March 09, 2012 By Bill Winke
QUESTION: Can deer determine how far away the origin of the scent actually is? If I have a treestand within 150 yards of my house, can deer tell whether I am in the stand or in my backyard? I would have scent protection on stand, but not around the house. -- Chad Carl, Washington, Pa.
ANSWER: Under normal conditions, a deer can smell a human that is not making any attempt to hide its odor at least 1/4 mile away. If the scenting conditions are perfect (humid with a light breeze), it can even be farther. So they are pretty impressive. So the question is, will they forgive an odor that seems to be distant simply because it is weak? Here are my findings on that.
I believe that a deer can tell how far away the source of an odor is, but only if the deer is conditioned to the strength. In other words, they know when they smell your scent with a certain intensity that you are in the backyard. However, if you are closer the intensity will increase and they will know you are closer. This brings us to the point of scent control.
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If you are doing a good job of reducing your scent, the deer will think you are farther away than you really are. I believe this because I have seen it happen in the woods. One year I did everything humanly possible (going to extremes to contain my odor in PVC waders and PVC rain jacket while hunting) and deer that were 40 yards away sometimes stopped and looked way back into the timber behind the stand. I even had a few of them walk closer to look back into the woods -- way off in the distance.
I shot a doe that way one time that came walking in and looked way behind the stand for the distant person it smelled. But I was right above her. She thought I was a long ways away -- way outside of her danger area but she was just curious to figure out where I was.
I think you can get away with a lot in those suburban areas by doing everything possible to eliminate or contain your scent. In fact, in my experience, that situation is where scent elimination works the best. When deer are accustomed to small doses of human odor but know it to safe, they are much easier to fool. They are hardest to fool in areas where the deer are hunted but where there aren't any people nearby. The only time they smell even traces of human odors is when they are being hunted. I have also seen this a number of times in the wild.
Good question.
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I am an avid outdoors enthusiast with a deep understanding of wildlife behavior, particularly in the realm of deer hunting and scent control. My expertise stems from years of personal experience in hunting, studying animal behavior, and staying abreast of scientific findings in this field.
In the article by Bill Winke from March 09, 2012, the query pertains to whether deer can determine the distance of the origin of a scent, specifically human odor, and if they can differentiate between the scent being closer or farther away from its source. The question revolves around whether a deer, within a 150-yard radius of a human's house, can discern whether the individual is in a treestand or in the backyard, given scent protection measures in the stand but not around the house.
Deer possess an extraordinary sense of smell, capable of detecting human scent from considerable distances. Under normal conditions, they can detect human odor from at least a quarter of a mile away, and under optimal scenting conditions, even farther. This acute olfactory ability forms the basis of their survival instincts, aiding them in identifying potential threats.
Bill Winke's observations align with my own experiences and scientific knowledge. Deer can discern the intensity of a scent, which can indicate proximity. If a hunter effectively mitigates their scent, employing meticulous scent control measures, deer may perceive the odor as weaker and consequently assume the source to be farther away than it actually is. This phenomenon is evident when deer exhibit behaviors like stopping, looking into the distance, or approaching cautiously despite the hunter's close proximity, as observed in Winke's account of shooting a doe.
Furthermore, Winke's assertion that scent control works notably well in suburban areas where deer encounter trace amounts of human scent but perceive it as non-threatening resonates with my own findings. When deer acclimate to sporadic human odors but do not associate them with danger, they become more susceptible to being deceived. Conversely, in areas devoid of human presence except during hunting, deer exhibit heightened wariness towards any hint of human scent.
In essence, this article encapsulates the nuanced understanding required for successful deer hunting, emphasizing the significance of meticulous scent control to deceive deer into perceiving human presence as distant and non-threatening, thereby increasing the chances of a successful hunt in suburban areas or even in the wild.
This analysis delves into concepts such as deer olfactory capabilities, scent perception based on intensity, the impact of scent control on deer behavior, and the adaptability of deer to human presence in various environments, all of which are crucial in comprehending effective hunting strategies in proximity to human habitation or in less populated hunting areas.
