Trail Cameras and Scent Control for Deer Hunting
Brandon Wikman 07.26.12
The simple shutter of a trail camera documenting the perplexing life of a deer is truly extraordinary. Gaining any edge of insight against the opposition will amplify your success, but you must realize that there’s a very fine line between pinpointing a buck and him pinpointing you.
A mature deer has a wealth of senses that they’ll use to shake off any threat in sight. When you can trigger an image of a mature buck on camera discretely, you have something incredibly special – that is why scent control plays an instrumental factor in targeting a buck before he targets you.
I’ve learned a few basic tricks to surprise attack deer in their home terrain via trail camera. The most important and critical element of being covert is your scent.
Scent Control
As we all know, deer have an unforgiving nose. They are able to sniff a trickled bead of sweat in grass for days. Many hunters fail to realize putting out trail cameras is just as critical as actually hunting. Your trail camera must be as scent-free as your hands setting it up. You must take every precaution to eliminate the smell of food, fuel, and body odor; otherwise you are hanging a massive scent-wick of human odor in a whitetail’s bedroom.
Be sure to take the extra time to shower and eliminate any foreign odors you may be carrying in the woods with you. Your hands carry a heap of human bearing stenches. When handling your trail camera in the woods be certain to wear gloves or use an activated carbon and silver concoction, such as Carbon Synergy, which will provide an instant odor control barrier to fight odor causing bacteria. Carbon Synergy can be dusted on your camera to block any foreign odors that you may transmit to the camera monitor.
Lastly, clean your camera like you clean your camo clothes. Don’t be afraid to scrub the outside with scent eliminator or wash. This will break up the bacteria molecules that the camera has taken on throughout the time on the store shelf, in your truck, and lying in your house.
Scent is the highlight for this week. I know there are a vast number of hunters that don’t take the necessary time to enter the home of a whitetail smelling like fresh air. Many times people will play the game in last-minute fashion by entering the woods after work smelling like a skunk.
You know you are doing something right when you can capture an image of a mature deer (multiple) times on your camera. This assures that you never spooked him. Be sure to take the extra time to increase your odds in the field and woods this year! You only have a small window of days to hunt in a season, be certain to do it right!
