How far upwind before you get busted?

[allan]

How far up wind before your busted by the game your stalking?

[835]

well before you can see them. Bad wind = waste of time. Serious. If you are putting a play on something make bloody sure you do it so the wind is in your favor. It is the most important of their senses IMO.

EDIT: To expand a bit. If you are stalking an animal and you snap a branch, it may and probably will go back to feeding. And if you are caught out in the open, it may go back to feeding as long as it doesnt see you moving,,, But if they smellyou???? Your doomed.

in my opinion Deer species senses go
1St best is smell. They can wind ya before you even got a chance
2nd Eyes easier to take care of while hunting by where you are walking
3Rd ears dont step on sticks

[genockous]

How far up wind before your busted by the game your stalking?

Don't FART

[warnniklz]

Don't FART

sound = buck grunt or duck quack = Ok
smell = fear = don't show fear = bad

[thatskindafunny]

Out at the farm one day and noticed a bear feeding. Got low and snuck up to the fence line with grass to cover me. He was about 100 yards away. A gust of wind came and hit the back of my neck and I said oh oh. and oh oh the bear took off like a shot within 5 seconds. Last year up in the tree platform I was standing trying to warm up and saw a doe and 2 fawns 140 yards away on the trail coming into the shooting area, so I quietly sat down on my chair and it creeked, the doe turned it's head toward me, looked, turned around and busted again. kindafunny actually. Always gives me a big smile.

[91Jason91]

Don't FART

lol no shit ey

[Ourea]

You can fool their eyes..........you can fool their ears..........seldom will you ever fool their nose, ever.
Scent is a primary source of animal communication. It is highly evolved.
If ur hunting with the wind, you are not hunting anymore.

[anglo-saxon]

Don't FART



lol no shit ey

Well, not if you're careful!

[ufishifish2]

Somebody here on HBC once said it best when they said to always hunt with the wind at your back. That way you get to hunt for longer!

I have been busted by goats from a good 500 yards on many occasions. I knew they hadn't seen or heard me, but they sure as hell smelled me and took off across the mtns.

[nolimits]

Good question here. I get the point with no farting rule but what about if you use scent blocking clothing or some herb/ natural rub on yourself? Will this help with fooling the game?

[proguide66]

Good question here. I get the point with no farting rule but what about if you use scent blocking clothing or some herb/ natural rub on yourself? Will this help with fooling the game?
Nope , then they will smell scent blocking clothing , herb and human........no way around it.
Thinkof it this way , when there is forest , bear shit , wolf piss , rotting stumps , skunk cabbage , buck rub with piss on the ground all between you and a game animal and the wind is at your back....whats the game animal smelling? all of the above , none of those present STRONG scents are doin anything for you...but mingling with your scent particles...wich are very easily being zero'd in on by any game animal nose down wind of it all.

[TheProvider]

How many "pro" hunters do you see wearing scent eliminating clothing spot and stalking or still hunting? Theres a reason why you don't

[nolimits]

How many "pro" hunters do you see wearing scent eliminating clothing spot and stalking or still hunting? Theres a reason why you don't

I wish I could answer your question, but I simply don't know any of them "pro" hunters. You might be happy to find out I am just a beginner.

[nolimits]

Nope , then they will smell scent blocking clothing , herb and human........no way around it.
Thinkof it this way , when there is forest , bear shit , wolf piss , rotting stumps , skunk cabbage , buck rub with piss on the ground all between you and a game animal and the wind is at your back....whats the game animal smelling? all of the above , none of those present STRONG scents are doin anything for you...but mingling with your scent particles...wich are very easily being zero'd in on by any game animal nose down wind of it all.

So, what you are saying the scent blocking thing is nothing more than marketing scheme to get people buying sh....t?

[Jelvis]

Animals can smell your breath, what ever you ate is in your stomach and it rises up in you, stop breathing for an hour or so lol.
So the only solution? Stop eating meat for two weeks prior to hunting, only eat vegetables and fruits.
Then you will smell like a herbivore instead of a carnivore.
Animals can smell a mile away so not much you can do.
Winds swirl in timber and slow and curl around.
Always walk into a wind if you can or across.
Jelly ( They smell) yer belly

[Moose Guide]

so, what you are saying the scent blocking thing is nothing more than marketing scheme to get people buying sh....t?

yup!!!!!!!

