August-September 2020 • Nebraskaland 23
smell a freshly baked cake. Deer smell eggs, flour, sugar,
butter and milk.
There are hundreds of products marketed to deer hunters
that promise to control, contain or eliminate scent. I've
seen everything from scent-absorbing clothing to pills that
promise to eliminate human odor completely. I've tried a few
of these products, and truth be told, no matter how hard we
try, we can never eliminate our scent. While there's nothing
wrong with using sprays, soaps and special clothing, the
best scent-elimination techniques don't come from a store.
Getting in the habit of scent control makes you a better
hunter, not just because you leave less scent behind, but
because it gets you thinking about the way deer experience
the world — through their nose.
After many days in a tree stand, I have found a scent-
control routine that works for me. Some hunters will think
it's overkill. Others will think I don't go far enough. I'll be
the first to admit that I still get busted by downwind deer.
However, their initial reaction to encountering my scent
is often confusion, as if they're not sure what they smell,
where the smell is coming from or how far away it is. This
confusion gives me extra time before they bolt, and I also
believe deer must be closer to me before they realize what's
going on. Going through the effort of scent prevention gives
me extra time with a deer in range — effort well spent in
my opinion. The extra time is often the difference between
releasing an arrow and watching a whitetail bound into the
distance.
The author doesn't put on his hunting clothes until he arrives at his hunting location to avoid picking up
scent from his vehicle on the drive.
