cover scents for elk

T

Trad Bow 1979

Active Member
Messages
649
Hey guys, out of curiosity what would you all think of alfalfa pellets as a cover scent? Im curious since it has a strong odor and its natural. I just question how some of these scent wafers really smell to elk. And their expensive too. Im also thinking of using sage as well. What do you guys think?
 
My buddy had a cow walk up and sniff the cow elk urine waffer pinned to his hat. Then she barked really loud right in his ear, she then ran off because it scared the crap out of him and he flinched. LOL

I would say they work.



Jake H. BIG BONE HUNTING Page on Facebook.
458738e374dfcb10.jpg
 
I have used everything from wafers to urine to skunk scent, and with all of them, if the elk was downwind, they busted

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
A elk may see you once, twice or even three times. But he will smell you only once before he is gone. Stay down wind ! I have seen cover up scents confuse a elk for a second or two, but his nose always wins out. When it comes to smelling we are not in the game.
 
I will use the elk urine wafers. I find that one pack will last an entire month worth of hunting. Use one and when hunt is done put it back into the pack and let it recharge with the others.... My wife and can use one pack all season...

I have had elk downwind and eventually they will figure it out but I have also had bulls get down wind and hang up long enough for a shot. With good scent control you can stall them long enough for a shot.

I really like sage as well. My hunting clothes always go into a rubber made container and I will put in some fresh sage tops and then let that box sit in the sun.... I can open that box today and still smell like sage....
 
while calling for my buddy during bow season in New Mexico I had 2 elk urine wafers pinned to me , one on my hat the other on my body, cow elk literally surrounded the pine tree I was hiding under and never busted me, 2 times they started to leave and I was able to call them back with a calf call, side note, resturants aren't fond of elk urine wafers.
 
Get a 55 gallon barrel, fill it up with cow urine and sleep in it overnight using a snorkel. That could possibly work for the first hour or two on the mountain. However I prefer just keeping the wind on my face, much easier.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"


Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?
 
Thanks for the info guys, I appreciate the feedback. I think ill try a combination of wafers and actual sage brush or something like that. As for mtnman, there are places out there for people like you with urine fetishes, good luck
 
As for mtnman, there are places
>out there for people like
>you with urine fetishes, good
>luck

A sense of humour always is a benefit to getting though life...

So you understand what I was saying, in my opinion cover scents are a sales gimick and DO NOT work.
There is no way a little tiny 1 1/2" circle attached to your hat is going to cover up your stinky smelly body and all of the other scents associated to human products after walking 2-8 miles in the mountains.
Animals have survived for thousands of years for a reason, it sure as hell isn't because their scent can be fooled by a tiny little smelly disk... Your scent is still there.

Put the wind in YOUR FACE and you will be good to go, no matter how sweaty you are after getting to that isolated honey hole where the elk will be hanging out.

Is that better for you to understand?

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"


Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?
 
Oh no mntman, its all good. I totally get what your coming from on your first post. I have also noticed in the past that even when you saturate yourself in odors it still tends to wear off preaty fast.
 
Scents are just another way for someone to make money. Do you ever sweat when your hunting? SWEAT STINKS its on your face all over your body better yet when you breath you also put an odor out thats why your wife looks at you funny in the morning. No matter what you use if the wind is wrong they will bust you no matter how many hours you have spent in the urine barrel no matter how many wafers you have pinned to you. I will agree maybe it will help for a minute but when they get any whiff of any human odor we all know what happens...Wind in your face is the only sure way to make sure they cant smell you. Sometimes you get lucky and the elk gods suck the air straight up :)That little cool breeze on the back of your neck we have all felt while stalking is the worst feeling in the world
 
Your points are all valid however I've been lucky enough to kill 11 bulls all but 2 on public land , I guess I don't understand how someone doesn't use every tool available to harvest an elk after all of the expense and preparation that goes into a serious elk hunt. Other than Wyoming I can't think of a place that the wind and thermals don't change constantly, usually when you are drawing back your bow or taking the safety off your rifle. I can promise you from personal experience that cover scents will at the very least sometimes hold that bull up long enough for you to drop the hammer.
 
I will agree maybe it will help for a minute but when they get any whiff of any human odor we all know what happens... right from my orignal comment.. I admit I use the wafers just because just like you I want every advantage I can get.. But I hunt like they arent on. They are not meant to make you undetectable. you cant tell me you have planned a stalk on any animal and said to yourself.."ok since I have my scent on I dont have to worry about the wind today"
 
I'm think'n those alfalfa pellets most likely in a Baggie could give you some grief if a Warden/ Conservation Officer found you in possession of those pellets in the field while hunting. It could be a problem....and if nothing else get you on a watch list......"in possession of a food source and possible attempt of "Baiting Game"....the report would read.....I know that's what I would think if I found you on the mountain with those pellets and I was a Warden:)

))))------->
 
>Oh no mntman, its all good.
>I totally get what your
>coming from on your first
>post. I have also noticed
>in the past that even
>when you saturate yourself in
>odors it still tends to
>wear off preaty fast.

