Deer NOSES.......how to block or nullify them?????

Boeing · Dec 9, 2013

I was so proud that I cleared a 1 acre food plot next to my occasionally running stream. I then spotted the largest tree with high limbs where I could place a two man ladder stand. Guess what......the tree stand is on the NW edge of the little food plot. The PREVAILING WIND is from the NW. You guessed it.....While I have hundreds of great photos from my trail cam, I didn't see a single animal in two days of hunting in November.
OK, I get it, I STINK!!! So.....what is the suggestion from our hunting membership? MOVE the stand? USE SCENT BLOCKER? USE NOSE JAMMER....(anyone ever tried that stuff?) Suggestions PLEASE..........hanging a heavy 2 man stand is alot of work. thanks:dance1::dance1:

dusty3030 · Dec 9, 2013

Masking it won't help.
I wouldn't draw a correlation to scent / not seeing deer while you are there in just two days of hunting.

There have been some big temp changes back and forth that could have changed their patterns.
What was the moon phase when you were hunting?
Your trail cam - what time are you getting pics? Mostly at night?
Your ingress / egress. Are you walking across the plot to get there, riding your 4 wheeler in, anything you think could spook them?
Acorns / other mast crops - you could have a lot of pics when they haven't dropped yet, deer are spread out making the most of them before they are gone.

I chase these son's of guns pretty hard, and have for a long time. What I have found is there is not set rules, just best practices.
Good luck!

kevin37b · Dec 9, 2013

Kind of like fishing , they just weren't there . You will have days like that .

nybirdman · Dec 9, 2013

You can't fool their noses;I would move the stand.Have to go with the prevailing wind.

Gordon Gould · Dec 9, 2013

Sometimes the best hunting is with a south wind, especially when it is around feed.
Two days is not enough to tell you much.

1quik70 · Dec 9, 2013

All the products in the world are useless without hunting the wind. I wouldn't say wind is your issue for not seeing deer, they will continue their patterns until they get in your scent cone, and you can definitely see that take place! If you can shoot them before they are downwind you might be able to get by. If not, Move the stand, if there isn't a tree put a telephone pole in the ground! I have certain spots reserved for a climber when the wind is just right.

lockhaven · Dec 10, 2013

if legal in your state
Ozonics HR-200 Electronic Scent Eliminator-430938 - Gander Mountain

Gary Fowler · Dec 10, 2013

I am not a deer hunter but will relay a tale from my brother (he lives to hunt deer). He got some doe estrus scent to mask the human smell and put it on at his truck and was walking back into the woods to his stand. He kept hearing movement behind him but as it was still dark, he couldn't see what it was. As daylight approached, he found that he was being stalked by a large buck deer looking for love. The deer wasn't afraid of him and came in really close. He said he was afraid the buck was going to attack him. He learned his lesson about using scent, wait till you get settled to put it on. There is scent killer to put on your clothes and shoes that takes away the human scent which is about all you need for tracking in and out of your stand location. The doe in heat scent seems to work to attract the horny bucks.

tractorshopper · Dec 10, 2013

EverCalm. Deer herd scent stick. Kind of like a deodorant stick. You can wipe on bottom of boots or pant legs and on base of your tree or nearby trees. I have had much success seeing more deer much closer while using this. They don't come in on high alert when this is in the air.

Boeing · Dec 10, 2013

Thanks for the replies guys....I keep the camera up all year. Suprisingly MOST of the photos are in DAYLIGHT. from 0830 (consistent BEAR) 10-4PM multibles of deer 1-6 at a time. Granted MOST of the pix were spring and summer, they were getting scarcer as fall came into date. I guess the acorns and estrogin..... I don't cross the food plot but I do have to walk down the same tractor size trail to get to the NW side where the stand is. I think I will try to relocate that big,heavy stand. Then I would have to skirt along the edge of the food plot to get to the stand if it was on the SE side..............hmmmmm?