[junkyard_g]

mythbusters did a bit on scent eliminating clothing, couldn't fool the dog... I generally don't even bother with camo unless I'm still hunting, i find animals react to silhouettes more than colour.

[warnniklz]

mythbusters did a bit on scent eliminating clothing, couldn't fool the dog... I generally don't even bother with camo unless I'm still hunting, i find animals react to silhouettes more than colour.

that's why you always see the hood on a ghuille suite drape out to the shoulders... less of a human/un-natural shape

[hunter1947]

Believe it or not game animals can smell where you had walked yes your scent will go onto the ground through your foot wear ,I have seen animals ,elk deer bolt after smelling my scent left on the ground where I had walked and one time I was 200 yards from where I had walked a bull elk came across my travel path and caught the scent I had left and bolted he took off and I never saw him again..

[835]

The only true scent blocker is the wind.

Wind at your back Sun in your face and keep a low sillouette to the skyline and use cover. Start glassing your destination bit by bit as it comes to your vision. If there is a game trail 50' in the treeline walk along it and glass the block, even if there is a bit of stuff in the way. Dont just go marching out there and yank up the binos.

When you think you are quiet shut up, When you think you are walking slow enough slow down. Animals make a living staying alive, and the big ones are good at it.

[thatskindafunny]

If your hunting into the wind and the wind changes, you will have better luck turning around and hunting back the way you just came. I do a little tracking with the wife and the dogs. She told me I should put rubber boots on as the field was very wet. I said how are the dogs going to smell where I walked then. Her reply was that the scent of you just falls on the ground and the dog follows it. Oh and by the way once you have laid the 500 yard track and drop the glove at the end of the track we are going to come back in 3 1/2 hours and let the dog find it. Oh and by the way 45 minutes before we come back somebody else is going to cross the track in 2 places. Fresh scent but the dog isn't suppose to follow that. She went to a seminar and the fellow who was teaching the class said the longer the scent is on the ground the easier it is for the dog to find. Think of a ship going through the water. At first there is a big wakeof churned up water and 1/2 hour later there is a thin line. The smell doesn't float all over the place. kindafunny don't you think.

[The Dude]

The answer is: Who knows?
Don't get upwind of your prey, or you're hooped.
We have enough to deal with while hunting, so keep the wind on your face or cheeks.
And not your butt-cheeks. :D

[Blair]

I agree with the smelling abilities of animals. That said, it has always amazed me at how many times I have used the wind to drift me and my boat in on black bears feeding on the beach - not hunting, just sight seeing. On numerous occasions I have used this technique to get within 10 to 15 yards of beach feeding bears. And it's not like they couldn't see me! Maybe they don't expect danger from the water? Any comments?

[835]

I agree with the smelling abilities of animals. That said, it has always amazed me at how many times I have used the wind to drift me and my boat in on black bears feeding on the beach - not hunting, just sight seeing. On numerous occasions I have used this technique to get within 10 to 15 yards of beach feeding bears. And it's not like they couldn't see me! Maybe they don't expect danger from the water? Any comments?

I think in this case they dont see it as danger. They know your comming and have watched you for a while. If you were Silent as a drifting boat, walking down the grass flats with the wind at your back im sure things would be different.

[hunterdon]

I'll break the trend here. I think it's not as critical as most here say. Yes animals do have a great sense of smell. The bear in my opinion among the best.

But, having said that, it depends on the circumstances. For instance, when hunting in the remote wilderness, animals who smell humans are very sensitive to their smell. On the opposite side of the coin, animals that live close to humans, example near farms, are constantly exposed to human related scents. They are not nearly as spooked. They may catch your scent and not even be bothered.

By the way, what a hunter eats has a BIG influence on whether or not he gets busted by his prey. Spiced meats is one of the worst offenders.

