skunk scent

[straitera]

Who uses skunk oil as cover scent? I've had deer & hogs come from downwind too many times for more than 35 years to second guess now.

Oil is better than essence mix IMO. BTW, maybe some of you trappers or disgruntled hunters have some skunk oil you care to get rid of? Let me know. Comments otherwise welcome for all to learn. Good hunting folks.

[Hot Hap]

I used it once, but got some on my clothes, biggg mistake. When the wife washed them the smell stayed in the washer and dryer. For two months we had to buy new clothes for every function we attended.
Hap

[xtrema312]

I would rather use coon. Skunk is too potent to take a chance of getting it on me or my stuff to risk using it for cover.  Besides, skunk spray is most times a sign of a problem.   Coon is strong, but all over the place.

When I was in collage we were having hall wars.  Squirt guns and water balloons escalated into ketchup and mustard bombs.  My favorite was a balloon full of cheap pancake syrup.  Well things got even more out of hand.  I threatened to use a nuke.  I brought in some skunk scent.  The plan was a drop or two on a piece of paper and under a door.  I opened the bottle in the enemy hall late one night for some friends who wanted to get an idea of what it smelt like.  We couldn't really smell much.  I closed it up.  Well the next day the whole hallway smelled like skunk.  Lingered for a week.  That was the end of the war.  I got ride of it quick and never messed with it again.

[Sixby]

There is absolutely nothing else that I have found that will completely cover up human scent. I use it and keep it in a film canister which I tape onto my bow quiver . when I get to the truck I take it off and cap it and put it in the back. Never in the cab. I have had deer and elk witing a couple of feet of me and not seem to know I was there.You can hunt without even worrying about the wind. ONe exception . you have to hunt where there are skunks. I do not use it in the high country. God bless and good hunting , Steve

[NY Yankee]

When I started bowhunting, the catalogs sold the stuff big time. We put it on those plastic "scent vent" pin on deals. Any time we had it out, we never saw hide nor hair of a deer. Or anything else for that matter. The slightest whiff of it makes me sick now. I guess deer dislike it as much as humans. I hate skunks more than rats.

[owlbait]

Used it with good luck for a cover scent. I like to place it downwind of my stand. Deer from that direction tend to skirt the scent and have offerred me opportunities that way. Good luck.

[Hill Hunter]

I also use it and like it, some is better then others, I tried Tinks but it was not strong enough, the kind I used to get in 2 bottles and mixed was very good, I have not seen it for a while.

[carbonflyr]

extrema312
your killin me!!
nuke for sure.
 

[bolong]

I used it with great sucess back in the 70's amd 80's. I would dip one end of a Q-tip in the bottle and stick it on my stand. Pretty much don't use anything now.

[First White Falcon]

I quit using because a skunk only sprays at danger!!!

[Hill Hunter]

but they smell all the time.

[Stone Knife]

I used it years ago, there was a product called skunk screen that was a synthetic two part mix, that was good stuff.

[Chris Shelton]

skunks do not smell all the time, I have been very VERY close to them in the wild taking pictures, they don't smell at all.

my buddy uses fox urine, hes had a couple of them come right up to him too(so he says). i just use plain ole cover scent, I couldn't stand the smell of skunk all day no matter how well it worked, lol

[MnFn]

I tried it once, and maybe I used too much, but a doe stopped the second she caught the scent stream and was gone, snorting like crazy.

I like the idea of just trying to be as scent free as possible these days.

[sagebrush]

This brings back memories. I used to hunt with someone that would put the two part synthetic skunk smell on his bow. Couldn't hardly stand to ride with him in the truck. Never found much use for all the scent products although I have tried a bunch of them. I quit using them when I was going to go hunting one night. I showered with scent free soap. I put on freshly laundered clothes washed in scent free. I hurriedly drove to a stand. When I got in the stand my hair was still wet from the shower. I sprayed down my clothes with scent free. I had a three point come in down wind. He hit my scent stream at six hundred yards and took off running. Now I just watch the wind and do much better.

[Night Wing]

Originally posted by First White Falcon:
I quit using because a skunk only sprays at danger!!!

Exactly the same reason I don't use it. When I've  been hunting, with rifle or bow, everytime a wild skunk has sprayed it's scent where I can smell it, I've never seen a deer. The way I see it, when a skunk sprays, it does so when it's in danger and deer know that too and will avoid the area where they can smell it.

[mrjsl]

I have an enthusiastic young redtick gyp that will occasionally catch one. They are pretty easy for a dog to catch.

I know a guy who had a treeing walker gyp that caught one and fetched it back to the truck one night. He said he had a heck of a time getting away from that dog. She wanted to give him that skunk!

So, no skunk scent for me thanks. FWIW it will wear off your dog in a few months.

[straitera]

XT-312...that's funny college stuff right there.

I ran out of the 2-part mix about 3 years ago & never had success with red fox or acorn scent. IMO, Bignut Buck & all that other sexy doe stuff is a waste of money & time also. Had another bottle of Skunk Essence that didn't work either. The 2-pt mix came from Texas A&M docs who synthesized the stuff. It worked great. Too much of anything (including local plant concentrations) is a deer red flag. Small doses of skunk seems to confuse deer olfactory input. Haven't tried coon but it sounds logical too. Help me find some skunk oil. I'll even try coon. Thanks folks.

[SteveB]

Deer process multiple scents at the same time making it impossible to cover/hide one scent with another.

[ArrowCrester]

Skunk is a good cover scent…. I use a match stick. Dip it in the bottle then either stick it in a crevice in a tree bark where i am posted or put it in the bandana of my hat…

When I am done hunting I just toss it.

Got to remember to toss it b4 you go into your car or home…

lol….lol….lol…