Just curious what you think the percentage of deer is that you never knew existed that winded (or caught movement) you is that we don't see or hear? Obviously will never know for sure. But throughout the season, I wonder how many times we've been busted and don't realize it.
Every time I go out and don't see any deer I come to the conclusion that I messed up. Where I hunt, the deer walk through everyday. There is not a day when deer don't walk through these woods. If you don't see any deer you probably got winded. I don't pick slow spots. I pick spots based on scouting and previous years hunting, I put myself in a tree that I'm confident will provide me with a deer. If I don't see one, then I messed up.
I think I get picked off moving around more than I get picked off on my scent but that could be an uneducated or misinformed opinion that I hold. I feel like last year using Evercalm that I had very few deer that actually were able to wind me - that's not to say that deer that were over 100 yards away were not able to pick up my scent in the air and steer clear, that very well might have happened. I feel like that is going to happen from time to time and to be perfectly honest, as long as I don't know about it (they are not blowing or running away) then I don't concern myself with it too much. I'm not going to be able to put a percentage on what I don't know. All I can say is that I saw more deer last year than the year before and I saw more deer last year than the year before that. So as technology gets better and as I learn more about entry and exit, scent free gear and cover scents I have seen more and more deer. Never going to be 100% perfect, if I was then it wouldn't be hunting and it probably wouldn't be a challenge.