[Jelvis]

A blood hound dog can track a person after that person walked there three months earlier.
Cops use blood hounds only when they are in extreme cases, like of a serial murderer.
Animals can smell like you would not believe.
Keep the wind in your face.
When you get out of the vehicle see which direction the main wind current is going.
Then go on the ridge on the end the wind is going towards, Then walk into the wind. BAM!
Without smell the animal relies on it's ears, then eyesight.
At close range a deer can feel you walking, by vibrations, on their leg hairs when they are bedded down.
That's why deer stomp their front hoofs on the forest floor to relay a warning that something is wrong.
Jel ( Good ) Vibrations

[J_T]

It's all about the wind. Period. Camo, masking scents and scent block clothing are mostly for marketing. Of course most of the clothing is designed as good performance gear which helps you, but not your stalk.

As you stalk, a decision to move right or left, up or down, must be made with the wind in mind. Not the quietest or easiest route.

[Goliath]

It's all about the wind. Period. Camo, masking scents and scent block clothing are mostly for marketing. Of course most of the clothing is designed as good performance gear which helps you, but not your stalk.



I agree.

My father was busted shortly after WWII by hounds in central Europe. He thought they lost him when he drifted the Danube with only his mouth coming up for 4km. Didn't work. The pursuit was delayed when the Russians got caught up in unrelated gunfire. This gave my pop just enough time to completely immerse his entire body in diesel. To hear him tell it, it was hell. He still doesn't know if the diesel shook his scent, or if the Russians were more interested in raping the local women.

Unless you're fanatical about masking your scent, don't waste your money.

[brian]

To the original question, You are really asking how far does your scent carry on the wind before it is so diffuse the deer can no longer smell it? The real world answer is it depends on the what the wind is doing, how strong is the wind, how turbulent is the air, how humid/dense is the air, how is the landscape influencing wind currents, how bad do you smell etc etc etc. Deer can smell roughly as good as a dog. So Just try to imagine what it would take to defeat the sense of a bomb disposal dog or a SAR dog. Which is why wind on the face is the only real guarantee.

[835]

The things those boys did to live.......

[The Hermit]

It's all about the wind... As you stalk, a decision to move right or left, up or down, must be made with the wind in mind. Not the quietest or easiest route.

When I am with him he ALWAYS picks the shittiest route imaginable... apparently he is a sadist too!

[Jelvis]

If it's a clam day no wind to speak of, then you know that cooler air at night til just after dawn goes down the hills. When the sun rises it warms up and reverses going up the hills.
So walk up ward early, and walk down at the end of the days.
Jel (No) Wind 2 speak of .. cooler air drops after sun down, and changes after one half hour after the sunrises.
Reverses by cooler to warmer, warmer to cooler in direction, downwards to upwards ..
Try to start climbing up in the fall really early before sun up and get up higher when light starts coming, then you have one half hour of light til the bucks get into hiding mode and go into the thicker stuff.

[nolimits]

If it's a clam day no wind to speak of, then you know that cooler air at night til just after dawn goes down the hills. When the sun rises it warms up and reverses going up the hills.
So walk up ward early, and walk down at the end of the days.
Jel (No) Wind 2 speak of .. cooler air drops after sun down, and changes after one half hour after the sunrises.
Reverses by cooler to warmer, warmer to cooler in direction, downwards to upwards ..
Try to start climbing up in the fall really early before sun up and get up higher when light starts coming, then you have one half hour of light til the bucks get into hiding mode and go into the thicker stuff.

I am having hard time getting all this.

[Jelvis]

Ok no problem, ah, if there is no wind and it is a calm day. Your scent would be carried up or down with the air currents caused by the temperature changing from cooler all night and warming up after sunrise.
Your scent in the wind if it's three miles an hour would travel at that speed, when no wind it changes by the Thermal weather related strictly to temperature variations = Thermal winds .. Vertical -- up and down ..

[hunter1947]

When you hunting members sit around your campfires you must notice that the wind is always changing direction and you move to a different place to sit same thing while hunting in the bush..

[hunter1947]

When I hunt into the wind I find that mother nature never corporates with me she is always changing her wind directions ,the only thing that I can do is head on into the wind on the main direction it is blowing.

Many of times I get caught up in ravines when hunting and the wind will change directions on me and there is very little you can do about this I just keep going the direction the wind was blowing before getting caught up in the ravine and most times when I come out of the ravine the wind will be in my face once more..

