Elk hunting in heavy smoke

[Jakec20]

As is most the west the area I hunt is super Smokey this year.  I have had several people make the comment that this will be good for elk hunting because they can’t smell you. In years past when I have hunted in smoke the elk has seemed very skittish and uneasy. I don’t know if it was due to the smoke and one of their senses not working well or if it was a coincidence. Anyone have any past experience with hunting in heavy smoke?

 

[GameSlayer]

2-3 years ago I hunted in heavy smoke and thought it helped. One encounter they should have smelled us and didn't, but if you're in an open unit glassing is impossible..
I'd rather not have the smoke though..

 

[billsansom]

I'll take a rainy damp - quiet - day over smoke, anytime.  I'm not as worried about the elk smelling me as I am worried that all that smokey air will wipe out my breathing (I have one lung due to a gunshot wound taking out my other one) so I need clean air....or a respirator.

 

[Elkoholic87]

I've hunted in heavy smoke and it's not ideal. Yes, the smoke acts as an odor repellant, but to me, it was not worth the damage to my lungs. The fires ended up putting as at a disadvantage because some units close to where we were hunting were shutdown and we thought that was where a lot of the elk moved to.


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[Chad Bell]

I hope the fires/smoke dissipate as I am headed west for the first time and I really want to be able to experience the mountains for what they really are and have a shot at tagging an elk/mule deer.

 

[NJDiverDan]

Cant really say if it's a plus or minus.  Seems like the benefits counter the issues.  I am just going to not worry about it and hunt.

 

[K9Kodi]

I will say this much, I work a Police dog for a living and I am a K9 trainer.  I train a lot of scent work.  I will use dogs as an example.  People feel they can hide the smell of drugs or explosives.  Its daily seen that people put drugs inside tubs of peanut butter, or in coffee grounds, in meat packages, nothing works.  The dog only smells peanut butter and drugs.  So do I think smoke will eliminate human scent, absolutely not, do I think smoke will mask some of it, absolutely.  When the elk does smell you, they will only smell smoke and humans, the more smoke, the less human

 

[bowhunter]

The smoke just makes it hard to see and breath.  Sleeping was never good in the smoke.