Attracting or cover scents

[Roger9070]

I have had the same experiences as TrentonG with skunks, they don't always smell and many times while camping they come right into camp looking for scrapes.  We had one come right into the tent one time and my buddy just chased him back out and no smell at all.  Another time one of the guys was eating his oatmeal before going out hunting and the skunk came right up under the picnic table, he didn't even know it was there till he stood up.

Our local pest control guy told me that he has removed tons of skunks from under peoples porches and decks that never knew they were there until a neighbor told them they saw the skunk going under the porch.  My brother had one that would sneak into his neighbors yard to eat the apples and even when his dog or the neighbors would chase it the skunk didn't spray.  The only time it sprayed was when my brother's dog finally managed to grab it while it was escaping under the fence, what a mess that was!

I agree that trappers know a lot about scents and covering scents as well.  From personal experience with Fox the deer just seem to be really curious of that scent.  I hunted with my buddy who used it frequently and many times I've watched deer follow his trail right to his stand.  Now most of the deer are does or immature deer I don't think I've seen a mature buck do the same. 

I even tried Evercalm but had mixed results with that as well, some deer totally ignored it while others were curious, and some would mill around nervously for a while.  Other guys I talked to said it worked great for them and seemed to do exactly as claimed, calm the deer.  I guess like people scents affect deer in different ways based on their experiences to certain scents positively or negatively.

Another reason I shyed away from using skunk scent was years ago one of the guys in our bowhunter shooting league left a bottle on his dash and the bottle tipped over and leaked into the vents.  Needless to say that no matter what he did he couldn't get that skunk scent out of the truck for months.  He would drive with the windows down even in the coldest weather to avoid the stench....

Roger,

[Sam McMichael]

An item I forgot to mention earlier...    I found that raw garlic makes a good cover. I would crush it on the soles of my boots. I have had deer follow my path through the woods with their heads down in the scent. They seemed comfortably at ease. When I posted this observation in another post somewhere else, one of the guys said that garlic has a reputation to spook the deer. Has anyone else used garlic? If so, what was your experience? One drawback is that yellow jackets are attracted to it so they often buzzed all around my fingers after I crushed the garlic around the stand. I haven't used it in quite a while now, but maybe I'll try it again this year.

[Pat B]

Years ago when I lived in Coastal SC my hunting buddy decided he was gonna use muscadine(sp) grapes for a cover scent. He put his hunting cloths in a plastic bag with lots of grapes and mushed them together. The next morning he headed to the woods. Right at sunrise the yellowjackets started gathering and needless to say, Richard missed that morning hunt.   

[GCook]

No offense but Mr. Terry is right. I've had skunks come into my tent in scout camp.  The babies, no smell.  Adults always smell.  Sure it's not overwhelming.  But if your using cover scents right they aren't either.  A deer can pick out the many scents on the air.  The idea isn't to try to overwhelm their nose.  Just create a scent saturation that minimizes the human scent. 
If you use a good scent reduction system, a good cover scent properly, skunk or fox or coon work, then you have a better chance of not putting deer on high alert and spooking out of an area.

[GCook]

That said no system, even hunting the wind, is foolproof.   At some point the wind isn't perfect for days, or swirls at prime time . . .
Sometimes you need a little luck as well.

[Huntschool]

I, like several others her have said, tried the buck scent stuff and had zero luck.  It did seem to frighten the deer.  I also tried vanilla, and even some corn syrup stuff that was out there for a while.  The best solution I found here in the interspersed woodland and row crop hills and hollers of Southernmost Illinois is cow shit or horse shit on my boots and clean clothes washed in plain 20 mule team borax or baking soda.  I sweat like a whore in church and produce an oil when I do.  I cant smell it but my wife can so she keeps me on my toes.  She has had deer walk right up to her with the wind in their face.  Not me by a long shot.

I just try to be as clean and scent free as I possible can.

I really think this scent thing is blown out of proportion by sales of product. 

JMHO

[ozy clint]

anyone tried musk oil?
i've tried musk and vanilla with no real interest.

different time of year perhaps?

[Sam McMichael]

As I have indicated, I have used numerous types of scents nearly 60 years with mixed results. Actually, I feel that a deer's nose is a lot like a dog's nose. They can pick out individual odors among a mix of smells (my opinion). I always have the feeling that a deer in in the area sniffs and thinks, "Ah, McMichael is in the woods and is trying a new fragrance this morning". Still, I use them from time to time.

[swampwalker]

Back to the skunk thing. Female skunks will spurt when being harassed by amorous males. Not always a danger situation.

[GCook]

 

As I have indicated, I have used numerous types of scents nearly 60 years with mixed results. Actually, I feel that a deer's nose is a lot like a dog's nose. They can pick out individual odors among a mix of smells (my opinion). I always have the feeling that a deer in in the area sniffs and thinks, "Ah, McMichael is in the woods and is trying a new fragrance this morning". Still, I use them from time to time.

[MnFn]

The best response to a scent  I ever got was to hock gland from a recently killed deer.  A real stud came into it.  It’s a long and embarrassing story as to why I didn’t get that deer and I’d just as soon forget it, but can’t. It haunts me😩

[Tim Finley]

Cornfusion works great on hogs and attracts deer too . Comes in a liquid very thick but can be sprayed form a squirt bottle .

[YosemiteSam]

Back to the skunk thing. Female skunks will spurt when being harassed by amorous males. Not always a danger situation.

Guess ol' Pepe LePue was just the norm among male skunks, then?  Cats just don't know how to properly tell a skunk to buzz off.

[YosemiteSam]

I thought about using a cover scent.  But our archery season is now -- warm weather.  With all the sweat and bug spray, it's kind of dumb to think a little animal urine can cover all that up.  Maybe in whitetail country and late season hunts.  But not here.  Not now.

[Zwickey-Fever]

  I never had any luck with urine based scents. Deer urinate throughout the entire woods all day every day. But with gland based scents like the real thing from a fresh killed deer or James Valley, I have great results. Its all in the tiing as well. As for cover scents, I just store my hunting clothes in a air tight container with a bunch of green black walnuts. Within a day or two, my clothes are permeated with the scent of black walnuts.
  My dad has had great success with vanilla extract in the early season.

[kevsuperg]

According to Idaho law, the use of bait to hunt or take big game animals other than black bear is unlawful. Bait is defined as any substance placed to attract big game animals, except liquid scent for deer and elk. The use of salt placed to attract elk or deer for hunting is considered bait and is illegal.

 I've used my share of attracting scents. Spilled liquids in my truck or pack,  used human urine for scrapes ( it works) tried incense etc.
 For me I've learned I'd rather smell like nothing than something.  Seems deer are always more alert when coming to doe or buck scent.
 Now I use scent wafers, easy, no mess, usually fresh earth or maybe pine or cedar if appropriate.   You can get hot doe too, which I have used with varying results.
 Shoot straight kevin