82ndreddevil, now I feel like an azz for being a di**, sorry about that, I misunderstood and thought you didn't get my sarcasm...
Honestly though, I don't believe in cover scents while hunting in the mountains. If you are in deer stand hunting whitetails, then I can see it cause you don't get all sweaty and its easier to control it, still I wouldn't rely on them.



Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"


Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?
 
Very true. And I was thinking about that too, some would call it baiting. But how do we not call it baiting when wearing wafers for "fermented apples" or "cow urine"? Or what about spraying "elk bomb" into the breeze? And im just talking about a sandwich bag of pellets. Regardless, that is a valid point. Probably something I should take up with the warden for the area id be hunting prior to the trip.
 
Wolf urine works the best. I wear it all the time while hunting and that way I never have to pack out any animals. TIC

Really, I loved the apple scent that was out years ago (maybe still is). I don't think it worked on game but man it smelled nice.

I too am a "down wind" guy. It's the ONLY sure-fire way to avoid detection. I still have a ritual of washing in scent-free soap and spraying a little scent on but like I said, it's a ritual.

Zeke
 
>I will agree maybe it will
>help for a minute but
>when they get any whiff
>of any human odor we
>all know what happens...
>right from my orignal comment..
>I admit I use the
>wafers just because just like
>you I want every advantage
>I can get.. But I
>hunt like they arent on.
>They are not meant to
>make you undetectable. you
>cant tell me you have
>planned a stalk on any
>animal and said to yourself.."ok
>since I have my scent
>on I dont have to
>worry about the wind today"
>
I can't imagine any serious hunter with that mindset about not worrying about scent
 
For a few years I experimented with various scents for elk. What I found was that using the real thing from local elk in the area worked much better. Cargo pockets are a good place for a scoop of stinky sand or yellow snow.
 
I enjoy watching the hunting celebrities, when they spray themselves down, pin scent wafers to themselves, and don the trendy camo pattern scentloc suits just before hunting a pivot class ranch elk. Hard to belive that marketing works on anybody who has ever been elk hunting. They clearly haven't tried the fart test with these useless products.
 
On the last day of my 2000 archery elk hunt I put a bottle of elk urine all over my hat, boots, etc. Had a giant rut crazed bull run in on me and walk straight to me, but at 8 yards he turned and ran, totally messed this up, didn't take the frontal shot back then cause I didn't think it was ethical, the bull did finally wind me but I thought he was going to walk over me or do something else to me.....bottom line, totally messed up on a giant bull due to inexperience. I have used it on other occasions with interesting results, but at the end of the day I am working the wind like everyone else and don't fool with the elk urine stuff much anymore. Kind of nasty when you are back country hunting and have that stuff on your gear, boot, etc. So, can it make a difference, maybe but I don't bank on it in any way. Like most else just trying to stay down wind at all times.

WP

"My only regret in life is setting my goals too low"
 
>Scents are just another way for
>someone to make money.
>Do you ever sweat when
>your hunting? SWEAT STINKS
>its on your face all
>over your body better yet
>when you breath you also
>put an odor out thats
>why your wife looks at
>you funny in the morning.
> No matter what you
>use if the wind is
>wrong they will bust you
>no matter how many hours
>you have spent in the
>urine barrel no matter how
>many wafers you have pinned
>to you. I will
>agree maybe it will help
>for a minute but
>when they get any whiff
>of any human odor we
>all know what happens...Wind in
>your face is the only
>sure way to make sure
>they cant smell you.
> Sometimes you get lucky
>and the elk gods suck
>the air straight up
>:)That little cool breeze on
>the back of your neck
>we have all felt while
>stalking is the worst feeling
>in the world

Umm you are wrong a cole ways. Sweat does not stink unless you have been hammering garlic and the likes. Sweat itself is relatively scent free combo of water and salts. It is bacteria that grows in sweaty spots that stink. Thus antibacterial soaps, wipes etc. so if it can help only if briefly then why not use that opportunity. Seconds actually split seconds can make the difference from gut pile to no shot. So why not use it. I have had elk less than 3 feet downwind from me taking in a full nose full of air on more than one occasion with out spooking. All have been early in a hunt and using max scent control steps...
 
I really like the Diesel cover up scent. I hear its Bessys favorite as well. I think he prefers the dodge scent .
 
Baiting is a food source or something like a salt lick etc. the scents of wafers and similar things I guess don't fall in that category leaning more towards something more natural to the game like the urine...personally we go scent free as possible de-scenting everything....

))))------->
 

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