How high up is your tree stands?

use some cedar or pine branches depending
on what you have local.
most all of the sprays i've ever used are to
be sprayed on the clothing and let dry.
movement and shiny face and hands is what's
always got me busted. i saw the folks on the property
next door 2 years ago drinking bottled water from
several hundred yards away. every time one of them
took a drink, it flashed just like one of those
rescue signal mirrors.

and this " you'll never foll a deer's nose, i don't
care what you wear or do " 8pointdrop

I have seen deer that have nailed me in a stand previously, approach from upwind and still react, even though they plainly couldn't smell me. Especially when I have over hunted a certain spot. For all you know, they spook at your stand now even when it's empty. I smoke as well and would change my location to another spot they are not accustomed too and see what happens.

If it is happening as you walk in on your approach before daybreak then I would say they are bedding down in the area. It would be almost impossible to get by them without one alerting. Deer don't see any better than you and smell isn't a factor if they are up wind. Has to be movement and noise.

Too many possible variables to give you an answer, and most here have covered them.

If you say she was upwind, put her nose in the air and smelt you, there are only three options I can think of: 1) You stink to high heavens. 2) She wasn't upwind. The wind shifted. 3) You weren't the danger that she was alerted too.

Deer will blow for different reasons. I have seen them blow at coyotes, bobcats, snakes, foxes, etc. I have seen them blow after they were spooked, simply because they were spooked. I have seen them blow to run other deer off a food source (these always tick me off ).

Is it possible you have a den of a predator near by? Also, if she has busted you before and especially numerous times, she will come back in and look for you.

Smoking isn't the issue. My father smoked until about 3 years ago and never had an issue hunting the wind. He smoked in his stands, on the way to the stand, and when he was getting out of his stand. Killed plenty of great bucks.

Ah the nose knows doesn't it especially dealing with Deer. While by no means am I an expert on several occasions I have been with 10 to 20 yards of deer. I have bowhunted on and off since the 80s but always made mistakes. You know stupid stuff like having a doe a 15 yards but pinched the nock causing the metal Easton arrow to fall off the rest and CLINK against the PSE 60lb 30% letoff metal riser beginning the deer stare down contest with me at full draw trying to not shake after 5 minutes and use my middle finger to put the friggin arrow back on the rest. Or day leasing and the wooden stand I was standing on creaked at the wrong moment spooking a nice buck... Stuff happens. Yet when I used my rifle most of the deer I killed have been 40 yards or less. So I thought I would offer some of my experiences.

1. If you keep getting busted move your stand for you are educating the deer.

2. Put a feather on your bow quiver tied with sewing thread so you can see what the wind is doing.

3. In a still wind air still moves and morning air as it is being warmed will rise so hunt high terrain wise. And evening cooling air will sink and run along the ground so hunt low.

4. Yes I too bought in to the Scentlock clothing and sprays but one day on the stand I had to fart! So the next realization was all the "scent control" still didn't control my breath exhaling every second or two and throwing my internal scent out there.

5. Can you minimize your scent yes. Wash your clothes in scent free detergent and put them in a plastic trash bag loaded up with pine or cedar limbs. Don't pump gas on the way to the deer stand and by all means pass on the Allsups chili dogs. Of course I'm joking but you get the idea.

6. Pay close attention to terrain for wind will do funny unpredictable things.

I had a creek bottom at my lease in Evant that had a very high bank over to the east. The south wind would hit the bank and there would be a airflow to the west. Deer were coming from the west from the big hill in the evening and before I figured this out I got busted and heard that sharp snort typical of bucks. Does wheeze but bucks snort and I heard this a few times.

Thick verses open timber or woods. My feeder was located in open hill country woods but near the edge of a very thick cedar thicket. One day I walked in before season middle of the day to check my feeder with the wind at my back. Well the does bedded up in there smelled me but because of the swirling wind they thought I was coming from the other direction for they all busted out and toward and ran by me. So dense timber will act as a windbreak and will cause swirls. You can use this to your advantage for right there on that edge faster wind hitting the dense brush will rise thus keeping your scent up if your in a tree stand.

Don't sit on the edge of woods next to a pasture. If the wind is wrong then the trees will offer resistance and create a vacuum effect. The faster moving air coming through the field will entrain in and blow your scent up into the woods. Usually you will find a border trail 30 yards in that deer use to scent check a field. Stand or sit outside of the trail.

7. Some old does just blow and blow up for the heck of it for no apparent reason. I was watching a doe family one day - left the does alone because the bucks would come check - and some farmer across the road slammed his truck door. She blew up. On many occasions watching her she would wheeze at the drop of a hat.

Main thing is move your stand. Do it soon for the bullets are about to fly and everything will change.

Good luck.

JT

+1

i use apparition scents. i have never been busted, not in texas, ga, fla, ky or teen…i try to keep high in the tree, but in Texas that's impossible...

I know this is true

I had a couple does bust me in a stand once and from then on every time they came in they would look straight at the stand to see if I was there. Try moving your stand and keep hunting the wind.

I've found that it's best to practice your tuba at home and not while deer hunting.

OMG CANT BREATHE LOL... THE IMAGE IN MY HEAD.... LOLOLOLOLOL

Ok so the t-shirt with cologne is something we would do to somebody, put a fried burrito in somebody's pack stuff like that....

Whoever said they tape up except for a 1 inch strip... I couldn't handle that...

Scent typically puts them on edge, RARELY spooks them off imo, they my stop, snort, and not come in but they don't bust out tail up... However, if they smell you and you scratch your nose while they are on alerty. they gone..

That doesn't mean she smelled you. I have had several deer bust me by movement, most of the time they will test the air before they haul but out of there!

What do you use to wash your hunting clothes?

I have the same problem this season. I hunted 5 time and busted deer 5 times. I did whatever I could, including moving my stand/feeder to avoid deer trails. But none works. Once a time, I saw 20+ deer playing around, but they all tried to away from where I sit.

Finally, I figured out that it might be UV issue. I used a liquid that design for baby which has no perfume and dye. It worked well to control scent. I have deer come few yards from me, and not tag me. But this season, it does not work. The new liquid may be added UV brightener. Deer can see me, especially in dusk. I bought scent killer wash from Academy, washed all my hunting clothes, cap, face mask, gloves. Then, deer do not pay attention to my existence any more. I kill 2 deer in last 2 visits.

I wash my clothes in regular scented detergent work like a borrowed mule all day in my hunting clothes and then go sit next to a mesquite tree on the ground and have deer within 15 yards. Im betting there is something more than scent at play.