ThermaCell Tip

[Bud B.]

I have found that some of my hunting ventures are sometimes only a few hours. As such, the felt pads with the Thermacell dry up and I have butane left over with no fresh pads.

Two examples:

Three nights ago I was hunting from a ladder stand and three or four different deer came from downwind of me ( I think one came back a second time after I shot over her back  :(  ). They never "sniffed" the air with upturned nose as I have seen many deer do when they are trying to wind me.

Last night I had a racoon come very close to me from a downwind location and he/she never altered his/her steps and it just kept on its wandering path searching for grubs and stuff.

Both of those times I had butane left in my thermacell but no fresh pads. I was not bothered by bugs.

Here's why:

I have a can of Deep Woods Off I keep in my truck for when I go fishing. I used it to soak down a leftover pad and then placed it in my Thermacell. I then went into the woods in hopes of good results. Nary a bug bothered me.

Last evening I was low on butane and thought I might have enough to last the evening hunt. It ran out about 1/2 hour before dark. Not five minutes passed by and the mosquitos and flies came a calling.

I'm convinced this works and am fairly certain it causes no more odor problems than with regular thermacell pads.


Just a helpful tip that might get you thru a hunt until you have time to get resupplied with a refill pack from Thermacell.

[German Dog]

I borrowed one to try and the thing I didn't like was how loud the push button ignited was to fire it up. Is this normal and if so do you usually fire it up before heading to stand?

[Bud B.]

I fire it up as I leave the truck. Last night I had about 1/4" of butane left in the canister and it lasted nearly three hours. I think a full canister is supposed to last about 12 hours. Pads, about 4.

[Jmatt1957]

thanks for the tip, I sure will give that a try

[caligator]

Have you ever had deer wind the thermacell? The past few nights we have had deer get within 40-50 yards and start blowing  like crazy. But then I have had a doe at 8 yards and and 3 point @ 15 and didnt seem to mind. It is usally right before dark when the wind starts swirling. we were not moving around in the blind. I am clean, clothes are clean and bow /arrows are clean. I'm leaning toward the thermacell but would just like to hear some of y'alls experiences.

[Bud B.]

The three/four deer in the first post come in directly from downwind. I had seen those little floaty seeds like cattail seeds blow by and down as if were going right down the trail they came up. They could have not been more downwind.

I guess it depends on where you hunt and the deer. These had no clue I was there, or didn't care. I believe the former.

[frankwright]

I have been refilling the butane canisters and rewetting the pads with permethrin with good results.
Some of the swampy areas I hunt you couldn't survive without a thermacell going.
I have not had any bad deer spooking experiences with it in the three or so years I have been using one.

I would like a quieter starter button too.I usually fire it up before I leave the truck so I don't have to be popping it in the stand.

[southernarcher]

In my experience using thermacells, different ones burn the fuel at different rates. Either way I have pads left over when all the fuel is spent. Most guys I know don't use the pad up, before swapping in a new one. Seems the hotter the unit burns the longer"whiter" I can run the pads and stay bug free.

Cool tip just the same.

[southernarcher]

Hey frank, are you just using the cans of butane to refill?

Also I haven't had deer spook from it. But, I would guessit is just a matter of time until they associate the smell with danger. In most cases though if they can smell the thermacell, they can smell you.

Originally posted by southernarcher:
Hey frank, are you just using the cans of butane to refill?

Also I haven't had deer spook from it. But, I would guessit is just a matter of time until they associate the smell with danger. In most cases though if they can smell the thermacell, they can smell you.

I'm interested to know this also?

Bisch

[BrianH]

I feel the odor from a thermacell doen't matter, how would you know if its the thermacell or you thats spooking them.  I would think any foreign odor would put them on alert.  

As far as the deer 40 or 50 yards away scenting you and blowing and the up close deer coming downwind and not reacting is due to the wind.  If you have any wind, it may take quit a distance for your scent stream to get low enough for the deer to detect you.  If they cross down wind close enough your scent is being blown right overthem.   Just yesterday morning I killed a doe directly down wind of me at 13 yards.

[Jerry Jeffer]

Thanks for the tip. I often keep the pad in and keep using for several hunts until there is no color left. I never have a problem with it not working. Some also suggest putting the unfinished pad in a zip lock. Either way, Thermacell is awesome!

[LimbLover]

Originally posted by German Dog:
I borrowed one to try and the thing I didn't like was how loud the push button ignited was to fire it up. Is this normal and if so do you usually fire it up before heading to stand?

This is my primary Thermacell complaint. Mine doesn't always seem to ignite the first time either. It is LOUD.

[TGbow]

The deer I hunt in the deep south are use to smelling all kind of scents. Like oil, gas, chemicals, ect.
It is human body odor that alarms these deer. I dont worry about insect repellent scents and such,

[katman]

Bisch,, pm sent

[LB_hntr]

Great tip!  Thanks for sharing it.

[SkottyBoy]

Where I hunt, in Northeast Arkansas, I have to use a Thermocell. It is the best skeeter stopper I have found. I hunt in the river bottoms and around a lake that I have to access by boat. Not to mention the thousands and thousands of acres of irrigated farm land that the bugs hatch in.  I too ignite mine way before I get to the stand because of the loud snap of the ignition button. I can smell the odor so I am sure the deer can as well but it really does not seem to spook them in my opinion.
I would also like to know how to refill the fuel cells if anybody has the trick to it.

[nineworlds9]

One thing I WISH my Thermacell was good for was them dayumed yellow flies!!

[Terry Green]

Thanks BUD!!!

[caligator]

Originally posted by BrianH:
I feel the odor from a thermacell doen't matter, how would you know if its the thermacell or you thats spooking them.  I would think any foreign odor would put them on alert.  

As far as the deer 40 or 50 yards away scenting you and blowing and the up close deer coming downwind and not reacting is due to the wind.  If you have any wind, it may take quit a distance for your scent stream to get low enough for the deer to detect you.  If they cross down wind close enough your scent is being blown right overthem.   Just yesterday morning I killed a doe directly down wind of me at 13 yards.

Brian, I have never had an issue when in a tree. I was hunting from the ground and very cautious about scent control; change seat cover after every hunt, wash steering wheel before driving to spot, wash hands with scentfree soap before touching any of my hunting equipment at spot, try to take baths in creek near hunting spot, scent killer on clothes and all equipment, spray the blind area and seat, etc, etc...

Maybe I missed something.       I guess I'll have to use it when skeeters are bad but going to try and not use it.