[jtred]

If you are hunting with the wind at your back chances are you will never even know there was an animal there except for the occasional crashing through the underbrush sound(heard that more than a couple of times). If the wind is not in your favour it is a good idea to find another approach or simply try another area. Admittedly at times it is unavoidable and in these cases be sure to be paying very close attention off to your sides, there may not be anything in front of you(but still pay attention because the wind is fickle and sometimes animals for whatever reason just don't spook) but there is still always the possibility of game on your flanks.

[Jelvis]

If the wind is coming from behind you and going towards the deer, the deer will snort and run off with all the others it's with into the wind a bit then curl to the outside away from you via the trees that hide them as they move off.
You can hunt into the wind and the deer won't smell you but might hear you and or see you as they stand perfectly still.
It depends on how bad you want a deer, and how long you hunt for in time and distance. Cut across the wind or into it, on a slight angle or straight.
Deer will make a curl and come around you til they catch the wind coming from you.
Jel .. Move fairly slow and look deep into the bush and trees ..

[shed-hunter1]

you guys claim that scent elimator stuff doesnt work i started using it and had my best year ever was charged by a 170 ish buck etc and ended up getting my biggest buck to date it wont elimante all the scent etc but it sure helps

[Jelvis]

Cammo face paint and cammo clothes helps a lot, if you get real serious hunting deer and moose. It breaks the shine off and dulls it good. Standing still is good too. When you move go slow and stop every twenty yards and look around real good.

[proguide66]

you guys claim that scent elimator stuff doesnt work i started using it and had my best year ever was charged by a 170 ish buck etc and ended up getting my biggest buck to date it wont elimante all the scent etc but it sure helps
I'll bet every cent I own that day didnt have anything to do with your scent being un detected. 'Sometimes' shit happens out there. The right conditions , the right amount of rut ation ect some animals just put all caution aside and go for it.
Last fall I rattled up a buck and he came from directly down wind , stepped in my own foot prints I made 10 min earlier , my scent was nasty as well I had a pack on my back with left over buck blood from 4 days previous...wacked him at 20 yrds.
Another time we had a bull moose walking behind us and our pack horses thinking he was going to turn one of em into a cow....I could go on and on.
I'll bet anyone anything ( if we could prove it) that what happens while you are wearing some kind scent 'block' would STILL have happened with out it !..actually , I believe this so firmly I'd stake my life on the wager. Save your $$:mrgreen:

[Jelvis]

Hard to scent block burps, farts and breath. Not only that if you gas up your vehicle in the morning with your hunting attire on, the gas fumes in your clothes alone carry for miles.
Hunting is a science and a lot of luck, scent is good and bad it can scare another persons deer towards you running.
Jel .. It's a lot of fun to hunt on the ridges ..

[MattTse]

Just to add to the convo.... What are everyone's thoughts on smoking and hunting.

[f350ps]

Just to add to the convo.... What are everyone's thoughts on smoking and hunting.

I'm hooked on both, hope this helps! K

[Jelvis]

You can stop and smoke or move while smoking, it shows exactly where the wind direction is going. If the deer can smell your smoke it smells you.
Jel .. Holy smokes .. Light it, take a puff blow lightly in the air, watch the smoke drift then shift

[MattTse]

Ok I know we can't answer for deer, but do u think an animal will associate cigarette/green smoke with forest fires and run for the hills? Or with all the fumes from logging, they would be used to the smell of smoke and not really pay attention to it?

[hunter1947]

Smoke does not bother the animals I found out over my years hunting Many years there are slash fires and animals very close by doing there daley deeds..

[hunter1947]

I'll bet every cent I own that day didnt have anything to do with your scent being un detected. 'Sometimes' shit happens out there. The right conditions , the right amount of rut ation ect some animals just put all caution aside and go for it.
Last fall I rattled up a buck and he came from directly down wind , stepped in my own foot prints I made 10 min earlier , my scent was nasty as well I had a pack on my back with left over buck blood from 4 days previous...wacked him at 20 yrds.
Another time we had a bull moose walking behind us and our pack horses thinking he was going to turn one of em into a cow....I could go on and on.
I'll bet anyone anything ( if we could prove it) that what happens while you are wearing some kind scent 'block' would STILL have happened with out it !..actually , I believe this so firmly I'd stake my life on the wager. Save your $$:mrgreen:

Well said Steve I agree many times animals let there gard down when they are love sick..