Best scent control - hunting with kids

[JAFA]

Thanks for looking.
Been out 7 times and seen very little this year, not complaining just a fact, we have had a blast!

I have taken my kids each time, 9 - 11 usually one at a time ...they try hard, sit very quietly, but moving them around try as they might is rather like moving a herd of Hippos - newly married - with the obligatory strings with tin cans attached. Ok I may be exaggerating a little :-D

They actually are very motivated hunters with excellent attitudes ie; very patient for hours on end in the blind and exactly 0 whining.

So I am trying to track down the reasons for so little sighting of deer, my lack of experience being top of the list no doubt. :???:

We use the scent cover, the yellow bottle, I am out and need to get some more but before I do, wanted to ask if there was a particular brand that you guys think work best.

Any other advice in hunting with kids would also be helpful.

Thanks Jim.

[knighthunter]

Having never used a cover up scent, maybe your brand doesn't work. Maybe instead of buying the same brand, try a different brand, or none at all.
Maybe you or one of the kids are making a sound that you are taking for granted as not carrying very far, but in reality it is and the deer is hearing it 50-100 yards away and avoid your area. Is there a deer trail where you are sitting, deer tracks, something for them to eat, a water hole, cover. Are you sure there are deer in the area?

[mijinkal]

I think you're wasting yout time with the scent control stuff unless you're trying to get real close to the animals. Remember to work with the wind and they won't smell you.
I take my kids aged 6 and 8 with me all the time, they don't sit still very well, but we see the animals if we're in the right spots.
On my last 5 day trip, I hadn't showered the whole time and only changed my underwear and socks. I stunk pretty bad but I saw 4 moose and 19 deer.

[pearljam]

Where are you hunting??? are you looking for mule or whites???? Biggest thing ive found with hunting is location, location, location, You can sit still for days and not see anything if there are no animals around. You have to find where they are first before putting time in on a stand.

[JAFA]

Kids are more than whisper quiet when in position.

Deer wise ...never sure about much, once I was watching fishermen casting for hours into the Vedder but from a higher vantage point you could see there was exactly zero fish in their section of the river.

Like the fishermen...I sometimes wonder if I am foolishly creeping along in an area that has no deer for 50 miles. :)

Having said this I have set up in areas with lots of tracks, tough to put a timeline on them, beyond the obvious very old very new.

I do make certain there is new poop in the area, and we are on or close to game trails with excellent firing lanes.

[mijinkal]

Take them for walks down the game trails during the day when the animals are bedded. I've spooked a fair bit of bedded deer with my kids by doing this. None were shooters but the kids loved every minute of it (except when they were tired, cold, hungry, or bugging each other).

[240droptop]

I've always been wondering about scent control. I've never used it and have always wondered if I should. Most you guys think its not needed? Unless your trying to get really close? After hiking for a hour or more to get to a get spot, nobody smeels good ha ha

[BlacktailStalker]

Assuming there are deer there... there are only two things that can end your hunt before you pull the trigger, your presence given away by WIND or them SEEING you without you seeing them (and reacting fast enough)

[Hydrojet]

Are you seeing the guys on the vedder and the lack of fish with just eyes or with binos? If you are that close to the river there won't be much sticking around and most of the movement will be during the night as that river has gotten a lot of pressure lately and the deer feel it. There is still a lot of water moving on the mountains so they don't need to go down to the river to drink. Until we see some serious snow up top those deer are still high. I would get closer to the snow line and sniff around. You might see the odd deer by the river but not enough for me to spend any time hunting it. If you are hunting the bench....try other areas off the road or in other drainages. SO many people drive that road it is crazy and ya there are a few deer that get shot there but it's dumb luck and they are usually movin pretty good and get on top of the deer before the deer knows whats going on!

[JCVD]

Sight and sound will trump smell if you are using the wind to your advantage. The scent can turn away deer as well FYI...some does do not like to compete and will take the bucks with them.