Yeah, I think they know they have to draw the line at the bow itself….aside from fair chase. A nice tight food plot is not that different from bait, so where do they stop? What about a tree stand, or ground blind, etc? I’m glad they do draw the line at the bow…but even limiting electronics on the bow is pretty silly to me. Back to the OP, I broke down and got an Ozonics. Haha. I’m kind of surprised I did, but I really want to know for myself whether it works or not. I’ll be testing it later today Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Little Chief said "While Ozone doesn’t scare the deer it does make them wonder why they just stepped into a spot where they can’t smell anything" I had to do an experiment with a friend who had an Ozonic unit, because I didn't have one. We sat in my tree, Ozonics off, and I watched a doe with 2 fawns walk through our downwind with just a little hesitation. Then, turned ON the Ozonics, heard the buzzing (didn't care for the noise, but wasn't loud), but I SMELLED the ozone! That immediately bothered me, so I moved it up a couple inches and turned it more downwind, instead of down towards us. A few minutes later, a little buck following the same trail of the previous doe and fawns was walking quickly through, until he got our downwind! He turned and ran back...young buck smelled that ozone and bolted out.
I've seen them do the "ozonics shuffle" as Chief explains, but it was a doe with younglings. I've seen them stop and find a new route when they hit it, I've seen them stop and pay little attention to it. I had 6 right under me last week in a dead wind humid day and they didn't care. It's a "different" scent, it depends on the mood of the deer that day from what I gather. Once I figure out how to speak deer, I'll get some real facts about what they think, but for now, I'll keep using it because in my personal opinion, it gives me slight edge on my stank. I've also had the same effect smoking my gear, they either pay no attention or get leery of the smell.
I still think it's dependent on the deer "education" level -- those that experience more pressure, tend to associate a new/unusual smell as danger. Not certain of that, but deer in Michigan don't tolerate much, and get a lot of pressure. I know ozone is useful eliminating odors (we used it in the hospital for years before Ozonics introduced the hunting units), and I'll use it in a closet for my clothes and gear before hunting (fresh cut wood works great), but like other smells -- it needs to be gone before I get in the tree. I like that it helps some people, but I believe it depends on the deer and their level of pressure.
I used one for three seasons, thats usually about 9 full weeks of whitetail hunting for me. Haven’t used it in the last three years. Does it work? Yes sometimes. And sometimes it doesn’t or sometimes it doesn’t make any difference. There are many variables and they aren’t always cut and dried. I have had deer downwind with ozonics that have showed no reaction and I have had deer down wind that obviously smelled me or the ozone or both based on how they reacted. Would they have acted differently if the ozone wasn’t there? Who knows? I have seen deer that I thought were downwind of me without ozone being use and they don’t always react the way I expect. I don’t recall any situations where I felt like the unit hurt my chances, however I also don’t recall any situation where I felt it made the difference in if I killed a buck. I have also, like it was stated above experienced way different reactions from deer based on where I am hunting. For example deer in NY and CT will not tolerate anywhere near the same amount of disturbance that they will in the mid west, Be it scent, sight or sound. In some ways they are almost like a different animal all together. So the positive is that yes sometimes may help. I would also be remiss not mention some of the negatives. The nose factor is bothersome and annoying, to me at least. Dealing with the unit, carting it around and charging batteries, setting it up tends to get tedious. Enough that questioned if it’s worth it. Lastly I didn’t enjoy using it. I felt like it cheapened the experience and made it less authentic.
Update. I got a unit a few weeks ago. Since then I’ve shot 3 deer, all directly downwind. It my be coincidental, but it is very reassuring to me. I don’t like the noise. If it’s super windy, I can’t really hear it, but otherwise it makes a very noticeable noise. Deer don’t seem to care, including a 5.5 yr old 151” buck last night. But it does take away a bit from the “peace” of sitting in a tree. And it’s noticeable on my camera footage. However, I’ve hunted 3 times with zero regard for wind direction, and have 3 deer to show for it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Just out of curiosity do you mount it right side up or upside down ? They work just the same upside down and the sound is projected up away from you.
Oh that’s good to know. I’ve not tried it upside down. How do you keep it from coming out of the post? Or do you just rotate the mount? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The unit snaps onto the ball mount. Once it snaps on it’s secure. When I install the mount I actually rotate it until the stud is pointed down and snap the unit on upside down. The sound it makes is much less noticeable this way. I didn’t know this could be done until I saw a few people doing it in hunting videos. Just make sure it snaps on. Ozonics makes good stuff but I’m sure they don’t build it to survive a 20 foot fall to the ground.
So an update here on the efficacy of Ozonics’s. I’ve used it on quite a few hunts now. I’ve not been “blown at” even one time while using it. It happened a few times before I started using it and even during some stalks on the ground while not using it. I’ve had 8 bucks dead down wind, inside of 30 yds while using it. Shot 2 of them, let the others go cause I was out of tags. 2 were very mature. I’ve had a lot of does down wind as well. One was the oldest deer I’ve ever shot. Flat bone for teeth on top and only gums on the bottom. 25 yds directly downwind. That was most impressive. I’ve had a few other does know something was up—they were coming my way and slowly changed directions—never really scared or ran away, but walked around me, and I couldn’t get a shot. They may have smelled me a bit or the ozone or maybe they saw me or maybe I need a Hex suit as well While I wish they would’ve come straight in, I was impressed they didn’t smell me and blow and bolt. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
@Bowhuntr64 - I believe their reaction to the ozone is directly related to how pressured or “educated” they are. As I’ve said before, the deer I hunt in Kentucky are not pressured at all. I’ve had some of them get into the ozone stream and actually follow it to my tree. The Deer on the “bow only” WMA I hunt in Arkansas are very educated. I’ve watched them do all kinds of things when they get into the ozone stream, from walking right through it to stomping around sniffing for a moment and then going the other way, but like you said, I’ve never had a deer blow and take off. By the way, did you try mounting it upside down yet, and if so, did it make a difference for you?
Yep. I’ve seen that difference based on where I hunt. I do mount it upside down now. Thanks Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've talked to quite a few people who've used them. The one common theme I took from those conversations is that deer definitely smell it. Its a foreign odor, of course they will. Many reported that it was still a 50/50 chance they'd spook by it, or just be curious and eventually deem the smell as a non threat. A deer's number one defense is their nose. You are not going to fool the nose of a 4 year old buck or doe. I think ozone has merit in treating clothing and removing odors from gear but I don't feel the ozonics units in the tree are worth the cost. When I go into the woods, I want to minimize odors I take with me, not introduce even more.
