Smoke as a cover scent?

[BRONZ]

I saw an article on this and was wondering if anyone used campfire smoke as a cover scent?

[Rob W.]

Every deer camp I smell like smoke the whole weekend. I haven't seen anything bad come from it and have killed a few deer those weekends.

[Shawn Leonard]

Depends on where you hunt. If the deer are used to smelling campfire smoke, than it won't hurt. Where I hunt, there are never any campfires or even woodstoves for that matter and I believe the deer would be cautious when they smelled it and anything that makes them go on alert would not be good. Shawn

[bolong]

Might do a search, I know there was a thread on smoke last year.

[YORNOC]

I wouldn't PURPOSELY make myself smell like smoke ever. If it happens, so be it. But that is a strong smell. If it is not an every day smell to a deer, it is a foreign odor. They may react with curiosty, but have you ever seen curiosity without EXTREME caution?
I'd rather smell as close to nothing as possible and hope they show up with the wind in my favor. I try and rub either composting forest floor dirt and leaves on my clothes as I'm walking in or possibly some pine or hemlock, but if they come in downwind they will smell me 9 times out of 10 anyway.

[2treks]

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=105595#000000

RASTAMAN did the hard work.
Read away!

[drewsbow]

I'm going to take the other side of this one and say it works. I do use smoke on PURPOSE as a cover and it works. The area I hunt has lots of wood smoke from stoves and the deer pay no attention to it. Give it a try if your area has smoke in the air anyways you might just like it . Drew

[Bob B.]

Ditto for me on what drewsbow said.  I live in an area where most folks have camp fires, burn leaves and heat with wood, as a primary, not a secondary fuel source.  Smoke is a natural scent, in my neck of the woods it works ... it works well.

Bob.

[SteveB]

Deer can process multiple oders at the molecular level simultaneously. Smoke is capable of defeating this and hides oders from this remarkable ability?

[swamprooter]

I believe if you use smoke as a cover scent and a deer is downwind from you, you will smell like a smokey human. Just like if you use skunk scent you will smell like a human that was sprayed by a skunk. Chris

[SteveB]

My thoughts too Chris. Their sense of smell is way too developed to be fooled so easily.

[drewsbow]

I never said it would fool their nose just that it makes a good cover scent. I take great pains to remain scent free as possible before going into the woods. I stand in front of the open door of Dads stove before a hunt just to get some smoke on me to help mask any small amount of scent I may have left on me. Drew

[Hill Hunter]

The only way you will know is to try it, there are a lot of I think post and with all due respect these are not worth a lot. I thought along the same lines until I tried it, now I know. When you try it use hard wood smoke, smoke is a natural occurring scent all over the world so it should work everywhere, although I have only tried it in a few states and provinces.

[7 Lakes]

I put every cover scent I've ever purchased on quail and turned the pup loose.  She pegged every bird without hesitation. (German Shorthair.  If deer can scent things the way dogs can nothing I've found can cover a scent.  (I admit I haven't smoked a quail yet, but I will).

[sidebuster]

Where do deer live?  In the woods.  Where are most campfires made?  In the woods.  How old is fire? Pretty old.  I pretty sure deer have smelled smoke in all areas of the world since time began.  Lightning starts fire which create smoke.  That has been going on for a long time.

Yes I think it a logical conclusion that most deer have smelled smoke during their lifetime and have decided its not something to quickly run away from.

If you reek with the smell of smoke I think deer will probably not bolt from you. I guess it depends on how much you smell of smoke.

[BRONZ]

Thanks for the info fellas!

[southpawshooter]

Has anyone made a spray from this for your clothes?

 

[joe skipp]

Great attractant Scott....just don't get down wind of Stiffrod or Tommy...they would be sneaking up on you with fork and knife in hand....

[southpawshooter]

[Dave Bowers]

I've used a product called the scent smoker a  few times and have had good luck. Once a big ol nanny doe came in with her youngins. The wind was blowing right in their face and never bolted off due to human scent. Now she did know something wasn't quite right as she stood off and wind checked the scent.
The other time I had just finished blood trailing a deer I had shot. I was cleaning the deer, when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I looked up and it was another deer about 5 yards from me. Again the wind was in its face and it never really paid me any mind.
Now I cant really say it was the smoke or just dumb luck on both cases; however it was very interesting to witness. I do know that native Americans would use smoke before hunting and that hardwoods smoke contains scent killing element in it.