Hunter or hunted?

roland · Post by **roland** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 12:17 pm

I have shot most of my deer while smoking, have to put the smoke down to shoot. I hunt with a buddy that used to always put deer scent on the legs of his coveralls until on night he had 7 coyotes follow him and circle him until he got to his truck. It scared him and he dosn't do that any more.

bucont · Post by **bucont** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 2:16 pm

wabi wrote:I think the level of disguise necessary depends on what the deer encounter in their normal daily activities.

I don't spend much on camo because in my experience about any camo pattern is similar in effectiveness, and often a "camo" pattern printed on the garments isn't even necessary.

I've shot 2 deer so far this fall.
Deer #1 was from my ground blind and I was wearing a lightweight black "polarfleece" jacket over my shirt. (deer can't see my pants so I wear comfortable jeans)
Deer #2 was from my ladder stand (the stand has a camo "skirt" on the shooting rail, so again my pants can't be seen) and I was wearing a brown "polarfleece" (you guessed it - I love "polarfleece" ) shirt with lighter lines making a sort of checkerboard pattern.
In both of those settings is was "blended in" to my surroundings - similar colors and a non-reflective fabric.

I don't worry about expensive laundering detergents, I wash my hunting clothes in baking soda. I store them in my shop (an old blacksmith shop with a dirt floor and a woodstove for heat when I need it)

Where I hunt there is a small subdivision at one end of the property. The deer smell woodsmoke and hear and smell people and pets and all the sounds and odors associated with them daily.

I do smoke cigars, and to shoot both of the deer this year I had to lay my cigar down to make the shot. We could probably get into an argument on it, but I believe the deer (at least where I hunt) are not alarmed by smoke. The cigar smoke may actually serve as a cover scent for me! 90% of the deer I've shot over the years have come in while I was smoking! I've read about a very successful deer hunter (sorry, can't remember his name or the name of his book) that had old steel barrels at his favorite locations so he could build a wood fire and stay warm while hunting.

If I were hunting an area where it was more of a wilderness setting I might change tactics, but for me the the "urbanized" setting makes a lot of the scent free/noise free methods unnecessary. I don't use scented bath soap, I don't use scented laundry detergent, and I don't make any more noise than necessary. I do wear rubber boots most of the time and I try to play the wind direction to my advantage.
Most of those blinds and stands are shared by other hunters that have permission on that property and the ones that use all the latest camo patterns and scent-free products seem to have very similar success or failure - we all get "busted" at times!

I shoot almost all my deer at under 20 yards, and I have not had to go through a winter without venison for many years, so it must be working for me!
The ones I kill may be the stupid ones, but I can't detect a bit of difference in the taste of the meat!

X2 - accept for the cigar, I do not smoke.

I have tried buck bomb, $9 shot into the air a disappeared. I have been using an old bottle of scent-away spray I found out in garage. I've shot deer with and wthout it.
I do think you should used anything you feel gives you an advantage. If it is a buck bomb, tag it, scent loc, grunt tubes or what ever it is.

Shotnbeer · Post by **Shotnbeer** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 7:04 pm

watch the wind and how you move. end of story. 10 bucks for that advice.

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 7:07 pm

Shotnbeer wrote:10 bucks for that advice.

Would those be "shooter" bucks, 'Shot?

Undertaker · Post by **Undertaker** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 7:35 am

I think the biggest improvement that could be made in hunting, is a mask that catches your breath and filters it clean.

We breathe in and expel gallons of air every minute while on stand, and all the internal compounds we breathe out tell vegetarians that we are meat eaters, and thus predators. Bears, dogs, cougars, wolves, coyote, humans, we all smell like consumers of meat. Deer are tuned in to that odor, and have been for a long time. It says danger everytime.

When we are sitting still, we tend to be able to spot other things that are moving very easily. Deer's eyes are tuned to spot movement even more so, more rods than cones, which is why color isn't very important to them, and us having more cones see vivid colors. But if your camo is coated with UV brightners, you can be seen easily by them, and if you fidget in your expensive camo, you might as well be wearing your old disco outfit. "Over here, look at me over here".

As you were pointing out about getting sold, some camo patterns I have seen are useless. Look good up close, but stand back forty yards and you become a man shaped blob, easily recognized. Camo should present contrasting shapes, that distract the eye and cofuse the brain. The old military stuff still works great.

The ability to sit still is the hardest thing to learn, but also the single best tactic. Deer will scan an area for a period of time. They just stand there and peer out of the bushes. You can't see them doing this, you just have to assume they are. If you fidget, you are done. Precise, slow and deliberate movements are acceptable. But sudden herky jerky stuff, and the deer will easily spot you.

Get sold on some things, but avoid the gimmicks that trick you into thinking you have an edge, that you otherwise did not earn the hard way.

Play the wind, sit still, do your homework, and put in your time in stand. With time in stand being the most important.

Although I must say, I fall for the gadgets myself, but the She-Wee thingy and the Butt Puller are not attractive to me. Neither is scent free clothing.

Pydpiper · Post by **Pydpiper** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 8:45 am

Spent a few hours in Bass Pro yesterday, I went with a non-hunting buddy. I was amazed at how much stuff in there is geared towards people wanting to spend money opposed to those wanting to hunt..
3 things stuck out, one was a "cruncher" call, a little nut shaped thing that simulates the cruncing sound of an approaching deer, I guess that would come in handy if your hunting at the mall and there is no actuall foilage to rattle. Cough muffler, a huge thing made to be coughed in to, just downright disgusting.
Then, the Butt out.. Bass Pro has a massive display of these, center isle. I sat for a half hour watching people expressions as they came by there. It seemed to get everyones attention and was continiously a source of laughter.
Oddly, there were a tremendous amount of people who thought the purpose of the tool was to insert as a handle for dragging out a deer.

One gal even asked where the batteries went.

Normous · Post by **Normous** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 9:11 am

Old Exocet · Post by **Old Exocet** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 5:12 am

Makes me recall some info given me by and older bow hunting friend. His "camo" was an old pair of green coveralls...but he always took time to roll around in a clean patch of dirt before going on stand..and always made sure to eat a couple of apples before going on stand.

Seriously.