I stink

[deadeye]

Well, at least to the deer I've seen.  Maybe it's just dumb luck but so far this year I've gone out bow hunting two times with the same results.  Snorting deer!  Last Sunday morning a doe and fawn walked past at 30 yards.  When she go in my air stream, she blew and walked away.  Last evening winds were calm and shifting.  One deer approached from the south, scented me, blew a few times and hopped away.  Later I hear a lot of blowing to the east and saw two tails leaving the area.  I guess it's just the way it goes, deer aproach from the down wind side.  However, there is no reason they wouldn't come from up wind.  Go figure. 

[glenn57]

join the crowd, your not the only one that happens to. sometimes ya wonder how they do it! still a long season though!

[Sew Sille]

Last nite my buddy was on a stand on my land and had 6 deer around him. close and not one knew he was there? He texted me to drive out and chase the away so they wouldnt bust him. Doe and 2 fawns, 3 litttle bucks. The little bucks were sparing back and forth for over 1 hour.  I got 3 pictures of these 3 bucks sparing on my game camera. We have seen 6 difernt bucks. all little, no shooters on the camera yet. hope the neighbors dont shoot them all. The funny thing is they are all but  1 odd points, 2 spike one side and fork the other,12' or more tall.3 with 3 on one side 2 on the other, 1 with basket 8, 1 with tall small 8.

[MTCOMMER]

I had that happen to me as well - the first deer of the season came by at about 20 yards and knew something wasnt quite right, and snorted and ran off.  Then about 3 minutes later, another doe came walking the same path and didnt care that just minutes ago another deer was giving the warning call in that same location.  She seemed a little uneasy, but didnt spook and just walked around.
Then I had 2 small bucks (both 4pointers) come the same path, also didnt spook, and stayed around my stand for about 15 minutes, eating, playing, etc.  If that becomes a trend, the does run off and the bucks stick around by my stand, I WONT MIND!

Sometimes I wonder if its just individual deer that see you as more of a threat.    

[lentz]

like some people are more flinchy then others

[dakids]

MT, was the first deer a mature doe?  She might have been more mature and therefor smarter.  The young bucks are just young and dumb, probably won't happen with a mature buck until maybe the peak of the rut if you are lucky. 

[deadeye]

I guess I will look at it as training.  I training the deer to NOT be alarmed by human scent.  I figure that after a few times of "scenting humans" and nothing bad happens, they will let down their guard and ....   

[dakids]

Deadeye, it might be that they already know your stink and they know that you have shot many of their close friends and relatives over the years

[glenn57]

I guess I will look at it as training.  I training the deer to NOT be alarmed by human scent.  I figure that after a few times of "scenting humans" and nothing bad happens, they will let down their guard and ....   

thats one way to look at it!!! thats gotta be what i'm doing to, cause it aint that i shot all there relatives!!!!!!

[stevejedlenski]

I used to have this happen all the time. #1 if your moving while there's "no deer around" that's much worse than scent. When in a tree all movements should be super slow-mo. Even moving your head. #2 I wash my clothes with a scent free no uv brightener soap and then it's into the woods to dry and then for the rest of the season. Also wash with a "scent killer" soap and then put on scent killer deodorant. Haven had a deer snort at me in 4 years except when they have seen me.

[jigglestick]

I guess I will look at it as training.  I training the deer to NOT be alarmed by human scent.  I figure that after a few times of "scenting humans" and nothing bad happens, they will let down their guard and ....   

good luck with that approach outside the rut.

[MTCOMMER]

MT, was the first deer a mature doe?  She might have been more mature and therefor smarter.  The young bucks are just young and dumb, probably won't happen with a mature buck until maybe the peak of the rut if you are lucky. 

Yep, you nailed it.  She was a mature one.  I figured that was the only explanation, shes been around long enough.
I wasnt too careful out there, just sprayed down, kinda went out on a whim - next time I will be a little more careful.   
Once it cools down, I will be hitting the woods alot more often!!! 

[deadeye]

My plan to get the deer accustom to human scent is working.  Thursday and Friday evening my son was in a stand not far from the "human scent training stand" and had several does around him for over an hour eating acorns.  They often were directly down wind but when they got his scent, the just looked and couldn't see him so continued eating acorns.  He didn't shoot any because he said "you can't just shoot the first one you see."   

Tip for current bow hunters, the deer are pounding the acorns now.

[MTCOMMER]

I have noticed they are eating the acorns too.  I have a stand in some oaks and they are all over.  My other stand on the other side of the woods doesnt have as many oaks and the deer dont seem to be there yet.
They are indeed scarfing down the acorns!!  Gettin them before the squirrels do.