How to stay sent free around a fire
- Thread starter Hoopermat
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Southwind
New member
smoke smell is a natural occurring smell in the wild and I personally don't believe it bothers the animal and probably helps mask your human scent. Having said that, playing the wind in your favor is the best all around bet.
Chucknduck
Member
^^^this
noharleyyet
Well-known member
....wind, wind, and wind....and thermals.
I have wondered this myself. I know that the smoke smell is a more natural occurring scent, but I can't help but think that is does alert animals. I agree with noharleyyet - always pay attention to the wind. It will mess you up every time.
here is a great article about how trying to stay scent free is a waste of time and how animals will still smell you no matter what. after reading this I vowed to never spend another dime on scent free sprays. I will however continue to use scent free soap, but it might just be the scent free tide instead of the expensive for hunting brands. playing the wind is the only way to stay undetected
http://www.fieldandstream.com/artic...ent-control-measures-really-make-a-difference
http://www.fieldandstream.com/artic...ent-control-measures-really-make-a-difference
ElkHunter11
New member
^^ Yep. The smoke helps mask the human scent and I believe the animals are used to smelling some smoke. The smoke on your person would not be enough to scare away any animals. But as others mentioned, play the wind and don't worry too much about the smoke on your clothes.
When asked, my tongue-in-cheek reply is, "None of these bulls seemed to worry about it."
Seriously, it is a mute issue, so long as you pay attention to the wind. All the scent control issues people worry about are moot when hunting elk in the mountains. You cannot get to elk ground, at least not the public lands I hunt, without getting lathered up on the way there. There are so many human odor issues of breath, perspiration, what is on our boots/clothes/packs/gear, that a natural odor like smoke is not going to make a bit of difference.
I get asked the question a lot, when people see us around a fire. If an elk hunter is not managing wind, it doesn't matter. Elk have a nose very close to a whitetail. You cannot fool an elk's nose. And you cannot stay odor free in the public lands where elk hide.
Seriously, it is a mute issue, so long as you pay attention to the wind. All the scent control issues people worry about are moot when hunting elk in the mountains. You cannot get to elk ground, at least not the public lands I hunt, without getting lathered up on the way there. There are so many human odor issues of breath, perspiration, what is on our boots/clothes/packs/gear, that a natural odor like smoke is not going to make a bit of difference.
I get asked the question a lot, when people see us around a fire. If an elk hunter is not managing wind, it doesn't matter. Elk have a nose very close to a whitetail. You cannot fool an elk's nose. And you cannot stay odor free in the public lands where elk hide.
Rancho Loco
Well-known member
I've seen deer and elk walk into burns while the stumps were still smoking. They don't care about smoke..
Well said. To me it becomes more about staying in position on point. Without the fire you stop hunting. Can't kill a bull sitting in the cabin. While not ideal, play the wind right on the approach and you can kill a bull stinking like we all do.
Gerald Martin
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2009
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Scent control is a snake oil concept invented by scent control companies to get you to buy product. If the wind is blowing toward the elk he will smell you. If the wind is not blowing toward the elk he will not smell you. I used to try to mask/eliminate my scent with various products and methods. Today, regular laundry soap without UV brighteners works just fine, I build fires when I want to and wear the same clothes for days at a time when I'm camping. Success rates are the same or better than when I was scent conscious...
D
Deleted member 20812
Guest
Agree with many of the above posts. I worry a LOT more about the wind than I do trying to maintain any façade of being scent free. My ass stinks so bad after four or five days that I doubt any smoke scent is going to make things less repugnant.
WildWill
Well-known member
Native Americans would actually take smoke baths in sage,cedar, juniper, etc before hunting to cover there scent.
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