Campfire Ground Blind

I think it depends on how big the woods are that you hunt in. On small tracks of land like where I hunt, you get one hundred acres of land that has small farms and houses, deer cross roads by these houses and farms to get to cornfield or other small pieces of woods. They smell wood smoke 7 months of the year.

I used to hunt on a cattle farm, the deer were in the barns and in the woods along with the deer, and I would hang my hunting gear in the barn with with the cows, best scent cover I ever used.

Deer know exactly where the scents they smell are coming from... when it is coming from a house or barn the smoke etc... makes sense and is not alarming... when it is coming from the middle of a 100 acre woodlot, it means "humans are in the woodlot..." IMO that is not what you want your quarry to detect. The best scent strategy, IMO, is less scent, not adding more scent to cover other scents... unless you are using native cedar or balsam (etc...) boughs or other foliage indiginous to the exact hunting locale to "descent" clothing and gear.
 
How much scent control did native Americans use? Still managed to feed their families

Thing is, though, there are no records as to how many starved or froze to death. An aside - given that they had no way to cut firewood, and no enclosed stoves, I have a sneaky feeling an awful lot didn't make it through winter, if they didn't go into some sort of hibernatoin. Just look at how much wood an open fire consumes. Now, picture that times the number of huts, X hours a say X 4 months a year. It would have taken a colossal amount of wood, and they could only use what they could basically gather. A stone axe would not have lasted to cut down trees, let alone cut them to manageable lengths. I'd also like to know how they were able to reduce 40 gallons of maple sap to syrup using no metal pots and firewood they could gather. Every time I've asked the quesitons, I was accused of racism, but no one was ever able to answer them. And I am truly curious. I have a sneaky feeling they would go into semi-hibernation in the winter months.
 
They lived in spots by lakes where they could fish,hunt. Game was more plentiful then. Long houses and Wikiups were used. There are places where there is a lot of firewood to gather. It was harsh conditions for sure. Some moved with the weather,migrating to warmer areas. Buffalo hides were used for warmth,Buffalo chips for fuel. Break longer pieces between trees. Sometimes burn longer logs until at a length usable for winter, pulled from fire,saved and piled. There are ways to process firewood without modern steel tools.
 
Thing is, though, there are no records as to how many starved or froze to death. An aside - given that they had no way to cut firewood, and no enclosed stoves, I have a sneaky feeling an awful lot didn't make it through winter, if they didn't go into some sort of hibernatoin. Just look at how much wood an open fire consumes. Now, picture that times the number of huts, X hours a say X 4 months a year. It would have taken a colossal amount of wood, and they could only use what they could basically gather. A stone axe would not have lasted to cut down trees, let alone cut them to manageable lengths. I'd also like to know how they were able to reduce 40 gallons of maple sap to syrup using no metal pots and firewood they could gather. Every time I've asked the quesitons, I was accused of racism, but no one was ever able to answer them. And I am truly curious. I have a sneaky feeling they would go into semi-hibernation in the winter months.

Good points Papa..
 
How much scent control did native Americans use? Still managed to feed their families

Diet Had a big part before natives had a natural Diet no Booz or McDonald's hambergers and fried foods plant had a big part in the hunting ceremonies Plants like devils club
Let face it Western Society has a horable diet and that crappy food make people stink
I know if I drink beer the night befor and go to work or hunting for that matter my boot will stink to high heaven to the point wear I can't stand them
 
They lived in spots by lakes where they could fish,hunt. Game was more plentiful then. Long houses and Wikiups were used. There are places where there is a lot of firewood to gather. It was harsh conditions for sure. Some moved with the weather,migrating to warmer areas. Buffalo hides were used for warmth,Buffalo chips for fuel. Break longer pieces between trees. Sometimes burn longer logs until at a length usable for winter, pulled from fire,saved and piled. There are ways to process firewood without modern steel tools.

True. This is all no secret and can be learned in an hour of searching.

Humans can't hibernate, slow down sure... there were probably days where they didn't leave the shelter.
 
They lived in spots by lakes where they could fish,hunt. Game was more plentiful then. Long houses and Wikiups were used. There are places where there is a lot of firewood to gather. It was harsh conditions for sure. Some moved with the weather,migrating to warmer areas. Buffalo hides were used for warmth,Buffalo chips for fuel. Break longer pieces between trees. Sometimes burn longer logs until at a length usable for winter, pulled from fire,saved and piled. There are ways to process firewood without modern steel tools.

Actually, not sure that game was more plentiful then. Deer numbers, definitely, were much lower than they are now. As far as dead trees, etc., I'd suggest going into the bush and building a fire just with whatever wood you can gather (dead wood, branches, etc.) and see how long even a smallish fire lasts. Now multiply that by 24 hours a day. I did it. That's what prompted my question. I know we can't hibernate like some anim als, but I'm sure there is the possibility of remaining idle/asleep for long periods. BTW, when I realized the fire thing is also when I started questioning the whole maple syrup thing.
 
True. This is all no secret and can be learned in an hour of searching.

Humans can't hibernate, slow down sure... there were probably days where they didn't leave the shelter.

All I can say is try it, and then imagine keeping such a fire going for months. I did, and there is no way I can see someone doing it. heck, I used to heat with wood, in NE Ontario. Using an airtight forced air furnace, in a moderately well insulated house, I burned through almost 40 cords of 16" birch a year. Again, I am not saying it's impossible to do, but I can't see it. I would love for someone to actually go out and document such a thing, and while they are at it, collect and boil down some maple syrup. I'm sure it would make a fantastic documentary and open a bunch of eyes.
 
Actually, not sure that game was more plentiful then. Deer numbers, definitely, were much lower than they are now. As far as dead trees, etc., I'd suggest going into the bush and building a fire just with whatever wood you can gather (dead wood, branches, etc.) and see how long even a smallish fire lasts. Now multiply that by 24 hours a day. I did it. That's what prompted my question. I know we can't hibernate like some anim als, but I'm sure there is the possibility of remaining idle/asleep for long periods. BTW, when I realized the fire thing is also when I started questioning the whole maple syrup thing.

You guys got it all wrong it a lot of work wen you have to do everything your salf ther was no sitting watching TV people were Bissy Frum sun up to sun down
evan in bad weather ther are traps to check firewood to gather
On the coast Hurricane winds ment food on the beach and every one would be gathering and still do but today we get to drive out to the beach and warm up in the truck
Old saying the table is set at low tide
 
We have one location where we use a ground blind and we always have a fire even when it is not cold, shot lots of dear from this spot over the years.
 
We have one location where we use a ground blind and we always have a fire even when it is not cold, shot lots of dear from this spot over the years.

I have never used fire at a bline but thinking about it mite help to stop deer from circling around you and keep them up wind
It may Evan force deer Down wind to stop and fore them to circl and walk upwind and into your shooting lane kind of like a deer trap

I mit give it a try wen I get back home just out of Curiosity
 
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