Fire, Smoke and Sent Control...

[Wojo14]

I am new to backcountry hunting and going on my first trip at the end of Sept.
I think I got my gear list all down and ready to do this!
My question might be stupid, but here it is.
At the end of the day and your back at camp, are you worried about smoke from your little camp fire stinking up your hunting gear and clothes? Everything I read says to bring only the clothes you will hunt in and maybe extra socks and undies.
I ask this, because I hunt with traditional bow and getting close is what I do.
Will smoke smell alarm the wildlife?

~Wojo

 

[Dinger]

If they can smell smoke on your gear, they will surely smell your human 'stink'...you can't fool the sense of smell.

 

[mallacootasmoothie]

If at any point you find yourself upwind, the gig is up.
No matter what you do or don't smell like.

I hunt with a trad bow and compound, I put deodorant on before a hunt.

 

[jmez]

What they said. Hunting in the mountains will give you a true appreciation for "hunt the wind" and the "scent control" craze.

 

[chuckeglenn]

It's not like white tail hunting. You are gonna stink no matter what you do. Play the wind like stated above.

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[Hunt'nFish]

Elk for some reason are attracted to fire.
Not sayin I would make a fire and expect them to come running, but on a handful of occasions I have witnessed elk investigate warming fires, cows and young bulls alike.

Just an observation.
Hunt'nFish

 

[reaper]

Thats not a stupid question,it will be my first bow hunt this year and i have the same questions...like when you are in your tipi/shelter and your stove...youll eat,making food in the tipi...what i do with my clothes???...any tips?

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[elkyinzer]

I've had a few nights where I wished I used more "sent control".

Enjoy hunting camp. You can only control and think about so much. If you screw it up, move the next time and get the wind right.

But to answer your question, it depends on how comfortable your prey is with human activity. There is a good chance if you are anywhere between Timbuktu and the end of the world that smoke specifically won't alert game, in my opinion. Where animals are widely hunted by ritualistic opening days, I do believe that they know what the signs of the build up to opening day are, and I know of some studies to back that up. If that's the case, predict what the patterns are and use them to your advantage, and you can find success. If that is not the case and you are targeting unmolested animals, then keep the wind in your favor and hunt natural movements.

 

[sneaky]

SE Idaho and northern Utah right now are nothing but smoke from all the fires. I think you could spray your favorite cologne right now and go hunt. Play the wind and pray the smoke doesn't obscure your vision is all you can do.

 

[theleo91386]

Sent control in the back country is the wind in your face. You'll be huffing and puffing to much chasing elk to ever eliminate your sent, just accept it and move on.

 

[137buck]

Here in western Montana, the smoke is really bad right now, can't see the top of the mountains today...so I wouldn't worry about the smoke smell.

 

[charvey9]

I've had elk just about run over my tent at night with a campfire still smoldering, and do not think smoke bothers them. It is a natural smell in the wilderness, and you can often find elk in recent burn areas looking for the new vegetation that follows which probably explains why they are not scared of a little smoke.


I do think, to a certain extent, smoke will mask some of the human odor. In the grand scheme of things, you would prefer they stay upwind and smell nothing, but anything is better than human scent.