Scents or no scents

[Mark Z]

Wind is king, we all know that, but does wearing elk scent really make a difference when the wind does that last second shift?

 

[Bullhunter]

Im not sure but it gives me a slight confidence that it will work.  I usually put a wafer on my hat and one on my boot.  Something ive always done.  Whether it works or not im not sure cuz ive always wore it.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

In my opinion, no. However I have been wrong before.

 

[Stealth1id]

IMHO no it does not help. Keep the wind in your face. I have tried alot of scents and I do not feel that they have ever come close to beating an elk or deers senses. My success percentage went up dramatically when I quit using scents. I found I was banking on the scent to cover my mistakes and I dont believe they ever did.

 

[MT_mulies]

I don't think it helps either. I have never worn anything scented and have had elk all around me. I think it is all about the wind. This year I had the wind blowing in my face and a cowwalked to within 4 feet of me. I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA GET MAULED! haha she didn't spook till I moved every so slightly when she was looking the other way.

 

[Fullabull]

I have never really tried hunting without some kind of cover scent. I think the most important thing is to always use to wind or thermals to you favor. I think even with cover scents on, if the wind is wrong....your busted!

 

[Alder]

Maybe it buys you something once in a while, but if your body smells it doesn't matter - they can smell you. Elk anatomy isn't like humans - when we smell a mixed scent our brain processes it as one aroma, but elk process each scent independently - so while they will smell the elk scent - they will also smell you, you can't "cover up" your scent.


So maybe they smell it and get interested despite smelling us, so I would bet it doesn't hurt, and maybe gets you those few extra seconds or minute that gets you the shot.

 

[radmansciteach]

Used to use cover scents...may have worked before the first sweat beads roll out BUT hiking into our spots 3 miles in it wouldn't help, just mixed human scent with wafer smells.  Needless to say I don't use em at all now.  be disciplined, play the wind.

 

[lavacrawler]

I kept my hunting clothing in a tote filled with a wafer and some elk piss cotton balls for the last couple seasons and from my experience all it really did was keep the wife away from me and make my food taste funny. I'm not sure if it "hurts" anything but as I learned this year is if the wind turns you're getting busted weather yer covered in elk piss or g-ma's perfume.

 

[HabuHunter]

Seems like I always pack around some of the Elk cow in heat gel.  I use it more as the hunt moves along (as my stink increases)...  However this past season I was moving in on a bedded herd for the evening games, and had to wait for several hours.  I put a bunch of that cow in heat gel on some toilet tissue because I had a really good wind moving to where I hoped the herd was not bedded.  About 20mins after putting that stuff out, I had a raghorn, a spike and a cow come right into me.  I was able to watch them coming and there was no doubt they were following their nose right to that tissue as they approached.  I don't think it can hurt at all depending on the cover scent used.
Although nothing beats the real deal so I always try to get a little on me when ever I find fresh urine or poo on the trail.

 

[wapiti_will]

won't save you when the wind isn't in your favor.  but i do apply quite a bit to my boots in the hopes that a bull might get enticed to follow my tracks after I've hauled ass up the mountain to get ahead of him and into a position that is more favorable.

 

[turbo1967]

I still have to go with a not for me,Im a firm believer that the elk in the area know there scent like a cow can pick out the smell of her calf in a herd of hundreds,I think a bull knows the scent of all the other bulls in the area.most are related brothers,dads and sons and the have been together all year till the rut when they split up.scent from a bottle I think is just going to throw up a flag for them.Just my opinion.

 

[Eagle1]

I like a multi vitamin called sportsmans edge. It helps reduce body odor along with aiding in several other areas. I have found it is cheapest from Robinson outdoors, but is still $22 for a bottle.

 

[Big Tex]

I hope not becasue I don't have room in my pack to carry anything else up to camp...and after a few days of hard hunting without a shower I'd likely need the whole bottle to cover the natual scent I've developed.

 

[MTbowhunter1984]

I don't think it works 100% of the time but i use it quite often to help mask scent the best i can.  I figure its worth using.  I definitely wouldn't say it has raised my odds but as stated before rely on the wind.

 

[nclonghunter]

My 2 cents......If you are using it to COVER your scent, then I would say that is a losing battle. They will smell the scent and YOU and the peanut butter sandwich in your pack. They can smell different smells, it's not just one scent.

Now, I would say that the scent of an estrus cow, that is not mixed in with human scent, and is hanging away from you could bring in an elk.

Look how much trouble a fur trapper goes to, to prevent a fox from smelling the human scent, but they use "bait" scents in and around the trap. You just cant have both in the same place or air current.

One trick I do when in a deer stand hunting deer is to use the cord that I pull my gear up the tree with, is to lower down a canister with cotton and deer scent. It puts it on the ground level, away from my scent high in the tree. I can occasionally pull it up and freshen the scent if needed. I do not expect it to cover my scent, just to attract deer.  I do not carry it elk hunting because I move around so much and I am usually on the ground, so the wind is what I use.

 

[farmboy]

I've tried plenty of scents and as far as I can tell they mainly just keep me from smelling anything else.  I quit using them because if I'm getting close to elk in the thick stuff, my nose will often times alert me to their presence without giving away my position with calls.  I would rather have that ability than try to cover my own scent which I'm pretty sure is impossible as soon as the temperature rises...even with my superior physical conditioning.

 

[jls456]

I use nothing.

 

[Wallow]

It's already been said but keep the wind in your face.  I have used products like Dead Down Wind for a few years but if the wind swirls, game over.  If you are going to use a scent, use something natural like Anise Extract. Smells like licorice.  Elk don't seem to mind it as much.  I sometime will soak a piece of TP with some extract and keep it in my shirt.  Smells better than an elk urine wafer hanging on your hat. :-[

 

[eric bailey]

What about campfires?  I am planning my first backcountry hunt for this fall.  I am not planning on having a fire.  I hate the way I smell after hanging around a campfire.  I assume elk would feel the same way about it.  But, I don't want to freeze my a$$ off for no reason either.