Opinions Please!!!!!

Yesterday evening I was hunting, going after the big buck I have been battling with. I put out some scent wicks. The problem I think I have was with the scent wicks but I didn't realize it until after the hunt. I used these scent wicks when the rut was in full swing. I keep them in a plastic zip lock baggie. So, the last time I used them was about a month ago. I had a doe coming in down wind from the scent wicks. When she was 20 yards away from the wicks she abruptly stopped and started stomping. I think she smelled those wicks, which are probably rotten smelling, which unfortunately, before hand I didn't think about that and she and another doe, finally 10 minutes later started blowing then walked off. I think it was the bad smelling scent wicks that blew it. What do you all think?

could be, that or maybe winded you, or?? they just didn't like the fact a STRANGE deer was in there area
I gave up using scents a few yrs back and been happy with the $$ I save LOL
I had a LOT of mixed results over the yrs with scent, more times it seemed to work against me, than help me
SO I stopped using them
I work harder on scent control, than trying to add scent to an area when I hunt

I would agree she may have winded you as well as the scents you had out.
If your going to save your scents to reuse them I strongly suggest refrigerating them between hunts.
I also agree mobbed in that scents are not really all that beneficial (most times) not that they will never work, they will even work very well in certain situations but in my experience not with the extra hassle and money.
As far as does it rot... I dumped my pee bottle out the other day from before gun season and...dang! It didn't smell like that when I put it in the bottle.

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Mrbb not mobbed spell check

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IMO I would agree with both of you. Scent wicks that are covered in old scent, whether it be 2 weeks old or 2 months old, seem to not smell the same. But like mrbb said they could have winded you, maybe the wind just happened to be blowing in their direction and they got it at the right time. I personally don't like using scent wicks that have had the same scent on them for more than a few days, maybe just me. I have also switched to only using good quality scent when I use scent, I no longer use scent that has been sitting on store shelves for who knows how long. But I also don't use scent near as much as I use to, and like mrbb I have focused a lot on scent control for myself as well as my gear.

I also agree. I had used scents for many years. Last year I read an article written by a reputable professional hunter and he no longer uses scents. I decided to not use them this year and I did not notice much of a difference in sightings. I harvested a mature 11 point on Nov. 5th. One less thing to worry about. I just try to stay as scent free as possible and minimize movement while calling or rattling.

No scent for me I think the deer have a better clues what's going on around them than us and I try to keep as many foreign odors out of hunting area


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If you were using an estrous scent something to keep in mind is does (if they are not in estrous) don't want to be anywhere near another doe that is. Simply because they don't want to be chased all over God's creation. That could be one factor but what others have said about stale and old scent on the wick is likely the real culprit.

Very true holla


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I use only deer herd in a stick in all phases of the season. It's the only scent that I've seen deer don't mind it or don't go into alert mode. I've used it here in La and in Missouri and Ohio with the same results. Deer have even followed the trail I walk in on not alarmed downwind cause I put it on my boots. Shot one doe at 7yards. But I'm a scent control nut for taking care of human scent and other scents like fuel or smells from the car. I've been known to get dressed outside when it 20* just to not have camp smell on me. Scent free as possible # 1 all day is the best hunting tactic with the stick and string. These gun hunters don't follow the same rule but when your shooting deer at 200-300 yards I guess they can do what they want. My 2 cents

Used scent one year and it was the worst. Started smoking my clothes since I, and a good bit of my closest neighbors burn wood for heat. They are used to that smell around these parts. You can never get rid of all your scent but, by using scent kill on your boots it gives deer the illusion that you walked through hours earlier. False sense of security. By using scents and mock scrapes I truly believe it hurt more than helped.

radicalxl, I burn wood for heat and keep my hunting clothes an a "scent free" bag. I keep the bag in the basement with the wood stove. Plus I keep my boots close to the stove as well. It smells like wood smoke not human and that is a good thing. I have not had any issues getting winded. When I get made it is because of movement or accidentally smacking something off of my stand when getting ready.