Since I am on the ground with no blind this season, I've been upgrading my camo to ensure I blend better but curious to see how you guys handle this. I have 2 long sleeve T shirts, 1 pair of pants, a ball cap, lightweight gloves, & a balaclava to cover my face. I will be out 4 days, is that enough with Dead Downwind sprayed on every day or is my scent going to wear through by day 4? I know being on the ground with no blind is not ideal for my poor level of hunting skill but when land is free, I take what I can get. LOL
Sit still (thats the most important thing). Play the wind (dont rely on any so call scent reduction spray. Save your money)
Commando style!! That's a challenge, but I admire it... I'd spray down daily & nightly. Hang your clothes from a tree (away from your campsite) at night, to air dry. If you don't have access to a shower, I'd take a box of DDW clean-wipes, and some unscented deodorant. Good luck! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ditto. Try to find blow overs, rock formations, ditches, anything to limit and/or break up you profile or conceal yourself. Low hanging branches work well too. Play the thermals. Your scent generally rises in the morning and falls, or pools, in the afternoon so hunt terrain accordingly. People hunted in red plaid for years before camo came about. You'll be okay. Being a sound outdoorsman is more important than camo.
This is good stuff guys. I am going the last week of Oct for 4 days, where I will only hunt afternoon/evening, then 4 days in mid Nov where I will sit as much as possible. So this info is very helpful. I have a good spot with lots of natural cover near a stock tank I know deer visit, but may not allow me to play the wind wnough.
Focus on entry and exit routes, too. Don't cross any trails and keep the wind in your favor the whole hunt. Wind is very important, more important than camo. There are ways to conceal yourself, there are no ways to conceal your scent to fool a deer. Stay downwind of the deer as much as you can. Don't expose yourself by walking ridge tops. You're better off hunting a mediocre stand with great access than a great stand with mediocre access, especially if you're limited in stand locations. The scent left on your entry/exit routes will spook deer even days after your leave the woods.
If the wind is not right for that set-up, don't sit there. You will not beat their nose. Hunting the wrong wind is generally a waste of time in my opinion. Have options.
When I hunt from the ground (almost never) I try to find a small cedar tree or trees to sit behind/next to if I can. Seems to help cover scent.
Cedar trees make excellent cover. Use a hand saw and cut out a little cave to sit in. Be sure you have room above you for your bow and behind you for your elbow.
Might want to consider a cover scent...back in the day when I primarily hunted public from the ground I had great luck with Fitzgeralds Deer Dander...I've had deer walk within feet of me downwind and never spook...I smelled a little like a deer's butt hole though. Evercalm is another good one. I've read about a lot of guys having success with smoking their hunting clothes...no not like in a bong, but with a campfire or bee smoker...
Have you considered a brush blind? Just a little help for the natural cover, a fallen tree with a few dead limbs well placed could do the job. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
