Height absolutely does matter in terms of scent... Whether it's because you're scent is blowing over the deer trails before falling to the ground, catching a rising thermal earlier in the morning because the sun is hitting higher in the trees first, blowing over an obstacle (like a wall of cattails) instead of hitting that obstacle and deflecting or pooling there. There are spots where if I climb to first good cover I'm getting winded by everything... Climb up to that next crotch in the tree and I'm bulletproof.
And thats just why i said know your thermals and the winds especially how they bounce all over.
Lol. I bet you wont hunt those spots again with those same conditions.
If you knew thst was going to happen you would have never tried there lol.
I know Winds bounce around terrain features everywhere all the time.
Thermals get sucked to open water because its warmer than the ground especially if its in the sun all day.
I agree and i said i would rather climb to cover, doesnt matter how high or low im going to cover, with that said height in my areas does not really matter when you know what's happening.
Consider I hunt flat farm country , marsh, and some swamps.
I also know hill country would be very different and im not to familiar with hills so i cant say much about that terrain.
Flat terrain is what im pretty knowledgeable about.
To be perfectly honest.
i hunt 95% public high pressured properties on the east coast, most which are easily accessible from all or most sides.
Areas which are very difficult to hunt and even see deer.
People need to learn the areas they hunt.
They need to learn How the winds and thermals work in certain conditions, Not just how the deer react , where they bed, and where they eat.
Ihunt specific bucks which can be really difficult so things are certainly a little different than just going deer hunting.
I get it **** changes but im not gonna not hunt a spot if i know its the right time to hunt it, just because im worried about a wind shift.
You should know that before you even go in woods.
thats really something thats uncontrollable.
Also i think deer ( especially bucks ) have personalities like dogs.
some are scared by a fart sound and then some are super brave.
Braver bucks die more often then scared skittish bucks.
I was a big height guy years ago then my friend Andrea taught me to climb to cover and try to learn how everything will change at the drop of a hat snd you will most likely put the odds in your favor.
this process definitely Takes a few seasons to learn about an area and even more time to learn what needs to be learned to hunt it snd be consistently successful in that specific area.
so really no one is wrong its just the lack of how things or wind/ thermals react in a certain area, the lack of knowledge is what gets us busted.
experiences over time is really only thing gonna teach that.
every time your busted note what happens, note the conditions, and dont do whatever you did again.
A fix could be as little as 5 yards to the next tree.
People want instant success and hunting deer thats just not gonna happen.
I share my knowledge of almost 30 years of killing deer of all ages not to boast or brag or say im better or know more than anyone.
im not here to argue with the egotistical know it alls that are everywhere, the my way is the only way guys who are just wear blinders to anyone elses way of doing things.
im open minded but i also know what works for me and i really know what doesnt work for me.
I share it so maybe something i experienced in the field ( not in my back yard) someone might think about and hopefully it may help them understand what needs to be done to help them be successful.
thats it.
its never just about me. Its about making, sharing , and enjoying what we love to do with others who want to improve.