Bowhunting is exhilarating for many reasons, but one of the most exciting is that it requires the hunter to get extremely close to their quarry. This means bowhunters must remain undetected among game animals that possess amazing senses. Despite all the camouflage in the world, it’s often scent that gives away a hunter’s presence. Did you know a white-tailed deer’s sense of smell is roughly 1,000 times more powerful than a human’s?
Here are some tips for understanding how to conceal your scent.
It’s important to check the weather forecast before every hunt. It gives you ideas on what to wear and if you can expect any inclement or dangerous weather. But don’t just look at the temperature. Take it a step further and look at the wind direction. Wind direction refers to where the wind is coming from, not where it’s going. Many weather apps will use an arrow to signal the direction of the wind.
While the weatherman might not always be right, understanding which direction the wind is expected to come from will help you plan your hunt strategy. Like the temperature, wind direction frequently changes by the hour. It can change based on temperature changes and passing weather systems. Many weather apps will show you an hourly wind direction. This can help you make plans throughout the day.
Treestands can help conceal a hunter’s scent. However, it doesn’t matter how high up you are if you scare everything out of the woods on the way in. Understanding wind direction allows you to approach from downwind, meaning the wind is blowing your scent away from the animals. Many bowhunters take this into consideration prior to the season even opening. If you understand which direction the wind generally blows, you can set up the treestand or ground blind downwind of where you think deer will be. Many bowhunters will set up multiple stands in order to play the winds. They can then pick the treestand based on the wind direction at the time.
Hunters use a few helpful tools in the field to understand wind direction. The most common tool is called wind checker, wind indicator or “windicator.” A wind checker is a small plastic squeeze bottle that hunters carry in their pocket or binocular harness. It’s filled with a light powder, like talcum powder, baking soda or something similar. When you squeeze the bottle, a puff of powder comes out of the nozzle and floats in the wind. This gives the hunter a visual representation of the wind direction as they see it float through the air. Some hunters use light fibers instead of powder. The fibers float through the air and don’t disappear as fast as powder, which can give hunters an even better idea of thermals or swirling winds.
If you accidentally leave your windicator at home, don’t worry. Sometimes understanding the wind is as simple as looking at the leaves on the trees or grass in the field and seeing which way it moves. If it’s a light wind that’s not obvious, try tossing a piece of grass into the air and seeing which direction it floats.
Many hunters go a step further and practice scent control in addition to playing the wind. There are many ways to cut down on scent. At the very least, skip the perfume, cologne, scented lotion and scented deodorant. This doesn’t mean you can’t clean up; just avoid personal care products that have scent. There are several scent-free options on the market.
It’s also a standard practice to wash hunting clothes in nonscented laundry detergent or scent-free detergent. Avoid laundry sheets or, better yet, hang dry clothes outside. Before bringing clothes into the house, stuff them in a duffel. When it’s time to hunt, get dressed in an area without heavy scents.
By understanding how to play the wind and cut down on your scent, you’ll give yourself a major edge in the field. But sometimes even the best bowhunter will get beat by a nose.
