How good are they ?

[Gkalk]

We all know an elk will bust you a long way off if the wind isn't right, and thermals are just as important.
Realizing there is no absolute, wanted to get some thoughts on how far is far enough, i.e
'safe' - if there is such a thing. What is you experience on when thermals disperse and become a non-factor.
Again guys/gals, Wind is key, keeping it your favor is a must... but just curious if anyone had any thoughts.

 

[SilverDollars]

One summer in Red River N.M., we had elk scent us at least 3/4 of a mile downwind in a valley. After a topping a finger ridge, we were watching the small herd through binoculars and one of the guys asked if anyone thought they would smell us. At that time, they took off and were gone! Yep, they got our odor!!!

 

[esracerx]

I smelled a guy smoking 1/2 mile away. Granted cigarettes are damn pungent, but I suppose we are as well to the animals. Really depends on geography. Sometimes you're in a draw and those thermals go right up/down however long that draw is.

 

[belly-deep]

I have elk wind me from at least 1/2 if not 3/4 of a mile. Basically, you just can't get upwind of them. Period.

 

[Redman]

Believe it or not I could smell a couple guys coming down a trail. It was the last day of my hunt and heading heading home the next morning. I don't know if smelling pine and fresh mountain air for the past 8 days had honed my sense of smell, but I smelled slight BO in the air and then heard voices. Pretty soon there they were coming down the trail. Needless to say all the elk in the area moved out, didn't hear one chirp or bugle the rest of the hunt. Packed out in dark that night and walked right by their camp, they were loud, had a huge blazing fire, and set up camp right by a creek in a good valley that holds elk. Something tells me they went home empty handed..