Thread: Scent control.

Don't worry even the best hunters get screwed by the wind on occasions, work out which way it is predominantly blowing & plan your hunt into it, this is easier to do in open country, in the bush with undulating terrain you will sometimes get back eddies, I just move thru those spots quickly until I'm back into wind, remember those back eddies won't blow your scent to far before the prevailing wind blows it back.

Ok Elliot here's a couple of tips for you. Bush hunting is about upping the percentages, don't waste time in areas with no sign, thick shit, bad wind, etc hunt thru them quickly until you get to the good areas, that's good feed areas, fresh sign, gulley heads, nice flats, sunny faces, etc then SLOW right down & use your eyes a lot, have your rifle in your hands not slung, if you can stop beside a tree, this does two things, breaks your outline up & gives you a good rest for your rifle if a deer walks out. Look where you are going to move to next so you can be eyes up while you do it, good luck

keep persevering chap you will get there , climb until you find sign and then sidle around at that elevation with the wind in you're face and eventually hopefully you will bump into one.
wind moves differently between gullies and up on the ridges , I read a good article in the nzhunter mag that explained it quite well (although if im honest I will say it still baffles the shit out of me at times when its swirling!)
Good luck mate and remember id you're target beyond all doubt , after all its just a bit of meat compared to taking someone's life and ruining a heap of other peoples.
Chur

Never have a sling on a rifle while travelling or hunting, lives in a belt pouch and comes out if carrying game.

Originally Posted by SlowElliot

piss take?
Scent elimination
Cover scents
And even lure scents
Both diy and shop bought seem to be a much discussed topic around the Internet.
As a newbie hunter I thought it a legitimate question to ask what you guys do in terms of this.
Thanks to forum members input I've learned that I'm wasting my time.
But hey baking soda is cheap and does absorb oders. Now I know better I won't bother anymore.

I'm always trying to hunt into the wind but fact is sometimes you will get a gust of wind from behind.

I'll probably ask many more stupid questions but I make no apologies.
I want to learn as much as I can from these forums.
Hopefully one day I can pass on what learn.

You are one of the few who will admit that "they don't know it all" when starting out. A little tip, at the moment seeing deer in the first hour after daybreak, when if it's a good day the wind drift is minimal and more constant When you find good sign try and get to the area as early as possible, good luck, we all need it.

Originally Posted by SlowElliot

Yeah I'm pretty green. Yet to shoot anything in the bush other than a few wallibies.
Been trying to get a deer for a year now.
I think you right I'm overthinking it and been watching too many whitetail bowhunters on YouTube.

I do my best to hunt into the wind. But I don't find it as easy as people make it sound.
I've been out this morning and I swear the breeze changed direction every 60 seconds.

Thanks for your input everyone.

The dumbest question is the one never asked.
Good luck hunting

Once again our forum demonstrates what good bastards we are. A ton of good basic advise and encouragement there!

Si

some good advice here for a newbie.
One thing I do is stop and listen for a minute or so then move on. I have shot a few deer (and one pig ) by hearing them first, then stalking in.
Always identify your target also! Pretty easy to get excited on getting close to a deer. Let the excitement happen after the deer is on the ground.

Just to put a nail in the coffin of scent control.... Was out last night with stinky top from the previous unsuccessful hunt, nice perfuming pants from the washing machine sitting up a tree for a few hours. Saw 2 deer at 50m, wind was swirling all over the bloody show. First one saw me move to grab the rifle, second one caught a 150gr pill behind it shoilder

Thanks. Some good tips there.
About a month ago I did spook a fine looking stag. He ran up the bank and stopped to look back.
I had my sights on him but didn't take the shot because he was right up the top of the bank and I didn't think it was a safe shot.
He didnt hang around long but i Don't think he saw me.
Other than that I've spooked 3 hinds(that I saw). One was about an hour before first light, she seemed stunned by my headlamp for a moment then gone, naturally my rifle wasn't even loaded at that time of day.
The other 2 where just to quick.

Originally Posted by 223nut

Just to put a nail in the coffin of scent control.... Was out last night with stinky top from the previous unsuccessful hunt, nice perfuming pants from the washing machine sitting up a tree for a few hours. Saw 2 deer at 50m, wind was swirling all over the bloody show. First one saw me move to grab the rifle, second one caught a 150gr pill behind it shoilder

Nice work☺

I met a US Parks ranger that used some special scent on a poaching stake out and spent all night with boars showing up and trying to root him. In the Okefenokee Swamp no less.

He musta been using Chanel's Eau d'SowF@nny

I started out with scent control and UV killers. Never got anywhere then eventually started hunting smarter after getting a few lessons from an experienced hunter.
Not everyone is fortunate to have a father etc who can show you the ropes from an early age.
You are doing the right thing resulting in close encounters so only a matter of time. Someone taking you under their wing will help refine what you have been reading. But it doesn't stop when you pull the trigger. Learning how to butcher and look after the meat is just as important as is tracking a wounded deer you are morally responsible for ending its misery

You are almost there. Take up some of the offers and go to the next level

Originally Posted by SlowElliot

piss take?
Scent elimination
Cover scents
And even lure scents
Both diy and shop bought seem to be a much discussed topic around the Internet.
As a newbie hunter I thought it a legitimate question to ask what you guys do in terms of this.
Thanks to forum members input I've learned that I'm wasting my time.
But hey baking soda is cheap and does absorb oders. Now I know better I won't bother anymore.

I'm always trying to hunt into the wind but fact is sometimes you will get a gust of wind from behind.

I'll probably ask many more stupid questions but I make no apologies.
I want to learn as much as I can from these forums.
Hopefully one day I can pass on what learn.

Sorry mate I wasn't meaning to belittle you.
I should have put more thought into reply .
Listen what I was meaning is don't put so much time into getting rid of your scent if u are going to be stalking.
While walking you are going to sweat.
If you sweat you stink no matter what you wear or put on to mask it.
The Yanks sell lots of this junk but if you look into it while a lot of guys do bush hunt there is a big number that sit up in tree stands or blinds all day and there may be hunters dotted around in same area in large numbers and they will cover themselves with all sorts of crap.
For sure don't put your fav body spray on before hunting and don't go walking thru your prime spots and leave scent everywhere.
Try to get to know a area that has deer sign .
sometimes you have to pull up when seeing a deer or a heap of sign and make a plan to come back when wind is right, right time of day or come at it from a different direction to get a better look in from afar.
Study topo map of area.
Thanks

I was out a couple of days ago walked through some clearings for a quick look as I intended to head else where but decided the wind was no good so walked through the clearings again to a bit of a vantage point & waited glassing other areas to my surprise 2 walked out on the clearing I had walked through twice...they didn't get quite so far as to get to the ground I actually walked over but they were only 30 meters from that I watched them for a while as they got closer to where I had walked to see if they reacted , in the end I decided if walked 50 meters closer & they were silly enough to still be standing there I would shoot 1 that I took to be a yearling ...I got got 5 meters gone.