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Thread: Acclimating the deer to human scent?

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  1. #1
    Senior Member Genesis 9:3's Avatar
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    Question Acclimating the deer to human scent?

    Do you guys have any thoughts on acclimating the deer to human scent? The thought is that I can spend all sorts of effort making sure I use cover scent, washing my clothes, etc… and they might still smell me and get spooked. On the other hand, I can take an old shirt, get nasty and sweaty in it, and put it out in the woods near where I want to hang my stand… then just leave it there.

    I see two potential outcomes… the first is that they smell that smell every time they come through and get used to it… no big deal. The other option is they get freaked out and never come back. I would compare it to putting a dummy up in a tree stand… I could swear I read about that somewhere on here!
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  2. #2
    Senior Member mrbb's Avatar
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    I agree the two outcomes can happen
    either they adjust and stay, or they leave for other places
    over the yrs I have done the dummy up a tree, posted it here before too!

    deer did get used to the dummy, and in that stand I could stand about in it and they paid no attention to me after a few months
    BUT the problem was getting rid of the dummy when I wanted to hunt it , had to lower it and kinda hide it, ended up leaving a big camo burlap cover to cover it when I was in the stand
    I hung it so it would move with the wind too, so they got used to it moving

    I have also over the yrs tried leaving sweaty shirts
    about the food plots, seemed to work great, never seemed to stop deer from coming in in day light


    BUT in stands I tried it far back in the woods
    deer stopped using trails they did before I added the sweaty shirt, they went about 75 yrds away and made a new trail they used

    Next
    since I seen how the sweaty shirt moved there travel routes
    I then tried , using that
    by placing a sweaty shirt away from a stand, to try to steer them to a stand

    had mixed results with that
    some deer did alter there travels, but some still prefered to use the one's they had, but ONLY now they only used them at night!


    which made them non huntable(based on trail cam's)
    after that I gave up!
    and just prefer to practice the best scent control I can

    unless you really hunt in remote places
    I think deer already are used to human scent
    how much they tolerate and where they tolerate it
    is the issue to beat them on! LOL

  3. #3
    Senior Member Genesis 9:3's Avatar
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    Well that's a pretty good answer... maybe I'll try doing all that starting out in the spring to see if they get used to it, such that by the time season opens, they aren't bothered by it. I'm pretty sure they love that mineral block whether there's a sweaty shirt over it or not, but no since in risking it.
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  4. #4
    Senior Member zachc's Avatar
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    I could definitely see both results being possible. I would think hanging a sweaty shirt, eventually a lot of the scent would "wash" out of the shirt due to rain, sunshine, etc. I have heard of visiting your hunting area frequently to "lay down" your scent. If you visit it 1-2 times a week the deer will somewhat get use to your scent being there and not associate it with danger.
    I live life at full draw....

  5. #5
    Senior Member mrbb's Avatar
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    I used to spend a good 4 days a week at my hunting grounds, as it was a farm, that I took care of, managed it!
    I do think deer got used to me due to all my time there
    BUT I truely believe they know the difference between me working about the farm, and when I was hunting them
    any pressure you put on deer, makes them smarter I think
    even if they are ONLY looking to see where your at
    they are LOOKING
    if you can NOT spend time in your hunting area, I think that is always the best bet
    same as getting in and out without being seen

    once deer patteren you
    they have the upper hand LOL
    better sense's to work with
    some times its not avoidable
    but I do think the best attack is sneak in and out till you kill!
    low profile as possible

  6. #6
    Senior Member zachc's Avatar
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    I agree with deer knowing the difference between you farming the property and hunting the property. But that said its all up to you as far as them being able to know of they're being hunted.I think as long as you go to and from your stand without being detected and never get caught red handed in your stand I think you are good, most of it boiling down to scent control.
    I live life at full draw....

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