The Eberhart Experiment

[rogerthat]

3rd sit of the year was based off last years sign. It was a big scrape line I found offseason scouting. It was one hell of a hike to get into but I devised a plan to use my stone glacier sky 5900 to get myself and gear in rubber dry bags within a half mile and than change into the scentlok suit and ghost to the tree where I would be up 25’ in a big tree rope climbing preset setup at dawn overlooking the scrape line. It was raining lightly with a heavy fog. Everything went as planned getting in.

As I was putting my release on it was very dim but I could see a little distance and I believe it was past shooting light. I looked up and over to my right and in the opposite direction than I had expected was my target buck at 30 yards staring at me. I froze and after a minute he tail flicked and headed for the scrape right under me. Sweet! I got ready to shoot but my wind was blowing right down to the scrape. He never showed. I assume I got winded or maybe he just wandered off? I don’t know for sure. The rest of the morning was pretty boring with one other doe at 100 yards. Wind was swirly as usual but she definitely didnt catch my wind.

One thing I am finding that is really challenging is keeping climbing and hunting accessories scent free. The 80’ rope I used to climb had been riding around in my pickup for a month and I overlooked washing that preseason. It’s likely it stunk but I can’t say for sure that I got winded by the buck.

 

[Pucky Freak]

some scent control tactics can’t hurt.

Take all the time you’d spend on scent control and do something actually useful. The worst advice for new deer hunters is giving any hint that your clothes matter.

I hunted all day Saturday and saw maybe 7 bucks, passed on 3. Plus does and fawns. Outfit was black snowboarding pants and a blue jacket. Hunting on the the ground, in the open, with a bow. Religiously worked the wind - I had zero deer wind me. One doe saw me at 20 yards and acted alarmed for a bit but eventually relaxed and started feeding. I stayed statue still.

I spent two decades believing marketing BS about camo and scent control before coming on HT and learning it was all just marketing hype. Much thanks to some wise HT’ers motivating me to ditch camo and scent control and actually learn how air moves scent, and how to manipulate backdrops and shadows to make you basically invisible to deer.

 

[Pucky Freak]

This guy acted bored. The much bigger buck I was targeting busted me when I stood up to stretch

 

[Greybeard]

they can smell your breath.

That's where estrus doe scented chewing gum comes in handy! Mmmm, mmmm good too!

 

[DFS]

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[BenP]

Grease and oil or any other scent associated with tractors and equipment work great to attract deer it seems around here. I used to worry about scent control and would have deer bust me. Anytime I would just go hunt after working and they didn't pay no mind.

The deer I killed this year was looking at me as I walked through the woods with the wind blowing right to him. He didn't care til he was hit with a slug.

I have learned deer around here are used to human scent. I was walking down the field one night to look at the river and I started to smell laundry detergent. I was confused at first but then noticed the wind direction was in line with one of the houses. When I came back up they were washing and drying clothes and that smell was going all back in the field and woods where the deer live. So it's normal to them.

Obviously if you hunting an area not close to people like that then they won't be used to the scent and might be alarmed by it.