Absolute noob here. Season opens tomorrow. Southern Ontario, Canada. Question: I've spent an enormous amount of $ on scent block, scent blocking clothing, etc., etc.... and then I read that people are eating everything from Snickers & Skittles to chili in a thermos, tea, etc. in the tree stand. What are your thoughts on the scent of human food affecting your hunt? Is it ONLY the scent of the human body that I have to worry about and all the rest is meaningless or what? I'm really confused about this issue. Thanks. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.
When I sit all day I usually just bring a couple sandwiches in zip lock bags and maybe a few other things. A mans gotta eat. I also have all the clothing you mentioned but even with it always hunt the wind as well as possible. I believe as long as the odors are not strong you can pry get away with most anything food wise, never seems to have affected me anyhow. If you had a cup of chili out right when a deer was downwind of you? That might spook a deer but I would just recommend eating it quickly during downtime and then putting it away in a sealed container. If you were worried about breathe then chew gum.
Apples and pre-opened bite size candy. Don't want to each much because I don't want to feel the need to drop a deuce at the wrong time.
Agreed. The gastrocolic reflex has made a few sits less than comfy, let's just say. Also agree that fruit is a pretty neutral smell for food to have in the woods. I dip snuff but I seldom spit and my scentlok holds my rank breath in check. (I need to get a scentlok flatulence retainer next.)
Apples and nuts Both occur naturally in your environment (to some degree). I find apples great but they don't film up so I prefer protein rich nuts like plain almonds, peanuts etc. Avoid UNATURAL scent... honey roasted, hickory smoked etc. I also reduce consumption of certain foods for several days prior to big hunts as your body will emit scent based on food you consume. Garlic is off the list for hunting season. It is critical to reduce human scent as much as possible, reducing stench your body makes and or emits is a good start. T
The only time I bring food is if I'm hunting all day. I can't sit for 12 hours and not eat. Usually a couple sandwiches, candy, and an ice tea. If you're hungry, you're miserable.
For me, food in the stand is more about noise than scent. Unwrap everything and put it in ziplock bags. I usually have to put down my food to pick up my bow, and I LOVE finishing my coffee while I wait to go track my deer!
I'll bring apples and or pears, and snickers might be dumb luck, but after eating a snickers I've shot 3 different deer within 15-30 minutes maybe I get hungry around the time they start to move maybe they like the smell of snickers maybe I stupid and lucky either way...
I won't even hunt until my kids fill their Halloween buckets with snickers and Reese's and oh my. If it's an all day sit I just go to a grocery store and pick up a sandwich from the deli . In early season I bring a bar for breakfast that's all. I don't sit past 10 in early October so I'll go to the one horse town bar and grab lunch and some brewskies for lunch
I take a variety of food, but the "smelliest" thing I would have on stand is jerky. I have some sammiches, candy bars, trail mix, maybe some nabs.
I just like to bring my whole kitchen in the woods with me so I can just cook whatever comes by my stand that gets shot
Like many above I eat in the stand as I sit all day long usually as I'm hunting big crown land forest and deer move all day. Only thing I do different is no wrappers or plastic especially ziplock bags. If it's cold they are terribly noisy. I wrap sammies or granola bars in paper towel and put them in a cloth bag. As for the smell of food I don't worry about it. There's scent control then going scent control overboard
