Effect of leaving scent

[Upstate SC]

After walking through an area, is it “done” for the day because of leaving scent behind?

I will be hunting is the S.C. Appalachian Mountains this year and plan to do still hunting. If I walk up a creek drainage and then sit (with the wind in my face) overlooking where I walked, will I be shooting myself in the foot? I’m not sure if there is lingering human scent that will keep the deer away for an hour or a day.

 

[Netloss]

I read a study awhile ago that said a buck was alerted to human scent that was over a day old. Often times I will drag doe urine on a rag in going through an area where I think deer might cross my path.

 

[Fadetoblack188]

I never know what’s true. I’ve had bucks on my trail cams that night after walking in and checking them

 

[Texasbuckeye]

I had a particular experience last season where my mother in law walked into my hunting area late morning with a couple dogs, I am sure calling for the dogs while she was walking (though I don’t know for sure, but these dogs aren’t the best behaved in the field, one was just a 6-9 mo puppy which shocked me she even took him out for a walk off leash). I sat there that morning and had a really nice buck in front of me for a while I was hoping to have my son on later that day or the next morning.
After we saw her go through on camera, we scrapped the plan and my son just went home. Livid mad, after having grandma tell him she could do whatever she wanted (that’s a whole other issue which has since been dealt with and won’t happen again).
Anyway, I sat that stand that evening hunt just to see what came. Had some doe come in, but nothing about the big buck. He was becoming regular on camera and after that walk through we never saw him on camera again.
Coincidence? Don’t know for sure. I have filled feeders with my truck running and had doe come out that night. But i think it’s safe to say most older bucks don’t get older by following human scent.

 

[*zap*]

I try to not walk where I expect the deer to be moving.

 

[realunlucky]

I try to not walk where I expect the deer to be moving.

This is also a huge deal for me to travel where they don't otherwise they'll know something up.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

 

[HunterHawk]

Old mature bucks will not come back anytime soon when you leave sent. Young bucks dont know better usually. Old does will also be on edge and I swear they come around just to snort and blow and to find you and ruin your hunt.

The first time you hunt an area is your best chance at shooting a big buck you know is in the area.

 

[180splitg3]

I think we spent 1/3 of our pre-season preparation time making back door trails into our stands to try to stay off the areas deer use. I agree with the statements above that mature deer do not like coming across human scent. In the mountains it is probably a little different but I think the older bucks still won't like coming across human scent...

 

[Rich M]

Figure out how to hunt/watch where you haven't walked. They get touchy about scent.

 

[SIontheHunt]

Deer can get really educated in high pressured areas and if theyve put it together that human scent means stay hidden. If hes smelled you before and you spooked him from your stand they learn to be cautious when approaching the area. But deer can tell is and was. Think about all of the coyotes running around. they leave scent everywhere and if they were bothered by every spot that smelled of coyote they would have learned to climb trees. I feel part of the phenomenon is that you can identify a big buck and does all look about the same. How often are you really seeing any 1 deer? but take it with a grain of salt coming from me. I also hunt SC and we get a healthy stack of doe tags... i don't do a whole lot of waiting to heat up a barrel.

 

[BlueMoose]

I watched my target buck last year lock up on my scent trail when he came from a direction I wasn't expecting. He was even following does around (mid Rut) and went stone cold when he hit my scent. Approx 3 hours after I had walked through. I had chased him all during early bow season but switched to rifle so it ended up not mattering too much . He stood over my trail for along time. I'm not sure what his ultimate decision would have been since I busted him with his head stuck to the ground.

 

[Fadetoblack188]

They say rubber boots are the best. But rubber boots stink like rubber. Are they only afraid of human scent and not rubber sent? I don’t get it.

I just started spraying the bottoms of my rubber boots with the earth scent , scent away

 

[Drenalin]

Like others have said, try not to walk where you expect deer to be. Move slow, and try to move either into the wind or with the wind on your cheek so you don't have to cross the best sign to hunt it. And pay attention to thermals.

 

[*zap*]

^Thermals are very important as is when in 'new' territory never go farther in than you will hunt/set up or never go in and back out a bit to set up. As Drenalin advises 'going slow' can help you avoid this just because you will be more observant and can stop before you go that 20 yards too deep.