Curious to know if other hunters put as much thought into what they're eating before and during hunts as I am. During the hunting season I cut many foods from my diet, for various reasons. I eliminate broccoli, asparagus, and brussel sprouts during the hunting season due to the gas they can cause, obviously gas can create both sound and smell that could alert deer. I try to avoid overly fatty meats as they seem to move through the digestive tract a bit faster and can cause a guy to have to scurry down the tree with an imminent bowl movement. I do like high fiber foods during season, as they help me to have fewer bowl movements throughout the day. On stand I like to take trail mix with nuts, m&ms, raisins, and sunflower seeds. This is a good snack, loaded with protein for energy. If sitting all day I like to take a sandwich, but am careful what I put on it. Butter instead of mayonnaise, I leave off the onions, usually like turkey or chicken, they don't have as strong of scent, lettuce and tomato, this keeps my stomach from growling later in the hunt and doesn't leave a odor in the area. I also like to take some apples, but don't want to eat too many, I like to eat thin slices of apples as this allows their scent to disperse better into the wind ( I shouldn't have to explain why that's a good thing). So does anybody else consider these types of things when making food choices for before and during hunts? What foods would you avoid and why? What foods do you prefer to take to stand and why?
We spend lots of money to cover or eliminate our scent and then we have a big burger with lots of onions the night before we go out hunting or what about adding a little bit more garlic to that pasta meal? I am careful what I eat before hunting. I only eat foods that don't smell different from the existing area and/or would make my system act or smell differently than normal.
I take things that are convenient like protein bars. Or if it's cool I will take yogurt. Since every animal passes gas I never considered that a factor. Blessings...........Pastorjim
Yep. I've heard many a toot while on stand. From squirrels to deer but Most of em mine. A few weeks before season I'll break the caffeine addiction. That way if I miss a morning coffee, I won't have a splitting headache through out the day. I've never taken a sandwich but will take granola bars and such. Usually water in a insulated bottle. Less noise. Although I've used Gatorade bottle that way I can drink it then refill it later.
I usually turn into a gargoyle on stand so no food. I move but as little as possible. I use dead down wind tooth paste but other than that nothing much changes in my diet.
That's just going to far. If it works on your "mental" aspect, then good. But otherwise unnecessary. I drink coffee on morning hunts. I rarely eat. I use my ears for 90% of my hunting and eating just makes too much noise. I don't hardly ever do all day sits though, lunch breaks are needed for me.
While I agree every animal toots, human toots still smell foreign in the woods, I.E. A coyote's feces smells different than a domestic dogs. Foreign scent is foreign scent and will alert deer.
I have never heard of a hunter getting busted because of a fart. It does prove that the carbon camo does not work.
I spend good money to blend in with the environment with full cami, scent killing spray, and ground blind material. Seems it doesn't hurt to also cut back on foods that cause added body stink such as garlic, onions, sulphur producing foods etc. I only get a couple weeks of quality bow hunting for deer and want everything I can have in my favor..in my favor. Also because I hunt full days during those two weeks will eat breakfast and pack a lunch and water. Again, cutting back on the spicy, scent increasing foods.
I don't make any changes to my diet during hunting season. I rarely get gas from anything I eat. If I'm hunting all day I'll bring a sandwich with me. A deer smelling food is the least of my worries. I bet if I placed a burger and fries in the middle of the woods no deer would be the least bit alarmed by it. I also only hunt locations where the wind is to my advantage.
100% agree - Unnecessary. No change in diet as well. The smell of gas dissipates so quickly that it's hard to imagine spooking a deer. Until someone can prove that humans passing gas alarms deer, I will keep doing it while on stand.
I don't change my diet much. My system gets more irregular when eating out of the norm so why mess with a good thing. Most of my hunting is evening so I normally just have some fruit for lunch. Will take a little snack (ziplock with pre-opened bite size candybars) along with a couple full apples. I'll slice them in the tree and throw the core into the kill zone. Biggest key is to make sure I have taken a nice healthy dump before heading into the woods. Nothing wrecks a hunt like having pinch a loaf while in the tree.
I attempt at eating cleaner during season, but that is also just an excuse to eat healthier which I strive to year round. On stand it is Apples only for this guy....and a touch of water if any liquid.
Absolutely not.. Sorry but I just don't buy into any of the scent free, scent proof, no sink on me or in me theories. Best you can do is play the wind and hope for the best.. everything else is just $'s spent to boost your confidence --- I'm pretty sure it doesn't do a thing to keep deer from smelling you if they are down wind...
^THIS^ I take this same approach if eat anything all. Most of the time I eat before I go to the stand. I try not to move at all while in the stand and I never stand up unless I see a deer coming in.
DDW toothpaste, WTF!!!! You mean I've been brushing my teeth with baking soda H2O2 paste (btw it taste like s@#$) when there was an alternative!
I take stuff that I think if a deer smelled it would smell good to them. Like peanut butter sandwich, apples, bananas, trail mix, sunflower seeds etc. Figure I like to eat all that stuff anyway and it's known that deer like to eat that stuff to so why not.
Field & Stream did a scent test with tracking dogs and PROVED that scent elimination is a scam. But, like I always bring up, if it helps you mentally then it does HELP. I still spray my legs and stuff sometimes out of pure habit just because, even though I know it doesn't work. Just like a free throw shooters routine.
