Does anybody still use cover scent anymore... fox urine , skunk musk, pine, etc. or has that gone out of fashion?

I have a guy that gets a little skunk quill from me every year for cover scent. I don't hear much about it from other folks anymore though.

I use unscented detergent and soap. Keep your clothes in a tote and your body washed daily. This works 98% for me. If they do get suspicious they may turn and work off in a different direction. Never blowing and blasting out. Play the wind game always.

I used skunk musk for years, when I hunted where deer weren't common. Around here it doesn't matter much at all what you smell like. It's usually more like shooting deer than hunting.

Keith

Yes....I make a scent out of boiled deer tongue leaves. Deer tongue is a native plant that has a nice vanilla odor.

Scientific name = Vanilla trillisa or Trilisa odoratisima

I use to use vanilla. I remember one time I had a doe spend at least 15 minutes down wind of me trying to find the source of that smell. When she would get too close to the tree I was in the odor would go over her head and she would lose it.

After runing beagles and competing in NSTRA with my bird days for years I came to the conclusion you are not going to full that deers nose. It smells your gun oil, breakfast, gas and oil on your boots when you stoped at the gas station and the cover sent.

…. Deer like the way I smell

Vanilla extract is very good been suit for years

I feel like it’s gone out of fashion..

Always play the wind ourselves. Set up often have multiplie stand option if possible or do not hunt it.

Theres something to Dan Fitzgeralds deer dander. Dont knock it til u try it and i have no finantial interest in it. It just works. Period.

*financial. Yes misspelling bothers me but the dander works. Carry on

I agree with you totally but the deer screw up sometimes and go places they shouldn't

In my area I noticed it depend on where I hunt. If in in a farming area with ditch lines and smaller wooded areas with lots of people deer interactions der are not as bothered by human sent as they are when I hunt large 24k acre tracks of state forest with steep hills less deer per mile and those deer dont come in contact with people as often.

I grew up hunting farm land and would get winded or busted now and then. But when I started hunting in the larger woods on state land it was a new ball game. The slightest wind change, crossing the path you took to get in and they were gone. Add in the few hundred foot elevation and steep hills that created thermals blowing my sent around doing crazy things. It was a learning experience.

I started collecting milk weed and keeping it in a bag using it to check the wind. It shows how it drops rises and swirling I never would have thought it would do. Had wind at about 3 to 5mph right in my face and had deer bust me. Droped milk weed and saw how that wind went past me hit an up draft swirled and went right to where the deer was just at. It didn't seem possible but the milkweed fuzz showed it plain as day. No wind checking puffer or droping crumbled leaves shows the real picture like milk weed.

I can get away with more for sure when hunting deer that interact with people more often. Not nearly as much when hunting big woods deer that dont see people much.

As a kid I used cover sents. Now I just wash with baking soda and sent free detergent and dont wear my hunting boots to the gas station. But the largest thing is watch the wind and how I get into and out of the hunting area. If possible I like walking in down ditches. they tend to hold water in farm country and I think it helps not leaving as much sent.
I figured you can't beat a dog or deers nose. Some just get more used to people so are not as worried about sent.

Fresh buck urine soaked tampons works. I get it from my processor. Plus skunk on a tampon hung in tree above me works as well.
I also use hunter speciality soap and spray as well. I use all I can. Can't hurt. But nothing beats playing the wind right and keeping your butt still.

Sarge

Pay attention to the wind and use scents to your advantage, but just go hunt!

In this video I was on my way to the cabin. No cover or camo, just gray pants and a dark jacket.

October 27




In this one, I walked a road that lead to my stand. I had a small rag with doe urine on it tied to my shoe. He followed the same path I traveled to the stand.

November 10



Two different responses to my scent. I’d say the “when” had more to do with it than the cover. Both paths were regularly walked so my scent was pretty much there all the time.

Everyone so far has made great points. Playing the wind is crucial. Scent free is very important but we all know you can’t get away from all scent. Where you deer hunt is also important. My brother owns land on the edge of public land and his life revolves around land management. He lives on his tractor,dumps massive amounts of corn,rice brand,deer lollipops,salt licks and spring loaded tree devices and any newfangled deer product…LOL.
He hunts out of climate control box stands in big fields. He kills several big bucks a year. His bucks walk out from cover into big open spaces to be shot with rifle or crossbow. I use his land to access a river to get to deeper public land and kayak 3/4 mile up stream,climb a 25 foot straight up cliff I tied a rope to a tree to help me with gear on my back. 250 yard walk through thick gnarly brush to get close to a deer trail. I’ve seen tremendous bucks but have not scored on any good ones just some lesser bucks towards the end of the season. I keep trying. I’ve had deer blow and spook often and I’m in a climber as high as I can and still see. Smell is a deers biggest weapon in thick brush. I wash my clothes and body as much as possible but I sweat getting to my spot. I have used nose jammer and didn’t notice that it did anything. Haven’t used skunk yet but we don’t have them in the swamp so not sure if that would affect deer. Maybe to strange of a smell? Anyway 3/4 miles apart and the deer act completely different. Everyone determines what hunting or shooting or killing is. My brother thinks I’m nuts! LOL!

I believe we've all used, or tried scents at one time or another, it seems sometimes they work, lol
Frankly I've killed more deer just still hunting into the wind or watching up wind at a stand...if it's in the right spot...

Deer scents are like fishing lures, used to catch hunters,....but sometimes.....