Ethan Givan Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 I was reading my August 2009 issue of Field & Stream yesterday and there is an article in the issue about a deer's ability to smell our scent either when we are in the tree stand or our trail where we walked in. The part that confused me was when they said that wearing rubber boots did not help keep a deer from smelling where you had walked. They said unless your trail was a couple hours old the deer would smell where you had walked, rubbber boots or no rubber boots. I have always thought that rubber boots were the best way to get to your stand or check trail cameras or whatever without leaving alot of scent. So what is true? Field & Stream or what I've heard for years? Anyone have any thoughts on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickel Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 If you wear rubber boots in your house or truck on the way to your stand they may have some scent on them. But i have to believe that they are pretty much scentless, from what i have read and witnessed in my hunting past. But everybody has their own opinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikewink Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 Last year I was hunting a stand on an inside corner of my hay field. It was a cold day, all frosted up. I watched two does cut across the field. When they hit where i walked in I watched them stop. And trail my path back to the house. I was using rubber boots that were sprayed down with scent eliminator spray. I am very careful with my scent control. I'm not quite sure that it wasn't the fact that you could see the foot prints on the cut frosted hay. But needless to say I think it was both. I've had to re-think the rubber boot thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 Hunting publications are running out of fresh ideas. They'll make one up long as they can put a twisted new title to it to get you thinking. It worked huh? Putting on my La Cross and taking a walk. Don't blame the ground pounders.....,air out your stinking feet and clothes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HUNTINGMAN Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 Why take any chances,walk through as much cow poo as you can on your way to your stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swohiodave Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 I wear rocky boots,,, rubber sole. I have had younger bucks and does walk right out of a field and down into the woods on the same trail I use. The does smelled me some times but I still got my deer, they were urban deer and did not realize they should not smell that scent in the woods. Now the big boys would hit my trail and be gone in a flash! It comes down to how educated any particular deer is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloodtrails Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 :48::nono::boo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 I think too many hunters give too many deer too much credit in the intelligence area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Why take any chances,walk through as much cow poo as you can on your way to your stand. No cows here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 I think too many hunters give too many deer too much credit in the intelligence area. Really....? How so? Now I'm interested to no end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom2008 Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Really....? How so? Now I'm interested to no end. For an example. I know tons of guys that smoke cigarettes in the stand and they'll shoot a deer or two every year. Buck, Doe, Small Buck, Big Buck, doesn't matter. Would I risk doing something like that? No not at all and I don't smoke in the first place, but I personally think it all depends on the area and the deer that are in it. Every deer is introduced to different situations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Really....? How so? Now I'm interested to no end. Strictly from an intelligence standpoint. Way too many people put deer on a pedestal and give them magical qualities. Who knows why deer do certain things. I've watched plenty of deer cross my path, leather boots or rubber and I've seen plenty of deer get boogered by my path--there's no magic to it IMHO, it's just deer being deer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Strictly from an intelligence standpoint. Way too many people put deer on a pedestal and give them magical qualities. Who knows why deer do certain things. I've watched plenty of deer cross my path, leather boots or rubber and I've seen plenty of deer get boogered by my path--there's no magic to it IMHO, it's just deer being deer. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 it's just deer being deer. Correct-a-mundo! But what is it that makes them North Americas most sought after game species then,...... Heck ....sounds easy enough. I got a mouse under my sink I'm having a hard time catching?????? Slippery little suckers I'll tell ya.:clown: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 But what is it that makes them North Americas most sought after game species then,...... Cause they can be found mostly everywhere and most families were raised of their meat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom2008 Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Cause they can be found mostly everywhere and most families were raised of their meat. I'm sure the unique racks play a big role in it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 Correct-a-mundo! But what is it that makes them North Americas most sought after game species then,...... $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ In the words of the infamous "Deep Throat"--"follow the money." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 Well back to the original question. The part that confused me was when they said that wearing rubber boots did not help keep a deer from smelling where you had walked. Based on my own personal experience I strongly disagree with whoever wrote that. I go to great pains in keeping any foreign odor off the outside of my rubber boots and deer rarely smell where I've walked when cutting my trail. I've had far more times than I could count where deer were nose down feeding where I had walked, expecially in a food plot I had to cross to reach my stand. Back in the days when I wore anything else besides rubber boots deer would regularly pick up my scent if they cut my trail. My thoughts on the person who wrote the article is he/she doesn't come close to taking the proper precautions to keep foreign odors off the outside of his/her boots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shedhunternick Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 I watched a doe sniff out my trail, following in about 20 ft. then run away while i was on stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camoman1 Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 I read that article also. I dont know if rubber boots really do give you an advantage scent wise...rubber is still a foreign odor to deer, but they definataly arent gonna hurt anything. In the article they also used a dogs nose as a tester not a deer's snot box......we may never know exactly how well deer can smell us, but we know they got a good sniffer, so anything that may give you an advantage is worth trying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckbuster11 Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 I think you guys are forgetting that the rubber boots are only covering about 15% of your body. Anything you touch or brush up against with any part of your body could potentially leave scent a deer could pick up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csualumni21000 Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Vet your sources. Field and Stream? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stinger-Hunter Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Tominator is absolutely correct. I've said this before, I'll say it again. First time in Minnesota, my buddy filled his gas tank with his gloves on and spilled gasoline on his hunting gloves. He still wore them in the woods and killed 2 deer within 15 minutes of shooting light, both within 30 yards of him and then had 3 does standing underneath his stand when he fell asleep 1 hour later. People give deer WAY too much credit for their sense of smell. If they were that good, you'd never see them closer than 100 yards unless they were upwind and we've all seen deer down wind. My second comment is that I believe, and will take this to the grave, that the scent eliminator does indeed have its own smell (to a deer). We may not smell it, but they sure do. Whenever I shower with scentless soap, i get busted by deer (without fail). I've stopped doing that and just go into the woods o'natural and have killed deer both down and upwind. In fact some of my closest and biggest deer have been after doing that - so I say leave the scent killer at home and just make sure you're wearing clean socks. Step in a couple of puddles on the way to the stand and let it ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kid Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Correct-a-mundo! But what is it that makes them North Americas most sought after game species then,...... I think its cuz everyone wants to shoot a buck with tons of horn, so they can classify them as an elite hunter but maybe thats just me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowslinger Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 one year when i worked at the lumber mill we cut off half a day so we could hunt in the mill owners woods behind the mill be fore i got my shotgun i filled the loader with fuel spilled some my boots i thuoght my hunt was over since i left my rubber boots home i went any way about a half hour of sitting on my stand here comes a doe following my trail nose to the snow i shoot her at 30 steps since than i,v shoot a few deer wearing my wook boots maybe it was luck who knows for sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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