body smells

Thousand dollars (and then some) worth of camo: Boots, Pants, Jacket, Hat, Truck Seat Covers, Underwear, Socks, T-Shirt, Gloves, Gun Stock, Binoculars, and the list goes on ...

2 Dollar Orange vest that you can see for miles over all that camo: Priceless.

Personally, I wear jeans, jack shirt black rubber boots and a ball cap. Saw this years moose from over 2 KM away and got within 30 yards before we dropped him. Yes, both of us were wearing Blaze Orange Vests too.

Be quiet and try to stay down wind. If not, the game may spot you and take off. Then on to the next one.
 
Most of the folks who are claimimng that scent reduction isn't necessary are:
- rifle hunters
- haven't done it

I hunt with a longbow and I like to be 20 yards but I'll take 5 yards over 20 any day ;). Scent reduction works, notice I didn't say elimination because it's impossible to eliminate all of our scent. If you can reduce your scent by 30% it stands to reason that you can get 30% closer. I've observed elk that could smell me from about 100 yards, animals sense of smell is beyond anything that we can understand. The other thing about all of this scent reduction effort is...it can't hurt your chances one bit.
 
Most of the folks who are claimimng that scent reduction isn't necessary are:
- rifle hunters
- haven't done it

I hunt with a longbow and I like to be 20 yards but I'll take 5 yards over 20 any day ;). Scent reduction works, notice I didn't say elimination because it's impossible to eliminate all of our scent. If you can reduce your scent by 30% it stands to reason that you can get 30% closer. I've observed elk that could smell me from about 100 yards, animals sense of smell is beyond anything that we can understand. The other thing about all of this scent reduction effort is...it can't hurt your chances one bit.

And therein lies the rationalization for all superstitions.

Most of the folks who think scent control products work also think they are somehow "better" hunters. That too is often superstitious nonsense. The level of disdain for "rifle hunters" who "haven't done it" is elitist snobbery, and does nothing to improve credibility.
 
And therein lies the rationalization for all superstitions.

Most of the folks who think scent control products work also think they are somehow "better" hunters. That too is often superstitious nonsense. The level of disdain for "rifle hunters" who "haven't done it" is elitist snobbery, and does nothing to improve credibility.
It's not about hurting chances. It's about the cost and extra work for little to no return. We breath and sweat. We smell like humans. If the wind is in my favor scent does not travel up wind. Animals also seen curious about tobacco.
 
It ain't elitist snobbery its based on the fact that when I rifle hunt I do it from a couple hundred yards and my scent doesn't come into play, at all... I can for sure tell you that it comes into play at 20 yards :) and I'll tell you something else, when I vigorously practice scent control ( and I don't buy ANY commercial products for that) I can get closer and see more animals than when I don't. Don't buy into the hype of the gizmos, clothing and products for scent control as they are designed to part you from your money. Wash your clothes in unscented laundry soap then hang them outside in the sunshine and let nature do the rest.
 
What this thread illustrates is that we all have our own way to hunt and we do it in a way that feels good to ourselves even if it isn't everyone's cup of tea, it is still hunting.
For me, a good hunt starts with the hollow clack of the early morning's first empty beer can bouncing off the cold asphalt as I wheel into the local Timmies, grab some fat pills and a triple triple. Off to my favorite spot I go, v10 ford spewing CO2, flames, fear and attitude. Camo head to toe and all the latest stink eating clothing product money can buy. We talk in hushed voices as we drive the gravel roads waiting to blast the tasty deer that some poor sucker pushed out of the bush as he practices his ninja stalking skills. Yep I always get my fawn.
 
As the OP, me, hunts with a crossbow getting close is an issue. In November i can do black powder, I might need to practice that. And get some nice sabots too. Then smells won't be an issue that much.

What about taking #1 /2, does that scare off deer or wildlife?

I'm heading up North by Hudsons bay in a few weeks, how do differrent animals rest to human scents. Like bears and moose, are they as timid as deer?
 
Watch an animal walking crosswind to you and when they reach a certain point where they can smell you a little bit (dry little) they'll go into all sorts of contortions to get a better smell. When they take another step or two and really get a good whiff....they're gone. You can fool an animals eyes, and ears but they don't often in ignore their nose.
 
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Deer will smell you LONG before they see you, pending wind direction.

Suppose if you are walking 1/2 km away towards the animal this theory is flawed , but there are a many hunter beaten by the deer before they even know it.

They will watch ya until they smell ya.

Don't worry about smells, if deer panicked every time they smelled something "different" they would all die of nervous exhaustion. Movement is far and away more important, a feeding deer is always popping his head up to look around.

That being said, we've shot deer while walking down a trail smoking a cigarette, my buddy gets followed down the trail every year while carrying a bag of apples (that really freaks him out haha). Deer are weird, we've seen them kick turkeys to keep them away from feed. Deer do deer things.
 
any noise an animal is not used to will make them take notice. But, I once rode up to within 20 feet of a deer, got off, dug my camera out of my pack, and started taking pics. The flash was too much, and she left. You just never know what they will do.

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