Chapter 6: Methods of Bowhunting
Scents and Lures

Certain species of game have a highly developed sense of smell. Because bowhunting is done at close range, it’s essential to learn which species are sensitive to human odor.

Big game animals are very sensitive to scent and quickly leave any area that contains the wind-borne or residual ground scent of humans. White-tailed deer, foxes, and coyotes can detect the scent of hidden hunters. Squirrels, rabbits, turkeys, and waterfowl are not sensitive to scent and rarely spook when they pick up human odor.

Minimizing Your Scent

• Wear rubber-soled boots that are less likely to absorb extraneous odors.
• Store hunting clothes in plastic bags with boughs of cedar, pine, or other natural materials from your hunting area.

Cover Scents

• Cover scents are designed to reduce human odor by helping to neutralize it or by hiding it with a natural competitive scent.
• The scents can be applied to skin, footwear, or clothing.
• Many bowhunters hang scent-soaked pieces of cloth around their stand or blind.

Attractants

Attractants work by offering animals a tempting odor that mimics food sources; scents that sexually arouse males; and scents, such as licorice or vanilla, that pique “curiosity.”

• A successful technique for stopping a deer at your pre-selected, pick-off spot is to sprinkle a few drops of scent on a leaf or twig at that site.
• Do not apply attractants to your skin or clothing because the deer will follow the scent and detect your position.

White-Tailed Deer Tips

Because white-tailed deer are very sensitive to human scent, it is recommended that you:

• Stay clean and as free of human scent as possible while hunting.
• Avoid using fragrant soaps and perfumes.
• Consider wearing hunting clothing manufactured with special carbon-treated fabric that absorbs human scent.
• Consider using one of the many commercially manufactured products available for scent and odor elimination that can be sprayed onto clothing prior to going into the field.
• Avoid washing hunting clothes with highly fragrant laundry detergents. Numerous brands of “scent-free” detergents are available for washing hunting clothing. Also avoid clothing detergents that contain UV brighteners because many animals can detect UV light that makes clothing brighter.
• Hunt from a tree stand to keep human scent above a deer’s nose. However, be mindful of wind currents that may carry your scent down to your quarry.