foreign odors. The deer you don't see or hear that spook are the ones you'll never know about. More times than not a mature buck will never let you know he smells you, he'll just slip away undetected.

the closest you can get to no odor is the best. It's impossible to eliminate all odor, but you can make the odor as little as possible to make the threat seem further away. This however takes a very anal and intense routine of scent elimination.

Reloader

The smoke for scent cover is a great idea...
Next I think I'll carry a boom box with loud rap music to cover any noises I might make.
Then after that for getting in close on spot-and-stalk deer hunts I'll dress in a mountain lion suit!

Kyler

quote:

Originally posted by Alan R. McDaniel, Jr.:
A doe would be the "Matriarch". Sorry it's the teacher in me. I just had to correct.
Alan

You are correct sir! and I stand corrected--not the first time my typing is faster than my brain.....although some of those old does are pretty masculine!

A friend of mine smokes in his stand, and seems to always shoot his deer about 15 minutes after ward.

What is even odder, is that on one occasion I saw two deer look at me (with cover scent and block on) and walk TOWARD him while smoking a menthal!

I have heard that some old-timers used to put out raw tobacco to attract deer. Don't know for sure but that's what I heard.

I guess burning tobacco would have the same sort of smell.

Fish, I know a guy who pops the first old doe that blows at him. I don't know if it makes any difference in his hunting area or not but I think it makes him feel better at the time. That process would tend to keep the older does thinned out and maybe the hunter wouldn't get busted as much.

Alan

Years ago I used to smoke quite heavily and did so while hunting. I never noticed deer having any aversion to cigarette/cigar smoke.

I also had an uncle who smoked cigars and chewed plug tobacco and hunted deer all while in the throes of an emphysematic fit and killed some of the biggest bucks I've seen in South Texas. But then again the deer weren't very sophisticated then either.

Alan