bioguy said:
Here's where I'm at: I have no idea if scent-control works or not. I know neither my wife nor I wear it, and we have encounters where deer come in from directly down wind and they don't wind us. The only explanation we can come up with is that we got lucky and the wind never made it to the deer's nose. What I do know is that top predators all over the world who kill with tooth and claw need to get a lot closer to their prey than we do, and they play the wind, so that's what we do too. I have darted more deer than most people will kill in their lifetime, and most were within 15 yards. I got busted quite a bit (which is expected to happen when you're hunting so close), but I also didn't get busted numerous times when I thought I should have been busted. In the only peer reviewed journal I have read where a scent-lok suit was pitted against the noses of multiple search dogs (
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3784224) the suit failed to fool the search dog's nose. Drug sniffing dogs have successfully sniffed out drugs wrapped in activated carbon suits inside of other containers, but to be fair the dogs work in close proximity, and the drug handling procedures may not be as "controlled" as it needs to be for a scientific experiment. In comparison, deer have nearly 100 million more scent receptors than a dog.
For those of you who do use scent control products, do deer still wind you? If so, do you not chock that up as an equipment failure? I mean if deer come in from down wind and you don't get busted, you give credit to the suit and your scent-control routine, correct? So shouldn't getting winded be considered a failure of that same system?
To each their own with regard to scent control. I believe if you think it works, you can afford it, it gives you peace of mind, and you have experienced success with it, then that's all that matters. However, I still believe that playing the wind is your first line of defense, and the scent-control should just be an "insurance policy." Until some solid evidence is presented, I'll continue to be a skeptic.
I am not looking for argument. But you did ask questions, and as a matter of respect for your position, I will answer them.
And I'm not one to brag, but you said " I have darted more deer than most people will kill in their lifetime,..." Perhaps that is true, and therefore, perhaps I should give my credentials so you can judge whether you feel I am qualified to comment here. I have taken well over 200 deer in my lifetime, starting with the first one at age 14 in 1984 (took my first shot at age 9, and I must have been a slow learner because it took me 5 years to get one....) The last 150 or so have been killed with traditional equipment, and at least 25 of them were with flint points and equipment I made myself from scratch. I've killed total of 3 deer with a gun. That's just honesty, and you can make your own decision on my ability to asses the effectiveness of scent control. Now, for answers to your questions;
Q; "... do deer still wind you?"
A: No. Not even once in over 100 deer encountered this year. Not all, but most, were downwind at some points.
Q: "If so, do you not chock that up as an equipment failure?"
A: Yes, I would. If it had happened, even once this year....
Q: "... if deer come in from down wind and you don't get busted, you give credit to the suit and your scent-control routine, correct?"
A: Yes. At least for 95% or better of encounters, because like you I have always had occasional deer that for some unexplained reason did not wind me or did not care if they did. But now, not one has winded me. I repeat, not one.
Q: " So shouldn't getting winded be considered a failure of that same system?"
A: Yes, but again, it isn't happening AT ALL. If I start getting winded again, I will look for the source of the stink until I find it. And I will eliminate it. And the deer will tell me when I have it right, not a J-store article or any other paper.
Scent control is not for everyone, and you are correct that one can kill deer without it, but you better shoot before the first one hits your scent stream. And hope they give you a shot before they do. Like I did for 30-plus years.
I don't think it works, I know it works. It is beyond obvious. I have never been needed any more peace of mind, and I've never needed a confidence boost in my ability to kill deer (well, maybe between the ages of 9 and 14...). Scent control isn't for everyone because it is a hassle and you can kill deer without it, but it does work and it can keep deer from being alarmed when downwind. Not even a shadow of doubt.
Could a dog find me in the woods or in a box? Why would I even care, I'm not trying to evade a dog....
