How to "Beat" a Deer's Nose

Camera — A whitetail has an incredible sense of smell. Do what you can to overcome it.

Almost always, prey animals have better noses than predators. When it comes to our interpretation of a whitetail’s sense of smell, there is always some level of assumption because we can’t talk to deer. So, how to “beat” a deer’s nose, you ask?

I believe scent control can help the whitetail hunter. Is it 100-percent effective? No — it doesn’t matter what product you are using. Can you reduce your unwanted scent? Yes. If you have done everything you can to reduce the amount of foreign odor molecules on your gear and yourself, there is some threshold where you will be able to get away with more. Maybe it means a deer will think you are 200 yards away from them instead of 30 yards away.

Scent control is a pain. It doesn’t take minutes — it takes hours. It is a lot of work, but it is worth it. I want to reduce my odor through whatever hygiene or equipment care methods I can.

How to Hunt Fringe Winds (A.K.A. Just-Off Winds)

I use products for personal hygiene and my clothing. These products are based on enzymes, which allow them to control a very broad spectrum of odors. Different enzymes will attack different bacteria. Enzymes don’t just kill bacteria and let them rot, which causes odor. Instead, they will break apart bacteria, disassembling them in such a way that they don’t cause any odor. Certain enzymes will also tackle hydrocarbons, or the compounds that make up petroleum smells and other common odors that hunters will encounter on their way to go hunting. Enzymes are also totally safe for your skin, and only are programmed to kill the harmful bacteria that create odor.

That said, cover scent is a bit overrated, because cover scents simply don’t work. People often think like people — not our quarry. Think about it this way: We might smell skunk in a skunk cover scent, but a deer will smell all the chemical compounds in that scent. In my opinion, spraying a synthetic cover scent on your clothing is pointless, and it is even likely to heighten a deer’s caution because it is a foreign odor to them.

Hanging Treestands Properly

Very few whitetail hunters seem to talk about the approach to their treestands. My success significantly improved when I started paying more attention to my entrances and exits to and from my treestands. You need to do everything in your power to avoid being detected by whitetails, and this means analyzing your every move as you navigate around your setups.

If you are hunting where you see the maximum amount of tracks, scat or other deer sign, you are in the wrong spot. Why? Most of the time deer move at night, and deer move most where they are most comfortable. Therefore, I set most of my stands on the fringe of comfort zones. Because of this, I can only hunt 5% of my property. Some people think it’s crazy, but I would rather effectively hunt 5% of my property than waste my time hunting in areas where I will be busted.

Deer Sense Of Smell 5 — A well-placed mock scrape can stop, or even turn, a buck.

Using Mock Scrapes

I love mock scrapes. To me, that fresh dirt smell is just as important as urine. Young bucks are almost always more likely to be curious about certain things — such as urine — than mature bucks that have more environmental experience.

Urine breaks down very quickly. When a buck crosses a sexually receptive doe’s trail, he always travels the same direction that the doe went. He does this because every step the doe takes will leave a trace of her urine that is fresher than the last.

Product Highlight: Buck Bomb Scrape Kit Plus with Scent Hammock

The Buck Bomb Scrape Kit Plus includes one (1) 4-oz. bottle of Buck Bomb Synthetic Scrape Generator liquid scent, one (1) 4-oz. bottle of Buck Bomb Synthetic Forehead Gland liquid scent, two (2) Scent Wicks and the Scent Hammock, which can be used with any Buck Bomb 4-oz. liquid scent. Simply hang the soft rubber Scent Hammock from a tree limb with the Synthetic Scrape Generator 4-oz. scent inserted, and loosen the cap of the bottle to release the scent at the desired pace to drip on the ground.

Use the Forehead Gland scent with the Scent Wicks on the tree limb above the scrape. Use this system to freshen a scrape or apply scent to any area while you are away. The Scent Hammock is hunter orange for easy visibilty to the hunter and act as a yardage marker.

Includes:

(1) Buck Bomb Synthetic Scrape Generator 4oz Liquid Scent
(1) Buck Bomb 4oz Forehead Gland Liquid Scent
(2) Scent Wicks
(1) Scent Hammock

15 Best Strategies for Hunting Big Deer (With HuntStand Pro Whitetail)

Editor’s Note: This was originally published September 5, 2015. Dr. Grant Woods is a veteran wildlife biologist, land manager and expert whitetail hunter. Dr. Woods is also host of GrowingDeer.TV—a free weekly online video series focused on whitetail management and hunting.

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